Is hot Italian sausage a good swap for sweet?

Yep, if you want some kick, just switch to hot Italian sausage instead of sweet.

What’s the best pasta shape for this?

Go for wide pasta like pappardelle or fettuccine. They grab onto the chunky, meaty sauce really well.

How should I freeze and warm up leftovers?

Let your sauce cool off, scoop into freezer bags, lay flat, and freeze. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then slowly warm on the stove.

Can I cook this in something other than on the stove?

For sure. After browning and the first few steps, you can pop it into a slow cooker on low for about 6–7 hours, or into a 325°F oven for 3 to 3 and a half hours.

What red wine should I use?

Try a dry red—Chianti and Sangiovese both work great and give extra flavor.

Hearty Italian Braised Pork Shoulder Ragu

Section: Satisfying Main Dishes for Every Occasion

You’ll brown pork shoulder to lock in taste, then gently let it bubble along with carrots, onion, garlic, and lots of tasty herbs in a deep tomato-red wine mix. Toss in sweet sausage for a little more oomph. After slow-cooking for a few hours, the pork falls apart and mixes with the sauce, making everything super rich and thick. Pile this saucy good stuff on wide noodles and shower on parmesan. It’s a toasty meal, perfect for sharing or when the weather gets chilly. Bonus: freezes great, so you can dig into Italy’s flavors whenever cravings hit.

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Published By Ioana

Updated on Wed, 28 May 2025 15:41:48 GMT

A plate topped with Italian lamb ragu sits on the table. | ioanacooks.com

When you cook slow-braised pork shoulder with tomatoes and herbs, your whole place smells amazing. The chunky, tomato-packed sauce hugs each thick noodle, loading every forkful with cozy, old-school vibes. I whip this up when the family's coming over or just so future-me can grab a hearty meal out of the freezer on a busy weeknight.

I pulled this off for the very first time for a Sunday get-together — everyone hung out chatting long after plates were clean. Now, we all want it for birthdays and just lazy weekends too.

Ingredients

Shredded parmesan cheese: gives a salty, nutty finish — always best to grate it fresh
Dried or fresh pasta: wide pasta shapes like pappardelle scoop up the chunky ragu best — try local or Italian options
Sweet Italian pork sausage: breaks up into crispy bits and brings serious meaty flavor — grab one with visible herbs
Thyme and oregano: these herbs add classic Italian aroma; fresh is subtle, but dried is super fragrant
Bay leaves: toss in a couple — fresh or dry — for a deeper background taste
Whole tomatoes pureed: gives a lighter tomato hit — Italian imports are worth it if you've got them
Crushed tomatoes: thickens the sauce up nicely, pick a brand with just tomatoes and a bit of salt
Red wine: builds up bold flavor, so don't use anything you wouldn't drink on its own
Garlic: fresh cloves give the sauce warmth and their smell is unbeatable
Onion and carrot: chopped together, they sweeten up and layer the sauce with comforting depth
Salt and pepper: essential for seasoning — an extra pinch or two never hurts
Pork shoulder: juicy, fatty, and super flavorful — try to trim most of the fat but keep the marbling
Olive oil: gets searing started and brings a silky richness — extra virgin is best

Step-by-Step Instructions

Serve It Up:: Dish out those noodles, pile on more ragu, and don’t skimp on that fresh parmesan — let everyone pass the cheese around.
Bring Pasta and Sauce Together:: Pour about half a cup of that reserved water onto the noodles, then top with a good helping of pork ragu. Mix everything, letting the sauce thicken even more. Add extra pasta water if things look dry. You want each pasta strand coated and glossy.
Cook the Pasta:: In a big pot of salty water, boil your pasta till it’s perfect for you. Set aside about a cup of that water before draining. Return the pasta to the pot, ready for the sauce.
Tear Meat and Finish the Sauce:: Pull out the pork and tear into shreds with forks, so every bit is soft. Ditch the bay leaves. Put the pork back into the sauce, taste and add more salt, pepper, or herbs if it needs it. Let the sauce simmer uncovered for a bit to thicken up while you boil the pasta.
Let It Gently Bubble:: Bring the mix to a gentle boil, right away lower the heat, and cover. Let it barely simmer for three to three and a half hours, stirring once in a while. The pork should come apart with just a spoon — that’s how you know it’s ready.
Toss Pork Back In, Add Sausage:: Plop the seared pork back into the pot, then drop in the sausage, pinching it into little hunks as you go. Give everything a gentle nudge so it’s all coated in sauce.
Add Tomatoes and Seasonings:: Stir in your crushed and pureed whole tomatoes, then add the bay leaves, thyme, and oregano. Scrape the bottom so nothing sticks.
Splash In Wine:: Pour in the wine. Scrape all those golden bits off the pan's bottom. Turn up the heat and let the wine bubble till it’s reduced and smells deep and sweet — about five minutes.
Start the Flavor Base:: Lower to medium heat, toss in chopped onion and carrot, and another pinch of salt. Stir often as they soften and sweeten (don’t let them brown). Garlic goes in for the last minute, so it keeps its punch without burning.
Browning the Pork:: Use paper towels to dry off pork. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Get olive oil shimmering in your big pot over medium-high, then set in the pork. Let every side get brown and crusty (about three minutes each), making sure those caramelized bits stick to the bottom. Move pork out once all sides are golden.

Une assiette de spaghetti bolognaise avec des morceaux de viande de porc. | ioanacooks.com

Italian sausage is what gets me every time with this one. Tearing up those browned hunks makes me think of being a kid, helping my aunt in her narrow kitchen. That extra sausage right at the end just takes this sauce over the top for me.

