Sausage & Chorizo Ragù

Ingredients

• 1onion
• 1carrot
• 80 gcelery
• 5 clovesgarlic
• 400 gpork sausage
• 400 gchorizo
• 2 tbsptomato purée
• 175 mlred wine
• 800 gchopped tomatoes
• 15 gparsley
• 500 grigatoni
• 20 gParmesan
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• a large glugolive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables

   Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery, then mince the garlic.

2. 2

   Brown the meat

   Heat a large saucepan and add a large glug of olive oil. Remove the sausage and chorizo from their casings, crumble them into the pan and fry for 10 minutes, until crisp and golden.

3. 3

   Soften the vegetables

   Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for a further 10 minutes, until softened.

4. 4

   Cook the purée

   Stir in the tomato purée and garlic, then cook for 5 minutes, until the purée has darkened.

5. 5

   Deglaze the pan

   Pour in the red wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

6. 6

   Add the tomatoes

   Pour in the chopped tomatoes. Rinse the tins with water and add that to the pan as well.

7. 7

   Simmer the ragù

   Simmer over a low heat for 1 hour. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

8. 8

   Chop the parsley

   While the ragù simmers, finely chop the parsley.

9. 9

   Boil salted water

   Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, using as little water as possible so it becomes starchier and can help make the sauce glossy.

10. 10

    Cook the rigatoni

    Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, stopping 2 minutes before the packet’s cooking time.

11. 11

    Finish the pasta

    Add some pasta water to the ragù and bring it to a bubble. Add the pasta and cook for the remaining 2 minutes, adding more pasta water if needed.

12. 12

    Add the parsley

    Stir the parsley through the pasta and ragù, then serve.

13. 13

    Grate over Parmesan

    Grate the Parmesan over the pasta and serve.

What is sausage and chorizo ragù?

Ragù is a slow-cooked Italian meat sauce, commonly served with pasta. This version builds its flavour from pork sausage and chorizo, simmered with vegetables, red wine and tomatoes.

The combination makes a robust sauce with smoky, savoury notes. Rigatoni suits it well: its ridges and wide openings catch pieces of meat and sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1325 calories, 43g protein, 109g carbs, 75g fat.

Rigatoni supplies most of the carbohydrates, while the sausage and chorizo contribute much of the fat and protein. The tomatoes and vegetables add some fibre and carbohydrates, and Parmesan adds a little more protein and fat. Balance the plate with a green salad or vegetables on the side.

Build flavour in the pan

Browned meat: Give the crumbled sausage and chorizo the full 10 minutes to develop crisp, golden edges. Those browned bits left on the pan will add depth when the wine goes in.

Vegetable base: The onion, carrot and celery soften after the meat browns, lending sweetness and body. Let them cook for the full 10 minutes before adding the garlic and tomato purée.

Tomato purée: Cooking it for 5 minutes until darker takes away its raw taste and gives the sauce a deeper tomato flavour.

Give the ragù time

Low heat: Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer for 1 hour rather than letting it boil vigorously. Stir occasionally so it does not catch on the bottom of the pan.

Seasoning: The sausage and chorizo can already be salty, so the recipe seasons the sauce lightly before the pasta is added. Taste it near the end and adjust if needed.

Use pasta water well

Starchy water: Cooking the rigatoni in as little salted water as practical makes the reserved cooking water starchier. That starch helps the sauce coat the pasta.

Finish together: Stop boiling the pasta 2 minutes before the packet time, then let it finish in the bubbling ragù. Add pasta water a little at a time if the sauce looks too thick.

Check the pasta texture

Rigatoni: Start checking as the final 2 minutes in the sauce approach. The pasta should be cooked through but still have a slight bite, and the sauce should cling rather than pool thinly.

Parsley and Parmesan: Stir in the parsley just before serving for a fresh note. Grate the Parmesan over the plated pasta so it melts into the hot sauce.

What to serve alongside

A simple green salad or steamed green vegetables can bring freshness alongside the rich meat sauce. Crusty bread is another option for mopping up any ragù left in the bowl.

Since the pasta and meat sauce make a substantial main course, keep any sides straightforward and serve them alongside rather than mixing them into the ragù.

Recipe notes & tips

• Break the sausage and chorizo into small pieces so they brown evenly.
• Scrape the base of the pan thoroughly as you add the red wine.
• Keep the ragù at a low simmer during its 1-hour cook.
• Reserve pasta water before draining the rigatoni.
• Add pasta water gradually when finishing the pasta so the sauce stays thick enough to cling.
• Taste before adding extra salt, as the cured meat and Parmesan are already savoury.

Variations

• Add chilli: Stir a pinch of chilli flakes into the meat as it browns for a hotter sauce.
• Use another pasta shape: Choose a similarly sturdy shape with ridges or hollows to hold the ragù.
• Add vegetables: Include finely diced pepper with the onion, carrot and celery for another layer of sweetness.
• Try fresh herbs: Replace some of the parsley with fresh basil stirred through just before serving.
• Make it wine-free: Use water to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits in the same way.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the meat: If the pan is too full, the sausage and chorizo may steam instead of crisping; brown them in batches if needed.
• Rushing the browning: Pale meat gives the sauce less depth; let it cook until golden and crisp before adding the vegetables.
• Boiling the ragù hard: A vigorous boil can make the sauce catch; lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Cooking the pasta fully in the pan: It may turn soft during the final simmer; stop boiling it 2 minutes early.
• Adding too much pasta water: A watery sauce will not cling well; add the starchy water in small amounts.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover ragù and pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened; the pasta may soften further.

Frequently asked questions