This quick and easy Sausage and Beans Skillet combines canned white beans, black eyed peas, smoked sausage and Swiss chard for a delicious one-pot weeknight dinner.
JUMP TO RECIPESuper flavorful and uncomplicated, this White Bean Sausage Skillet is a great dinner to throw together on a busy weeknight. Browning the sausage first infuses the cooking oil with bold smoky flavor, which carries into the creamy beans as they simmer.
Finished with tender and earthy Swiss Chard, plenty of parmesan cheese, and a touch of dijon mustard and lemon juice for acidity, this skillet is a comforting meal you can make in just about 20 minutes.
I've made multiple versions of this recipe, using different types of sausage and greens, and this is the version I keep coming back to.

Table of Contents
- White Bean Sausage Skillet At-A-Glance
- Sausage Beans Skillet Ingredients
- Variations
- How to make the White Bean Sausage Skillet
- What to serve with Sausage and Beans
- Storage & Reheating

White Bean Sausage Skillet At-A-Glance
| Time | 20 Minutes, all in one skillet |
| Serves | 4 people |

Sausage Beans Skillet Ingredients
Simple pantry ingredients make for a wallet-friendly and delicious one-pan dinner you can get on the table- fast. Here's what you'll need to make it:
- Sausage. This recipe calls for pre-cooked smoked sausage. Not only does this speed up the cook time, but the smoky flavor of the browned sausage melds into the beans and greens for an ultra-flavorful skillet.
- Beans. For this Sausage Bean Skillet, you'll use both a can of white beans (cannellini beans), and a can of black eyed peas. The white beans bring a mild flavor and creamy texture to the skillet, while the black eyed peas bring an earthy and nutty flavor and firmed texture- the best of both worlds! Since you'll be adding aromatics and chicken broth to simmer the beans in, give them a good rinse before adding to the skillet.
- Swiss Chard. The mild and slightly sweet Swiss Chard goes into the skillet twice. First, the stems are chopped and cooked down after the sausage to soak up all the browned bits (aka flavor), then the leaves are added at the end until they just wilt, which only takes a minute or 2.
- Parmesan, Lemon, and Dijon. This dish is finished with some grated parmesan cheese for nuttiness and an extra creamy texture, and a hit of dijon mustard and fresh lemon juice for tang and acidity to brighten the dish up just before serving.

Variations
Missing an ingredient, or trying to use up what you've got on hand? Here are some great swaps you can make for this White Bean Sausage Skillet.
| Sausage swaps | In place of smoked sausage, you could use pre-cooked chicken sausage or andouille. Raw Italian sausage could also be used- just be sure to cook it through when browning, and brown at a lower temperature to keep it juicy. |
| Great Greens | Instead of Swiss chard, try kale or mustard greens. |
| Bean options | Navy beans, great northern beans, or butter beans all work great in this skillet. |

How to make the White Bean Sausage Skillet
- Brown the sausages in olive oil to give them a nice crust.
- Sauté the chard stems and add the spices and garlic.
- Simmer the beans.
- Wilt the greens.
- Finish with parmesan, dijon, and lemon.
Below is a step-by-step visual guide with sensory cues to making the perfect White Bean Sausage Skillet, every time!












White Bean Sausage Skillet Recipe
Equipment
- large skillet or frying pan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 oz smoked sausage, (cut into discs on a diagonal)
- 1 15.5 oz can of Cannellini beans (white beans), (drained and rinsed)
- 1 15.5 oz can of Black eyed peas, (drained and rinsed)
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, (chopped, stems and leaves separated)
- 4 cloves garlic, (pressed or minced)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon Diamond crystal salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, (grated)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, (fresh squeezed)
- ⅓ cup water, (if needed)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sliced smoked sausage in an even layer and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside. 2. Reduce heat to medium, add the chopped Swiss chard stems to the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add ⅓ cup water to deglaze the pan if needed, scraping up and browned bits. Cook until water reduced, 1-2 minutes. 3. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme and red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. 4. Add the drained and rinsed can of white beans to the pan, and use a potato masher or fork to mash about half of the beans. Stir in the remaining can of drained and rinsed black eyed peas, chicken broth, black pepper and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until thickened and reduced slightly, 5-7 minutes. 5. Stir in the chopped Swiss chard leaves and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook until the chard leaves are wilted and the cheese is melted, about 1-2 minutes. 6. Return the sausage and any accumulated juices to the pan, along with the lemon juice and dijon mustard. Stir well. Ladle into bowls and serve with more Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
Nutrition
What to serve with Sausage and Beans
| Bread for dipping | This sausage and beans skillet practically begs for some crusty bread to soak up all the delicious creamy beans. Dip warmed bread into it, or layer on some of the beans for a little crostini action. |
| Light Salad | A light green salad with peppery arugula and a lemony or acidic dressing is the perfect compliment to the rich and creamy sausage and beans. |

Storage & Reheating
Storing. Store any leftover sausage and beans in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
Freezing. Freeze in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. If you plan to freeze, omit the greens and add when reheating for best texture.
Reheating. To reheat, warm over medium-low heat with a splash of water or chicken stock to loosen it up. If reheating from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge first.
© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.








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