Traditional Italian Sunday Gravy with Meatballs and Sausage
This traditional Italian Sunday gravy is made with tender homemade beef and pork meatballs, Italian sausage, and a rich tomato sauce simmered low and slow for hours. An old-fashioned Italian-American Sunday sauce that’s perfect for serving over spaghetti, Sunday family dinners, Christmas, and special occasions.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: ITALIAN | AMERICAN
Ingredients
For the Italian Sunday Gravy
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds Italian sausage links, sweet or hot
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano-style tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup water, plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
For the Homemade Italian Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning
For Serving
- 1 1/2–2 pounds spaghetti or rigatoni
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Crusty Italian bread, optional
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage links and brown on all sides, approximately 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. The sausage will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Sauté the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Caramelize the tomato paste. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened.
- Deglaze the pot. Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 3–5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes. Stir in the crushed whole tomatoes, tomato purée, water, oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, salt, and black pepper.
- Begin simmering. Return the browned Italian sausage to the pot. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and partially cover. Simmer for 45 minutes while preparing the meatballs.
Make the Homemade Italian Meatballs
- Soak the breadcrumbs. In a large mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Mix the meatballs. Add the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano. Gently mix with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Shape the meatballs. Roll the mixture into approximately 20–24 evenly sized meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs on several sides, approximately 5–7 minutes per batch. They do not need to be cooked through.
Finish the Sunday Gravy
- Add the meatballs. Carefully nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce alongside the Italian sausage.
- Simmer low and slow. Partially cover and continue cooking over low heat for approximately 1 1/2–2 hours, until the sauce is thick and flavorful and the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Allow approximately 3 hours of total sauce cooking time, extending the final simmer as needed.
- Adjust the consistency. Stir gently around the meatballs occasionally. Add a splash of water if the gravy becomes too thick.
- Finish with basil. Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Stir in the chopped fresh basil and adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or rigatoni until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Serve. Toss the cooked pasta with some of the Sunday gravy, adding a little reserved pasta water if needed. Transfer to a large serving platter and top with meatballs, Italian sausage, additional gravy, fresh basil, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Best tomatoes: Use good-quality whole peeled San Marzano-style tomatoes for a rich, balanced tomato flavor.
Meatball texture: Avoid overmixing the ground beef and pork. Gently combining the ingredients keeps the meatballs tender.
Extra meat: For a heartier traditional Sunday gravy, add 1–2 pounds of browned pork ribs and simmer until tender.
Wine substitution: Replace the red wine with beef broth or water if preferred.
Make ahead: Sunday gravy tastes even better the following day. Refrigerate overnight and gently reheat before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3–4 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled Sunday gravy with the meatballs and sausage for up to 3 months for best quality.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers thoroughly to 165°F.
Serving suggestion: Serve with spaghetti, rigatoni, garlic bread, and a simple green salad.