This Cozy Rosemary and Sage Ragu with Spicy Sausage is sure to warm you up this winter. The classic holiday flavors combine with spicy Italian sausage to create this delicious pasta dish.
Is there anything better that a big bowl of warm pasta on a chilly night? This ragu is perfect to serve for a bigger group or for a date with plenty of leftovers. The sauce takes some time to reduce, but is very easy to make. I like to make this on lazy Sundays so my whole house smells good all afternoon.
How to make the sauce
- Brown the sausage. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, around 5-7 minutes. Place a paper towel on a plate. Remove the sausage from the pan and place on the paper towel to cool. Set aside.
- Saute the onions, carrots and mushrooms. Return the pan to the stove on medium heat and add the onion and carrots. Cook until the carrots soften, around 10-15 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons of butter on top of the carrot and onions and melt. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Next add the garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add in the liquid ingredients. Place the beef stock, tomatoes, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper in the pan. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for one hour.
Assembling the rosemary and sage ragu
- Boil the rigatoni. 20 minutes before the sauce is done, start boiling water in a large pot for the rigatoni. Boil the rigatoni until al dente and drain. Set aside.
- Bake the pasta. When the sauce is done remove the rosemary and sage sprigs. Pour the sauce over the rigatoni to combine. In a casserole dish add the rigatoni. Place the burrata cheese on top of the rigatoni. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Use burrata cheese over mozzarella. The soft inner center melts so well and is amazing with the ragu sauce.
- Don’t overcook the noodles. Just boil them to al dente and then bake them.
- Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Looking for more pasta recipes? Try these:
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 lb ground spicy italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 lb sliced mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 15oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig sage
- 2 balls burrata cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, around 5-7 minutes. Place a paper towel on a plate. Remove the sausage from the pan and place on the paper towel to cool. Set aside.
- Return the pan to the stove and add the onion and carrots. Cook over medium heat until the carrots soften, around 10-15 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt. Add the mushrooms and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Add the garlic and continue cooking an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add the beef stock, tomatoes, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for one hour.
- 20 minutes before the sauce is done, start boiling water in a large pot for the rigatoni. Boil the rigatoni until al dente and drain. Set aside.
- When the sauce is done remove the rosemary and sage sprigs. Pour the sauce over the rigatoni to combine. In a casserole dish add the rigatoni. Place the burrata cheese on top of the rigatoni. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve hot and enjoy!