Tuscan Chicken Sausage White Bean Skillet
This one skillet meal of Chicken Sausage and White Beans with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes is delicious, packed with protein, and ready in about 20 minutes. It’s simple, hearty, and a great back-pocket recipe for those busy nights when you need a plan in a hurry.
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of chicken sausages around here! Simple comfort food at its best, this skillet pairs them with white beans and veggies for a meal that’s quick, easy, and packed with flavor. I love that it feels pretty healthy and satisfying but is totally easy to whip up in about 20 minutes. Plus it has some ingredients that every member of the family can get behind.
Hello, Tuscan chicken sausage skillet with cannellini beans, baby spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. Why we love this one:
- One-pan meal. Everything simmers right in the same skillet for truly simple cooking and clean-up.
- Major Italian-inspired flavors. The sausages alone bring lots of delicious seasonings. Add power players like sweet sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic, Italian herbs, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and you get a skillet that’s anything but boring.
- Flexible. Don’t love spinach? Leave it out or swap in a different veggie. Kids want just the sausage? It’s easy to pop some browned coins on their plates while you prep the rest. You get the idea.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this with breadsticks, Texas toast, or garlic knots for a truly easy and cozy meal, or add a simple salad of dark leafy greens to add even more vegetable action.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need. Find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Italian-style chicken sausages. I use sweet Italian sausage for most recipes, because it’s what my kids like, but you can purchase hot sausages or ones made with apple, mozzarella, or really any other mix-ins that appeal to you.
- Yellow onion. Swap in a shallot, sweet onion, or red onion if you like.
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. To save time, look for julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, which won’t need to be chopped and can go straight into the skillet. You can use whole sun-dried tomatoes, of course, and chop them coarsely, or use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, and expect them to absorb a bit of liquid from the dish as they plump up slightly.
- Minced garlic. Fresh minced or from a jar work best.
- Cannellini or other small white beans. Cannellini beans are a large Italian bean that work beautifully in any recipe that calls simply for “white beans.” They maintain a hearty, creamy texture when cooked. Great northern or white navy beans work well as substitutes.
- Diced tomatoes. Use fire-roasted tomatoes for an extra hit of flavor. So good!
- Baby spinach. Kale, chard, or even arugula make good substitutes here.
- Italian seasoning.
- Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Olive oil.
What’s in Italian seasoning?
Italian seasoning is a staple of a well-stocked spice drawer and typically includes dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and a smaller amount of dried thyme and dried marjoram. Variations may also include Mediterranean spices and herbs like dried sage, fennel seeds, garlic powder, or crushed red pepper flakes.
How To Make It
This is an overview. Full instructions with timing & temperatures are in the recipe card below.
- Grab a large skillet with a lid. You’ll want to cover the dish as it simmers for part of the cooking time. Slice and brown the sausage, then remove it to a plate while you start the veggies.
- Sauté the onion, followed by the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. This develops the base of those great Italian flavors.
- Add rinsed beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and Italian seasoning, then return the sausage coins to the skillet.
- Cover and cook for about 6 minutes, just enough to tenderize the beans and meld all the flavors.
- Uncover the skillet, add spinach, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve it up and enjoy!
Pro Tip
For extra flavor, sauté the sausage in a bit of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, rather than using regular extra-virgin olive oil. This adds a little extra punch and is also efficient!
Storage & Reheating
This is a dish that happily meets all my criteria to enjoy for lunch again the next day: healthy, satisfying, and delicious, with plenty of protein and vegetables to keep me fueled all afternoon.
- Storage: Place leftovers in any airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. (These are our favorite meal prep boxes for the fridge.)
- Warming: Reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan until warmed through. If you’re warming on the stovetop and it starts to look dry, mix in a splash of chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water.
You can freeze leftovers of this, but it’s not my first choice. It’s safe to eat and still has great flavor, but the beans and sausage don’t really keep the ideal texture when cooked, frozen, defrosted, and warmed.
Related Recipes
Craving similar flavors but with chicken breasts rather than sausage? This quick recipe for Tuscan chicken breasts with kale and white beans is just the thing.
Want more ways to use that chicken sausage lingering in the fridge? Sheet pan chicken sausage and veggies, creamy Italian sausage pasta marinara, and easy sausage and pierogies are some of our go-to family dinners all year round.
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Tuscan Chicken Sausage White Bean Skillet
Ingredients
- 2-3 teaspoons olive oil can use oil from the sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor
- 12 ounces sweet Italian-style chicken sausages sliced into 1” coins
- 1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can (15 ounce) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes fire-roasted for extra flavor
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2-3 cups baby spinach
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Grab a large skillet with a lid, set it over medium heat, and warm olive oil in it until shimmering. Add sausage coins and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned. Remove sausage to a plate and set aside.2-3 teaspoons olive oil, 12 ounces sweet Italian-style chicken sausages
- Add onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, until beginning to soften. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.1/2 medium yellow onion, 1/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, 2-3 cloves garlic
- Stir in the rinsed beans, diced tomatoes with juices, and Italian seasoning. Return sausage to the skillet. Cover the pan, keep it over medium heat, and cook for 6 minutes.1 can (15 ounce) cannellini beans, 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Uncover the skillet and stir in the spinach. It should wilt after about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I usually add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; you may prefer more.) Serve and enjoy!2-3 cups baby spinach, kosher salt and black pepper
