Italian Sausage Ragu is a rich and robust meat sauce. Simmering the sauce low and slow helps to create deep layers of flavor.  Incredibly hearty, it pairs beautifully with thicker pastas like pappardelle. Be sure to top with a grating of Parmigiano Reggiano and don’t forget a chunk of crusty bread to get every drop of that sensational sauce. 

Cooler temps have me craving richer thicker pasta sauces like this Italian sausage ragu. This sauce is cooked slowly over a few hours which helps to develop those beautiful deep flavors. While not difficult, it does require time. Low and slow sauces are often referred to as a Sunday sauce for this exact reason. I like to pair this sausage ragu with thicker pastas like pappardelle or tagliatelle that can stand up to the heaviness of the sauce. It would also be fantastic with Rigatoni. 

What is a Ragu? 

In Italian cuisine, Ragu is a meat-based Italian sauce that is most often served with pasta. Ragu sauces are also thicker than other sauces. 

What is the difference between Ragu and Bolognese? 

Bolognese sauce or Ragu alla Bolognese is a hearty meat sauce that is simply a variation of ragu.

What is the difference between Ragu and Marinara? 

Ragu is a tomato based meat sauce while marinara has no meat and is a smooth sauce. 

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Sausage Ragu

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Rich and meaty Italian Sausage Ragu

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion - finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 pound 3 ounces (19 ounces) ground sweet Italian sausage
• 2 carrots - peeled, finely diced
• 12 ounces roasted red peppers - drained, roughly chopped
• 2 - 28 ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil In a large heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent.
2. Add sausage and cook until browned. Stirring as necessary while breaking up meat.
3. Add carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes. Crushing tomatoes with your wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until carrots have softened, stirring as necessary.
4. Reduce heat to low. Add wine, butter and sugar. Mix to combine. Continue cooking for a minimum of one hour. When liquid level gets too low add in 1 cup of water at at time and allow to reduce, continue until sauce is finished.
5. Prior to serving, check sauce for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

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MORE DELICIOUS PASTA SAUCES TO TRY

If you’re feeling inspired by my sausage ragu recipe, you’ll love these other tasty pasta sauce recipes:

• Bucatini with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
• Spaghetti with Butter Roasted Tomato Sauce
• Spaghetti with Sweet Potato and Tomato Sauce
• Squash with Spinach Tomato and Goat Cheese Sauce

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