One-Pot Wonders

Roasted Sausage, Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans

by:
April 17, 2015
4.7
26 Ratings
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Are you always on the lookout for quick and easy weeknight dinners that you feel good about feeding yourself and your family? So am I. I’m wishing I’d come up with this sooner: It’s crazy simple and really good. —EmilyC

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: EmilyC is an environmental scientist with a knack for beautiful vegetable dishes.
WHAT: A last-minute Thanksgiving vegetable side with a satisfying richness to rival gravy.
HOW: In a casserole dish, layer Dijon and lemon-vinaigrette-dressed chard and cannellini beans with coins of sausage. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes and serve.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This set-it-and-forget-it vegetable dish combines the practicality of a weeknight dish with the seasonal depth of flavor expected at Thanksgiving. And it won't add much to the shopping list, either. —The Editors

Continue After Advertisement
Watch This Recipe
Roasted Sausage, Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and ribs removed and leaves roughly torn into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 can cannellini beans (16 or 19 ounces, or about 2 cups), drained and rinsed
  • Finely grated zest and 1 tablespoon juice from one lemon (reserving extra juice for finishing dish)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 16 ounces (about 3 or 4 links) good-quality chicken or pork sausage, removed from casings and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (can also use pre-cooked sausage, sliced into small pieces)
  • Finely grated Parmesan or pecorino, to serve
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 400° F.
  2. Combine chard and cannellini beans in a large casserole, baking dish, or ovenproof skillet. It will look like a lot of chard, but it will considerably cook down. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, smoked Spanish paprika, and olive oil. Add to chard and cannellini beans and toss well with hands to evenly coat. Evenly distribute the chard and beans in a single layer—or as close as you can get to a single layer. Nestle the pieces of sausage on top of the chard and beans.
  4. Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chard is tender with crispy edges and the sausage is no longer pink. For extra security, you can toss about halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.
  5. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Top with grated parmesan or pecorino. Serve warm.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: EmilyC

I'm a home cook. I love salads. Two things you'll always find in my refrigerator are lemons and butter, and in my pantry good quality chocolate and the makings for chocolate chip cookies.

80 Reviews

Mindthegap August 27, 2024
It's so good--there's never quite enough!
leslielrt January 25, 2023
This was really easy and delicious. I used spicy italian chicken sausage and added diced butternut squash after reading reviews of those who added sweet potatoes. It's going on the rotation it's that good.
Buffy282 January 22, 2023
We love chard, so I had to try this. It’s simple, with subtle, perfect seasoning (don’t skimp on the smoked paprika, get a good quality Spanish one; It makes a big difference), and so delicious we ate the whole dish for dinner one cold night. A few caveats:
My sausage was only 14 ounces
My can of beans was a little light
We’re lucky to get good, fresh chard around my neck of the woods, and the bunches tend to be small.
I LOVE lemon, so I used lemon-infused, high quality EVOO and the juice from the entire lemon, as well as the zest. It was not too lemony.
I’m lazy, so I chopped the chard instead of tearing.
I sliced the sausage a bit more thinly,
I roasted on super convection for about the last five minutes to slightly crisp the sausage.
This recipe is a home run!
Bmluby September 18, 2022
So quick, healthy and delicious! Farmers market fresh Swiss chard really enhances it, an absolute winner in my book.
lovemcm August 25, 2022
Used the chard stems sliced thin. Shame to waste them. Lowered EVOO to 2 tbsps. Otherwise as written. Delicious and quick. Would definitely make again.
zeby6980 November 1, 2021
This is basically the "escarole and beans" recipe my old boss gave me but his had a pork butt in it which takes considerably longer to make. I LOVE the idea to add sausage as the meat, i can't wait to try this! thank you :-)
Laura F. July 17, 2021
So tasty and simple! The dressing for the beans is light and flavourful and cut through the fat of the sausage wonderfully. I did everything on the stove top as it is way too warm to turn on the oven and this recipe doesn't need any alterations beside starting the sausage prior to adding the beans. I also added chopped walnuts because I thought it could add a nice contrast in texture. Thank you for this treat, will be making again!
eatchimac March 30, 2021
Oh, I didn’t try Roasted Sausage, Chard & Cannellini Beans Recipe. Now I can make it at home. So glad for sharing this recipe Now I can make it at home. It looks delicious. Now I can share your blog with my friend circle. I am so glad after seeing your recipe, Thanks for sharing this recipe. Food is one of the biggest topics of conversation online and offline. Keep it up, I am waiting for your next recipe!
https://eatchimac.com/
oregon C. January 22, 2021
This is a great quick & easy recipe that is SO good. Tonight I added a few mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, & chunks of sweet potato, just because they were lying around. Been enjoying this recipe for a long time, finally wanted to compliment you on it.
JB April 22, 2020
My family loves this recipe! I cook it exactly as is, but also add some chopped cremini or baby bella mushrooms. I can eat this everyday and never get tired of it!
drbabs April 18, 2020
This is so good for pantry cooking! I added some cooked quinoa, and used lime instead of lemon, and it was delicious. Thank you for such a good, easy recipe.
EmilyC April 22, 2020
So happy you liked this drbabs, and I like your quinoa addition! Thanks for trying it and circling back. Hope you're well! xo
Melissa C. March 23, 2020
I made this for dinner last night. It's GREAT! I love smoked paprika. Like other reviewers, definitely use double the swiss chard. Really good and will definitely make again.
EmilyC March 23, 2020
Happy you tried and liked this! Thanks for the note, Melissa!
NXL March 1, 2020
This is a very good dish. I used two bunches of chard, including the thinly sliced stems. That texture was great. I would choose a spicy sausage next time.
EmilyC March 1, 2020
Thanks NXL - glad you liked the dish!
zeby6980 November 1, 2021
ooohhh spicy sausage sounds delicious, too bad my son and girlfriend wouldn't eat it then lol
Madeline S. January 1, 2020
Loved this dish! So amazing- cooked it a variety of different ways. Using kale (on-hand) the first night and adding sweet potatoes the second night. Great flavor - make sure you include enough sausage to cut through the richer Tastes.

Great easy weeknight meal! I want more this easy and satisfying.
DianaKot October 3, 2019
WTF
smartspork September 19, 2019
Thanks for recipe! I had a bunch of swiss chard growing in my yard and needed to use them up! I used chorizo and added some roasted sweet potato!
Lisa L. August 16, 2019
Ridiculously easy recipe, perfect for a weeknight dinner. Very tasty, even with the chicken apple sausage that we had in the house. Next time I'll probably try it with pork sausage for a different flavor. There will def be a next time.
ariel A. February 18, 2019
LOVE this. Such a quick, tasty meal!
EmilyC February 18, 2019
Aw, thanks ariel! Thanks for your note!
Liz C. September 19, 2018
Are you my sister from another mother?!!! Your recipes encompass all of my favourites things. Bookmarking every one!
EmilyC September 19, 2018
Haha—perhaps!! Hope you like this one—it and the roasted broccoli, sausage, and fennel one (also on this site) are two standbys for me!
Darlene April 21, 2018
This recipe is a family favorite and we make it exactly as written often, but it's also very easy to sub out ingredients or "clear out the frig". I often use kale instead of chard, kidney beans or chick peas if I'm out of cannellini. We've added halved cherry tomatoes and cubed baguette and topped with crumbled goat cheese. It all works, but the oil, dijon, smoked paprika, lemon juice & zest is the key that provides the flavor and ties it all together.