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Home » Recipes » Meat Pasta Recipes

Published: Apr 12, 2023 by Jacqui

Gramigna alla Salsiccia (sausage)


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This gramigna pasta recipe from Bologna is among the easiest sausage pasta dishes to prepare! With just three primary ingredients, it makes a delicious, hearty meal that is particularly popular with children in Italy.

Despite not being as well-known as other classic pasta dishes from Bologna, gramigna with sausage is a common and popular menu item in Bologna’s homes, restaurants and trattorias. The simplest and most traditional version of this sauce only has three ingredients: sausage, tomatoes, and onion.

gramigna with sausage in a bowl

Having made this recipe a number of times, I can safely say that it is absolutely delicious despite its simplicity. In fact, it’s hard to think of another pasta dish which is not only so simple but at the same time hearty and filling, whilst being so easy to make.

The use of sausage meat instead of ground beef certainly adds depth of flavour. I’m sure that once you’ve tried it, it will be a regular addition to your family menu repertoire!

What is Gramigna?

Gramigna is short squiggly hollow tubes of pasta, originally handmade but now mostly made with an extruder.

This pasta used to be only eaten as a fresh pasta but, nowadays, it is also available dried, although production is mostly artisan and gramigna is not so easy to find in shops or supermarkets outside of Italy.

gramigna with sausage in a bowl

However, you can buy gramigna on Amazon.com and there are also many artisan Italian pasta makers who have online shops and will send even small orders overseas.

Like many Italian pasta shapes, gramigna evolved over time, however this isn’t an ancient type of pasta. When extruded, the fresh homemade and dry factory versions look similar, but the homemade pasta tends to be less uniform and actually slightly less squiggly!

Ingredient Notes

  • Gramigna: You can use both fresh or dried gramigna. Some other alternative kinds of pasta are fusilli, elbow marconi or even spaghetti.
  • Sausage: Use an Italian pork sausage; these sausages are well seasoned with spices and add a ton of flavor to the sauce.
  • White Wine: Use a dry white wine; this helps cut through the richness of the sausage mince, adding more balance and overall flavors. Some great dry white wines include Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. If you want to use an Italian dry white wine, you can use an Italian Pinot Grigio.
  • Tomatoes: Use good-quality passata or sieved tomatoes; one of my favorites is San Marzano.
  • Parmigiano: I used Parmigiano Reggiano for this recipe, but you could also use Grana Padano. They both work best freshly grated, although you can use pre-grated if you are in a rush.
Sauasge, onion, white wine, parsley and canned tomatoes in a bowl

Variations

There are other versions of this sausage sauce apart from the simple 3-ingredient one I used in the recipe. Some people include cream or milk, garlic, rosemary or other herbs and celery or carrots. I have also made a version with sausage, peas and cream which is really good. However, this recipe is for the simplest version.

Step by Step Instructions

1) Decase the sausages by making a shallow lengthways cut along the sausage from top to bottom. Gently push the sausage mince out of the casing and onto a chopping board.

2) After all the sausages are decased, roughly chop the mince meat until it’s in small chunks and then place in a bowl.

Minced sausage, chopped parsley, diced onions and canned tomatoes in separate bowls

3) In a large sauté or frying pan, soften the onions for 4 to 5 minutes. Once softened, add the sausage mince meat.

minced sausage and diced onions in a pan

4) Brown the minced meat in the pan; this should take around 4 to 5 minutes.

browned sausage and softened onions in a pan

5) Add white wine and deglaze the pan by scrapping any brown bits of the bottom with a wooden spoon. Reduce for 3 to 4 minutes, then taste to season with salt and pepper.

6) Mix in the passata and leave to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes (mixing occasionally and adding a splash of water or white wine if the sauce gets to dry).

canned tomatoes and stock added to the sausage

7) While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously season with salt and allow it to return to a boil. Once boiling, add the Gramigna and cook to al dente, following the packet’s instructions.

gramigna in a bowl

8) Once the gramigna is cooked, strain it in a colander and add it to the pasta sauce.

gramigna pasta added to the sausage tomato sauce

9) Mix the gramigna with the sausage pasta sauce and cook for a further minute while mixing the pasta.

gramigna with sausage in a pan

10) Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

gramigna with sausage in a bowl with Parmigiano Reggiano

If you do try this gramigna with sausage recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page. There are also more tasty Italian sausage pasta recipes to choose next.

Buon Appetito!

gramigna with sausage in a bowl with chopped parsley

Gramigna alla Salsiccia (Sausage)

Jacqueline Debono
This gramigna pasta recipe from Bologna is one of the simplest sausage pasta recipes to make! It only has 3 main ingredients but it’s really tasty, hearty and filling! A great favourite with children here in Italy.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Emilia-Romagna, Italian
Servings 4
Calories 850 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 14 oz Gramigna (400g) dried will take longer to cook than fresh
  • 16 oz Pork sausages (450g) Italian
  • 1 medium Onion peeled and finely diced
  • 1 glass White wine
  • 20 oz Tomato passata (500g)
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano (50g)
  • Salt to cook the pasta and to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Remove the skin from the sausage and chop into chunks.
  • Fry the onion in olive oil until it starts to soften
  • Add the sausage meat and continue cooking until it starts to brown.
  • Add the white wine and cook for a further few minutes.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Put water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil.
  • Add the passata or chopped tomatoes and simmer the sauce for 20-25 minutes ( If it gets too dry you can pour in a little water or more wine)
  • Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
  • When the pasta is cooked and strained add it to the sauce and cook everything together for a further minute, stirring the sauce into the pasta.
  • Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Notes

