Sausage and Beef Ragu

Sausage and Beef Ragu recipe

Sausages and minced beef based suppers are on regular rotation in our house. They’re both good value, bloody tasty and total crowd pleasers, even for the fussiest of children *George*. I often pimp my bolognese with sausage meat, just to keep the romance alive, so I thought I’d woo you with the recipe, as I do love to share.

A Bolognese style ragu is such a family win, but adding the sausage to the beef gives it additional Brownie points. The sauce is rich, meaty with just a touch of cream at the end, making it really rather treaty. Garlic and oregano give this a whiff of Italy, albeit a little bastardised. I served mine with hearty rigatoni for full carbs, but you could use this in your next lasagne, to liven things up. The ragu cooks for an hour giving it time for the flavours to meld, but this by no means takes it out of the mid week quick supper category.

This recipe isn’t rocket science, it’s just bloody delicious mid week food with added sausage for good luck.

A decent sausage and good tinned tomatoes are a must with this simple recipe. I went for an Italian style sausage, it made for a tasty well seasoned dish. The dollop of cream adds richness; I would add cream to any dish if I could.

Make a start with a hot pan and a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced beef and sausages and cook until just starting to brown, ensuring you break the sausages up as you go, you want small pieces of sausage, no big lumps.

Add the finely chopped onion and garlic, turn the heat down slightly and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the oregano and chilli flakes, stir well and cook for another minute, then pour in the tinned tomatoes.

Using the tin to measure, pour in 400ml tomato passata, then again, using the tin, pour in 400ml of water. Add the pinch of sugar, stir well and bring up to the simmer.

Pop a lid on, turn down the heat and cook the ragu for an hour, stirring occasionally. Put your chosen pasta on to cook 10 minutes before the sauce is ready.

Stir in the cream, taste to check for salt and pepper needs, then drain your pasta and fold into the ragu.

And that’s it. Get stuck into a huge comforting bowl of pasta, a mountain of parmesan purely optional.

This is a real all-the-meats pasta situation and it’s fast become a favourite of my big appetited, pasta loving family. I hope it hits the spot with yours too.

Lucy x

Sausage and Beef Ragu recipe

Serves a generous 4, with pasta

You’ll just need a large pan with a lid for this recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil

400g sausage meat, I used Italian style sausages, skinned, but something flavourful is perfect

400g minced beef

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

400g tin chopped tomatoes

400ml tomato passata

400ml water

A pinch sugar

4 tablespoons double cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pasta and a lot of grated parmesan, to serve

Take a large pan and heat a tablespoon of olive oil over a high heat. Add the minced beef and sausages and cook until just starting to brown, breaking up the sausage into much smaller pieces as it cooks. Turn the heat down a little then add the finely chopped onion and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano and chilli flakes, cook for another minute.

Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, then using the tin as a measuring jug, measure in 400ml passata and 400ml water and add to the pan. Stir well and bring up to the simmer, then turn down the heat and put a lid on. Cook for an hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the ingredients have melded together.

Cook your chosen pasta until al dente, then drain.

Remove the lid, stir in the cream, then tip in the cooked pasta of your choice and fold into the sauce. Serve in large piping hot bowlfuls, scattered with freshly grated parmesan.

Any leftovers are amazing reheated the following day.