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15-Minute Smoked Sausage Pasta with White Beans (One Skillet) is the perfect weeknight meal ready in 15 minutes. The smoked sausage brings a smoky flavor to the dish which means you don’t need extra spices! The spinach, pine nuts and beans pair wonderfully, making this pasta dish a family favorite.
This 15-Minute Smoked Sausage Pasta with White Beans comes together in 15 minutes in one skillet, using smoked sausage, cannellini beans, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and toasted pine nuts. Sear the sausage, simmer the vegetables and beans in broth until it builds into a light sauce, then toss in the pasta. What you get is a smoky, herby pasta with just enough sauce to coat every bite, not a soupy mess. It’s my go-to on nights when the kids have practice at 6 and dinner needs to be on the table by 6:15.
Growing up in a Lebanese household, toasted pine nuts and warm dried herbs were never optional, they were how you finished a dish. I use that same instinct here. Toasting the pine nuts first layers a nutty crunch over the smoky sausage, and letting the broth pull in those herb notes gives you a light, flavorful sauce without any cream or heavy tomato base. You also might like this Spicy Sausage Pasta, Italian Sausage Pasta Bake, One Pot Chickpea Kale Pasta Recipe or this Lemon Ricotta Pasta.
Why This Recipe Works
Toasting the pine nuts separately concentrates their flavor before they hit the pan, so they read as a crunchy finishing touch instead of getting lost in the sauce.
Searing the sausage first, then setting it aside, leaves browned bits in the skillet that flavor the broth instead of steaming away. Simmering the vegetables in broth rather than water builds a light sauce as everything cooks, so you get real flavor without cream or a heavy tomato base.
Adding the pasta at the very end, off high heat, keeps it from soaking up too much broth and turning gluey.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Sausage: This recipe uses smoked sausage but you can use any of your favorite sausage varieties.
- Pasta: The pasta I used is bow tie. I suggest a medium sized pasta as I think it works best along with the other ingredients.
- Pine Nuts: It is optional but I like adding toasted pine nuts for added crunch.
- Vegetables: This dish has cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and spinach. You can use a variety of other vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, green beans or broccoli.
- Broth: The vegetable broth helps the pasta cook and creates a light sauce.
- Beans: White beans are a great addition to this pasta dish. You can sub in black beans, red beans, chickpeas or pint beans.
- Spices: A mixture of dried basil, dried parsley and dried oregano add flavor to the dish.
Recipe Modifications
- Try using whole wheat pasta to create a healthier dish or even zoodles.
- Turkey sausage is another nice option in this dish.
- I used white beans in this dish but any bean works nicely. You could also use black beans, kidney beans or chickpeas.
- If you want to mix things up try tortellini or gnocchi in this dish in place of the pasta.
- Greens are great in this dish. Try swapping spinach for kale, swiss chard or arugula.
- Add other vegetables to the pasta. I love using carrots, green beans, broccoli or bell pepper.
How to Make this Smoked Sausage Pasta
Step 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the bow tie pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Toast the pine nuts. Heat a dry large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, until golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Sear the sausage. In the same skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the smoked sausage and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Step 4: Simmer the zucchini. Add the zucchini and vegetable broth to the skillet. Simmer until the zucchini is soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Add the beans, spinach, and tomatoes. Stir in the spinach, white beans, cherry tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried parsley. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the tomatoes are soft.
Step 6: Combine and finish. Turn the heat to low. Add the cooked pasta and seared sausage to the skillet, tossing to combine. Cook for 30 seconds, just until heated through.
Step 7: Garnish and serve. Top with the toasted pine nuts, freshly grated parmesan, chopped green onion, fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the sausage sear. Tossing raw sliced sausage straight in with the vegetables means you lose the browned bits that flavor the broth. Sear it separately first.
- Overcooking the zucchini. It turns mushy fast in broth. Pull it the moment it’s fork tender, about 5 minutes.
- Adding the pasta too early. Stir it in at the end, off high heat, or it will absorb too much broth and the dish will lose its sauce.
- Skipping the toast on the pine nuts. Raw pine nuts taste flat. Two to three minutes in a dry skillet makes a real difference.
- Using cold spinach straight from the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it wilts evenly instead of releasing cold water into the pan.
Storage Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, warm in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can also microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
- This pasta is best fresh since the pine nuts lose their crunch over time, but it still reheats well for lunches during the week. Freezing isn’t recommended, the zucchini and spinach turn watery once thawed.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Cook the full recipe, cool completely, and store in an airtight container. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.
Chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans all work well without changing the cook time.
Yes. Turkey sausage, chicken sausage, or Italian sausage all work well. If you use raw sausage instead of pre-cooked, add a few extra minutes to the sear so it cooks through.
Cook the pasta separately until just al dente, then add it to the skillet at the very end. It only needs 30 seconds to warm through and pick up a little of the broth.
More Pasta Recipes
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15-Minute Smoked Sausage Pasta with White Beans (One Skillet)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 – 14 ounce package Smoked Sausage, diagonally cut into 1/4” slices
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 6 ounces bow tie pasta, cooked and drained (or medium sized pasta of your choice)
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1-6 ounces package of spinach, pre-washed
- 1-15 ounces can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a dry large skillet over medium-low heat and toast pine nuts, stirring frequently, until pine nuts are golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet heat 2 tsp. olive oil on medium-high heat and sauté the smoked sausage for 5 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove smoked sausage and set aside.
- Add the zucchini and vegetable broth to the skillet and simmer until zucchini are soft, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, white beans, cherry tomatoes, basil, oregano and parsley and continue to simmer for 2 minutes until spinach is wilted and tomatoes are soft.
- Turn the heat to low, add the pasta and smoked sausage to the vegetables mixing well to combine and cook for 30 seconds. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, freshly grated parmesan cheese, chopped green onion, fresh parsley and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, warm in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can also microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
- This pasta is best fresh since the pine nuts lose their crunch over time, but it still reheats well for lunches during the week. Freezing isn’t recommended, the zucchini and spinach turn watery once thawed.
- Sear the sausage in batches if your skillet feels crowded, it browns better with room to breathe.
- No pine nuts on hand? Toasted walnuts or slivered almonds work as a substitute.
- For extra richness, finish with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of parmesan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Incredibly tasty and satisfying.
I am glad you liked it!
That smoked sausage looks so good! I love how quick and easy this meal is!
It is a quick one which is nice! Thanks!
this is my idea of perfect weeknight comfort food!
I’ve never wanted pasta skillet so bad in my life!! Yum!
🙂 It is a yummy one!
What a beautiful dish. I always love beans with pasta and of course, sausage. Wonderful combination.
Thanks Christie!
This looks fantastic. I have to try this with chicken sausage!
Thanks! It would be great with chicken sausage!
You can adapt this recipe for any type of sausage, or none. Kids might like it made w/ uncured chicken hot dogs (purchased a TJ) in a pinch (yes, it will work!). Id probably leave out the pine nuts in that case:).
Great ideas! 🙂
Hubba Hubba!
🙂
Baby is here!!!! Yayyyyyy!! (Obviously I have been watching your IG feed.)
Aaaanyway. I adore smoked sausage in pasta and I love the pine nuts in this. Too delicious!
Yes!! 🙂 He is finally here!
This pasta sounds awesome, I love smoked sausage!
Good luck with the end of your pregnancy!
Thanks Alaina! I love smoked sausage in pasta!