This pasta is weeknight magic with a tiny attitude. Sausage, green beans, almonds, and lemon dressing do the heavy lifting.
I made this when my fridge looked personally offended. Somehow, it still turned into dinner that felt planned.
It is cheesy, bright, and happily low-effort. Basically, the kind of recipe that lets you take credit anyway.
Pasta Fagiolini and Italian Sausage
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Microwave
- Measuring cup
- Serving bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound farfalle pasta
- 5 mild Italian sausage links casings removed
- 1 bag Green Bean with Almonds Cook-in-Bag
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup shredded deli Italian cheese blend
- ⅓ cup lemon dressing
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the farfalle and cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Cook Sausage: While the pasta cooks, remove the mild Italian sausage from the casings and add it to a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and fully cooked.
- Cook Green Beans: Microwave the Green Bean with Almonds Cook-in-Bag according to the package directions, usually about 4 to 5 minutes. Let it cool for 1 minute before opening carefully.
- Chop Green Bean Mix: Pour the cooked green bean and almond mixture onto a cutting board. Roughly chop it into bite-size pieces.
- Combine Pasta and Sausage: Add the drained farfalle to the skillet with the cooked sausage. Pour in the reserved pasta water and stir over medium heat to loosen the browned bits and coat the pasta.
- Add Green Beans: Add the chopped green bean and almond mixture to the skillet. Stir gently until the pasta, sausage, green beans, and almonds are evenly mixed.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle the deli Italian cheese blend over the pasta mixture. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat, until the cheese starts to melt into the pasta.
- Add Lemon Dressing: Pour the lemon dressing over the pasta. Toss everything together until the pasta is glossy, lightly coated, and well mixed.
- Serve: Spoon the pasta into a serving bowl. Serve warm.
Video Recipe
Pasta Fagiolini and Italian Sausage Tips for People Who Enjoy Dinner but Not Drama
I have made enough pasta dinners to know one thing: the easy version is usually the one everyone asks for again. So yes, we are absolutely accepting shortcuts today.
Save That Pasta Water Like It Owes You Money
That ½ cup of pasta water is not optional if you want everything to come together without turning dry and sad. It is the cheapest sauce helper in your kitchen, and somehow it still acts fancy. Scoop it out before draining, because once it goes down the sink, it becomes a tiny Italian tragedy.
Brown the Sausage, Do Not Just Warm It Up
Let the sausage get some color before you start stirring it like you are nervous. Browning adds flavor, and flavor is the difference between “nice dinner” and “wait, did you actually try tonight?” Give it a few quiet minutes in the pan and let it do its job.
Use Any Short Pasta That Can Hold Its Own
Farfalle is cute, but penne, rotini, shells, or rigatoni will all work here. You want a shape that catches the cheese, sausage bits, and dressing, because slick spaghetti is not invited to this particular party. Tiny pasta pockets are basically flavor storage units.
Swap the Sausage Without Starting a Family Debate
Mild Italian sausage keeps things friendly, but hot Italian sausage is great if your table likes a little chaos. Chicken sausage also works if you want something lighter, and turkey sausage is fine as long as you brown it well and pretend it was your first choice. The pan flavor matters more than the sausage’s résumé.
Do Not Overcook the Green Beans
The green beans should still have a little snap, not the emotional texture of canned cafeteria vegetables. Since the bag is already built for speed, cook it just until tender and chop it after. Nobody came here for limp green beans with a midlife crisis.
Make the Almonds Work Harder
If your green bean mix has almonds, good, they bring crunch without asking for attention. If you want extra texture, toss in a small handful of sliced almonds at the end. They do not need much time, just enough to remind the pasta that soft food needs a little drama.
Change the Cheese If Needed
An Italian cheese blend melts nicely, but mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, or a mix of whatever is lurking in the fridge can work. Just avoid using only super-dry cheese unless you add a splash more pasta water. Cheese is forgiving, but it is not a miracle worker.
Lemon Dressing Is the Lazy Genius Move
The lemon dressing gives you oil, acid, seasoning, and brightness in one pour, which is honestly rude to more complicated sauces. If you are swapping it, use a light vinaigrette or mix olive oil with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a little garlic powder. This is dinner, not a thesis defense.
Stretch It With Extra Vegetables
If you want to bulk this up, add spinach, peas, zucchini, roasted red peppers, or cherry tomatoes. Toss tender vegetables in near the end so they do not disappear into the pasta like they have unpaid bills. This is also a good way to clean out the fridge and call it “rustic.”
Make It Creamier Without Making It Heavy
For a creamier version, stir in a spoonful or two of cream cheese, ricotta, or a splash of half-and-half with the pasta water. Keep the heat medium-low so the cheese melts instead of clumping into a dairy tantrum. Low heat is your friend when cheese is involved.
Reheat It Without Punishing Yourself
Leftovers will thicken in the fridge because pasta loves absorbing every drop of sauce like a greedy little sponge. Reheat it with a splash of water, broth, or dressing in a skillet or microwave-safe bowl. Dry reheated pasta is a choice, and not a good one.
Store It Like You Plan to Enjoy It Later
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The almonds may soften a bit, but the flavor still holds up nicely. If you want crunch again, sprinkle fresh almonds on top before serving and pretend that was the plan all along.
Do Not Freeze This Unless You Enjoy Regret
Technically, you can freeze pasta, but this dish is better fresh or refrigerated. The green beans and cheese sauce can get weird after thawing, and nobody needs that kind of freezer betrayal. Some leftovers are meant for tomorrow, not six weeks from now.
Turn It Into Lunch Without Thinking Too Hard
This pasta is great warm, but it can also work as a room-temperature pasta salad if you add a little extra lemon dressing before serving. Pack it with a fork and call yourself organized. Meal prep counts even when it was accidental.
