sunday gravy

Grandma's Sunday Meatballs and Sauce is the ultimate Sunday dinner recipe! These slow cooked meatballs in sauce will take you right back to your childhood!

Grandma's Sunday Meatballs and Sauce

For the Sauce

olive oil

pork neck

Italian sausage (sweet

onions

salt

garlic, chopped (about 4 cloves)

red wine

tomato paste

tomatoes

tomato puree

water

basil

oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

black pepper

For the Meatballs

garlic

meatloaf mix (a mixture of beef, pork and

eggs, beaten

breadcrumbs

parmesan cheese

parsley

Start making the meatballs first by adding the olive oil to a large skillet over medium low heat.

Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes until very soft, stirring often.

Next add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Turn the heat off and let cool.

Add the meatloaf mix, eggs, the soaked bread crumbs (squeezed out), parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano and basil and cooled onions and garlic to a large bowl.

Mix well until all the ingredients are combined then make a small meatball with the mixture and fry it up in the same skillet you used to cook the onions to test for seasonings.

Adjust seasonings if needed then start to form the meatballs. (I like to make the meatballs an extra large golf ball size, about 2 inches in diameter but you can make them as big as you like)

Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. The meatballs don&#8217;t have to be cooked all the way through as they&#8217;ll finish cooking in the sauce.

While the meatballs are in the oven you can start the sauce by adding the oil to a large sauce pot over medium heat.

Add the pork bones and cook for 15 minutes, turning so the bones brown on both sides then remove from the pot.

Next add the sausage and brown on all sides, about 7-8 minutes, then remove from the pot.

Add the onions to the pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring, until softened.

Next add the garlic and salt, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

Now pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom with a spoon as the wine cooks down, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the tomato paste to the pot, breaking up and stirring into the onions. Then pour in the crushed tomatoes, the tomato puree and a can of water from one of the empty tomato cans.

Add the oregano, basil, salt and pepper to the sauce and stir.

Add the cooked meatballs, sausage and pork bones to the sauce and bring to a simmer.

Partially cover the pot with a lid, stirring occasionally for 3-4 hours or even longer if you have time.

To serve, remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce and place in a serving bowl. Remove the pork bones and either shred the meat and add back to the sauce or serve the pork bones in a serving bowl on the side.

Oh!! Thank you times one hundred!
This is my mom’s recipe, also, which had been lost!
I have mourned its absence all the years since my mom passed away and I could not ask her for it, obviously.
You have brought me back a treasure and I can’t thank you enough!
P.S. My family was also in Chicago and you described our Sunday meal ritual to a “T”... God bless the Midwesterners!
Thank you again so, so much!!❤️????

Thank you so much for the visit back to my childhood. Im from Philadelphia and my adopted Italian family had Sunday dinner every week with the tables stretched into the. Livingg room and Sunday "gravy" was the star of the show but with bracciole also.  I can still smell everything cooking. Life is too fast and full now for many people to often take the time for family. Im old school and still cook like that however. And wouldn't have it any 
other way

I have not made it yet but this looks great and will make it soon.

I am rating by reading recipe.  I know this will take me back to our family's Sunday dinner. I am making this this weekend for an italian potluck dinner this Sunday afternoon.   I can just tell as my mouth is salivating that this will be out of this world.  Someone is making lasagna and another a huge Cesar salad.   Will write and let you know my results.  Have you ever made a day earlier and reheated the next day?

I, too, had lost this recipe and so happy you posted this. However, I found the prep time twice as long. I had to use the pork spare ribs and I was not comfortable with 2lbs so I didn't use all of them. Next time ill use more sausage meat. Also, what size pot do you use? I had a 10 quart Dutch oven and I had to leave some meat out because the sauce started spilling out. In the end it was absolutely delicious.

That was my style of eating wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back when.  Now I'm like you, 1 dish main courses and a salad.  Boring, huh?   It would have been fun to be in the kitchen and cook with your family!  That's where we learn the best.  

Thanks for sharing.  
Wishes for tasty dishes,  
Linda

A serious recipe, old school. Very impressive.

Made this on a snowy, sleety day when we were anticipating that the power would go out (it has not yet).  The sauce is simmering on top of the woodstove right now.  I had to use what I had on hand since we were snowed in, which means ground  venison and pork sausage meatballs and home canned tomatoes from our garden and dried herbs rather than fresh.  I didn't have neck bones or ribs, so we used the fatty ends of a package of bacon. As someone else commented, this recipe is very forgiving and adaptable.  The scent of it cooking is driving us mad.  Thank goodness it's so yummy. I invested 4 precious quarts of our tomatoes and a pile of onions and garlic that we grew this past summer, a dent in what we had put away for the winter. There is nothing like coming in from shoveling snow and snitching a meatball  from this luscious sauce!  It's in it's first hour of cooking.  I can't imagine how good it will be by suppertime when we've worked up an appetite snow shoeing.

This will be my first time making this and im super excited. My family is just getting so bored with the thrown together out of a jar spaghetti sauces . I do have a quick question though, what red wine do you recommend and are you using red wine vinegar or actual red wine?

