Rich, hearty and filled with lots of savory flavor, this fettuccine bolognese with sausage is a favorite pasta dish to prepare when a hot, soothing bowl of pasta is craved. Made with an abundance of sweet and earthy roasted garlic cloves, fresh herbs, spicy Italian sausage, red wine and flourish of flavorful pecorino Romano cheese, this pasta bolognese recipe is the epitome of love in a bowl!
A Flavorful Pasta Bolognese Brimming with Italian Sausage and Roasted Garlic
There's nothing quite like a hot, soothing bowl of pasta on a chilly evening to comfort a hungry belly...
While I adore (and often prepare) quick-cooking pasta dishes that I can throw together in minutes, there are times when I truly appreciate a pasta recipe that needs a bit of extra TLC and time to bubble and simmer away, with an end result that truly tastes like an abundance of love was sprinkled into the process.
This fettuccine bolognese with sausage is just such a recipe, one with a deliciously rustic slant that comforts through and through, with the rich flavors of spicy Italian sausage, roasted garlic, red wine, fresh herbs, and a little sprinkle of either pecorino Romano or parmigiano-reggiano for depth.
Tossed together with warm, slick fettuccine noodles, this is a classic and mouthwatering sausage bolognese, filled with all those delectable flavors and textures we crave in a hearty bowl of pasta when a bit of extra comfort and coziness is in order!
My Recipe for Fettuccine Bolognese with Sausage
In order to create those rich, deep, earthy flavors in this sausage bolognese, I like to make use of a variety of ingredients and then allow them to slowly simmer away until all of the flavors marry.
For the base of my bolognese sauce recipe, I use a mirepoix—a combination of finely diced carrot, celery and onion—along with freshly roasted garlic cloves, tomato paste, red wine, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and a finishing touch of half and half and grated pecorino Romano cheese.
As for the sausage, I opt for spicy Italian sausage here, because I enjoy a little bit of kick in this sauce, though one can certainly sub sweet Italian sausage and make it just as delicious.
While the process for preparing the bolognese is quite easy, it does require a bit extra time to allow the garlic heads to roast first, to have them ready and on hand to add into the sauce. And then, the sauce simmers for roughly thirty minutes, to allow all of the flavors to meld together.
Sure, a touch of patience is needed, but you can absolutely taste the love in each mouthwatering bowlful!
Here's a glance at my recipe for fettuccine bolognese with sausage: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To get started, I prep my garlic heads and roast them for roughly 45 minutes.
- Then, I squeeze the tender, sweet garlic cloves from their papers, and mash into a garlic paste, then set aside.
- Next, I prepare my sausage bolognese sauce, and allow that to simmer for about 30 minutes, to deepen that flavor.
- While the sauce simmers, I cook my fettuccine according to package instructions, and keep it warm.
- Once the sauce has finished simmering, I finish it with a touch of half and half for a kiss of creaminess, some fresh herbs, plus a flourish of either grated pecorino Romano cheese, or parmigiano-reggiano, and toss the sauce with the warm fettuccine noodles.
- I serve with extra cheese on the side, garnished with fresh basil leaves or parsley.
Recipe
Fettuccine Bolognese with Sausage
by Ingrid Beer
This fettuccine bolognese with sausage is brimming with spicy Italian sausage, roasted garlic, red wine, herbs and pecorino Romano cheese!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Yield: Serves 6
Nutrition Info: 616 calories per serving
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 3 whole heads garlic
- Olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 celery rib, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- 3 ounces tomato paste (about half of a can)
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup half and half
- 10 ounces (uncooked) fettuccine noodles
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus extra leaves for garnish
- ½ cup grated pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
- Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Cut the tops off of the 3 heads of garlic, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and wrap each tightly in a square of foil. Place the foil-wrapped garlic heads onto a small baking sheet and into the oven to roast for about 45 to 50 minutes, until soft, sweet and golden-brown. Once roasted and slightly cooled, squeeze the cloves from the papers, mash into a paste, and set aside.
- Place a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pan over medium high heat. Drizzle about 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in, and once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion, celery and carrot in. Stir the vegetables and allow them to cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until softened and golden-brown
- Next, add the one clove of minced garlic in and stir. Once it becomes aromatic, add the spicy sausage meat into the mixture and stir, breaking it up with your spoon into smaller pieces. Cook until the sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes or so.
- Add a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, as well as the dry oregano and Italian seasoning, and stir in.
- Next, stir in the tomato paste, allowing it to cook for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flavor. Add in the wine and allow it to reduce for a minute or two, until thickened.
- Add in the crushed tomatoes, the half and half and the reserved roasted garlic paste, and stir together to incorporate (it may look like it slightly curdled, but it will blend in nicely while the sauce simmers), then place the lid on partly askew to allow just a little steam to escape, and simmer the sauce on low for about 30 minutes.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions, then keep warm.
- Finish the sausage bolognese sauce by adding in the chopped parsley and basil, plus the pecorino Romano (or parmigiano-reggiano cheese), and stir to blend. Check the seasoning, and add more salt/pepper if needed.
- Then, add in the cooked fettuccine, and using a pair of tongs, gently fold the pasta with the sauce, and drizzle with a little additional olive oil for a bit of extra richness and gloss.
- Serve in bowls garnished with torn basil leaves and shaved parmesan, if desired.
