Vegan White Bean, Kale and Sausage Pasta
A quick and delicious vegan dinner! Kale and sausage pasta with white beans and garlicky breadcrumbs. Perfect for weeknight dinners.
Inspired by the classic combo of white beans and greens in Italian cuisine, this pasta version combines vegan sausage, navy beans, kale, and crispy garlic breadcrumbs on top.
The best part of this pasta is the contrast of texture and flavor– chewy sausage, bitter kale greens and tender pasta all covered in a crunchy coating of garlicky breadcrumbs. Like my butternut squash and kale pasta recipe, the pasta is topped with easy homemade breadcrumbs instead of the parmesan cheese on top. The crunch and umami-rich flavor is similar to parmesan cheese and a great alternative for a dairy-free dinner.
See below for more details, or scroll down for the full recipe (or click the ‘Jump to Recipe‘ button above.)
Ingredient Notes
For vegan Italian sausage, I prefer the Field Roast or Impossible Sausage brands. I’m using the Field Roast brand in these photos.
I like Lacinato kale, the dark, straight kale variety when I can find it, but curly kale will also work. You can also sub in other greens, like collard greens, spinach, or Swiss chard.
Any variety of white beans will also work– I use navy beans, but Great Northern or Cannellini beans can be used as well.
I like Calamarata pasta for this if you can find it, but other short pasta shapes will work, like orecchiette or shells. If you’re looking to keep this pasta completely vegan, make sure to use a dry pasta as almost all brands are vegan (see Is Pasta Vegan? for more)
Lastly, don’t skip the lemon or the vegan butter. The butter helps to bind the pasta to the sauce, and the lemon brightens the rich flavor of the sausage and breadcrumbs. I use the brand Earth Balance most of the time, but other brands will work.
How to Make This Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta
Make the Breadcrumbs
Mix together the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and olive oil together in a bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir and microwave again for 20-30 seconds until golden brown.
Cook The Vegan Sausage
Brown the sausage in a pan. I use a cast-iron, but any large skillet will work. Remove and set aside.
Cook the Kale
Cook the kale in olive oil. Stir in the lemon zest, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Combine Together
Combine the beans, kale and pasta in the skillet.
Add the Pasta
Add the pasta with pasta water to the skillet and toss together until well combined.
Finish the Pasta
Add the butter and toss together, then cover with the breadcrumbs and serve.
Tips for Success
As with many of my vegan pasta recipes, the secret is tossing the cooked pasta with a little of the pasta water and vegan butter. This helps the sauce cling to the pasta, and the added butter helps make the finished pasta glossy.
Therefore, you’ll need a big enough skillet to toss the pasta with the sauce. I use my wide cast-iron skillet, but any 14-inch skillet should work. A saute pan is nice as it has sides to hold everything inside as you toss!
If you want more kale, then I recommend serving this one alongside my easy kale Caesar salad!
More Pasta Recipes
If you try this White Bean, Kale, and Sausage Pasta, make sure to come back and leave a comment and a rating. Seeing you make my recipes makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers.
Vegan White Bean, Kale and Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 pound pasta, I used calamarata but orecchiette or shells would also work
- 4 Hot Italian or Italian vegan sausages, sliced*
- 10 ounces about 1 large bunch chopped kale leaves, stems removed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 lemon, zest and juice, divided
- 1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
Instructions
- Make the breadcrumbs. Mix together the panko, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic powder together in a bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave again for 20 seconds until golden brown. Set aside.
- Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pastaand drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- While the water is boiling, make the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until just golden brown, then remove and set aside.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet and add the kale. Cook until the kale starts to break down, then stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest and toss again.
- Add the beans, cooked pasta and sausage and 1/2 cup of pasta water and toss together until well combined. Add in the butter and a teaspoon of lemon juice and toss together again. Taste, season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Remove from heat and top with the garlicky bread crumbs.