New Jersey Beef and Sausage Ragu Pasta Hearty New Jersey-Style Beef & Italian Sausage Ragu with Rigatoni Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce 2 tbsp tomato paste 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil Salt and black pepper, to taste 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 12 oz rigatoni or ziti pasta Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving Fresh basil leaves, for garnish Directions: In a large Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and sausage. Cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon, about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Add sugar, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook rigatoni according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Stir fresh parsley into the ragu. Add pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Use reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and fresh basil. Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes Kcal: 640 kcal | Servings: 4–6 servings #newjerseyragu #beefandsausagepasta #comfortfoodclassic #homemaderagu #italianamericanrecipe #rigatonirecipe #pastanight #sundaydinner #heartymeal #raguinspired #meatsauceperfection #familydinnerideas #pastaeats #italiandinner #saucygoodness #jerseykitchen #easyitalianmeals #meatloverpasta #redgravyrecipe #pastaloversdelight Nothing says cozy New Jersey dinner like this rich Beef & Sausage Ragu Pasta A meaty, bold red sauce hugging every bite of rigatoni—seriously comforting!