Paccheri pasta with butter beans, Italian sausage and sun‑dried tomatoes makes a wonderfully flavorful and satisfying meal.
These ingredients complement each other perfectly. When you add good Italian sausage to pasta, a memorable dish is almost guaranteed. Sun‑dried tomatoes bring a concentrated, slightly sweet and tangy note that pairs beautifully with the savory sausage, while butter beans add a creamy, hearty texture that works as a great alternative to cannellini beans.
We recommend oil‑packed sun‑dried tomatoes for convenience and shelf life, though dry‑packed varieties rehydrated briefly will also work. The large butter beans contribute a satisfying bite that contrasts nicely with the tender pasta tubes. If you can’t find paccheri, any tubular pasta such as rigatoni will make a good substitute.
Other staples for this recipe include fresh parsley, garlic, good olive oil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at the end, chili flakes for heat, and reserved pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency.
How To Make Paccheri Pasta With Butter Beans, Sausage And Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Bring a large pot of well‑salted water to a boil (about 2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon) and cook 1/2 pound paccheri or another tubular pasta to al dente. Before draining, reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Finely chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley.
- Coarsely chop 1/4 cup sun‑dried tomatoes and roughly chop 4 cloves garlic.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and sauté 1 pound ground Italian sausage, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is fully done, about 15 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan add 1/4 cup olive oil and the chopped garlic. Sauté over medium heat until the garlic is lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the chopped sun‑dried tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes. After about a minute, pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan to capture that flavor.
- Rinse a 16‑ounce can of butter beans and add them to the pan along with the cooked sausage. Stir to combine.
- Add the drained paccheri and mix thoroughly so the pasta is coated with the sauce. Let it cook together for about 1 minute so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more salt or chili flakes if needed. If the dish seems dry, add a few ounces of reserved pasta water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Remove from heat, stir in the chopped parsley and finish with a generous drizzle (about 2 tablespoons) of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with extra chili flakes and grated Parmesan at the table if desired. Enjoy!
This combination of paccheri, butter beans, sausage and sun‑dried tomatoes creates a hearty, textured pasta dish that’s quick to prepare and full of flavor. Paccheri makes an attractive presentation because of its large tubes, but any tubular pasta will work well.
Serve additional chili flakes and extra virgin olive oil alongside the pasta, and offer a block of Parmigiano‑Reggiano for grating if you like.
Substitutions & Additions
- Pancetta – Add about 1/4 pound diced pancetta along with or instead of the sausage for a rich, salty boost. If using pancetta alone, sauté it 5–7 minutes before adding the garlic.
- Beans – Cannellini or great northern beans are excellent substitutes for butter beans. Chickpeas will also work but offer a firmer texture—if using canned chickpeas, simmer them for 15 minutes to soften.
- Tomatoes – Use 1 cup cherry tomatoes for a fresher, lighter version instead of sun‑dried tomatoes.
- White wine – Add 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio) when you pour in the pasta water and reduce slightly to cook off the alcohol for extra depth of flavor.
- Vegan – Omit the sausage and any cheese to make this recipe vegan; consider adding sautéed mushrooms or smoked tofu for savory depth.
Tips For Perfect Paccheri Pasta With Butter Beans
- Pasta – Cook to al dente so the pasta finishes in the sauce and retains a pleasant bite. Taste a couple minutes before the package’s suggested time if you’re unsure.
- Sausage – If you only find sausage links, remove the casing by slicing and peeling it away, then crumble the meat while cooking.
- Pasta water – Save some pasta water to loosen the sauce as the pasta absorbs liquid while waiting to serve—it’s an easy way to revive a dry dish.
- Butter beans – Rinse canned butter beans well to remove excess packing liquid and salt before adding them to the pan.
Difficulty Level
This recipe is easy to prepare and rates about a 2.5 on a 1–5 scale (1 = easiest). Key points are ensuring the sausage is fully cooked and not burning the garlic.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1/2 pound paccheri or other tubular pasta
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 16‑ounce can butter beans, rinsed
- 1/4 cup sun‑dried tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3/8 cup olive oil (total for cooking)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (to finish)
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- Salt as needed and reserved pasta water (about 2 cups reserved, use 1/2 cup in the sauce)
Instructions summary: Cook pasta al dente and reserve pasta water. Sauté and set aside the sausage. In the same pan, brown garlic in olive oil, add sun‑dried tomatoes and chili flakes, deglaze with pasta water, then add rinsed butter beans and the sausage. Stir in the pasta, heat through, finish with parsley and extra virgin olive oil, and adjust seasoning to taste.
Nutrition information provided in the original recipe is an approximation and should be used as a guideline only.