Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Salsiccia e Fagioli (Sausage and Beans)
A hearty, rustic, one-pan meal of sweet Italian sausages cooked with cannellini beans, tomatoes, and sage. Perfect for cold evenings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- pork sausages (sweet or spicy Italian style)
- canned cannellini or borlotti beans (rinsed)
- canned crushed tomatoes
- garlic
- fresh sage leaves
- onion (finely chopped)
- extra virgin olive oil
- red pepper flakes (optional)
- salt and pepper
Equipment
- Large heavy skillet or Dutch oven
Instructions
- 1
Brown Sausages
In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil. Prick the sausages with a fork and brown them on all sides over medium-high heat. They do not need to be fully cooked yet. Remove to a plate.
- 2
Sauté Aromatics
In the same pan with the sausage fat, add the chopped onion, garlic, and fresh sage leaves. Sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
- 3
Add Tomatoes
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- 4
Slice Sausages (Optional)
Slice the browned sausages into thick coins, or leave them whole if you prefer.
- 5
Combine
Return the sausages to the pan and add the rinsed beans. Stir to combine with the tomato sauce.
- 6
Simmer
Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sausages to cook through completely.
- 7
Thicken
If the sauce is too thin, uncover for the last 5 minutes. You can also mash a small amount of the beans with a spoon to naturally thicken the stew.
- 8
Serve
Serve piping hot in shallow bowls with a heavy drizzle of raw olive oil and plenty of crusty bread.
Cooking Tips
- Pricking the sausages before browning allows some of the fat to render into the pan, which then flavors the onions and beans.
- Fresh sage is the defining flavor of this dish; dried sage does not provide the same earthy brightness.
Variations
- Salsiccia e Lenticchie: Substitute lentils for beans, a traditional pairing often eaten on New Year's Eve.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Sometimes humorously referred to as 'Fagioli all'Uccelletto con Salsiccia' in Tuscany, elevating the beans to the main ingredient.
Nutrition Estimate
580 calories · 28g protein · 32g carbs · 38g fat · 8g fiber per serving
