A bowl of this pork sausage ragu (and a glass of Chianti or Brunello di Montalcino) will have you feeling like you're in the heart of Tuscany. When it comes to pastas, the Tuscan style of cuisine is all about hearty ragus.  With a base of diced onion and carrot, Chianti red wine, a Parmigiano rind, and aromatic rosemary, this pork sausage ragu is bursting with robust flavors of the Tuscan countryside.

The star of this recipe is the pork sausage. Use a mild or sweet Italian sausage for a balanced sauce that lets every nuance of flavor shine, or opt for a spicy Italian sausage to kick things up a notch. This hearty ragu is perfect for colder months, and it's a great dish to bring family and friends together at the dinner table.

Tuscan Pork Sausage Ragu
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Tuscan Pork Sausage Ragu

Category

Main Course

Servings

6

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Image of Tuscan Pork Sausage Ragu

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sausage and cook, stirring often and breaking apart the sausage with the back of a wooden spoon, until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
  3. To the skillet with the sausage, add the onion, carrot and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and the vegetables are almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. Deglaze with the red wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, cheese rind and rosemary sprig. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
  4. Once the pasta water is boiling, season generously with kosher salt. Add the pasta to the water and cook until just al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
  5. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig from the sauce. Add the pasta to the sauce and sprinkle the bare pasta with the Parmesan cheese and basil. Add 1/2 cup pasta water and toss well to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to maintain a light sauce. Serve with more Parmesan cheese on top if desired.
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