Description
Italian Sunday Gravy, also known as Sunday Sauce, is a rich and hearty slow-cooked tomato sauce featuring a medley of meats including Italian sausage, pork, and beef. This traditional Italian main course is simmered for hours to develop deep flavors and tender textures, perfect for serving over pasta and topped with Parmesan and fresh basil.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1 pound bone-in pork ribs or pork neck bones
- 1/2 pound beef chuck or meatballs
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Tomato & Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
To Serve
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and brown on all sides until cooked through and nicely caramelized. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.
- Brown the pork and beef: In the same pot, add the pork ribs or neck bones and the beef chuck or meatballs. Sear them until well browned on all sides, then remove from the pot and set aside with the sausage.
- Sauté the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Add tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for about one minute until it darkens slightly and enhances its flavor.
- Add crushed tomatoes and sauce: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, stirring to combine everything well.
- Season the sauce: Add salt, black pepper, sugar, dried oregano, red pepper flakes if using, and bay leaves. Mix thoroughly to distribute the seasonings evenly.
- Return meats to sauce: Nestle the browned sausage, pork, and beef pieces back into the sauce. Make sure the meat is mostly submerged.
- Simmer the sauce: Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 3 to 4 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to help the flavors meld. The meat should become very tender and the sauce rich and thick.
- Add fresh basil: In the last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the chopped fresh basil leaves to infuse the sauce with bright herbal notes.
- Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve the Sunday Gravy over your choice of pasta, with the meat on the side or shredded into the sauce. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and extra fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- For a deeper flavor, prepare the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate overnight. Gently reheat before serving.
- This recipe yields a large batch and freezes well for future meals.
- If serving with gluten-free pasta, this recipe is gluten-free.
- Use bone-in pork ribs or neck bones for added richness and flavor.
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level or omit if you prefer no heat.