Storage Tips

Wait for the sauce to cool down totally, then scoop into airtight containers or freezer bags. You’ll get up to four days in the fridge, three months frozen. Warm it up slow, adding some water to smooth it out. For quick dinners, freeze the sauce flat so it thaws fast.

Ingredient Substitutions

Want something lighter? Use turkey or chicken thighs in place of the pork. If you’re after heat, swap half your sausage for the spicy kind. Gluten-free pasta works fine, or ladle this over soft cheesy polenta if that’s your thing.

Serving Suggestions

This pork ragu really shines with broad noodles — go for rigatoni, pappardelle, or fettuccine. Prefer rustic? Serve it up over creamy polenta or cheesy grits. Add a crisp green salad and some crusty bread, and you've got a killer spread.

Une assiette de spaghetti bolognaise avec des herbes et des épices. | ioanacooks.com

Cultural Context

Making this dish feels like being at an Italian family's long Sunday lunch where stories fly and the food just sticks around. Pork shoulder is famous there for feeding a big group with simple ingredients — it melts right into the sauce. If you’re patient, you get loads of flavor and enough to hand out leftovers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Recipes

→ Is hot Italian sausage a good swap for sweet?: Yep, if you want some kick, just switch to hot Italian sausage instead of sweet.
→ What’s the best pasta shape for this?: Go for wide pasta like pappardelle or fettuccine. They grab onto the chunky, meaty sauce really well.
→ How should I freeze and warm up leftovers?: Let your sauce cool off, scoop into freezer bags, lay flat, and freeze. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then slowly warm on the stove.
→ Can I cook this in something other than on the stove?: For sure. After browning and the first few steps, you can pop it into a slow cooker on low for about 6–7 hours, or into a 325°F oven for 3 to 3 and a half hours.
→ What red wine should I use?: Try a dry red—Chianti and Sangiovese both work great and give extra flavor.

Braised Pork Ragu

Pork shoulder and sausage go soft and juicy after simmering in tomatoes. Mix with noodles for a filling Italian classic.

Time Needed to Prep

15 minutes

Cooking Duration

210 minutes

Overall Time

225 minutes

Published By: Ioana

Category of Recipe: Main Dishes

Preparation Difficulty: Medium Difficulty

Type of Cuisine: Italian

Number of Portions: 8 How Many It Serves

Dietary Preferences: ~

Ingredients You'll Need

→ For the Ragu

Ingredient 01 225 g sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed

Ingredient 02 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

Ingredient 03 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

Ingredient 04 2 bay leaves

Ingredient 05 795 g canned whole tomatoes, pureed

Ingredient 06 795 g canned crushed tomatoes

Ingredient 07 240 ml dry red wine

Ingredient 08 4 garlic cloves, minced

Ingredient 09 1 carrot, finely chopped

Ingredient 10 1 large onion, finely chopped

Ingredient 11 Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Ingredient 12 Salt, to taste

Ingredient 13 900 g pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks

Ingredient 14 15 ml olive oil

→ For the Pasta

Ingredient 15 900 g dried or fresh pasta, thick noodles like fettuccine work best

→ To Serve

Ingredient 16 Shredded parmesan cheese, as much as you like

Steps to Follow

Step 01

Spoon the pasta and sauce onto plates, then sprinkle plenty of parmesan over each just before digging in.

Step 02

Put the drained noodles back in their pot. Pour in half a cup of your reserved pasta water, along with a few big scoops of the sauce. Toss over low heat so the sauce clings to the noodles, adding more water if it seems dry.

Step 03

While the sauce is finishing, get a big pot of salty water to a rolling boil. Drop in your noodles, cook them how you like, save about a cup of the pasta water, and drain.

Step 04

Pull out the pork pieces and shred them into bits with forks. Dump that shredded pork right back in the pot. Taste it—add more salt, pepper, or herbs if you think it needs it. Keep the pot barely bubbling without the lid to let things meld together.

Step 05

Toss the seared pork back in. Pinch the sausage meat into little chunks and let them fall into the pot. Turn up the heat to get things bubblin’ again, then drop it low, slap on the lid, and let it gently simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours (give it a stir every now and then). The pork will be falling-apart tender.

Step 06

Pour in both kinds of tomatoes, the bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Stir it all together really well.

Step 07

Kick the heat up a notch, pour in your red wine, and let it come to a boil. Scrape anything stuck on the pot’s bottom. Let it go for 5 minutes till it’s reduced a bit and smells amazing.

Step 08

Turn the burner down a bit. Chuck in onion, carrot, and garlic with a little salt. Cook, giving it frequent stirs, until the onion’s translucent—should take about eight minutes.

Step 09

Build up heat under a big sturdy pot, pour in that olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over pork chunks. When oil’s hot, brown the pork on every side (about 3 min each side), then move them to a bowl for now.

Extra Tips

For more flavor and a little kick, use some or all hot Italian sausage instead of sweet.
You can make the sauce on top of the stove, bake it in the oven at 165°C, or swap to a slow cooker. Freezes great in meal-sized containers.
Want a thicker sauce? Stick with just crushed tomatoes. Need it runnier? Use only pureed tomatoes.

Tools You'll Need

Heavy pot with a lid
Sharp chef’s knife
Cutting board
Big pot for boiling noodles
Wooden spoon
Tongs or two forks for shredding meat

Allergen Information

Carefully check food labels for allergens and consult an expert if you're uncertain.

Has gluten from the noodles.
Has dairy from parmesan.
Has pork.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)

Remember, these values are for guidance only and shouldn't replace advice from a professional.

Calories Per Serving: 850
Total Fat: ~
Carbohydrate Amount: ~
Protein Amount: ~