A quick and easy Tuscan bean stew made with Italian sausages, cannellini beans, tomato, sage, and garlic. Hearty, filling and perfect for warming up on a chilly evening.
This stew is surprisingly simple because canned cannellini beans are already cooked, so it comes together fast without sacrificing flavor. It’s one of my favourite winter dishes—comforting, robust, and satisfying.
How to make Tuscan Bean Stew with Sausages
Choose good-quality sausages for the best result. I like ones flavoured with fennel, garlic, red wine and rosemary, but any high-quality Italian-style sausage will work well.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Sausages
- Cannellini beans (canned)
- Sage leaves
- Garlic
- Passata or pureed tomatoes
- Pantry staples: olive oil, salt and pepper
Simple, wholesome ingredients that combine into a rich, comforting meal.
Step by step instructions
Begin by warming 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add two whole peeled garlic cloves and five sage leaves. Fry gently until the garlic starts to turn golden and the sage becomes fragrant.
Add the drained cannellini beans along with about 6 tablespoons of the bean liquid reserved from the can, then pour in the passata. Let the mixture come to a gentle simmer so the flavors begin to meld.
Simmer the beans for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the sausage casings and break each sausage into roughly three chunks. Add the sausage pieces to the beans and season with salt and pepper.
Continue to simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through. Stir occasionally, but take care not to mash the beans; this keeps the stew pleasantly chunky. When the stew is done, remove the whole garlic cloves.
Serve the stew with a simple green salad and plenty of crusty bread for dipping. It’s an easy, filling meal that’s especially welcome on cold nights when you want something comforting without fuss.
More comfort food recipes;
- Eggplant (aubergine) parmigiana
- Comforting zucchini potato soup
- Apple olive oil cake
- Pappa al pomodoro – tomato bread soup
If you try this recipe, please rate it and share how it turned out in the comments—I love hearing from readers.
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Tuscan Bean Stew with Sausages
By Emily
2 mins
30 mins
32 mins
4 people
Ingredients
- 4 Italian sausages, skins removed
- 1.6 lbs (740g) cannellini beans, canned (reserve 6 tbsp cooking liquid)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 5 sage leaves
- 7 oz (200g) passata / pureed tomatoes
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-low heat. Peel the garlic cloves but keep them whole and add them to the pot with the sage leaves.
- When the garlic begins to colour, add the drained beans with about 6 tbsp of their cooking liquid and the passata.
- Let the beans simmer for around 10 minutes. Cut each sausage into three pieces and add them to the pot.
- Season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer gently until the sausages are cooked through, about 15–20 minutes. Stir occasionally, taking care not to mash the beans.
- Remove the garlic cloves and serve the stew with salad and crusty bread.
Notes
Please note the recipe was tested and developed using metric measurements; imperial amounts are approximate.
The weight of the beans is the drained weight, not including the cooking liquid.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in my recipes unless otherwise stated.
- When using canned or jarred tomatoes I prefer brands like Cirio or Mutti for consistent flavour.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless specified.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 33 g |
Protein: 26 g |
Fat: 36 g |
Saturated Fat: 12 g |
Cholesterol: 85 mg |
Sodium: 1222 mg |
Potassium: 501 mg |
Fiber: 9 g |
Sugar: 2 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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