In this post, you’ll learn how to make the authentic Italian sausage sauce, a recipe made with tomato paste, spices, and wine.

Italian sausage sauce on tagliatelle pasta

HOW TO MAKE THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN SAUSAGE SAUCE

Traditionally, the Italian sausage sauce is made with tomato paste, a dash of wine, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves: spices that exalt the flavor and abate the greasiness of Italian sausages. Besides browning the sausages for a few minutes, all you have to do afterward is slowly cooked them with tomato paste and spices. Cook pasta and season it.

Italian sausage sauce poured over tagliatelle pasta

HOW TO SERVE THE SAUSAGE SAUCE

This classic Italian sausage ragu is perfect for fresh egg pasta like tagliatelle or pappardelle. Their rough surface holds perfectly the rich sauce, and every bite becomes a delicious experience.

But you can also use the sausage sauce to season polenta (check how to cook polenta here), fill lasagna, or top crostini.

authentic Italian sausage sauce

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2

Author Claudia Rinaldi | Gourmet Project

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 Italian sausages
1 white or yellow onion
1 glass red wine
21 oz tomato paste (passata) - 600 gr
8 cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
4 bay leaves

Instructions

Coarsely chop the onion.
Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown the onion over medium heat, about 10 minutes.
Slice the sausages into medium/big chunks and add them to the pot. Brown them a couple of minutes, stirring to brown all sides.
Add wine, a teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
When the wine has evaporated (alcohol smell gone), add the passata and the spices.
Cover, lower heat to low/medium, and cook 25 minutes.