From the roundup: 22 High Protein Slow Cooker Meals That Actually Fill You Up
I dumped raw sausage straight into the crockpot once to skip a step, and this Crockpot Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Bake came out soft and greasy in a way no amount of Parmesan could fix. Six minutes in a skillet to brown it first is genuinely the whole extra effort, and it makes a noticeable difference in both texture and flavor by the time dinner hits the table. Everything goes in before school drop-off, cooks on low for six hours, and the cannellini beans slowly thicken the broth into something closer to a hearty stew than a soup, which is the reason two of my kids who reject anything broth-forward will actually eat this. Crusty bread on the side and a heavy handful of Parmesan on top, and it holds its own as a real dinner even on the busiest weeknights.
Why you will love this
- Only 15 minutes of active work before the slow cooker takes over for 6 hours
- The beans thicken the broth naturally, no cornstarch or flour needed
- Fire-roasted tomatoes and six cloves of garlic carry most of the flavor without any extra seasoning steps
- Leftovers hold up well for four days and actually taste better the next day as the broth absorbs into the beans
- One skillet plus one slow cooker, and cleanup is straightforward
Tips for success
- Brown the sausage in chunks, not fully crumbled. Some larger pieces give the stew better texture after six hours of cooking.
- Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not plain. The smokiness balances the richness of the sausage in a way that regular tomatoes do not.
- Add the spinach only in the last 20 minutes. It looks like an enormous amount going in, but it wilts down fast. Any earlier and it turns muddy.
- Taste for salt at the very end, after the Parmesan goes on. The cheese adds enough saltiness that you may not need much adjustment at all.
If it turns out too thin or too thick
- Too thin: remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to let some liquid evaporate. The beans will continue to break down slightly and help tighten the broth.
- Too thick after sitting in the fridge: stir in a splash of chicken broth when reheating on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- Beans falling apart: this usually means your slow cooker runs hot. Try checking at the 5-hour mark next time and switching to warm for the last hour.
Substitutions
Italian turkey sausage can be swapped for mild pork sausage or chicken sausage with no changes to the method. If you want it spicier, hot Italian sausage works well. Cannellini beans are ideal for their creamy texture, but navy beans or great northern beans are close enough that most people will not notice the difference. For the spinach, chopped kale is a solid substitute, just stir it in 30 minutes before serving since it needs more time to soften than baby spinach does.
To make this dairy-free, simply leave off the Parmesan at the end. The stew is seasoned well enough to stand on its own without it. For a lower-sodium version, use no-salt-added canned tomatoes and check your sausage label, since sodium levels vary a lot by brand.
Make-ahead and storage
You can brown the sausage the night before, let it cool, and refrigerate it in a sealed container. In the morning, load the slow cooker in about five minutes and turn it on before you leave. Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The stew thickens considerably as it sits, so add a splash of chicken broth when reheating on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
This dish freezes reasonably well for up to two months. The beans soften a bit more after freezing and thawing, but the flavor holds up. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop, again with a little extra broth to loosen it up.
Crockpot Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Bake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the sausage from its casings and add it to the pan. Break it up with a spoon and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and cooked through. It does not need to be fully crumbled; some chunks are fine and add texture to the finished stew.
- Transfer the browned sausage to the slow cooker. Add the drained cannellini beans, the entire can of fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices, the chicken broth, minced garlic, diced onion, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together so the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours. The beans will soften and absorb the tomato broth, and the stew will thicken on its own without any added starch.
- About 20 minutes before you plan to serve, remove the lid and stir in all of the baby spinach. It will look like a lot, but it wilts down quickly. Replace the lid and let it cook on LOW for the remaining 20 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted and tender.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the stew into bowls and top each serving with a generous pinch of freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with thick slices of crusty bread for soaking up the broth.
Notes
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