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Chicken Sausage Recipes Ragu with Pappardelle

I make this ragu when the day runs long and I still want a warm bowl that hugs back. Chicken sausage browns and sizzles. Onion softens. Garlic wakes up. Tomato paste turns brick red and sweet. White wine steams and lifts every tasty bit from the pan. The sauce settles into a steady bubble. Crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, and a bay leaf do slow work. A splash of stock rounds things out. A small piece of parmesan rind melts in and makes it cozy. I toss the sauce with wide pasta so every ribbon carries flavor. This pot checks so many boxes for me. It fits italian chicken sausage recipes. It stands in for mild italian sausage recipes. It bridges sausage and chicken recipes and pasta and sausage recipes. It reads like a sausage pasta recipe. It belongs with sausage recipes for dinner. It is weeknight easy and Sunday calm. If you try it and want tweaks I am all ears. We can tune heat or herbs on your next batch.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Chicken Sausage Recipes, comfort food, italian chicken sausage recipes, mild italian sausage recipes, pappardelle, pasta and sausage recipes, ragu, sausage and chicken recipes, sausage pasta recipe, sausage recipes for dinner
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Linda

Ingredients

  • 800 g italian chicken sausage removed from casings
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 120 ml dry white wine or extra stock
  • 800 g crushed tomatoes
  • 480 ml chicken stock low sodium
  • 1 parmesan rind optional
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 60 ml milk or heavy cream
  • 500 g pappardelle or rigatoni
  • 60 g grated parmesan plus extra for serving
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • fresh black pepper

Instructions

  1. Warm a large heavy pot over medium heat then add olive oil.
  2. Add sausage and cook until browned breaking it into small bits then scoop to a bowl.
  3. In the same pot add onion celery and carrots with a pinch of salt then cook until soft.
  4. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until the paste turns deep red.
  5. Pour in wine to deglaze and scrape the pot then simmer until most liquid cooks off.
  6. Return sausage to the pot then add crushed tomatoes stock parmesan rind rosemary thyme and bay leaf.
  7. Bring to a gentle simmer then cook uncovered and stir now and then for 45 to 60 minutes until thick and glossy.
  8. Fish out the herb stems rind and bay leaf then stir in milk.
  9. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente then reserve a cup of pasta water and drain.
  10. Toss pasta with sauce and a splash of pasta water then cook one minute and season with salt and pepper.
  11. Finish with grated parmesan and red pepper flakes then serve hot.

Notes

Use half sweet and half spicy chicken sausage for balance. For a slow cooker version brown the sausage and aromatics first then cook on low for six to eight hours. For a stovetop shortcut simmer thirty minutes then rest the sauce ten minutes. Swap wine with more stock. Stir in chopped basil at the end for a fresh lift. Leftovers keep well for four days and freeze for two months.