Buzz
Every winter, there comes a time when you need to rely on your collection of hot, liquid meals to survive the chill. With enough recipes—soups, stews, stoups, and thick sauces—you can make it through to spring. My friends joke about this, but I’ve dubbed it Hot Bean Season. One of my go-to meals during this time is my Dutch oven beans and sausage. It’s ridiculously easy to make, incredibly filling, and requires zero advanced cooking skills.
What keeps me coming back to this dish is its simplicity and the Screw It method of cooking—just toss everything into the pot. The sausage searing step is essential for flavor, but I consider it part of the Screw It method because it allows me to skip the tedious mise en place prep: I use the time it takes to sear the sausages to chop the other ingredients.
I love making this dish in a Dutch oven. (No need for an expensive Le Creuset; any budget-friendly options will work just as well.) The slow simmering process benefits from the Dutch oven’s heavy cast iron, which ensures even heat distribution, while the domed lid helps retain and redistribute moisture back into the sauce. However, you can easily make this delicious beans and sausage stew in any heavy-bottomed pot or a large, wide skillet with a snug-fitting lid.
This meal always reminds me of being tucked away in a warm tavern nestled on a snow-covered mountain. While I’ve never experienced that scenario, I’m certain this dish would be on the menu there. I use the whole can of cannellini beans, including the aquafaba. Don’t drain the beans, even if you opt for other varieties like chickpeas or red beans. That thick liquid is rich in proteins and starches, which help thicken the sauce beautifully. It also works wonders to dissolve the fond left behind by the seared sausage, contributing to a rich, savory sauce.
In my view, this recipe is perfect for two people, each enjoying two sausages, but feel free to adjust the recipe to serve a larger crowd or tweak the ingredients to your taste. Adding a few more potatoes won’t hurt, and if kale isn’t your thing, you can swap it for raw spinach, chard, mustard greens, or collard greens.
Simple Dutch Oven Beans and Sausage Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sausage links
4 ribs of lacinato kale
2 red potatoes
1 clove garlic
1 can cannellini beans (with liquid)
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt (adjust according to your chicken broth’s saltiness)
1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat and sear the sausage links, turning them a couple of times as they cook.
2. While the sausages cook, prepare the remaining ingredients. Roughly chop the kale, cut the potatoes into half-inch cubes, and peel and smash the garlic clove.
3. Once the sausages have a nice brown color on two sides, add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Give everything a little poke to make sure it’s immersed in the broth. Cover with a snug-fitting lid and let it simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally to scrape up the flavorful fond from the bottom of the pan.
4. About five minutes before it's done, use a wooden spoon to mash some of the beans to release their starches and further thicken the sauce (if you prefer). Serve with a piece of crusty bread for the perfect finishing touch.
