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Meat, Italy

Polenta and sausages in tomato sauce

Polenta and sausages in tomato sauce is a family dish for 4 people, ready in 45 minutes, rated easy, for about €2.50 per person. The key to success is pouring the polenta in a thin stream while whisking to avoid lumps, while the sausages simmer gently in the tomato sauce.

A good creamy polenta with sausages simmering in tomato sauce, that's the dish that warms everyone up.

Polenta and sausages in tomato sauce
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.50
Calories per person
670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Creamy polenta is that cornmeal puree that melts in your mouth as soon as butter and parmesan go in. Next to it, the simmered sausages take their time soaking up the tomato sauce flavored with garlic and thyme until they turn tender. The contrast between the softness of the polenta and the bite of the browned sausage gives this dish its character.

This is the kind of dinner that brings everyone to the table without much effort, perfect for a weeknight in fall or winter when you want something warming. Kids usually love the smooth texture of the polenta, and adults appreciate a sauce that had time to simmer. Mon Chou happily adds it to a Sunday family menu.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Pork sausages 6

Pantry

  • Tomato passataoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Instant polentaoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Wateroften in the pantry 1 l
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Thyme 3 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g
  • Grated parmesan 40 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the pricked sausages in the oil on all sides, then set them aside. 8 min

    Prick them with a fork so they don't burst.

  2. In the same pot, cook the onion and garlic, pour in the passata and thyme, then add the sausages back in.

    Scrape up the browned bits with the sauce, that's free flavor.

  3. Let it simmer covered over low heat. 25 min

    Turn the sausages halfway through so they soak up the sauce.

  4. Bring the salted water to a boil, pour in the polenta in a thin stream while whisking, and cook according to the package. 8 min

    Stir constantly, polenta that scorches on the bottom turns bitter.

  5. Off the heat, stir the butter and parmesan into the polenta and serve with the sausages topped with sauce.

    If the polenta thickens while waiting, stir in a splash of hot water.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick instant polenta to save time, it cooks in just a few minutes unlike traditional polenta which needs nearly an hour of constant stirring.
  • Don't cover the polenta once it's cooked, it keeps thickening and can form a skin, serve it as soon as it's ready.
  • Choose good quality, leaner sausages so the sauce doesn't end up too greasy after simmering.

The variations

  • Swap the pork sausages for chicken sausages for a milder version, the cooking time stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the sausages with plant based sausages or thick cut button mushrooms, browned the same way.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve plain polenta with just the blended tomato sauce, no visible sausage pieces, and add sliced sausage on the side.

What to serve it with

  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • A glass of red grape juice
  • Steamed green vegetables

Storage

Store the polenta and the sausages separately in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. The tomato sauce with sausages freezes well for up to 2 months, but polenta loses its creaminess once frozen, so it's best to make it fresh when serving and reheat the sauce gently with a splash of water.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the tomato sauce and sausages ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the sauce with the sausages the day before and reheat it gently before serving. The polenta, though, is always best made right before serving to stay creamy.

How do you avoid lumps in polenta?

Pour the cornmeal in a thin stream into boiling water while whisking nonstop. That motion is what keeps lumps from forming.

Can you substitute the parmesan?

Yes, you can use another grated hard cheese like gruyere or comte. The flavor will be slightly different but the creamy texture stays the same.

Is this recipe good for kids?

Yes, the smooth texture of the polenta and the familiar taste of tomato sauce usually go over well with kids. You can cut the sausages into small pieces to make eating easier.

How long does it take to make a creamy polenta with sausages in tomato sauce?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a creamy polenta with sausages in tomato sauce?

About 670 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a creamy polenta with sausages in tomato sauce cost?

About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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