Italian Style Garbanzos and Sausage Recipe

This delicious Italian Style Garbanzos and Sausage Recipe is a great weeknight meal that is quick and easy to make. Easily adapt for a meatless version if desired.

Do you have regular standbys for those last-minute-throw-it-together-in-a-wink dinners? A can of green beans used to be our typical go-to for a quick side dish, but lately it’s been a white bean sauté. It’s quick and full of flavor, and I usually have  a stockpile of cannellini beans on hand.

One evening last week we were running behind schedule for supper. So while Randy was heating up the grill for salmon and chicken, I began the routine sautéing of the onion and garlic – one of the best aromas ever – and headed to the pantry for the cannellinis. What?!? No cannellinis? But I thought I saw … garbanzos. A stockpile of garbanzos and no cannellinis in sight.

Yeah, hummus is always yummy, but I had onions and garlic waiting on the stove. I decided to toss them in anyway. As I was grumbling to myself about my apparent failure of pantry stocking skills after having just discovered six bags of dried cherries the week prior, I noticed a recipe on the can of garbanzos.

I don’t know why I forget to refer to packaging for recipes. Many of the recipes found on labels are really good. My daughter’s favorite cookie recipe is the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie from the lid of the oatmeal container. The one I discovered on the can of Bush’s garbanzos was one for Italian Style Garbanzos and Sausage. It looked easy enough, and, it was a miracle, I did have (kinda, sorta) everything on hand. Supper for the next evening? Done.

I made a few adjustments. I added garlic and replaced the seasoned diced tomatoes that were called for with whole canned tomatoes and fresh herbs from our garden, as well as the addition of olive oil, and salt and pepper. It was quite hearty and satisfying. Plus, garbanzos are packed with fiber and a good source of high quality protein. But get this, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) also contain a high percentage of the trace mineral molybdenum. Molybdenum? What the?!? Yeah, I didn’t know what it was either, but apparently (according to this article) molybdenum is an integral component in helping to detoxify sulfites. Sulfites are used as a preservative in many foods, and if you’re sensitive to them it may mean your molybdenum levels are too low to help detoxify the sulfites. So eating more garbanzos is not only yummy, but helpful too. Eat more garbanzos my friend.

Let’s get started. Here’s what you’ll need … smoked sausage, olive oil, onion, garlic, red wine, canned tomatoes, garbanzo beans (chick peas), fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Begin by chopping up the onion, garlic and herbs. Next cut up the smoked sausage in 1-2″ sections. Or 3/4″ sections. Or 2 1/4″ sections. Just cut it up however you like. It doesn’t much matter.

Here’s where I goofed. Well, kinda. Sorta. Maybe. Not really. It worked just fine, but if you want to cut down on dishwashing, don’t do like me. I began by sautéing the onion and garlic, but what you should do is begin by browning the sausage for a few minutes over medium heat. Remove the sausage from the pan and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan to just coat the bottom of the pan. Then sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until slightly transparent being careful not to burn the garlic (burnt garlic = ick), about 5-7 minutes. Then in goes the red wine. This will help deglaze the pan, or, in common terms, “get all the good stuff off the bottom of the pan.” Simmer the onion, garlic and wine for a few minutes until it reduces a little. After the wine has reduced, add the tomatoes, garbanzo beans (drained) and chopped herbs. Oh, and don’t forget the salt and pepper, then bring it all to a simmer. You could add the smoked sausage back in at this point. If you want to add it now, add it, if not, don’t. You’re free! You are the commander of your kitchen, and the ultimate decider (one who decides) of when the sausage hits the pan. Also, since I used whole tomatoes, instead of diced, I mashed up the tomatoes just a bit at this point. Next, if you haven’t already, add the browned smoked sausage back to the pan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to reduce down. Sauce will thicken slightly. And that’s it! You’re ready to enjoy.

This savory dish can be made ahead, then refrigerated covered until ready to reheat or keep warm on low or in a crock pot for hours. This is a great throw together meal for those cool fall evenings when you’re in a rush.

For a vegetarian version, I’d drop the sausage (of course) add another can of cannellinis, in addition to a smoky chili powder, like ancho chili powder and maybe some cumin – yum!

You may enjoy these other recipes featuring garbanzos (chickpeas):

• Cucumber and Chickpea Salad
• Roasted Garbanzos
• Black Bean Hummus

Italian Style Garbanzos and Sausage Recipe

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Italian Style Garbanzos and Sausage Recipe

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This hearty and flavorful Italian style stew is easy to prepare and perfect for any night of the week.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound smoked sausage
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 whole garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon because that’s what I had on hand, but a merlot, burgundy, pinot noir or any red wine that you like should work just fine)
• 1 – 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
• 1 – 16 oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained
• 6-7 largish fresh basil leaves, rough chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Begin by chopping up the onion, garlic and herbs, and cut up the smoked sausage in 1-2 inch sections.
2. In a medium size skillet or sauté pan, brown sausage for a few minutes over medium heat. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan to just coat the bottom of the pan, and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until slightly transparent, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Next, add the red wine. Simmer the onion, garlic and wine for a few minutes until it reduces a little.
5. After the wine has reduced, add the tomatoes, garbanzo beans (drained), chopped herbs, salt, pepper and browned smoked sausage. If you’re using whole tomatoes instead of diced, mash them up just a bit at this point. Simmer over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Sauce will thicken slightly.

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