Take your taste buds on a culinary journey with this sausage rougaille (rougail saucisse) recipe!!
Hungry for more? Then certainly try out our German biscuits cake, Cilantro Parsley Chimichurri, and Kuku Choma recipes next!
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This sausage and tomato stew is hearty, comforting, and I know that you will love it as much as we do.
what is Rougaille?
Rougaille, also known as rougail or rougay, is an aromatic tomato and onion-based stew which is popular in countries such as Madagascar and Mauritius. Reunion and Mauritian rougail have their origins in the Mascarenes; and it is actually considered the signature dish of the Reunion Islands.
The original name, which means a preserved green fruit or stew, originates from the Tamil language, which has Indian origins and is one of the many languages spoken in the region. Mauritian cuisine is a blend of the culinary cuisine of the French, former African slaves, Indian and Chinese workers who arrived in the country in the early 19th century.
There are many types of rougaille such as the one with sausages (rougaille saucisses, which we are going to be making in this recipe, and which happens to be one of the most popular ones). Rougaille de poulet uses poultry, rougail mangue uses mango, and so forth. Similarly, different countries and families will have different ways of preparing the dish. Some versions tend to include ingredients such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, bay leaves, or curry leaves, while others choose to only use salt, pepper, tomatoes, and onions.
sausage rougaille saucisse ingredients
This is a summary of the ingredients you will need to make sausage rougaille, as well as possible substitutions, if any. You will find the detailed measurements, as well as the step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
- sausages - Creole sausages (fresh or smoked), make the best sausage rougail, but feel free to use whichever good-quality sausages you have (I address this point in the frequently asked segment below).
- cooking oil
- fruit or vegetables - tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, spring onion, chilis.
- seasonings and aromatics - tomato paste, turmeric, cumin, thyme, salt and black pepper.
💡Good to know: In the Reunion and in most regions where rougaille saucisse is prepared, sausages are normally extremely well spiced and seasoned, so most people end up using only salt, pepper, and chillis as seasoning. The use of spices is actually the source of a big debate in most regions where rougaille is prepared as a dish. Depending on how seasoned the sausages you are using are, feel free to reduce or omit ingredients such as turmeric, garlic, or ginger.
how to make rougaille saucisse
This segment summarises how to make sausage rougaille saucisse, with step-by-step photos. You will find the detailed instructions provided in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Pierce the sausages with a fork or knife, then boil them in water. Let them briefly steep, drain, and allow them to cool. Slice the sausages into thick chunks.
Step 2: Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté onions until fragrant. Add coriander stems, spring onion, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger, and stir-cook for 1-2 minutes
Step 3: Stir in the seasonings. Incorporate tomatoes, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked, stirring from time to time.
Step 4: Add sliced sausages and cook rougaille for a few minutes, stirring from time to time. Garnish with coriander and serve.
serving suggestions
Traditionally rougaille saucisses is served with Zembrocal (a cross between paella and biryani) white or yellow rice, baguette, or legume dishes, such as lentils. You can also enjoy it with your regular or low-carb bread, flatbreads, potatoes, or your favorite side dishes!
useful tips
- Some sausage varieties tend to be extremely salty. For this reason, start with a small amount of salt, and adjust accordingly, if necessary.
- Some families like to add 1-3 pinches of baking soda to the dish, to help cut the acidity of the tomatoes. I left it out from the recipe, as this is an optional step.
- While you can use canned tomatoes to make this recipe, fresh tomatoes give the best results.
- Add some water if the sauce feels too dry, to attain your preferred consistency.
refregiration and freezing
The amazing thing is that this stew is great for meal-prep. Before keeping it in the fridge or freezer, let the sausage stew cool completely for about 30 minutes to an hour, then proceed on to refregerate or freeze it as follows:-
- Refrigeration - Transfer to a suitable airtight container, label, and date, and keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freezing - Similarly, transfer to a suitable airtight container, label with best-by-date, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Ideally, store them on the middle or lower shelves, where the temperature is most consistent. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator door, as it's susceptible to temperature fluctuations.
- Reheating - To use, allow your rougaille to thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the cooktop under low heat, or in the microwave, using two-minute increments.
frequently asked questions
Feel free to choose any type of sausage you prefer to enhance the flavor of the stew. You can opt for spiced chicken sausages, Andouille, Italian sausage, linguica, homemade spicy sausages, or Mexican chorizo for a smoky and spicy flavor.
The answer is an absolute yes! Actually, poisson (fish) rougaille is almost as popular as the sausage one. Try these other variations next time:-
Fish or tuna rougaille - season and saute the fish on both sides until opaque, then set aside. Cook the sauce, place the fish in the pan with the sauce so its coated with the sauce, then serve.
Chicken - add boiled chicken drumsticks or thighs to the sauce or simply use chicken sausages.
Egg rougaille - add poached or boiled eggs to the cooked sauce.
more tasty recipes from around the world
Make sure to try these other delicious world cuisine recipes!
- Kachumbari - a refreshing and tasty East African tomato and onion salad.
- Mofongo - a tasty Dominican plantain dish that you certainly want to try!
- Malva Pudding - South Africa's most popular dessert!
- Sadza - a staple Zimbabwean dish that is easy to make and the perfect side dish!
Great news, you have made it this far which means you probably made or are making this sausage rougay (rougaille saucisses)! It would go a long way if you could leave a ⭐rating on the recipe card or comment in the comments section below.
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📖 Recipe
Sausage Rougaille Saucisse
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs sausages (about 1 kg, use creole or any good quality sausages)
- 3-4 tablespoon cooking oil
- 3 onions (sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ thumb size ginger (crushed)
- 1 handful coriander (cilantro) stems (reserve the leaves for garnishing)
- 3 stems spring onion
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- ¾ tsp cumin
- 1-2 sprigs thyme
- 2 finely chopped chillis (optional) (or a tablespoon of chilli flakes)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 5-6 tomatoes (finely chopped or blended to a puree)
Instructions
- Use a fork or a sharp knife to carefully prick the sides of the sausage. Boil water in a saucepan and carefully place the sausages inside. Remove the pot from the heat, allow them to steep for 5 minutes, drain, set aside and allow them to cool. Once the sausages have cooled down, slice them diagonally into 1-inch (about 2.5cm) thick chunks.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions until fragrant. Add the coriander stems, spring onion, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger, then stir. Allow this to cook for 1-2 minutes, taking care not to burn.
- Next, add the turmeric, cumin, thyme, chillis, salt, and pepper then stir. Mix in the tomatoes, reduce the heat to a low, cover, and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Add the sliced sausages and allow your rougaille to cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) and serve with some rice, or use it as a filling in your baguette or sandwiches.
Notes
- Some sausage varieties tend to be extremely salty. For this reason, start with a small amount of salt, and adjust accordingly, if necessary.
- Creole sausages (fresh or smoked), make the best sausage rougail, but feel free to use whichever good-quality sausage you have.
- Serve rougaille saucisses with Zembrocal, or any yellow or white rice, baguette, or legume dishes, such as lentils.
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