Country Italian Pasta

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There are comfort pasta dishes, and then there’s this dish.

This dish is hands-down one of the Loon’s all-time favorite dish and one he requests often. It’s especially good during the cold months. And it comes together in about 30 minutes! All it needs is a crusty Italian loaf of bread and a nice glass of red wine. Perfection!

A white bowl of Country Italian Pasta next to sliced bread and a glass of red wine.

HOW TO MAKE COUNTRY ITALIAN PASTA

This pasta dish is so simple to make. And when you take your first bite, you won’t believe how deeply flavorful it is.

The Italian sausage, spinach, cannellini beans, parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and stock all work perfectly together.

Watch us show you how to make one of our favorite pasta dishes of all time!

QUICKLY BUILDING THE FLAVORS

There are almost as many kinds of pasta dishes as there are stories about the history of pasta itself.  But we think a good robust pasta, such as rigatoni is perfect for this sauce.

For the protein, we start off with Italian sausage and then throw in some chopped prosciutto, both cooked until nicely browned.

EXPERT TIP: For a little extra heat in the dish, choose ‘hot’ Italian sausage links. Our preference for this dish, however, is ‘sweet.’ Simply take a knife to cut away the outer casings of the links, and then use your fingers to make bite-sized sausage balls about the size of a large marble (approx. ½-inch in diameter). Cook them in a large saucepan with a little olive oil. This can be done up to 1 day in advance.

A large steel skillet with cooked Italian sausage balls in it with a wooden spoon.

After sautéing chopped onion and garlic in the same pan as where you cooked the sausage and prosciutto, it’s time to de-glaze.

A nice dry white wine will do the trick.

EXPERT TIP: The wine will add a dimension to the sauce that is subtle, but delicious. As the wine cooks and reduces, the alcohol will evaporate out. If you prefer to not cook with alcohol at all, you can substitute a tbsp of white wine vinegar, or lemon juice, which contains no alcohol.

FRESH SPINACH IS AN IDEAL ADDITION

Now, it’s time to add the liquid. Chicken stock is perfect, and, of course, homemade chicken stock puts this dish over the top!

Adding fresh spinach is so simple and brings such a wonderful taste and texture to the sauce.

No need to cook (or blanch) the spinach first. Simply add 8 to 10 ounces of fresh baby spinach to the sauce, stir, and watch the leafy greens wilt beautifully down.

A mound of fresh baby spinach being dropped into a skillet of country Italian pasta sauce.

The addition of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) gives amazing texture and taste to the sauce.

And finally, freshly grated parmesan cheese thickens the sauce perfectly.

EXPERT TIP: You can use whatever your favorite type of bean is. Alternatives to cannelloni beans are Great Northern or Navy Beans. If using dried beans, let soak overnight, drain, and then simmer in salted water for 1 to 1½  hours (or until tender) before adding to the sauce.

A small bowl of grated parmesan cheese being added to a skillet of pasta sauce with beans and spinach.

COUNTRY ITALIAN PASTA FEEDS A HUNGRY FAMILY

As mentioned, this dish holds a special place for us. We’ve been making it for many years and it never gets old.

It’s so easy to prepare, it’s perfect for a busy weeknight pasta dinner, but it’s so gorgeous in presentation and delicious in taste, it’s ideal for a dinner party, too.

Either way, you cannot go wrong with our favorite Country Italian Pasta!

A close-up view of a white bowl holding country Italian pasta with sliced bread next to it.

Ready to make this awesome pasta recipe? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post to Instagram, and tag @howtofeedaloon and #howtofeedaloon!

A close-up view of a white bowl holding country Italian pasta with sliced bread next to it.

Country Italian Pasta

This Country Italian Pasta is perfect on a cold night....or anytime, for that matter! This will truly warm your cockles. A Loon Favorite for sure!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Country Pasta, Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 566kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 10 oz Italian sausage about 3 or 4 links, sweet or hot, casings removed, shaped into small balls
  • 3 oz prosciutto chopped
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley fresh, chopped
  • 3 tbsp basil fresh, chopped
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup white wine dry
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 10 oz baby spinach fresh
  • 1 can 15.5 oz cannellini beans drained, rinsed
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided (¾ cup for sauce, ¼ cup for garnish)
  • 12 oz rigatoni pasta dried

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil. When heated add the sausage and cook until browned...place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  • In the same skillet, heat the rest of the olive oil (1 tsp) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the prosciutto. Cook until browned and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the onion. Cook until translucent, about 6 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, stir for another minute.
  • Add basil, parsley, and salt (one teaspoon) and pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the wine to de-glaze the pan, scraping up brown bits stuck to the skillet. Cook, stirring often until almost evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the chicken stock, beans, and cooked sausage. Bring to a simmer. Add the spinach and stir until cooked and wilted.
  • Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Add ¾ cup of the cheese...stir until slightly thickened.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil...add in the rigatoni. Cook for 8 minutes, or until al dente, stirring occasionally.
  • Drain pasta. Add the pasta to the spinach mixture and mix well.
  • Serve at once, passing additional parmesan cheese at the table.

