Budget Sausage Pasta

Sausages squeezed out of their skins make a speedy, rich, meaty ragù with tomatoes and a hit of chilli and fennel. Tossed through pasta, it's a properly satisfying dinner for pennies a portion.

When money’s tight but you still want a proper, satisfying dinner, this sausage pasta is the answer. A pack of value sausages, squeezed out of their skins, turns into a rich, meaty sauce in minutes — no need for expensive mince or a long simmer. It’s the kind of cheap, cheerful dinner that tastes far more expensive than it is.

Ingredients

• 6 sausages — skins removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion — finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic — crushed
• ½ tsp chilli flakes — optional
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 300g pasta — penne or rigatoni
• 1 handful grated Parmesan — to serve

Method

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil for the pasta and cook it to the packet timing, saving a mugful of pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins. Heat the oil and fry the sausage meat, breaking it into small pieces, until golden.
3. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and chilli flakes for 1 minute.
4. Pour in the tomatoes, season and simmer for 10 minutes until rich and the meat is cooked through.
5. Toss the drained pasta through the sauce with a splash of pasta water, then serve topped with Parmesan.

Serve it with

• Garlic bread
• A crisp green salad
• Extra grated Parmesan
• A scattering of fresh basil

Why this works

Using sausage meat gives you a rich, well-seasoned ragù instantly — the herbs and fat already in the sausages do the flavouring for you. Browning it properly and finishing the pasta in the sauce with a little starchy water makes it cling and taste like you simmered it for hours.

Common swaps

• Use vegetarian sausages for a meat-free version.
• Add a splash of red wine or a spoon of pesto for depth.
• Stir in spinach or peas at the end.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Not browning the sausage meat enough, which leaves it pale and bland.
• Draining all the pasta water — that starchy liquid makes the sauce silky.
• Under-seasoning; taste before serving.

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freezing: The sauce freezes well for up to 3 months; cook fresh pasta to serve.

Reheating: Reheat until piping hot, loosening with a splash of water.

Allergen notes: contains gluten, milk, sulphites. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.