Chicken Sausage Ragu

This scrumptious, flavorful meal is more delicious and nutritious than normal pasta night with canned sauce because it uses a homemade sauce with fresh vegetables, herbs and spices. But don’t worry- it’s not time-consuming! This recipe is based off a similar recipe on the Centr app.

Serves: 2-3
Time: 30 mins

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Ingredients

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 2 shallots, diced
• 4 oz mushrooms, diced (optional)
• 3 tsp minced garlic in water
• 14 oz chicken sausage or ground Italian sausage (lean)
• 1/4 cup white wine (or apple juice with a splash of white wine vinegar)
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup Parmesan, finely grated
• 3 sprigs fresh basil, leaves picked and shredded
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 oz rigatoni pasta
• 6 oz ricotta cheese (optional)

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Method

1. Heat the Oil: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Sauté the Aromatics: Add the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms (if using) to the skillet and cook for about 5-6 mins, until the vegetables are tender.
3. Cook the Sausage: Squeeze the sausage out of the casing and cook until browned, about 5 mins.
4. Deglaze the Pan: Pour the wine (or apple juice mixture) into the pan, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a boil and let simmer for a couple of mins to deglaze the pan.
5. Add the Tomatoes: Stir in the tomatoes and let them heat for 2 mins. At the same time, begin heating up water in a separate pan for cooking the pasta.
6. Season and Simmer: Add the Parmesan, shredded basil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, then cover and let simmer on low heat for 10-15 mins.
7. Cook the Pasta: Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, so the pasta is “al dente.”
8. Combine: Stir the drained pasta (and ricotta if using) into the sauce.
9. Serve: Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and basil, if desired.