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5.0 from 198 votes

Sausage ragu with pappardelle pasta

Recipe video above. Take your meat sauce to the next level by using sausages instead of plain beef to make an incredible Sausage Ragu! Like Shredded Beef Ragu, cooking this sausage pasta sauce long and slow gives it time to develop deep, complex flavours. Complete your Italian feast with Garlic Bread, a garden salad with Italian Dressing and a beautiful Tiramisu.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 5 - 6 people
Calories: 818 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Sausage ragu:
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion , finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • 1 carrot , peeled and grated using a box grater (Note 1)
  • 2 celery stalks , grated using a box grater (Note 1)
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 350g / 12 oz pork sausages , meat removed from casings (Note 2)
  • 350g / 12 oz beef sausages , meat removed from casings (Note 2)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup pinot noir red wine (sub 0% alcohol red wine or more chicken stock)
  • 1 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium
  • 400g/14 oz can crushed tomato
  • 3 thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dried)
  • 2 bay leaves (fresh better, else dried)
  • 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), optional (for hint of heat)
To serve:
  • 500g/ 1 lb pappardelle pasta , or other pasta (80g/2.8oz per serving) (Note 3)
  • Parmesan or parmigiano reggiano , finely grated, for serving
  • parsley , finely chopped, optional garnish (just a pinch)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
  2. Soffrito - Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot (with a lid) over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and fennel seeds. Cook for 8 minutes until the carrot is soft and sweet, but not golden.
  3. Cook sausage - Turn the heat up to high and add the sausage. Cook, breaking it up as you go, as best you can. It doesn't crumble as well as mince/ground meat but that's ok, we will break it up more later.
  4. Deglaze - Once the meat is no longer pink (it doesn't really brown), add the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and let it simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until reduced by half, stirring regularly to scrape the base of the pot clean.
  5. Slow cook #1 (1 hr) - Add the remaining ragu ingredients. Stir, bring to a simmer, put the lid on and place it in the oven for 1 hour.
  6. Slow cook #2 (45 min) - Remove from the oven and use a potato masher to mash the meat finer. Put the lid back on, and return to the oven for 45 minutes. The sauce will be quite thick, it gets loosened when tossed with the pasta.
  7. Salt - Taste and add more salt if desired. (Sausages vary in saltiness so I always start with less)
Pasta:
  1. Cook pasta - Cook the pappardelle according to the packet instructions. Just before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water and set it aside.
  2. Toss with sauce - Have the ragu pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the pasta into the pot along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cook water. Use two spatulas to toss the pasta until the ragu is tangled in the pasta strands and it is stained red from the sauce. Use extra pasta cooking water if needed to loosen it up.
  3. Serve in pre-warmed bowls, garnish with parmesan and a pinch of parsley if desired. Eat immediately!

Notes

  • Servings - Sauce makes enough for 500g/1 lb pasta which, based on a standard serving of 80g/2.8oz dried pasta per person, is enough for 6 normal people or 5 heartier appetites!
  • Grating - Box grater makes the pieces finer so they disappear better into the meat sauce. Try to use short strokes so you don't end up with long strands.
  • Sausages - Using both pork and beef is my favourite combination because beef gives the meat sauce beefy flavour whereas pork meat is so soft, it makes the sauce melt-in-your-mouth in a way you will never achieve just using beef. You can also use just pork or just beef. Still so, so tasty!
  • Pasta - Thick wide strands of pappardelle is made for hearty meat sauces like ragu though with a sauce this good, it's going to be great with any pasta! To make pasta for less than 5 people, use just put some sauce in a separate pan or pot on the stove and toss with the desired amount of pasta. In the video you see me make 2 servings.
  • Making ahead - Ragu just gets better overnight! Cool thoroughly then refrigerate. Warm the ragu on a low stove so it's hot when you add the pasta for tossing. The ragu can be frozen for 3 months or kept in the fridge for 5 days. Once tossed with pasta, it will keep for 3 to 4 days but pastas are always best eaten freshly made!

Nutrition Information

Calories 818cal (41%) Carbohydrates 75g (25%) Protein 33g (66%) Fat 40g (62%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Monounsaturated Fat 18g Trans Fat 0.3g Cholesterol 154mg (51%) Sodium 1193mg (50%) Potassium 1050mg (30%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 2262IU (45%) Vitamin C 18mg (20%) Calcium 106mg (11%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5- 6 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 818

% Daily Value*

Calories 818cal 41%
Carbohydrates 75g 25%
Protein 33g 66%
Fat 40g 62%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Monounsaturated Fat 18g 90%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 154mg 51%
Sodium 1193mg 50%
Potassium 1050mg 22%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 2262IU 45%
Vitamin C 18mg 20%
Calcium 106mg 11%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.