Madigan made… an easy weeknight pasta meal.
Here in Pennsylvania, we are bracing for yet another major snowstorm. Sigh. I am SO ready for spring, aren’t you?! Heck, I’ll just be happy to see grass again soon! But it is what it is this week… I can’t stop Mother Nature. So, in honor of the winter that feels like it is never going to end, I thought I’d share with you one our family’s favorite cool-weather pasta dishes.
What is it about winter cabin fever that makes us crave carbs and pasta? I don’t know… but this easy pasta dish is the perfect meal to make on a cold night. It is filling, a little spicy and filled with some veggies and fiber, too.
Easy Sausage, Escarole and Beans with Pasta
Adapted from Food Network and Wegmans
Ingredients:
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound box of penne pasta
- 1-2 pkgs (15 oz each) chopped escarole in a bag (or 1 medium head of escarole, cleaned and chopped)
- ~1 lb Italian sausage patties
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini beans, drained
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Set aside and keep warm.
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking apart the patties into smaller pieces with a spatula as it cooks. After sausage is cooked through (about 7-8 min), remove from the pan and remove pan drippings.
In the same pan, heat olive oil over low to medium heat and add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds. Add the sausage back to the pan and add the escarole to pan. Stir and cook the ingredients until the greens are wilted.
Add the beans and chicken stock to the mixture and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the pasta and cheese, stir and allow the pasta to simmer for a couple more minutes. (add more chicken stock, if more liquid is needed)
Serve and enjoy! (while maybe dreaming of warmer weather!)
