Tuscan Sausage Ragu

A thick, rich meat sauce made in the slow cooker. It's excellent with rigatoni, rotelle or any other thick pasta.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 6 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 6 hr 35 mins
• Calories: 370 Calories

Ingredients

• salt to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
• 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 0.5 cup dry red wine

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the sweet and hot Italian sausage until browned, about 10 minutes. Break the meat up into crumbles as it cooks. Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic; cook and stir until the onion is translucent, about 8 more minutes. Pour the mixture into a slow cooker. Pour red wine into the skillet, and stir to dissolve the brown flavor bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour the wine into the slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and salt to taste. Mix well.

Step 2

Cover the slow cooker, set to Low, and cook for 5 hours. Pour in the cream, stir, cover, and cook for 1 more hour. Adjust salt again if necessary, and serve.