There’s something quietly luxurious about a pot of salsiccia sauce left to bubble away all afternoon. It’s not fussy, not complicated – just deeply comforting.
This pasta is built on patience: good-quality Italian sausage, gently coaxed into a rich, slow-cooked tomato base until the flavours soften, deepen and settle into one another. As the sauce simmers, the salsiccia releases its fragrant blend of fennel, herbs and spice, creating layers of flavour that feel both rustic and refined. A splash of red wine adds warmth, while a handful of fresh herbs at the end lifts everything just enough. Tossed through al dente pasta and finished with a generous grating of Parmesan, it’s the kind of dish that invites you to slow down and savour.
Perfect for unhurried weekends or a cosy dinner with friends.
Make this pasta with slow-cooked salsiccia sauce recipe:
Pasta with slow-cooked salsiccia sauce
Ingredients
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 8 Italian sausages, meat removed from sausage skins and crumbled
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 small red onions, chopped
- 2 small red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 80ml (1/3 cup) red wine
- 2 x 410g tins peeled whole tomatoes
- ½ nutmeg, grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 120g Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve
- 150ml double cream
- 500g linguini
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pan and fry the sausage meat, stirring and breaking down the meat.
Once the juice from the meat has evaporated and the fat begins to run, add the garlic, onion, chilli and bay leaves. Cook gently until the onions are brown, about 20 minutes.
Increase the heat, add the wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Add the tomatoes, lower the heat and cook until you have a thick sauce, about 45 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir the Parmesan and cream through.
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water and drain. Toss the pasta through the sauce and serve with the extra Parmesan.
Notes
Cook's tip: Salsiccia sausages are best – find them at Italian delis.
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