Anna Chwistek
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This Italian sausage ragu is packed with rich, savory flavors. It tastes like it’s been simmering for hours but it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Add some penne and a sprinkle of parmesan for a hearty dinner everyone at your table will love. And don’t forget a big side salad and maybe even some garlic bread.
This is not an average ragu, it’s made with both, mild and spicy Italian sausage. It’s the perfect way to spice up your pasta night at home! If you don’t have Italian sausage on hand, any ground pork or chicken will work fine, just add some flavor with pantry spices like red pepper flakes and fennel seeds.
It’s comforting and budget-friendly, you can double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for another time, it will taste just as good.
Let me guide you through the recipe with thisstep-by-step VIDEO.
RECIPE NOTES
- use your favorite pasta shape
- if you don’t have Italian sausage on hand, use herbed sausage, ground pork or ground chicken, just add some extra red pepper flakes and fennel seeds
- if time allows, you can simmer the sauce for 45 minutes to create a deeper flavor, just cover the pot with a lid and add a splash of cooking water before tossing with pasta
- double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for another time
- serve with a side salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar
Try These Next
- Sausage and Tomato Pasta alla Carbonara
- Italian Sausage and Chorizo Rigatoni
- Beef and Bell Pepper Spaghetti
Italian Sausage Ragu
Anna Chwistek
Packed with rich, savory flavors. It tastes like it’s been simmering for hours but it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Add some penne and a sprinkle of parmesan for a hearty dinner everyone at your table will love.
4.50 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 784 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small brown onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1.1 pounds Italian sausage sweet + spicy, casings removed
- 1 large carrot diced
- ½ cup red wine
- ½ cup beef broth
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cans (each 14 oz/400 ml) San Marzano crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 10.5 ounces penne
- grated parmesan for serving
Spices
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes more to taste
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
Instructions
Get all the prep done before you start cooking: mince the garlic, finely chop the onion, peel anddice the carrot.
Remove casings from Italian sausages.Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium low. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add sausages, break up into pieces. Cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 5 minutes. Add carrot and spices, cook for 1 minute.
Pour in red wine, simmer for 2 minutes. Add beef broth and tomato paste. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, simmer the sauce uncovered for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pan of generously salted water to a boil and cook penne according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a ladle of pasta water.
In the meantime, chop the parsley.
When ready, add pasta and parsley to the sauce, toss to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of cooking water, if needed.
Serve immediately sprinkled with grated Parmesan. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 784kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 29gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1706mgPotassium: 685mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 190IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 3mg
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2 comments
I made this exactly as directed and did the additional 45 minutes for flavors to deepen. Highly recommend!! It made so much that we enjoyed it again two nights later and changed it up by layering it into a casserole dish with fresh mozzarella and Basil mixed in. The only thing I tweaked was adding about 1/4 lb of ground beef because my sausage was a little under the specified amount. This was fantastic with garlic bread and a glass of red wine!! I’ll save this one.Reply
It makes me so happy to hear that Stacy!
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