Loukaniko Krasato Recipe (Greek Sausage Braised in Wine)

Loukaniko turns up elsewhere on this site fried quickly alongside eggs for a simple breakfast, but braised slowly in red wine with bay leaf and a little orange peel, it becomes something else entirely, a genuine evening main course that lets the sausage's own fennel and citrus seasoning develop real depth over a proper simmer.

The orange peel is a deliberate echo of the same citrus note already running through good loukaniko itself, reinforcing rather than fighting the sausage's existing character, and it is a detail worth not skipping even though it might seem unusual at first glance.

This is quick enough for a weeknight, ready in well under an hour, and it is genuinely good served over rice, orzo, or simply with bread to mop up the rich, wine-dark sauce.

Key preparation steps

1. Brown whole or halved loukaniko sausages.
2. Build a wine, tomato and bay leaf sauce.
3. Braise the sausage gently until cooked through.
4. Finish with a strip of orange peel.

Browning the sausage

Brown the loukaniko in a little olive oil over a medium-high heat, whole or cut into thick pieces, until well coloured on all sides. This step builds real flavour into the sauce that follows and should not be rushed.

The braising sauce

Cook a little onion and garlic in the same pan, then add red wine and let it bubble for a couple of minutes, followed by tinned tomato, a bay leaf, and a strip of orange peel, which echoes the citrus note already present in good loukaniko itself.

Braising and finishing

Return the sausage to the sauce and simmer gently, partly covered, for twenty to twenty-five minutes, until the sausage is fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Remove the bay leaf and orange peel before serving, and finish with a little chopped parsley.

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