Sausage links, great northern beans, cherry tomatoes and kale
It’s hard to believe that only 5 ingredients can be turned into an amzing meal in only 20 minutes. We make a version of this dish at least once a week, because it’s tasty, fast and healthy. Each serving has only about 300 calories and 6 g of fat. We have used both link sausages and bulk sausage, canned tomatoes and fresh tomatoes, cannellini beans, great northern beans and garbanzo beans, and a variety of greens: kale, swiss chard, napa cabbage and mustard greens. You can pretty much mix and match what you have in your fridge and pantry. You can use any kind of greens, or you could use pasta instead of beans. Whatever you choose, you can be sure that even though the ingredients are simple, the flavors are complex.
This recipe makes 4 servings and has 270 calories per serving (23% fat, 34% protein, 43% carbs). You’ll need a large skillet with a lid so you can braise the greens.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. or 4 links hot italian chicken sausage (I use Isernio’s brand)
- 14.5 oz can of cannellini beans (aka white beans or white kidney beans), rinsed and drained (or 1.5-2 cups of cooked beans)
- 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced)
- 4 cups chopped or shredded greens like kale, swiss chard, cabbage or mustard greens (make sure to remove any tough stems)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (if you are not using a non-stick pan)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Chicken sausage has very little fat, so this just helps it to not stick to the pan. Feel free to leave out the oil if you use a nonstick pan.
- Brown the sausage on all sides and remove from the pan.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, and garlic and sautee for a few minutes.
- Add the chopped greens and stir together with the tomatoes and beans. The greens will be super fluffy at this point, but they will wilt down and reduce in size quickly.
- Add the sausage back to the pan, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir. If you used fresh tomatoes, you may need to add 1/4 cup of stock or water for braising. .
- Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the greens are tender.
Sausage, cannellini beans, canned San Marzano tomatoes and napa cabbage