Easy Italian Sausage Ragu

Italian sausage ragu is a gloriously easy way to make a bolognese-style meat sauce loaded with flavour in a fraction of the time.

My version spices things up with a little Worcestershire sauce and chilli flakes, and takes under an hour to go from your fridge to your table.

Easy Sausage Bolognese Style Ragu

You will find my site littered with ragu recipes. I make everything from mushroom ragu to duck breast ragu and wild boar ragu to slow cooker ragu alla bolognese.

Sausages offer a wonderfully simple way of knocking up a quick ragu packed to the gunnels with flavour without raiding your herb and spice cupboard.

Let's face it, the butcher has already done all of the hard work.

This Italian sausage ragu recipe is gloriously simple and adds very little other than red wine, Worcestershire sauce and tomatoes to the list to make a wonderfully simple meal.

It's quicker than a traditional bolognese too. Cooking takes right around an hour, and for most of that time, you are chilling out waiting for dinner.

If you like the idea of sausage pasta, you should definitely chicken out my pasta alla norcina recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of sausage?

Yes, use whatever you have to hand; this recipe works with pretty much any old sausages.

The only caveat I would add is that I would not add any oregano if you are using sausages that have a lot of sage.

So if you are using something like Lincolnshire or Cumberland sausage consider adding extra rosemary and or thyme.

Do I have to add the anchovies?

No, but I would urge you to!

Anchovies in sauces melt away, and you do not get the big punch like anchovies on pizza. They add a wonderful umami hint to the dish that makes it taste richer and bolder without a really long cooking time.

Also, if you are adding Worcestershire sauce, you are using anchovies anyway because it is a key ingredient!

Can I make this in advance?

Absolutely, scale it up as much as you want to, because this recipe freezes perfectly. Simply pop it into freezer bags in portion sizes that work for you, and it will last for 3 months in the freezer.

Scaling the recipe also has very little impact on the cooking time. It will obviously take longer to brown the meat and the onions, but the 30-minute cooking time at the end will remain the same.

Serving Suggestions

My wife demands that I serve this sausage ragu recipe with a wet, cheesy polenta, which is a fine choice.

Of course, an obvious choice for a ragu is to serve it with pasta, which also works wonderfully.

However, my personal favourite way to eat this simple and hearty recipe is on top of a jacket potato cooked in an air fryer, as I do with my savoury mince beef recipe.

If you serve this with either polenta or pasta, don't forget the obligatory garlic bread!

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• 28cm or 11" frying pan or skillet with a lid.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.