I make this every single week! I add red pepper flakes and a little Cayenne pepper to my sauce to give it a little kick and skip the onions in the meatballs but everything else is the same. Best meatballs and sauce ever!

I am making this right now and the house smells so amazing can't wait to eat

I am not a fan of red wine. However I do like sweeter wines. Do u think a sweeter wine would ruin the taste?

Amazing recipe! Curious if you ever have issues with the pork neck bones breaking into shards? Had quite a few this weekend and looking for options as I have little kids.

I love ta cook. I needed a refresher on meatballs &amp; this came up. Fantastic! Such an awesome recipe. Thank you very much. John H

I made this recipe several weeks ago and it was delicious. I’m making it for Sunday family dinner tomorrow. Thank you so much for sharing it!

This is about as authentic as you can get. Just like my mother would make every Sunday. The comment about the chicken pastina soup brought a tear to my eye as well as the gravy. I miss my parents and even though I make all this myself and it's excellent, they made it better. I remember getting in trouble stealing something from the pot or dipping too much bread before it was done. When I was sick, the first thing my dad would do is cook me some pastina chicken soup. I did the same for my children. I was thinking of all the great things we ate as kids like ricotta macaroni, fava beans, braciole, pasta fagioli. Mmmmm I'm hungry. Time to reheat some of my rigatoni bolognese for breakfast in the pan with a little butter. ;)

This Authentic Italian Sunday Gravy is what I grew up eating every week. Nana's tomato meat sauce holds a fond place in my heart, and her recipe lives on to this day in my recipe box. It's my most requested recipe and today I'm sharing it with you.

Authentic Italian Sunday Gravy (Nana's Meat Sauce)

pork spareribs

beef stew meat

sausage

garlic (peeled and left whole)

Salt and Pepper (to taste

Tablespoon sugar (more or less based on the flavor of your tomatoes)

Parmesan (shaved, for topping)

Pasta

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.

Pat the pork dry and put the pieces in the pot.

Cook turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned on all sides.

Transfer pork to a plate.

Brown the beef in the same way and add it to the plate.

Place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides.

Set the sausages aside with the pork and beef.

Drain off most of the fat from the pot.

Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden.

Remove and discard the garlic.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes to the pot.

Add the water; season with a pinch salt and pepper.&nbsp;

Return the pork, beef, and sausages to the pot and bring sauce to a simmer.

Partially cover the pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 2 hours.

If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.

At the end, add sugar, to taste, and adjust your seasonings one more time with salt and pepper. Add basil leaves and serve over your favorite pasta, topped with shaved Parmesan.

Italian Sunday Gravy will get your family to the table like nothing else. Rich, hearty tomato sauce spiked with wine, succulent cuts of pork and meatballs.

Italian Sunday Gravy-Recipe Handed Down From Nonna.

Olive Oil

Pounds Country Style Ribs Or Pork Neck Bones

Pounds Italian Sausage

Pound Ground Beef

Pound Ground Pork

Large Yellow Onion, (Chopped)

Tablespoon Garlic, (Minced)

Large Carrots, (Peeled and Grated)

Cup Red Wine

(28 Ounce) Cans Peeled Whole San Marzano Tomatoes (Including Juice)

(6 Ounce) Cans Tomato Paste (Preferably Imported From Italy)

Cups Water

Bay Leaves

Tablespoon Dried Oregano

Cup Fresh Basil, (Julienned)

Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, (Chopped)

Teaspoon Salt

Teaspoon Black Pepper

Recipe Meatballs

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with olive oil.&nbsp;

Arrange (in a single layer) pork neck bones or country-style ribs on one baking sheet and the Italian sausages on the second baking sheet. Brush the tops of all the meats lightly with olive oil.

Cook meats in the preheated oven, until deep golden brown on all sides, turning as needed to cook evenly. Allow approximately 1 hour for the pork necks and ribs and 40 minutes for the sausage. Set cooked meats aside.

Meanwhile, in a very large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, brown ground&nbsp;beef and pork, over medium heat, crumbling into small pieces. Remove ground meats to plate and set aside.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add onions, minced garlic, and carrots and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until they soften and begin to caramelize.&nbsp;

Add the wine to the pot and cook, scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook until the wine is reduced by half.

Add whole tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, water, bay leaves, oregano, fresh basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Add the browned grounded meats, pork necks or country style ribs, and sausages back to the pot. Bring the gravy to a boil then reduce the&nbsp;heat and simmer.

Simmer, uncovered for about 3 1/2--4 1/2 hours. If you have the temperature right, you should see a cheerful little bubbling on the surface of the gravy. Moderate the heat to maintain this gentle simmer throughout&nbsp;out cooking time.

Stir occasionally so the meats don't stick. If the gravy becomes too thick as it simmers, add water. (If it's simmering gently, you shouldn't need to add any extra water.)

While the sauce simmers, make the meatball. After the sauce has cooked for 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 hours and is nice and thick, give it a very good stir, digging down to the bottom of the pot, then add the meatballs. Continue to simmer the gravy without stirring for another 30-40 minutes, or until the meatballs are hot and the flavors marry.&nbsp;Remove bay leaves.&nbsp;You're&nbsp;READY to Serve. Mangia! Mangia!

