Salsiccia e Polenta (Sausage Ragu on Soft Polenta)
Pork sausage simmered in red wine and tomato sauce, spooned over creamy parmesan polenta.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Soffritto. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.70 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins into a bowl, breaking it into rough chunks.
- 2
Heat the oil in a wide pan over a medium high heat. Fry the sausage meat for 8 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
8 min - 3
Add your ready made soffritto (see the base recipe) and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
5 min - 4
Stir in the basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe) and rosemary and simmer for 15 minutes until thick and glossy.
15 min - 5
Meanwhile, bring the water and salt to the boil. Pour in the polenta in a thin stream, whisking, then cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick.
5 min - 6
Beat the butter and parmesan into the polenta. Spoon into bowls, top with the sausage ragu and serve straight away.
Tips
- Use sausages with a high meat content and a good amount of fennel or herbs. They flavour the whole sauce.
- Whisk the polenta as you pour. This stops lumps forming.
- If the polenta stiffens while you wait, loosen it with a splash of hot water.
Storing and freezing
Keep the ragu in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Polenta is best fresh, but can be set, sliced and fried the next day.
Questions
Is this dish gluten free?
Yes, if you use gluten free sausages. Polenta is naturally gluten free, but check the packet in case it was packed alongside wheat.
Can I make it dairy free?
Yes. Use dairy free spread and a little nutritional yeast in place of the butter and parmesan.
Can I use ordinary polenta?
Yes, but traditional polenta takes about 40 minutes of stirring. Quick cook is far easier on a weeknight.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.