Spicy Calabrian Sausage Ragu is a quick, flavour-packed pasta sauce made with fragrant herbs, garlic, and red wine simmered in a rich tomato base, finished with creamy stracciatella and a grating of Parmigiano. Ready in about 40 minutes, it’s an impressive dish for weeknights or weekend dinners.
When I want a meaty, comforting ragu but need to move quickly, two ingredients are my go-tos: Italian sausages and passata. Sausages bring built-in seasoning and texture—often with fennel, garlic or chilli—while passata provides concentrated tomato flavour that develops fast, so you get depth without a long simmer.
This version uses Calabrian sausages for a spicy kick, balanced by the cool creaminess of stracciatella (the soft, stringy interior of burrata). If you can’t find stracciatella, burrata works perfectly. Below you’ll find ingredient notes, helpful swaps and the full recipe with step-by-step instructions.
Ingredient notes
- Calabrian sausages – spicy pork sausages made with Calabrian chilli paste and fennel. Look for hot Italian sausages at specialist shops or supermarkets. See alternatives below if you can’t find them.
- Soffritto – finely dice the carrot, celery and onion. Because this ragu cooks relatively quickly, small pieces mean they soften faster and blend into the sauce.
- Passata – a smooth tomato purée often labelled tomato puree in the US. If you prefer, use finely chopped canned tomatoes plus about 1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate for extra body.
- Stracciatella – the creamy shredded interior of burrata. If unavailable, use one ball of burrata or a similar soft cheese to add richness to the finished dish.
- Red wine – optional. It adds complexity, but you can omit it without replacing it with anything.
Calabrian sausage alternatives
Calabrian sausages are typically pork blended with Calabrian chilli paste or occasionally with ‘nduja. If you can’t source them, use one of these swaps:
- Regular Italian sausages + Calabrian paste — mix about 1 tablespoon of Calabrian chilli paste into the cooked sausage for heat.
- Regular Italian sausages + ‘nduja — stir in roughly 70g (2.5oz) ‘nduja to taste for a smoky, spreadable chilli flavour.
- Regular Italian sausages + chilli — add chilli flakes or fresh red chilli to reach your preferred spice level.
More spicy pasta sauces to try
Pasta
Penne all’Arrabbiata: Spicy Italian Tomato Pasta
Pasta
Fileja alla ’Nduja (Spicy Calabrian Nduja Pasta)
Gnocchi
Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi
Pasta
Sausage Pasta Bake – Spicy and Creamy
If you make this Spicy Calabrian Sausage Ragu or try another recipe from the site, please rate it and leave a comment — I love hearing how your dish turned out!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos and tips to help you get great results.
Spicy Calabrian Sausage Ragu with Stracciatella
By Emily
Ingredients
- 400 g (14oz) spicy Calabrian sausages, skins removed
- 1 carrot, peeled
- 1 celery stick
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1–2 sprigs rosemary
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) red wine (optional)
- 400 g (14 oz) passata (tomato purée)
- 400 ml water
- 150 g (5oz) stracciatella cheese (or 1 ball burrata)
- Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
- 400 g (14oz) rigatoni or pasta of choice
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
-
Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion and set aside.
-
Heat 1–2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and fry until well browned, about 4–5 minutes.
-
Drain excess fat, leaving about 2–3 tablespoons in the pan. Add the diced carrot, celery and onion and sauté over medium heat until softened.
-
Stir in the chopped garlic, rosemary and bay leaves and cook for 1–2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
-
Add the passata, then top up the passata jar with 400ml (1½ cups) water, shake and pour into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
-
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta directly into the sauce, tossing to coat.
-
Serve in bowls with spoonfuls of stracciatella or burrata and a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
- Calabrian sausages: if unavailable, use regular Italian sausages and add Calabrian chilli paste (about 1 tablespoon), ‘nduja (about 70g/2.5oz) or fresh chilli to taste.
- Prep ahead: the ragu can be refrigerated for 3–4 days and reheated on the stove. Combine with freshly cooked pasta when serving. Leftovers with pasta keep 1–2 days before the pasta softens.
- Freezing: freeze the ragu for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating until piping hot.
Helpful info for all recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil unless stated otherwise.
- For canned or jarred tomatoes I prefer brands like Cirio or Mutti for consistent flavour.
- All vegetables referenced are medium-sized unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven where applicable.
- Nutrition information is an approximation and is automatically calculated.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 89 g
| Protein: 35 g
| Fat: 38 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.