The only recipe you will ever need for authentic Italian Sunday Sauce !

Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce

Sweet Italian Sausage (there are

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

beef

lb pork

lb veal

italian

cheese

eggs, lightly beaten

eggshells of water (just do it lol).

flat leaf parsley

FOR THE SAUCE:

Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

onion,

garlic,

Tomato Paste

water tomato

can Crushed Tomatoes (I like San Marzano tomatoes)

carrot, grated (for sweetness instead of using sugar)

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Cook the Sausage: Preheat broiler to high. Place...

Cook the Sausage: Preheat broiler to high. Place sausage on a broiler pan and broil for about 15 minutes, turning once. They will finish cooking in the sauce

Make the Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine. all meatball ingredients in a large bowl....

Combine. all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix on lowest setting until ingredients are just combined. Don't over mix or your meatballs will be tough. I use my kitchen aid mixer, but if you don't have one it is fine to use a large bowl and a mixer or even your hands.

Lightly brush a baking sheet with Extra Virgin...

Lightly brush a baking sheet with Extra Virgin Olive oil. Form meat mixture into meatballs and place on baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake until lightly browned, approximately 20 minutes. You don't want them cooked through, just browned so they hold together. They will finish cooking in the sauce.

MAKE THE SAUCE:

Heat Olive Oil in a large pot. Add...

Heat Olive Oil in a large pot. Add onions, a little salt, and cook until softened.

Add garlic and cook another minute. A

dd the Tomato paste, water, salt, and pepper....

dd the Tomato paste, water, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to lowest setting, cover partially and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to medium high. Add crushed tomatoes,...

Increase heat to medium high. Add crushed tomatoes, wine, grated carrot, and season with some more salt and pepper. Bring to a slight boil, reduce heat back to low.

Partially cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add...

Partially cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add in the meatballs and sausage and cook for an additional 90 minutes(still partially covered), stirring occasionally to ensure the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom.

Wondering what the best sides for spaghetti are? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide of 35+ EASY side dish recipes. Try one of these sides with this Authentic Italian Sunday Gravy. It&#039;s my most requested recipe and today I&#039;m sharing it with you.

35+ EASY Sides for Spaghetti

This Sunday Gravy recipe is the ultimate Italian-American feast, where a variety of meats cook low and slow for hours. It&#x27;s a true labor of love.

Italian Sunday Gravy (Sunday Sauce)

short ribs

Italian sausage (spicy

yellow onion, diced

carrots, grated

garlic cloves, chopped

Whole San Marzano Tomatoes

rosemary

bay leaves

pepper

pork

eggs

milk

garlic cloves,

1½ Tbsp Italian seasoning

tsp black pepper

fresh parsley, chopped

Italian style breadcrumbs

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk,...

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and parsley. Add breadcrumbs and ground meats, and mix by hand until well combined. Do not overmix. Form the mixture into 1½-2 inch same-sized meatballs. Cover them with cling wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch...

In a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbsp the olive oil over medium high heat and brown short ribs on all sides. Remove to a plate, then brown sausage links. Remove to a plate, then brown meatballs. You will be adding these browned  meats to the sauce at intervals, once cooled down refrigerate sausage and meatballs until they go in the gravy.

Add a dash of oil if needed and...

Add a dash of oil if needed and sauté onion and carrots for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for a minute.

Add red wine and deglaze, scraping up any...

Add red wine and deglaze, scraping  up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes.

Add crushed whole tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil...

Add crushed whole tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil leaves, rosemary, bay leaves, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Add the short ribs to the gravy. Cover,...

Add the short ribs to the gravy. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 2-2.5 hours. Stir occasionally, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add the sausages to the gravy and cook...

Add the sausages to the gravy and cook for 1 hour, uncovered. If at any point gravy is becoming too thick, add a splash of water. (Sunday gravy is meant to be on the thick side)

Add meatballs and cook uncovered for another one...

Add meatballs and cook uncovered for another one hour, stirring occasionally and making sure most of the meats are cooking, submerged under the gravy. Maintain the heat throughout so the gravy is always on a gentle simmer.

Towards the end of cooking time, skim off...

Towards the end of cooking time, skim off the excess fact. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Serve Sunday Gravy over your favorite pasta shape,...

Serve Sunday Gravy over your favorite pasta shape, along with parmesan, fresh basil and crusty bread.

This Authentic Italian Gravy is simmered all day to yield a rich and delicious sauce. It&#x27;s perfect for any Italian dish!

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Top Tags

Grandma's Sunday Meatballs and Sauc...

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Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce

35+ EASY Sides for Spaghetti

Italian Sunday Gravy (Sunday Sauce)

Authentic Italian Gravy

Top 7 sunday gravy recipes from across the web

The most viewed sunday gravy recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Grandma's Sunday Meatballs and Sauc...

Authentic Italian Sunday Gravy (Nan...

Italian Sunday Gravy-Recipe Handed ...

Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce

35+ EASY Sides for Spaghetti

Italian Sunday Gravy (Sunday Sauce)

Authentic Italian Gravy

The most viewed sunday gravy recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine