Farfalle Toscana

Sometimes, much as it pains me to admit it, my Dad knows what he is talking about. He told me about making a pesto sauce with white beans and I was skeptical. I’m always game for trying new kinds of pesto sauce though so I went and gave it a go. I am so happy that I listened to him! I decided to dub the dish Farfalle Toscana since it was so loaded with all of the great flavors of Tuscany. It was also such a cinch to make!

The pesto sauce for the farfalle toscana came together quickly and easily in my food processor. It was the most amazing mixture of white beans, sun dried tomatoes, basil, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, cheese and hazelnuts. Once it was pureed together, it was such a glorious sauce with a pretty color!
The pesto sauce for the farfalle toscana came together quickly and easily in my food processor. It was the most amazing mixture of white beans, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, cheese and hazelnuts. Once it was pureed together, it was such a glorious sauce with a pretty color!
It's very traditional to pair pesto sauce with sausage. I went with chicken sausage to keep it a little leaner and healthier while still getting that fantastic sausage flavor!
It’s very traditional to pair pesto sauce with sausage. I went with chicken sausage to keep it a little leaner and healthier while still getting that fantastic sausage flavor! I also went with a gluten free farfalle. Any short pasta like penne or rigatoni would have worked in this farfalle toscana too. The name would just have to change, ha!

Once the pasta and sausage finished cooking, it was just a matter of tossing it all together. I finished it with an extra drizzle of olive oil and an extra sprinkle of pecorino romano. That really brought the farfalle toscano together and gave it even more flavor. Then I scooped it into pretty bowls with a little fresh basil on top and that was it! I had it on the table in less than 30 minutes. That pesto sauce was creamy from the white beans and so flavorful. It was nutty, garlicky, fragrant and perfect. With the savory chicken sausage and tender pasta I was one happy Italian. Thanks for the inspiration Daddio! xoxo

Farfalle Toscana
Farfalle Toscana
5 from 1 vote
Farfalle Toscana
Farfalle Toscana
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

This farfalle toscana is simple to make and chock full of the flavors of Italy. It comes together in less than 30 minutes for perfect weeknight pasta!

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Farfalle Toscana, Pasta
Servings: 6
Calories: 761 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 1 can cannellini beans 15 ounce size, with the liquid
  • 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes 8.5 ounce size, with the liquid
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 whole lemon zested
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil packed, plus additional chopped for garnish
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese plus additional for finishing
  • 1/2 cup olive oil plus additional for the pan and finishing
  • 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
  • 1 pound farfalle pasta
  • 1.5 pounds chicken sausage sliced into thin rounds
Instructions
  1. First, prepare the pesto. Set up a food processor and combine the cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest, basil, pecorino romano, olive oi and hazelnuts into its bowl. Let it run until it is smooth but still has just a little bit of texture. Set it aside and get a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Salt it until it tastes like the sea. Once it is boiling cook the farfalle just until tender for about 8 minutes.
  2. While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, heat a little olive oil in a large skillet with deep sides. Cook the sausage coins until they start to brown a little on both sides and are cooked through, which takes about 6-8 minutes. Pour the pesto sauce in with the sausage and also pour in 1/4 cup of the water that the pasta is cooking in. The pasta should be done by this point. Drain it and toss it in with the sausage and sauce. Finish it with an extra drizzle of olive oil and an extra sprinkle of the pecorino romano. Scoop it into pretty bowls, garnish it with more fresh basil and serve immediately! Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Farfalle Toscana
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 761 Calories from Fat 318
% Daily Value*
Fat 35.3g54%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 83mg28%
Sodium 1407mg61%
Potassium 871mg25%
Carbohydrates 74g25%
Fiber 8.2g34%
Sugar 10.1g11%
Protein 40.3g81%
Calcium 110mg11%
Iron 7.4mg41%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Farfalle Toscana
Farfalle Toscana

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13 thoughts on “Farfalle Toscana”

  1. Hi Leigh, yummy! I wanted to email you? I’ll note it here. I joined another web I wanted you to look into. Much easier than TK and more fun. You can embed blog too. Check out http://www.cookeatshare.com -/member Cheryl “Cheffie Cooks” Wiser. You can add new groups, join groups, have themes, list recipes easily with pics (which you know I am now doing on all my 9 web sites on WP). Videos, tutorials, etc. I think you’ll love it. It is not a new site been around years. Best Regards, Cheryl oxox

    1. Hi my friend! Thank you so much!! That website looks awesome and I will definitely be checking it out. Always love keeping up with what you are doing and it will be fun to get some of my recipes up there too! Hope all is well xoxo

  2. I never would have thought of using white beans in the sauce! But I bet it made it so creamy and delicious!

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