Sausage Rougaille: The Authentic Mauritian Recipe

Sausage rougaille is THE everyday Mauritian dish: sausages simmered in a tomato sauce fragrant with garlic, ginger, thyme and curry leaves, served with white rice and lentils. Allow 15 minutes’ preparation and 40 minutes’ cooking — plus one secret Mauritians never skip: blanching the sausages before browning them. Here is the authentic recipe, as made in island kitchens.

Key takeaways:

• Rougaille is a Mauritian tomato sauce lifted with garlic, ginger, thyme and curry leaves — the base of dozens of island dishes.
• The game-changing step: blanch the sausages for 10 minutes before browning.
• Traditional serving: white rice, “grains” (lentils) and achard — the complete trio costs a few euros per person.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 6 fresh sausages (Creole or Toulouse style)
• 6 ripe tomatoes (or 400 g crushed tomatoes)
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 cm fresh ginger
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• A few curry leaves (caripoulé), if available
• 1 green chilli (optional)
• 3 tbsp oil
• Salt, pepper
• Fresh coriander or parsley

The recipe step by step

1. Blanch the sausages

Prick the sausages with a fork and boil them for 10 minutes: they shed excess fat and salt. Drain, then cut into 3 cm pieces.

2. Brown

In a pot, brown the sausage pieces in hot oil for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

3. The rougaille base

In the same pot, soften the sliced onions. Add the crushed garlic and ginger, the thyme and the curry leaves: one minute on high heat to release the aromas.

4. The tomato sauce

Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat, crushing the tomatoes: the sauce should thicken to a deep red.

5. Simmer together

Return the sausages to the sauce, cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Add the whole chilli (it perfumes without overpowering) at the end.

6. Serve

Scatter with fresh coriander. Serve hot with white rice, ‘grains’ (lentils or red beans) and a vegetable achard: the quintessential Mauritian trio.

Tips from Mauritian cooks

• Curry leaves (caripoulé) make the difference between a “European” rougaille and an island one — find them at Indian grocers, or in your garden in Mauritius.
• The whole chilli perfumes without setting fire; enthusiasts crush it on their plate.
• The same rougaille works with salted fish, prawns, venison or hard-boiled eggs — the sauce is a universal base.

⚠️ The costly mistake: skipping the blanching. Without it, fat and salt overwhelm the sauce and the rougaille turns heavy — those 10 minutes of boiling are the true secret of Mauritian kitchens.

Rougaille, a Mauritian way of life

In Mauritius, rougaille is shared: it simmers on Sundays in family courtyards, fuels the workday “carri break”, and brings all the island’s communities around the same pot. It is this sweetness of life — colourful markets, open tables, wood-fire cooking facing the lagoon — that so charms the island’s new residents. To source the best ingredients, see also our guide to daily life on the island.

Frequently asked questions

Which sausages should you use for rougaille?

Fresh Creole sausages in Mauritius; in Europe, Toulouse or fresh pork sausages work perfectly. The key is blanching them for 10 minutes before cooking.

What do you serve with sausage rougaille?

White rice, “grains” (lentils or red beans) and vegetable achard — the traditional Mauritian trio.

Can you make rougaille in advance?

Yes, it is even better reheated: the sauce thickens and the flavours meld. It freezes very well.

What is caripoulé?

Curry leaves — an essential aromatic of Mauritian cooking, found in most of the island’s rougailles and curries.

Fancy cooking this dish facing the lagoon? Mauritian cuisine tastes even better when you live on the island: tell us about your project.