Rustic cast iron skillet filled with smoky sausage and white bean skillet, topped with wilted spinach in a rich tomato broth, photographed from above on a weathered wood surface

One-Pan Sausage and White Bean Skillet

Name: One-Pan Sausage and White Bean Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 12 oz smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into ¼-inch coins; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained; 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed; ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth; 3 cups fresh baby spinach (or one 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry); Salt and black pepper to taste; Crusty bread or rice, for serving

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

This one-pan sausage and white bean skillet browns smoked sausage first, then simmers it with canned white beans, diced tomatoes, and spinach in the same pan. It's ready in about 30 minutes and costs under $10 for four servings.

Jump to Recipe

Smoked sausage does most of the work here. It browns fast, throws off good fat, and turns a couple cans of beans and tomatoes into something that tastes like it took longer than thirty minutes.

This is a good one for a weeknight when you want dinner on the table without a stack of dishes after. Serve it straight from the skillet with crusty bread for scooping up the broth, or spoon it over rice if you want it to stretch further.

Prep10 minutes

Cook20 minutes

Total30 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 oz smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into ¼-inch coins
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups fresh baby spinach (or one 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Crusty bread or rice, for serving

Instructions

1Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2Add the sliced sausage in a single layer. Cook without moving for 2-3 minutes until the cut sides are deeply browned. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes more. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.
3Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent.
4Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir constantly for 60 seconds until fragrant. Do not walk away — garlic goes from golden to burned faster than you think is possible.
5Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those bits are flavor. Do not leave them.
6Add the drained white beans and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the liquid reduces slightly and the beans are warmed through.
7Return the browned sausage to the skillet. Stir to incorporate.
8Add the spinach in two or three handfuls, stirring each addition until wilted before adding the next, about 2 minutes total. If using frozen spinach, add it all at once and stir until heated through.
9Taste and season with salt and black pepper. The sausage and broth both carry salt, so taste before you season.
10Serve directly from the skillet with crusty bread for dipping or over cooked rice.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

630Calories

34 gProtein

66 gCarbohydrates

27 gTotal Fat

9 gSaturated Fat

17 gFiber

6 gTotal Sugars

1610 mgSodium

47 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Brown the sausage first and do not crowd the pan. If your skillet isn't big enough to lay all the coins flat, do it in two batches. Steamed gray sausage is a quiet disappointment and you deserve better.
Use smoked paprika, not sweet paprika. The smoke is doing real work here. If all you have is regular paprika, use it, but know that smoked paprika costs two dollars at most grocery stores and it is one of the better two-dollar decisions available to you.
Mashing about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pan before adding the broth will thicken the sauce naturally and make the whole thing feel richer. The beans will sacrifice themselves willingly for this cause.

Substitutions

smoked sausage → andouille, chorizo, or Italian sausage Andouille adds heat, chorizo adds a different kind of smoke and fat, Italian sausage (pre-cooked) works fine — just adjust salt since it varies by brand

smoked sausage → chicken apple sausage (pre-cooked) Lighter option that still slices and browns well; reduce paprika by half since the sweetness changes the flavor balance

white beans → chickpeas or pinto beans Chickpeas hold their shape better if you like more texture; pintos make it taste like it's heading south of the border, which is not a complaint

baby spinach → kale or Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves chopped Add 2-3 minutes to the cooking time — heartier greens need longer to soften

chicken broth → vegetable broth or water Water works in a pinch; add a small pinch of extra salt and another splash of olive oil to compensate for the missing depth

fresh spinach → frozen spinach (10 oz package) Thaw completely, then squeeze out as much water as possible using a clean kitchen towel — frozen spinach holds a shocking amount of water and it will thin your sauce if you skip this step

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen, or microwave in 90-second intervals, stirring between each. The beans will thicken as they sit, which is normal and fixable.

Make Ahead

The full skillet can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of broth. The flavors improve overnight as the beans absorb the smoky liquid. If making ahead, hold off on seasoning with final salt until reheating.

Freezing

Yes. Cool the sausage, white beans, tomatoes, and sauce completely and freeze them together in airtight portions. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet, stirring gently so the beans stay intact.

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