Skillet Sausage with White Beans & Kale

Made all in one skillet, this smoky sausage dish paired with white beans and kale is the perfect easy weeknight meal. While kale may not be everyone’s favorite, once wilted over heat, it takes on a delicious creamy texture. The white beans work to add a bit of heartiness to this healthy recipe that can be made in 30 minutes or less.

Why this recipe works.

Creating a weeknight meal that can be served in 30 minutes is a tall order. To make a meal that is nourishing, filling, and delicious, the recipe needs to be foolproof. Skillet sausage with white beans and kale is the answer. The entire recipe is made in one skillet. The meal starts with a good sausage. Sausage is packed with flavor and protein. Scoring the sausage a few times will release some of the flavor into the skillet and give texture to the sausage. Kale is quickly wilted in the same skillet and stirred together with canned white beans for a starchy filling side. Everything is finished in the oven in a few minutes for a quick and satisfying meal.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Sausage can be a pantry staple kept in the freezer when a quick meal is needed. Choose a good quality sausage for a nice smokey flavor.
• Kale can become sweet and tender when quickly wilted over the heat. Kale adds a healthy green full of vitamins and gives a complimentary texture to the creamy beans.
• Soy sauce will work as a flavor enhancer in this recipe. The soy sauce is added to heighten both the impact of the kale and the white beans and is an ingredient that’s absolutely necessary.
• White beans are an easy canned item to keep in the pantry. Make sure to drain and rinse beans for a clean flavor and no excess moisture in the meal.
• Parmesan cheese is the finishing touch with a big flavor impact. A small amount goes a long way with a salty, nutty flavor.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Prepare the sausage. Using a knife, create four to five relief cuts about ¼ of the way through each sausage link. Heat one tablespoon of neutral oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage cut-side down to the hot oil and allow it to brown for three to five minutes. Once one side is browned, flip it and allow the other side to brown. Once browned, remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside, reserving the oil in the skillet.

2. Sauté the onion. Turn down the heat on the stovetop to medium-low. Chop or dice an onion and add it to the hot oil remaining in the skillet. Add in the salt, mix it with the onion, and let the onion sauté for four to six minutes. When the onion is beginning to brown, add in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook it for 30 seconds to one minute.

3. Wilt the kale. Strip the kale leaves from the stem. Roll the leaves slightly and use a knife to roughly chop the leaves. Add the kale to the skillet along with the soy sauce. Stir these together to begin the wilting process. 

4. Add the remaining ingredients and bake. To the wilted kale, add the drained and rinsed white beans, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and chicken stock. Stir everything together to thoroughly incorporate the additional flavorings. Then add the sausage back into the skillet, nestling each one down into the kale and white bean mixture. Place the skillet in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for eight to ten minutes to warm everything through. Once baked, remove the skillet, squeeze on a bit of fresh lemon juice and Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Pro Tips for This Recipe

• Creating relief cuts in the sausage is done for two reasons. First, these cuts will create additional surface area and texture for each sausage link to brown when placed in the skillet. Second, this extra browning will also transfer additional flavor to the skillet, heightening the flavor in the rest of the recipe.
• When it comes to garlic, the cooking time is very important. Garlic can tend to have a raw flavor, so it’s imperative that it’s cooked slightly to reduce the raw flavor. Garlic is susceptible to burning quickly, so make sure not to cook the garlic for too long. About 30 seconds to one minute should be the right amount of time needed.
• Make sure to both drain and rinse the white beans before adding them to the recipe. This will remove the canning liquid around the beans, which can become thick and heavy. The beans’ flavor is much better without this liquid.

You’ll love these other weeknight dinner recipes.

• One skillet lemon chicken with ozro and kale
• Meat sauce with spaghetti
• The best homemade goulash
• Classic sloppy Joes
• Pork chops with quick applesauce
• Kielbasa with cabbage and apples
• Sungold tomato pasta bake
• Fresh tomato herb pasta
• Baked zucchini crust pizza
• Tomato zucchini summer pasta