How to Make the Best Homemade Italian Sunday Sauce Recipe Like Grandma Makes (VIDEO)

Ingredients

My grandma and my mom made homemade Italian Sunday Sauce (some call it Sunday Gravy) almost every Sunday when I was growing up. For me, this is the best recipe for Sunday Sauce on the planet. It reminds me of growing up in a big Italian family in New Jersey and smelling the garlic hit the olive oil in the pan and all of the delicious flavors with pork, beef and Italian meatballs in San Marzano tomatoes. Just delicious. Watch the video below on how to make your own Italian Sunday Sauce. Whether you call her Grandma or Nonna, or call it sauce or gravy, this recipe is the best you’ll ever have. Enjoy!

A big drizzle of Olive oil

4 Pork spareribs –I prefer boneless or 2 boneless pork chop cut in half.

4 Beef short ribs or any cut of steak you prefer cut into two or three pieces.

Salt and pepper

6 Italian sausages cut in half – Spicy or mild, or both, your preference. 

5 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 medium size yellow onion chopped

1 cup good red wine (optional) can use beef stock too or leave this step out

1 6 oz can of Tomato paste 

4 (28oz) cans Crushed tomatoes – or whole tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes are best). 

2 bay leafs

Several Fresh Basil leafs, julienned

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

1 peeled carrot cut in half 

1-2 tablespoon of sugar at the end when the sauce is finally cooked, if needed  

I taste the sauce at the end and add more salt and pepper if needed too.

Directions

Season meat on both sides well with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to a large heavy sauce pot.

Turn heat to medium high but not too hot add a big enough drizzle of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan well.  

Place the meat in the pan making sure to not crowd it and brown on both sides in batches and remove as you go.

Once meat is cooked and removed, add you sausage and brown for a few minutes. Turn down the heat then add the onions and the garlic along with some salt and pepper and sauté making sure not to burn the garlic and the onions. 

Add the tomato paste and saute once more for a minute or two.

Add the red wine and deglaze the pan by letting the wine loosen the bits on the bottom of the pot. 

Add your tomatoes along with about 1/2-1 cup of water that you use to rinse the each can out with. Season again with some salt and pepper. 

Add the meat back to the sauce along with your browned meatballs. 

Add the bay leaf, the carrot and the basil, mix well, turn heat to a low simmer. 

Cook low a slow string occasionally making sure to not break the meatballs. Cook for 4-5 hours, or all day until the beef and pork are fork tender and the sauce has thickened.

Cook your pasta al dente, 

Add some of the sauce to a large pasta bowl add the pasta and top with more sauce and mix to coat the pasta. I even add a little reserved pasta water as well. Top with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano or both.

I like to allow everyone to make their own dishes and add pasta, sauce and any meat from the pot they like. I also serve this with some ricotta cheese and crushed red pepper along with extra cheese for topping. 

Watch me make Homemade Italian Sunday Sauce with Grandma . . .