Polenta with Sausages (Marcella Hazan Recipe)
Polenta with Sausages is a classic Northern Italian dish made with Italian sausage, pancetta, soffritto, tomatoes, olive oil, and soft polenta. The sauce cooks slowly while the polenta is prepared separately, then the two are served together at the end.
In this version from Marcella Hazan, onion is cooked first in olive oil until softened, followed by carrot, celery, and pancetta, which cook together into a traditional soffritto base. The sausages are browned after that, then simmered with tomatoes until the sauce thickens and the flavors settle together.
The polenta is cooked gradually on its own until smooth and soft enough to spread onto the plate.
The timing matters here. The vegetables need enough time to soften fully before the tomatoes are added, and the sauce benefits from a slower simmer so the sausage, pancetta, and soffritto fully work into the base.
The result is a rich sausage sauce with deeper savory flavor from the pancetta and vegetables, spooned over soft polenta that absorbs the sauce as it sits.
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About this Recipe
Polenta with sausages is more substantial than most tomato-based pasta dishes, but it still feels balanced because the polenta softens the richness of the sauce rather than competing with it.
The sausage, pancetta, and soffritto give the tomato base a deeper savory flavor, while the polenta keeps the dish grounded and smooth. The contrast between the soft cornmeal and the thicker sausage sauce is what makes the texture work so well on the plate.
It’s also a practical dish for a weeknight. The sauce can simmer while the polenta cooks separately, and both hold well if dinner gets delayed. Once served, the polenta continues absorbing the sauce underneath it, helping the whole dish settle together as it sits.
Ingredients
- Italian sausages
- Pancetta
- Polenta or coarse cornmeal
- Canned whole peeled tomatoes
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Ingredient Notes
1. Pancetta
The pancetta cooks down with the vegetables rather than on its own. As the fat renders, it seasons the soffritto and gives the sauce more depth from the beginning.
2. Soffrito
The onion goes into the pan first, followed by the carrot, celery, and pancetta. Let the mixture cook until softened and lightly golden before adding the sausage and tomatoes.
3. Polenta
Traditional polenta gives the dish a slightly fuller texture, but instant polenta works well here too and makes the recipe far more practical for a weeknight.
The Recipe
Polenta with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp onion, chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp carrot, chopped
- 3 tbsp celery, chopped
- ¼ lb pancetta, cut into strips
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut into 3" lengths
- 1 cup canned tomatoes, cut up with their juice
- 2 cups polenta (see Notes)
Instructions
- Sauté the onion in the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until pale gold.
- Add the carrots, celery, and pancetta and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the sausages and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and transfer to a 200° oven to keep warm while you prepare the polenta.
- Prepare the polenta. Pour onto a large platter and make a depression in the center. Add the sausage and sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
Cooking Tip: Let the Sauce Fully Reduce
Give the sauce enough time after the tomatoes are added for the liquid to reduce gradually.
As it cooks, the soffritto softens further, the pancetta works into the base, and the sausage flavors the sauce more evenly. The finished texture should feel thick enough to settle into the polenta rather than run across it.
Serve With
- Simple greens
- Braised carrots with parmesan
- Roasted vegetables
- Crusty bread
- A simple fennel salad
Wine Pairing: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo works well here because it has enough body for the sausage and pancetta while staying soft enough alongside the polenta.
The darker fruit notes fit naturally with the slow-cooked tomato sauce, and the moderate acidity keeps the dish from feeling too heavy as the sauce reduces.
It’s a steady, comfortable pairing for slower-cooked dishes like this, especially when the sauce has had time to fully develop.
Serve slightly below room temperature.
To explore more Montepulciano styles and pairing ideas, visit the full guide below.
Soft polenta and slow-cooked sausage sauce come together here in a way that feels deeply comforting without becoming overly heavy.
The pancetta and soffritto give the sauce more depth as it cooks, while the tomatoes reduce into something thicker and more developed over time.
The contrast between the soft polenta and the richer sausage sauce is what makes the dish work so well. It also holds up particularly well for leftovers, since the sauce continues to settle and deepen after the first day.
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If you liked this recipe, you might also like:
- Chicken Cacciatore, New Version
- Red and Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce with Sausage for Pasta
- Classic Roast Chicken with Lemons
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