  • You can season the ready dish further if required with parsley or peperoncino flakes. ( We added some peperoncino!)
  • Another way to spice it up is to add a little Nduja when you are cooking the sausage.
  • If you don’t have gramigna this dish is still delicious with other short pasta such as fusilli, elbow macaroni or even spaghetti.
  • Tomato passata can be swapped with fresh peeled and chopped tomatoes
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 850kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 38gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 1062mgPotassium: 1203mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 935IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 236mgIron: 6mg
Keyword gramigna, gramigna alla salsiccia, gramigna and sausage pasta, sausage pasta
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More sausage pasta recipes:

  • Bigoli with Luganega sausage, recipe from Veneto
  • Tagliolini alla Langarola, recipe from The Langhe
  • Homemade cavatelli with oyster mushrooms and sausage
  • Pasta alla Norcina, recipe from Umbria
  • Sicilian broccoli pasta with sausage and chard

Pin for Later:

If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of one of my pasta recipes cookbook!?


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    Pasta with Friggitelli Peppers (Friarielli)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. avleen says

    September 02, 2022 at 11:02 am

    Hi! I love how informative and great your articles are. Thanks a lot.!

    Reply
  2. Caz says

    November 05, 2019 at 8:30 pm

    I have just returned from a short trip to Bologna where we had this dish. I can truly say it the best pasta meal I have ever tasted! I searched for the recipe to make it myself at home and was thrilled to find your post. Grazie mille!!

    Reply
  3. henry says

    July 11, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    while we didn’t have small pasta handy, we made this with PrimoGrano Traghetti and it was simply delicious. we choose this as one of our all time favorites from your recipes. bless you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Jacqui says

      July 18, 2019 at 9:15 am

      I’m thrilled you liked this recipe so much Henry! I love it too because it’s simple but very tasty! Unfortunately gramigna pasta isn’t so easy to find outside of Italy but this recipe is great with long pasta like traghetti too!

      Reply
  4. Tayler Ross says

    January 24, 2019 at 5:42 pm

    I love that this requires only 3 main ingredients! This is a meal that my family is sure to love!

    Reply
    • Jacqui says

      January 26, 2019 at 11:58 am

      It’s amazing how delicious this recipe is even with only 3 ingredients Tayler! I’m sure your family will devour it!

      Reply
  5. Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme says

    January 24, 2019 at 5:27 pm

    This looks so delicious, I’ve got to make it! Luckily, I’ve found that pasta type at my local mom and pop Italian grocer. To the store I go!

    Reply
    • Jacqui says

      January 26, 2019 at 12:00 pm

      This is a great recipe Eden. I’m sure you’re going to love it! Perfect that you can find gramigna to make it with!

      Reply
  6. Lisa | Garlic & Zest says

    January 24, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    I love the look of the gramigna — what a fun pasta shape — and the sauce sounds like the ideal, simple, straightforward topping! Sometimes that’s the best!

    Reply
  7. kim says

    January 24, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    This looks so tasty and I know my family will love this dish! Definitely need to try!

    Reply
  8. Julia says

    January 24, 2019 at 4:38 pm

    Simple pasta recipes taste the best and if one of the ingredients is a sausage you can’t go wrong there at all :)!

    Reply
  9. Salvatore Scotti says

    October 25, 2017 at 4:59 pm

    Hi Melanie, is the version with the addition of milk & tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes the original receipt? Thanks a lot. Salvatore

    Reply
    • eric b says

      August 14, 2021 at 10:46 am

      Like with any recipe: there are variations. I just watched 2 videos of this recipe and they were NOT the same. But of course: its someones nonnas recipe; so its hard to argue its “original” or not. No doubt your nonna will have your original recipe.

      I am making mine with cream and white wine, anis seeds and chili in it, like I saw in yet another video.

      Cheers
      Eric

      Reply
  10. Melanie F says

    September 30, 2017 at 5:37 pm

    Hi! Where can I find gramigna pasta? I looked on amazon.com and they only have the farro version. Where did you buy yours? I live in the NY/NJ area and it is impossible to find anywhere!
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • admin says

      October 03, 2017 at 9:34 am

      Hi Melanie, thank for you comment. I of course buy gramigna here in Italy. I have also bought them online in UK from Amazon.co.uk, but you are right they only have a farro version on Amazon.com. What you can use instead are gramigna coquillettes from granoro which are very similar and can be bought in US. I will try to find another source for you after I return from my holiday here in Sicily. All the best! Jacqui.
      http://piccolosgastronomia.com/pasta/b-granoro-b/granoro-elbows-gramigna-coquillettes-pasta-49-1lb

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Boxing up books (a working title) – Have Paprika, Will Travel says:
    June 21, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    […] Finally, I cook it on an regular Friday and with the wrong sauce (defrosted pesto instead of sausages because I’m exhausting the contents of the […]

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Buon giorno and welcome to my pasta project! My name is Jacqui. I’m originally a Londoner but in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful Veneto region of Italy where…

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