Video

Notes

Bulk sausage or sausage links can be used.  If using links, be sure to remove the outer casings and then form into small meatballs.  The sausage can be prepared up to 1 day in advance.
Navy beans or Great Northern beans can be used in place of the cannellini.  If using dried beans, soak for 8 hours, or overnight, drain, and then simmer in salted water for 1 hour, or until beans are soft.
If making in advance (which is great, because the flavors meld even further), prepare the sauce without the pasta.  When ready to serve, re-heat the sauce while cooking the pasta.  Stir in the cooked pasta when ready to serve.
This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: -41g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 722mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4652IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 277mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in November 2015, but updated with improved tweaks to the recipe, along with new photography, tips, and a fabulous video in February 2020.

14 Comments

  • 5 stars
    As I rate so many times with you guys, Another HomeRun! WOW! Amazing flavors and so filling. To all those thinking about this and “it looks a bit involved”, it is less than you think. There is some prep but the results will amaze you.
    I would probably cut back on the salt, since the sausage and parm both contribute, it is hard to contain their assistance. Add as you simmer would be better than 1t at the beginning.
    Thanks again and this is making the “must share” list of recipes.

    • Hi Mark!! Woo hoo! That has been a favorite dish of ours for many, many years. Wesley requested it almost weekly! We are thrilled you enjoyed it! And as always, thank you SO MUCH for letting us know and for the awesome review. You are the BEST!!!!

  • 5 stars
    Hi! Kris! I made this for supper tonight and it was more than delicious! I live in the Pacific northwest and it can be gray and rainy here. This was so good, warming, comforting, and easy!
    It will become a regular because the hubs loved it a lot! Thank you so much for your delicious, doable recipes!

    • Hi Becky! We are THRILLED you made the Country Italian Pasta and had such great success! That has been one of our favorite dishes for so many years. We love that you enjoyed it, too! And thank you so much for letting us know and for the wonderful review. That means the world to us! All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    Iโ€™m so happy to see that this recipe has been updated! I have been making it for years but could never figure out why the spinach had to be boiled before simmering for 10 min later (which I never did anyway.) It is SO good!
    Itโ€™s hard to improve on this dish but you did. Thank you for continuing to revisit your recipes to make them easier and better!

    • Hi Jane!! Yes! We’re revisiting all of our ‘older’ recipes. Every time I go back to one, I find an improvement. So glad you enjoyed this country pasta dish, it has been a favorite of ours for many years! And thanks so much for letting us know and for the wonderful review!! We always appreciate that so very much!! All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    Hi guys! Just made this for the fam tonight! Really quite amazing. Lived in Italy for 3 years. This tasted like a meal we would rave about in a Tuscan trattoria! Delicious, and will make it again and again.

    As an aside, I love to share your recipes with family and friends. My daughter is a newlywed and is learning to broaden her cooking repertoire. I literally Skyped with her this afternoon and told her she needed to go online to https://www.howtofeedaloon.com. She did and was amazed at the hundreds of recipes. She is eager to try many of them, as am I. Iโ€™ve tried many of them already, and never been disappointed. You guys rock! Thanks guys!

    • Mark! Your comment is the best thing we’ve read in a long time! Thank you so so much! So thrilled you and the family loved the pasta. That has been a favorite of ours for many years! And that’s awesome to hear about you newly married daughter! Let her know if she ever has any questions about a recipe, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Thanks again, and please stay in touch. All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • Oh, another recipe to try. I love penne with spicy vodka cream sauce but have been wanting something else with a little meat in it. I am fortunate to live in an area with a lot of Italian and Italian-American food sources. A grocery that dates to 1929, in the same family and the maker of superb Italian sausage. And it is in… Southern Colorado! Search Gagliano’s Market. So off to town next week and this will be on the menu. Mary

    • Hi Mary! That sounds so wonderful. Aren’t authentic regional food markets in the neighborhood awesome? We really think you’ll like this recipe. It is truly one of our all-time favorites. Let us know after you pick up the provisions and make it and what you think! Best, Kris & Wesley

    • Thanks, Carrie! It is, without doubt, one of our most favorite dishes to make and enjoy…especially when it’s chilly outside! Let us know if you make it and what you think!! xoxo Kris & Wesley

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