I love a pasta dish that covers all of the bases. This one is packed with creamy, healthful cannellini beans, lean chicken sausage for protein, baby broccoli for a vibrant vegetable, and lots of garlic and grated cheese. If you have any fresh herbs available, such as sage or rosemary, add them to the pan with the garlic to brighten up the dish.
White Bean & Baby Broccoli Cavatappi with Chicken Sausage
I love a pasta dish that covers all of the bases. This one is packed with creamy, healthful cannellini beans, lean chicken sausage for protein, baby broccoli for a vibrant vegetable, and lots of garlic and grated cheese. If you have any fresh herbs available, such as sage or rosemary, add them to the pan with the garlic to brighten up the dish.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 mild Italian chicken sausages, or use pork if you’d like a richer dish, a little over a half pound
- 15- ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch baby broccoli, tough ends trimmed, and roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta cooking water
- ½ cup grated parmigiano reggiano, plus more for passing at the table
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta and add about a tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta to the pot.
- As soon as the pasta goes in, warm the olive oil in a separate large saucepan. Squeeze the sausage from their casings into the pot and stir, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook the sausage until it is almost fully cooked through. Stir in the garlic and the baby broccoli and cook for another minute. Scoop a half cup of the pasta cooking water from the pot, and add it to the broccoli and sausage along with a half teaspoon of salt. Bring it to a simmer, and cover the pot, allowing it to cook while the pasta finishes.
- When the pasta is al dente, use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pasta directly into the pot with the broccoli and sausage. Add the drained beans, then stir to mix everything together. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
- If the mixture seems very thick, add a little more pasta water to loosen it up. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the half cup of grated cheese. Spoon the pasta into bowls and serve, passing more grated cheese at the table.
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