Tips & Tidbits for my Fettuccine Bolognese with Sausage recipe:
- 3 whole heads of garlic: While that may seem like a typo, trust me, it's not! 3 whole heads of garlic is what's needed for roasting, but rest assured it will not overpower in the least. Once the garlic has roasted, it looses that sharpness, or “bite”, and really mellows into a sweet, subtle, earthy flavor. So, please, do use all 3 heads of garlic!
- Fettuccine noodles, or your favorite pasta: I love the slightly thicker texture of fettuccine here, but you could certainly substitute any pasta you like. Spaghetti is great, or bucatini, maybe linguini...or even a different shape such a penne, bowties, or any other fun, twisty shape!
- Prepare the sausage bolognese sauce ahead: To keep things simple, this pasta bolognese recipe can easily be prepared a few days in advance of when you'd like to serve it. The flavor will actually get better and richer as it sits for a couple of days! When ready to serve, simply prep your pasta, and gently reheat the sausage bolognese sauce, then combine and serve.
Craving more deliciously cozy pasta dishes? Check out my recipe for Italian Drunken Noodles, Braised Short Rib Ragu with Porcini Mushrooms, Bistro Sausage Pasta, Bucatini Pasta with Garlic Butter, Pasta Puttanesca, or even my recipe for Skillet Lasagna!
Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!
Jessica
This was a fantastic recipe! We loved it, and will surely be making it again soon. The only thing I would do differently in the future would be to cook the sausage first, so that I could drain it before adding back in to the sauce.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jessica, so glad that you and your family enjoyed this pasta recipe! Cooking the sausage and draining it first is a really great idea if you're seeing that there's more "grease" than you'd like—mine wasn't too bad so it's juices just sort of incorporated into the sauce, but definitely go that route if it'll improve things. Thanks so much for taking a moment to share your experience with me!
Kelly M
This recipe was fantastic! I've never made homemade sauce before. After this recipe I don't think I'll ever buy another jarred sauce again. DO you know if this sauce would freeze well? Also, like Jessica's review, I think I'll cook my sausage seperately next time because of the grease. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Kelly! So glad to read that you'll be making more homemade sauce—the taste is just so much better and richer! I think you could easily freeze this sauce; just put it into a strong ziplock, and then allow it to thaw in your fridge for a couple of days before you want to use it. Thanks for your comments!
Sarah
These photos are gorgeous! I want to eat the screen 🙂 I'll try your recipe next time.
The Cozy Apron
Thanks so much Sarah! 🙂
Geena
Hi there,
I would love to try this recipe. Can you tell me how I can substitute red wine in this recipe.
Thanks
The Cozy Apron
Hi Geena, you can leave it out altogether (it will be just fine) and just go to the next step where the crushed tomatoes are added in. Or, you could add beef stock in place, but it won't be that wine-y flavor, though it'll add a bit more depth, at least (just be careful of it being too salty). Hope that helps, and that you enjoy!
Helen
The dish looks delicious but the cheese you have mentioned is not available in my country so also the sausages. What can I do? pls help.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Helen, feel free to leave both out. You could substitute ground chicken or turkey for the sausage, if you prefer, as well.
Helen
Can I use cheddar cheese or mozarella instead
The Cozy Apron
Yes, I'd go with the mozzarella!
Akren
A friend highly recommended this recipe to me, so considering the favorable reviews, I decided to make a double batch. I pretty much followed the recipe, only making a few minor changes - for the roasted garlic, I only used 3 heads instead of the 6 that I should have used for a double batch, I used one pound spicy sausage and one pound mild, and I also started it early in the morning on the stove top per the directions, then once it was all put together, I transferred it to my crockpot to cook on the lowest setting all day. I have to say, I’m so happy that I made a double batch! It was delicious, and my whole family loved it. I served it with both fettuccine and gnocchi and it was equally delicious on both. I have the leftover Bolognese sauce in two separate freezer containers so we’ll be able to enjoy this twice more before I have to make more. This will definitely be in our monthly rotation. When’s these leftovers are gone and I do make another batch, I won’t skimp on the roasted garlic. I was worried that using the full amount would be overwhelming for my family, but using only half made the flavor almost too subtle. Still tasty, but it lacked some of the depth that it could have had if I would have followed the recipe. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Akren! See? I told you (about the garlic heads)! Tsk, tsk...well, at least next time you’ll be bold and go for the full quantity. Hey, I’m thrilled you all enjoyed the recipe, and all ribbing aside, I’m so glad you came back to share your experience. ❤️
Ella
Hi, if I use ground chicken do I need to add more seasoning as I imagine the sausages are well seasoned.
What kind of wine would I use.. white or use chicken stock?
Also, is the canned tomato crushed or the whole tomatoes in juices where you crush it yourself?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Ella, how fun that you're planning on preparing this!
You could add in a little more Italian seasoning to the ground chicken, and some salt/pepper, of course; or if you're looking for a more authentic "sausage" flavor, you could sprinkle in about 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds and a touch of red pepper flakes.
As for the wine, I'd stick to the red. You can use whatever kind of red you have on hand, or whichever kind that you prefer. And if you only have white, or prefer white, use that instead.
And the canned tomatoes are purchased as already "crushed"—no need to crush yourself by hand.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!