Katie Lee Biegel Just Shared a Quick & Comforting Pasta Dish That's Perfect for Weeknights

When it comes to easy dinners, a simple pasta dish is a cozy classic. And Katie Lee Biegel just shared an elevated option that you’re going to want to add to your dinner rotation.

The Kitchen co-host recently posted an Instagram video showing how to make her Orecchiette with Sausage, White Beans and Tomatoes. Using ingredients you may already have on hand, here’s how to whip up Biegel’s “quick and yummy” dinner recipe.

Related: Katie Lee Biegel Just Shared Her Favorite Way to Make Potatoes, and Fans Say It’s a “Showstopper for Guests”

First, here are the ingredients you will need to re-create this orecchiette dish:

• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings (chicken or pork)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 pints grape or pear tomatoes, quartered
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Biegel started it off by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil to cook the orecchiette. She cooked the pasta for a couple of minutes less than the suggested time on the package. This is a great tip if you're planning to cook your pasta further with a sauce or other ingredients before serving, as it can help prevent it from overcooking.

While the pasta is cooking, Biegel poured the oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, she added in her sausage (cut into large chunks) and let it brown. She then removed the sausage to a separate bowl.

She added the chopped onions to the fat in the pan to cook until softened. Biegel stirred in the garlic for 30 seconds before adding in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes. After about 4 minutes, the tomatoes started to blister and split, meaning that it was time to throw in the beans and return the cooked sausage to the skillet.

Before draining the pasta, Biegel scooped a half-cup of pasta water (which Giada calls “gold”) to pour into her skillet. Then, she added the drained orecchiette to the skillet and tossed it with the rest of the ingredients until the pasta was completely coated. She added in her grated Parmesan cheese in batches, letting each batch melt before adding more to stir into the mixture. Finally, she stirred in the parsley. At the end, she topped off her dish with more Parmesan before serving. 

This comforting pasta dinner is made with such ease that it’s perfectly suitable for weeknights. For an even easier version that only uses one pot, try our Creamy One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage & Peas.