Adding a new pasta sauce to our mid-week repertoire feels like big family news. We are devotees of Pesto Pasta (our go-to family brainless crowd pleaser), we will never pass at the chance of a gutsy Puttanesca and are all very fond of a good, classic Bolognese but this Creamy Sausage Bolognese really does add something new to our menu. It came about through the reworking of a failed dish (I felt certain it had potential) and I love it so much that I'm grateful the first recipe experiment was a disaster.
What is this Creamy Sausage Bolognese?
Once the skins are removed from the sausages and they are crumbled into a hot pan, the sausage meat breaks down beautifully to form a perfectly seasoned mince - the ideal base for a variation on a classic Bolognese. The addition of sautéed peppers, onions and garlic all combined in a creamy tomato sauce with a tiny chilli kick is truly delicious. I am a fan.
Which sausages do you need for this Bolognese?
I used a decent quality pork sausage with herbs but you could easily replace with whichever are your favourites. It's easier to get the sausagemeat to break down into mince if it's a coarser grind - the finer the texture, the more the sausage will stay in clumps. This isn't a problem, but the end result may be more like meatballs than Bolognese.
How to make this Creamy Sausage Bolognese
- Sauté a sliced red pepper and then add finely chopped onion and garlic to the pan.
- Remove the skins from the sausages and crumble them into the same pan with some dried oregano, smoked paprika and chilli flakes. Stir regularly until the sausage meat is cooked through.
- Add chicken stock, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 mins.
- Stir in some double cream and grated Parmesan and warm through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley.
- Serve the Creamy Sausage Bolognese with your favourite pasta and a fresh, green salad.
What I have learned about making this pasta sauce?
- It comes together quickly, so get your prep done before you start the cooking.
- The quantities here produce a very lightly spiced dish. Adjust the chilli flakes if you like more heat.
- The finished sauce is fairly runny but it soaks nicely into the pasta without the need to add any pasta water.
- Garnishing with some chopped parsley (or really anything green from the fridge) really lifts the aesthetics of the dish. We are all worth the extra few seconds it takes to make our food look beautiful.
- It reheats nicely and freezes like a dream.
There will always be a place in my heart for a classic Bolognese, but this truly is a great partner in crime worthy of a try. Enjoy and happy cooking ♡
Creamy Sausage Bolognese
Crumbled sausage meat in a creamy tomato sauce with a tiny chilli kick is delicious and makes this Creamy Sausage Bolognese a true favourite and an easy dish for mid-week!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Hob
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red pepper, finely sliced
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 450g (1 pound) herbed pork sausages, skins removed
- 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
- 125ml (½ cup) chopped tomatoes (from a tin)
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 125ml (½ cup) double cream
- 30g (1oz) grated Parmesan
- finely chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Spices -
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon, smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the sliced pepper for 2 minutes, stirring all the time.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Now add the spices and the sausages, breaking up the meat into small pieces as you add it. Stir all the time (adding a little more oil if the meat starts to stick). Cook for 3-5 minutes until the meat is browned and cooked through - the duration will depend on how much the sausages have broken into mince rather than 'meatballs'.
- Pour in the chicken stock, chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream and Parmesan and stir well, making sure that the sauce is heated through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve with your favourite pasta ♡
Notes
- This pasta sauce comes together quickly, so get your prep done before you start the cooking.
- The quantities here produce a very lightly spiced dish. Adjust the chilli flakes if you like more heat.
