One-pan wonder: Cabbage, white beans and spicy sausage

It’s cabbage season. Pair with fiery sausage and earthy beans for a great weeknight dinner option that can be whipped up in about an hour, writes Aaron Hutcherson – and save on the washing up too

Cabbage and onion pick up tons of flavour from the sausage's rendered fat (Scott Suchman/The Washington Post)

Over the past year, many of us have (re)discovered the wonders of cabbage. Thanks in large part to its long shelf life during a time when many of us are shopping less frequently, cabbage has found its way into refrigerators across the country. As such, I wanted to develop a new pantry-friendly recipe to help you make use of the cruciferous vegetable. Fairly neutral with a slight pepperiness when raw, cabbage takes on a subtle sweetness when cooked, which complements the spicy pork and earthy beans in this dish. And when prepared in an oven-safe skillet such as cast iron, this recipe has the added bonus of being a one-pan meal.

Hot Italian sausage does the bulk of the heavy lifting when it comes to flavour in this recipe. I used it more as a seasoning and for its fat than as a substantial contributor to the recipe’s bulk. (If you prefer to use a turkey-based sausage, note that you might need to use extra olive oil to compensate for the lack of fat.) And because a fairly small amount of sausage is called for, this dish is an easy entry point for anyone looking to cut down on meat consumption.

The cabbage and onion pick up tons of flavour from the sausage's rendered fat. A couple of cans of white beans – or whatever beans you have to hand – add heft and earthiness, while a bit of cream provides richness. You’ll cover the pan with a mixture of parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs before baking for a cheesy, crunchy, golden topping. (This recipe calls for plain breadcrumbs, but panko would also work.) It all comes together in about an hour, making for a great weeknight dinner option.

This recipe only calls for a small amount of sausage, so count it as cutting down on meat consumption (Scott Suchman/The Washington Post)

Cabbage, sausage and white bean casserole

Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Serves 4 to 6

Make ahead: the dish can be made up until the topping part one day in advance and refrigerated. To bake, top with the breadcrumb-parmesan mixture and cook as instructed, adding a few more minutes to the time to account for the cold filling.

Storage notes: leftovers can be refrigerated for up to three days.

Ingredients

8oz loose hot Italian sausage

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 small head green cabbage (about 2lbs), quartered, cored and thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion (about 7oz), thinly sliced

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 (15.5oz) cans white beans, such as cannellini, great northern or navy, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup (2oz) plain breadcrumbs

1/2 cup packed (1oz) finely grated parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving (optional)

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 220C.

In a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, combine the sausage with two tablespoons of oil. Set the skillet over medium heat and cook, breaking the meat apart with a spoon until the fat has been rendered and the sausage is no longer pink, seven to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving behind the fat in the skillet.

Add the sliced cabbage and onion, in batches if necessary, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes.

Add the beans, heavy cream and the reserved sausage to the skillet and stir to combine. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. (Transfer to a casserole dish if not using an oven-safe skillet.)

In a small bowl combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan and the remaining tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle evenly over the cabbage mixture.

Bake for about 15 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden on top. Let cool slightly, sprinkle with the parsley, if using, and serve.

Nutrition (Based on 6 servings) | Calories: 533; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 48mg; Sodium: 564mg; Carbohydrates: 61g; Dietary Fiber: 14g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 25g.

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