Rougail (Rougaille Saucisse)
Rougail, also known as Rougaille, is a flavorful dish from the island of Réunion, featuring sausage stewed in a bold tomato sauce. There are many variations of rougail, but most of them are served with a side of rice to make it a satisfying meal!
What is Rougail or Rougaille?
Sausage Rougail, also known as Rougaille or Rougaille Saucisse, is a traditional dish from Reunion Island, located just east of Madagascar. This dish has French and Creole influences, which makes it bold and full of flavor. It is essentially stewed sausages in a tomato sauce seasoned with lime zest, ginger, and turmeric. Rougail can be made with sausage, or it can be made with chicken, fish, or shrimp. It can also be made vegetarian with vegetables like okra or eggplant!
Ingredients Needed
- Olive Oil: To sauté the onion and garlic, creating lots of flavor.
- Onion & Garlic: Onion and garlic are the base of the flavor, which is enhanced by the smoked sausages and tomatoes!
- Smoked Sausage: I used Andouille sausages here, which are precooked and smoked. Cut them into thick pieces.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger brightens up the flavor. Freshly grated ginger is stronger in flavor. You can also use dried ginger, but you might want to add a little extra for added flavor.
- Tomatoes: I used fresh tomatoes and peeled and diced them. You can opt for canned tomatoes if you prefer!
- Tomato Paste: For an added depth of tomato flavor.
- Lime Leaves or Zest: Lime leaves are traditionally used here. You can use kaffir (also known as combava/makrut/thai) lime leaves, or regular lime leaves plus zest. If you can’t find lime leaves, just use the lime zest.
- Turmeric: Adjust to taste depending on how strong you want the turmeric taste.
- Thyme: As a warming, cozy herb.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste.
Sausages, onions, ginger, tomatoes, combava lime, lime leaves, garlic, tomato paste, turmeric
How to Make This Rougail Recipe
Peel the Tomatoes:
- Blanch the Tomatoes: If you are using fresh tomatoes, start by blanching them (boiling quickly) in hot water. Take the fresh tomatoes and create an “X” shape with a knife, just barely piercing the skin near the top of the tomato. Then, bring a pot of water to boil. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and let them simmer for just a few minutes.
- Drain: Once you see the peel starting to come away from the “X” you made with a knife, you can drain the tomatoes into a colander. Rinse the tomatoes with cold water, and use your hands to fully remove the tomato peels.
- Dice: After the tomatoes are peeled, you can dice them up so that they are ready to be added into the rougail. If you prefer not to use fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes instead.
Make the Rougail Stew:
- Heat Skillet: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the diced onions and the crushed garlic, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Sausage and Tomatoes: Add in the sliced sausages, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix and let everything cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add Seasonings: Next, add in the lime leaves/zest, thyme, crushed ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper.
- Simmer: Cover with a lid and let it cook over low heat for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve: Serve the rougail with rice, lime marinated tomato and onion salad, and peanut sauce. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Adjust the spice! Traditionally, hot sausages are used to make rougaille. However, you can use mild sausages if you prefer.
- Add liquid if needed. The tomatoes are going to release a lot of liquid here to create a thick stew. If you notice that it is quite dry, you can add a little bit of chicken broth or water and allow it to keep simmering.
Serving Suggestions
The traditional way to eat this rougail recipe is with a side of piping hot rice! The rice will soak up all of that delicious sauce. I added a little lime zest to the rice (right before serving) for an extra touch of flavor. This dish and this recipe was originally introduced to us by a family friend of my husband.
In addition to rice, they served the rougail with a tomato and onion salad, very similar to my onion and tomato curtido salad. It was also served with a peanut sauce, that reminded of the our Ecuadorian salsa de mani style peanut sauce, and a cold Reunionese Bourbon beer.
This flavorful sausage stew works well with other less traditional side dishes. For example, you can opt for brown rice or even quinoa if you prefer. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but you can serve it with a side of pasta instead of rice. For a higher protein meal, serve over a bed of lentils or red beans.
Rougail (Rougaille Saucisse)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced or sliced
- ~6 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 lb of smoked sausage I used Andouille, cut into thick slices – traditionally spicy sausages are used, but you can use mild sausages if you prefer a less spicy dish)
- ½ to 1 tablespoon of crushed or finely grated fresh ginger adjust to taste (freshly grated is usually stronger than store-bought crushed ginger)
- 2 lb of fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced (can also use canned diced tomatoes, 2 cans)
- 4 ounces of tomato paste
- 2-3 lime leaves and/or grated lime zest can use kaffir lime, also known as combava/makrut/thai lime – or regular lime leaves plus zest if you can’t find it
- 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric adjust to taste
- 2 teaspoons of dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Recommended side dishes:
- Rice
- Lime marinated onion/tomato salsa similar to an Ecuadorian tomato onion curtido salsa
- Peanut sauce
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the diced onions and the crushed garlic, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced sausages, the diced tomatoes, and the tomato paste. Mix and let everything cook for ~5 minutes.
- Add the lime leaves/zest, thyme, crushed ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper.
- Cover and let it cook over low heat (cover with a lid) for about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve the rougail with rice, lime marinated/pickled onions, and peanut sauce.
Step-by-step preparation photos for rougail:
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I really enjoyed the flavors in this dish