Sausage pasta fagioli is a fresh take on a beloved classic. This hearty one-pot meal combines crumbled Italian sausage, garlic, and both butter (lima) and cannellini beans simmered with penne in a light tomato broth. Serve it hot with plenty of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
I often look for ways to reimagine classic dishes. I love pasta e fagioli (pasta fazool), but sometimes I want a bolder version — which inspired this sausage pasta fagioli.
This version keeps the familiar flavors but scales them up: full-sized penne replaces tiny pasta, large butter beans join cannellini beans, and savory bulk Italian sausage stands in for pancetta. The result is a robust, comforting dish that’s simple to make in under an hour.
How to make it
Each numbered step below corresponds to the photos in the original post.
- Prepare the aromatics and beans: slice 5 garlic cloves and dice 1 medium onion. Drain two 16-ounce cans of butter (lima) beans and one 16-ounce can of cannellini beans. Note: lima and butter beans are the same and may be labeled differently depending on where you shop.
- In a large heavy pot, brown 1 pound of bulk Italian sausage in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for about 5–7 minutes, until mostly cooked through.
- Create a space in the pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sauté the diced onion for 5 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook 1–2 more minutes until golden. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds more.
- Add 3 plum tomatoes (from one can) and either crush them in the pan with a spoon or hand-crush before adding.
- Pour in 6 cups of water (or low-sodium chicken stock for more flavor) and add the drained beans.
- Tuck in a Parmigiano Reggiano rind if you have one and bring the pot to a boil for 3 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to mash some of the beans against the side of the pot — or pulse briefly with an immersion blender — to thicken the broth. Mash more or less depending on your preferred thickness.
- Add 8 ounces of uncooked penne and cook until al dente, stirring frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick. The pasta will absorb much of the liquid; add additional water or stock as needed to reach the consistency you like (soupier or thicker).
- When the pasta is al dente, remove the pot from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more red pepper flakes if desired. Serve in bowls with crusty bread and offer grated Parmigiano Reggiano, black pepper, extra red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
Top Tips
- Sausage: Bulk Italian sausage is quickest, but you can use sausage links and remove the casings. Mild with fennel is classic; use hot or a mix if you prefer more heat.
- Cooking the pasta: Cooking the pasta directly in the broth intensifies flavor, but if you want firmer pasta for leftovers, cook it separately and add only what you plan to eat that day.
- Consistency: Adjust the amount of liquid and how much you mash the beans to control whether the dish is more like a soup or a thicker stew.
- Extra flavor: Using low-sodium chicken stock instead of water and adding a Parmigiano rind enhance depth. Save cheese rinds in the fridge for recipes like this.
More recipes for Italian sausage lovers
Sausage adds great depth and texture to many dishes. A few favorites to try with Italian sausage include:
- Beans and greens sausage pasta — escarole, spinach, sausage, and cannellini beans with rigatoni.
- Pasta alla Norcina — sausage and pasta in a creamy white wine sauce with a hint of nutmeg.
- Sausage and peppers rigatoni — a classic sausage-and-peppers combination with garlicky marinara.
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Sausage Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained (don’t rinse)
- 2 (16-ounce) cans lima (butter) beans, drained (don’t rinse)
- 6 cups water (or low-sodium chicken stock), add more as needed
- 3 plum tomatoes, hand-crushed (from one can)
- 8 ounces penne or other sturdy pasta
- 1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot, brown the sausage in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining olive oil and the diced onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until golden, then stir in the red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the plum tomatoes, drained beans, 6 cups water (or stock), and the Parmigiano rind. Bring to a brief boil for 3 minutes.
- Lower the heat and crush some beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the broth.
- Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add additional liquid as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
- When the pasta is al dente, remove from heat, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Serve in bowls with crusty bread. Offer grated Parmigiano Reggiano, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil for finishing.
Notes
- Ziti, cavatappi, or other sturdy shapes work well with the larger beans.
- If you want leftovers with firmer pasta, cook the pasta separately and combine when serving.
- Leftovers keep up to 3 days and can be reheated gently in the microwave or on the stove.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 73 g |
Protein: 34.8 g |
Fat: 31.7 g |
Saturated Fat: 8.4 g |
Cholesterol: 119 mg |
Sodium: 1048 mg |
Fiber: 9.1 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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