Craving something that’s easy and super satisfying? This delicious protein packed meal offers just that! This is quite the staple and popular meal at my place.

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From Kentucky to North Georgia

Our destination: Tallulah Gorge! It was a little bit over a 6 hour drive from our stay in Kentucky. It certainly didn’t feel like that long of a road trip. The drive was absolutely incredible! Our route took us through the Great Smoky Mountains, a stop I wish we had time to take but considering the snow dusted mountain range and timing, this is a destination to keep in the books for the very near future. It’s one that has certainly been on my list! At times clouds looked so near you felt like you could reach out and touch them. The elevation gains and losses were like a snowy game. It was snowy then no snow and then back to snow again.

“The Mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir

Of course after a six hour drive with the addition of setting up camp, it leaves little time to spend on a complicated meal. So when the husband asked “What’s on the menu tonight?” I couldn’t wait to inform him that it’s ones of his favorites, sausage and white bean rigatoni! Those big noodle tubes, salty sausage crumbles with spinach and great northern beans, yup, you’ll be drooling over it too.

It’s time to cook

First things first, cook and crumble the sausage over a medium to high heat in a drizzle of olive oil. Per my usual, I’m using my handy dandy, trusted Dutch Oven on a preheated grill. Keep in mind that sausage can lean towards the salty side. I try to reduce the salt content by simply skipping the salt until the very end, feel free to give it good peppering as it cooks. Cook throughly, 8-10 minutes and transfer the sausage to a paper lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.

The ingredients for this meal aren’t too far different from my gnocchi and sausage recipe, but if you haven’t read that blogged recipe yet, I talked about the benefit of purchasing ground sausage. Do yourself a favor and stock up on this tubular convenience. You can easily freeze and defrost them in a pinch.

Preparation makes life easier

Don’t hate me but I’m a total multitasker and sometimes I look like a chicken with it’s head cut off. I always have everything pre chopped and measured out so it’s a breeze to toss together but while I’m browning the sausage I’m also timing the pasta. To make it simple you can always boil your rigatoni right before or while chopping, always to al dente per package directions, we don’t want any fall apart soggy noodles. With that being said, rinse the pasta in cold water after boiling to ensure it stops the cooking process, I give it a little drizzle and stir of olive oil to prevent sticking. Please don’t forget to save about a 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water to finish our sauce!

Okay where was I? After the sausage has been cooked and removed, add your onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Stir in your minced garlic until aromatic, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Now it’s time for my favorite part, wine time! Add your dry white wine and simmer on medium heat for 5-6 minutes.

It’s time to make the sauce

Add the cream and white beans, gently stirring to ensure you don’t crush or smash the beans, cover and allow to gently simmer for about 8 minutes. I used Great Northern beans or Cannellini beans. Honestly, I used whichever I had in the pantry because they are pretty similar and easily interchangeable. Once we’re all simmered up it’s time to add the cooked sausage, Parmesan cheese, butter and the reserved pasta water.

Oops! Did you forget to save that pasta water?! Don’t worry I won’t judge you, I myself have made that slip up as well with so many pasta dishes. If you did in fact forget that step, add some broth instead. It might not have that starchy complex but it still works. Gently stir until the butter melts and the cheese is incorporated, around 3 minutes. Add the rigatoni and lightly toss in the spinach and there you have it! I like to serve it with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan, because, well for obvious cheese loving reasons!