Homemade Italian Sausage Ragù

This quick, homemade Italian sausage ragù is a comfort food classic! Made with sweet Italian pork sausage and fresh herbs, you’ll love it with mezze rigatoni or fresh homemade pasta for a perfect pasta dinner.

Sausage Ragù or “sausage sauce” as my family calls it, is a rich and hearty pasta sauce made from whole-peeled San Marzano canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, rosemary and crumbled sweet Italian sausage (I like fennel and parsley).

The term “ragù” simply means “meat sauce” in Italian. However, unlike my Ragù Bolognese (the much-loved, slow-cooked northern Italian meat sauce with ground beef and pork) this ragù recipe is defined by Italian sausage instead. It also takes less time to cook, about 40 minutes or so, which is mostly hands-off simmering. Serve with dried rigatoni as pictured here, or give fresh homemade pasta a try with a dollop of ultra-creamy ricotta. It’s excellent paired with fresh homemade gnocchi, lasagna noodles and homemade ravioli too!

Ingredients You Will Need:

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Rosemary
• Fennel seeds
• Sweet Italian pork sausage
• Canned whole-peeled plum tomatoes (San Marzano)
• Fresh basil

How To Make Sausage Ragù (At A Glance)

Sauté chopped onions, rosemary and fennel seeds until soft and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Crumble in the Italian sausage and sauté gently, until it loses its pink color (and most of the liquid is evaporated). Add the tomatoes and simmer until thick and delicious, about 30 minutes.

Note: There are many versions of sausage ragù all across Italy, depending on the region. Some recipes add chopped carrots and celery to the onion base. Other recipes swap regular Italian pork sausage for hot and spicy sausage with red pepper flakes. There’s also a curious version that contains no tomatoes at all… Experiment and see what you like. That’s the best part!

Recipe Tips

• Use a large 12-inch skillet (instead of a high-sided pot). The increased surface will reduce the sauce faster.
• Don’t overcook the sausage. Sauté gently and it won’t taste like diced rubber bands.
• Add a splash of milk to tenderize the meat. This tip is used in my Ragù Bolognese recipe; it works in the same fashion here. The texture will melt in your mouth.
• Use frozen sauce as a base. When I have frozen pomodoro sauce or my Sicilian-style tomato sauce on hand, I simmer it with the sausage instead of using canned tomatoes. Try this tip just once and you’ll feel quite smug during a busy week.
• Make it ahead. My sausage ragù can be chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or stored in the freezer for 3 months.

Choosing Canned Tomatoes

Aside from the sausage, the tomatoes are a key ingredient. There are so many brands on the market, it’s hard to navigate which ones are best. To start, choose quality, whole-peeled San Marzano canned tomatoes in puree, for best texture and flavor. San Marzano tomatoes are rich, dense and sweet. The puree adds thickness to the sauce.

Regarding brands, each one is different so expect variation in flavor and price. This is why it’s crucial to taste your sauce while it cooks, adjusting with salt and sometimes sugar, if needed, to balance out the acidity. I typically use Cento canned tomatoes which I buy in bulk from Costco. However, other notable brands include Mutti, La Valle and Jovial (the latter brand comes in glass jars, not tin cans, and you can taste the difference). The above tomato can is from Trader Joe’s.

Sausage Suggestions?

I’m lucky to live near several Italian butchers, where good-quality homemade sausage is plentiful. I always buy sweet Italian pork sausage with fennel and parsley. You can easily find this variety in the grocery store too. You can also buy sweet Italian sausage plain with no added ingredients.

I’ve also experimented with chicken sausage, which is not quite as flavorful for ragù (in my opinion) but still very good.

Italian Sausage Ragù Pairs Well With:

• Fresh Homemade Pasta
• Perfect Pappardelle Pasta
• Fresh Spinach Pasta Dough
• Best Sourdough Pasta {1 Hour or Overnight}
• Fresh Homemade Gnocchi
• Fresh Homemade Ravioli
• Fresh Homemade Lasagna Noodles

More Pasta Sauce Recipes To Try!

• Ragù Bolognese Sauce
• Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil)
• 20-Minute Arrabbiata Sauce
• Quick Sicilian-Style Tomato Sauce
• Easy Golden Butter & Sage Pasta Sauce
• Authentic Pomodoro Sauce (Fresh or Canned)
• Classic Italian Basil Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese)
• Easy Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
• 6-Ingredient Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

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