sunday sauce

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. ;)

Flavorful and juicy Italian meatballs with garlic, parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese braised in a simple Sunday sauce.

Italian Meatballs And Sunday Sauce Recipe

onion

tsp kosher salt

tsp black pepper

tsp sugar

chuck

pork

Parmigiano Reggiano

parsley (minced)

eggs

garlic (paste)

Dice 1 onion.  In a large bowl hand crush the tomatoes.  Alternatively, pulse the tomatoes in a blender for 2-3 seconds.

Coat the bottom of a large heavy pot with a 1/2 cup of olive oil and saute the onions on medium-low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes).  Add the tomato paste to the onions and cook for 5 minutes, spreading the paste around with a wooden spoon.

Add in all the hand crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp of kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp of sugar.  Stir the sauce until incorporated and cook on a low simmer with the lid left slightly ajar.  Stir the sauce every so often (very important!) to avoid sticking.  The sauce should cook on low heat for at least 2.5 to 3 hours but longer will be better.

For The Sauce

Begin by grating 3/4 cup of parmigiano reggiano, mincing a half cup of fresh parsley, and creating garlic paste from 3 garlic cloves.

Add the beef and ground pork to a large mixing bowl and season with 2 tsp kosher salt and a 1/2 tsp black pepper.  In a small bowl beat 2 eggs and set aside.

To the meat, add the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, parsley and garlic paste.  Pour the eggs in and mix everything together.  If the mixture is too dry, add one more egg to the mix.

With wet hands roll approximately 2&quot; size meatballs.  The meatballs can be baked on a sheet pan with wire rack at 375f for 25-30 minutes or until brown in the middle of oven.

Place the browned meatballs in the sauce and cook for a minimum of 1 hour on low heat to allow the meatballs to absorb the flavor of and braise in the sauce.

When the meatballs are finished, serve with choice of pasta, grated cheese and Italian bread.  Enjoy!

For The Meatballs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp_itUEBjYo

There's nothing better than enjoying a pot of Sunday sauce with friends and loved ones.  With good quality ingredients like San Marzano plum tomatoes, hot and sweet Italian sausages, pork chops, and the pasta of your choice, making an awesome pot of gravy is easy!  All you need is time to let the flavors develop and come together.  I hope you enjoy this Italian Sunday Sauce recipe!

FULL SUNDAY DINNER SERIES:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0QyikC1o6v0h-8NM4Y8TeWgQ8V2rv-zn

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PRINT RECIPE HERE:
https://www.sipandfeast.com/italian-meatballs-sunday-sauce/

Ingredients
-(4) 28-ounce cans San Marzano plum tomatoes
-(1) 6 ounce can tomato paste
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 medium onion
-1 tsp kosher salt
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-pinch of sugar
-2 pounds hot and sweet Italian sausage links
-1.5 pounds bone-in pork chops

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How to Make Amazing Sunday Sauce (Gravy) with Italian Sausages and Pork

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.

If it's Sunday, it's time for Sunday sauce and meatballs. This low and slow simmered tomato sauce yields the most tender meatballs and will make your house smell like home.

Sunday Sauce and Meatballs

Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

green bell pepper, (seeded and finely diced)

onion, (diced)

garlic cloves, (finely diced)

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

dry red wine

parmesan cheese, (grated)

Tbsp sugar

tsp black pepper, (freshly ground)

Tbsp Italian seasoning, (dried)

Tbsp fresh basil, (chopped)

Tbsp fresh parsley, (chopped)

salt and pepper

Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, (divided)

garlic clove, (finely diced)

lb ground beef, (80/20 meat:fat ratio)

lb ground beef/veal/pork mix, (ground beef can be substituted)

eggs, (lightly beaten)

bread crumbs

milk

Italian seasoning

Heat olive oil over med/high heat in a dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot.

Add bell pepper and onion and saute until translucent and just beginning to brown, about 3-4 mins.

Stir in garlic and continue to cook 2 more minutes.

Add tomato paste, then fill the can with water and add water. Stir until well blended.

Add crushed tomatoes and tomato puree, then fill with 1 1/2 cans of water and add water. Stir well.

Pour in wine, add cheese and sugar. Stir well.

Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, basil, parsley and oregano.

Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to low until the sauce is just barely simmering.

Sunday Sauce

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over med/high heat in small pan.

Remove from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature.

Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl, add in pepper/onion/garlic mixture.

Mix (I use my hands) until everything is combined, being careful not to over-mix!

Form into balls, about 24. Again, don't over-handle or the meatballs will become tough.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over med/high in large non-stick frying pan.

Cook meatballs in 2-3 batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.

Brown meatballs on all sides, turning frequently so they don't burn. Reduce heat if necessary.

Add browned meatballs directly into sauce. They will continue to cook in the sauce.

Cook sauce and meatballs uncovered at a very low simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 2 hours (can simmer for hours on the stove).

Serve over pasta.

Meatballs

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.

This classic Italian Sunday lunch recipe is made with pork ribs cooked in a rich tomato sauce until the meat is succulent and tender. Traditionally, this dish is divided into 2 courses but you can make 2 meals out of it. Cook once eat twice!&nbsp;

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The most viewed sunday sauce recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine