Sunday Sauce

Sunday Sauce is the quintessential Italian American dinner. Tomatoes, garlic, onion, wine, meatballs, and delicious tender pieces of pork simmering all day to create a rich, hearty Italian gravy! I’ll show you how to make this Gluten-free so everyone can enjoy this classic Italian dish! 

Nothing says Italian-American more than a pot of Sunday Sauce simmering on the stove. My best childhood memories center around my grandmother or mother making sauce for family dinner or the holidays. We always knew what we would be eating that whole week when the big sauce pot came out!

Everybody has their version of Sunday sauce with all kinds of tricks and secrets passed down through the generations. This Sunday Sauce recipe is my family’s recipe that I adapted to make gluten-free. Making this recipe gluten-free isn’t difficult; it’s more about choosing high-quality ingredients and swapping out some others.

But, I promise everyone (gluten-free or not) will love this delicious Sunday sauce recipe – I hope it becomes a favorite for your family!

Other Gluten Free Italian Sunday dinner Recipes to enjoy are Tagliatelle Carbonara, Vodka Cream Sauce, Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan, Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers, and Chicken cacciatore.

Jump to:

• What is Sunday Sauce?
• Sunday sauce or gravy?
• Is Sunday Sauce the same as marinara sauce?
• Reasons you’ll love this recipe.
• Ingredients
• Supplies
• How to Make Sunday Sauce
• Cooking Tips
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Tips
• Other Italian Sauces
• Sunday Sauce
• Did you make the recipe?

What is Sunday Sauce?

You’ve likely heard of Sunday sauce, but if you didn’t grow up in an Italian American household, then you might not be familiar with what it is exactly.

Let’s start with the basics. Sunday sauce is a tomato-based sauce filled with onions and garlic simmered in olive oil and butter, spiked with dry red wine, meatballs, and a couple of different cuts of pork. It’s different than Ragu Alla Bolognese, which includes ground beef, ground pork, milk, and white wine..

It simmers all day until it transforms into a deep red color and thick delicious gravy. The meat is removed from the sauce and served in a bowl on the table. Then the sauce is poured over a plate of pasta (rigatoni is a favorite), over a few pieces of meat, with fresh parmesan cheese or pecorino Romano grated over the top. It’s heaven on a plate.

Sunday sauce is a chunky sauce (or gravy) that’s a stand-alone meal only to be enhanced by a side Ceasar salad and garlic bread to soak up every last bit of sauce. It’s the quintessential Italian American dinner.

Making a pot of Italian sauce is a labor of love – which is why it’s saved for a day where you can give it more attention. You start it first thing in the morning, and then it simmers all day, making your house smell amazing. Trust me, every person that walks in the door will be embraced by Sunday sauce in the air and counting the seconds until it’s dinnertime.

Sunday sauce or gravy?

Italian sauce or gravy is one the biggest food debates around – and people are very passionate about it. Like most foods, it comes down to where you’re from and what you grew up with. So, in my opinion, there’s no right or wrong way to describe this Italian classic.

Essentially, Sunday gravy and sauce are the same type of recipe (thick tomato sauce with meat served over pasta) but called something different depending on what you heard grandma calling it. As long as you’re making memories around the dinner table, call it whatever you want. 

Is Sunday Sauce the same as marinara sauce?

No, marinara sauce is a simpler sauce with a much shorter cooking time – only about one hour. It’s also a thinner sauce that doesn’t include meat, only tomato, onions, and garlic cloves.

As I described above, Sunday sauce is a labor-intensive sauce that includes a variety of meats and simmers for hours on the stove.

Reasons you’ll love this recipe.

• It’s thick, meaty, and so delicious. There’s nothing more comforting than a big plate of sauce and meatballs.
• Your house will smell like an Italian restaurant. It’s honestly therapeutic when the aromas start to move throughout your kitchen.
• Easy to make. Sure, this recipe takes longer than most recipes, but this sauce recipe is easy to throw together.
• You can use this meaty sauce in all of your favorite Italian recipes. Enjoy a plate of gluten-free rigatoni (my favorite) or use it in gluten-free baked ziti or gluten free lasagna.
• Gluten-free. Everyone can enjoy this Italian sauce recipe! And guess what? Nobody will know it’s gluten-free!
• It’s freezer-friendly, so you’ll always have the sauce ready for your favorite Italian recipes.

Ingredients

I’ve been making this Italian gravy recipe forever and never used an actual recipe; I more so measure with my heart, give it a taste and adjust as needed. However, I wanted to share this delicious recipe with you and give you instructions on making it gluten-free so that you can keep this as a staple on your Sunday dinner table. 

So the last time I prepared it, I wrote down the ingredient amounts and steps I took to create this delicious recipe. Keep in mind this is our family recipe and a great foundation to start. I recommend following the recipe the first time and making it your own as it becomes a part of your family tradition.

• Crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Your sauce is only as good as the quality of the tomatoes you use. If you can, I strongly recommend using San Marzano tomatoes. They are more pricey, but it’s worth it. You can find them in the canned tomato section with the other canned tomato products. If you can’t find Marzano, use high-quality organic tomatoes. You can also swap in tomato puree for the tomato sauce.
• Tomato paste. I don’t use sugar in my recipe; instead, all flavors come from the meat, and the sweetness comes from the onions and tomato paste. Some recipes use carrots for sweetness, but I don’t.
• Onions and garlic cloves. All delicious Italian sauce recipes start with onion and garlic. I give measurements in the recipe cards but feel free to measure with your heart.
• Dried oregano and basil are the Italian spices I use in my sauce recipe; you can also swap in dried homemade Italian seasoning, which is good. A lot of recipes also use a bay leaf. I recommend experimenting with your favorite spices.
• Butter. You might be surprised to see butter in a sauce recipe because I also saute the onions and garlic in olive oil. However, butter (or fat) is a common ingredient in Sunday sauce recipes. My great uncle put lard in his sauce. I opt for butter because I prefer the flavor, and it gives the sauce a silky texture.
• Dry red wine. After the onions and garlic are sauteing in the butter and your kitchen smells fantastic, you’ll pour in a cup of dry red wine. Most dry red wine is naturally gluten-free, but there is always a chance of cross-contamination, so it’s essential to purchase high quality and contact the company if you’re unsure. I use the Josh Cellars wine. They are not gluten-free certified, but on the website, they state that their wine is gluten-free and do not use any gluten in the production process. My favorite wine in an Italian Sunday sauce is Cabernet or merlot.
• Italian sausage links. High-quality Italian sausage is typically gluten-free but check the packaging to be sure. I use all varieties of Italian sausage. Sweet Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage, or even Italian sausage with cheese are all delicious.
• Meatballs. This is where you’ll most likely find gluten because meatballs have bread crumbs. Here is my favorite homemade gluten-free meatball recipe. These meatballs are tender, juicy, and full of flavor – nobody can tell the difference, and everyone says it is one of the best meatballs they’ve tried.
• Country pork ribs. Do not skip this ingredient because country pork ribs make this Sunday sauce recipe, giving the sauce a fantastic flavor. Plus, as the pork cooks in the sauce, it breaks into chunks and eventually will shred, making sure there are juicy pieces of meat in each bite.

A quick note about country pork ribs: These aren’t ribs but cuts of the pork shoulder cut to look like ribs. This is the same meat used to make pulled pork. Sometimes country pork ribs are challenging to find. Look first in the meat section by the pork ribs and roasts. If you can’t find it there, head to the butcher counter and ask. If country pork ribs aren’t available, 1lb of pork roast, tenderloin, or pork ribs will work.

Supplies

• Baking sheet pan
• Large stockpot (10qt or larger)

How to Make Sunday Sauce

• Start with the meat. All of the meat in this recipe will bake in the oven before going into the sauce. Some recipes call for browning the meat in the pot or a skillet first to get those flavored browned bits, but I don’t think that’s necessary, plus it adds on a lot of prep time. Baking the meat does the job just fine.
• Make gluten-free meatballs. (for a step by step collage see the how to make meatballs post)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
• Add the ground beef, sausage, gluten-free breadcrumbs, egg, cream, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, and seasonings in a large bowl.
• Mix until all ingredients are combined.
• Place parchment paper on a large rimmed baking sheet. I like to always give it a quick spray with cooking spray to assure the meatballs won’t stick. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can use foil or use a prepared baking sheet.
• Use a medium scoop to portion out the meatball mixture. Roll each portion into a ball and place it on the cookie sheet. Continue with the remaining meatball mixture.
• Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. It’s okay if they are slightly undercooked because they will continue to cook in the sauce. 
• While the meatballs are cooking, put together the sauce. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot (about 7 – 10 quarts). When the oil is hot, add in the onions and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they soften and become translucent. 
• Add the butter into the onions and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes or until it melts.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until it becomes fragrant.
• Pour in the red wine and let the wine simmer and cook down for about 4-5 minutes.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried basil and dried oregano. 
• Fill one of the 28-ounce cans with water and pour that into the pot. Give the sauce a couple of stirs to combine ingredients.
• After the meatballs cook, add them into the sauce.

• Cook the rest of the meat. Place the Italian sausage and country pork ribs on the same baking sheet used for the meatballs. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for another 30 minutes.
• Add the rest of the meat to the sauce. You can even pour the meat juices into the sauce for extra flavor.
• Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
• Let the sauce simmer uncovered for 3 – 4 1/2 hours. The sauce should be bubbling slightly as it cooks but not boiling. If it seems to be bubbling too much, then reduce the heat. 
• Again, don’t forget to stir occasionally to keep the sauce from burning at the bottom. I recommend checking on the sauce every 15 minutes to make sure the sauce isn’t boiling or burning – it should cook at a slow simmer.
• Serve with al dente pasta, gluten-free garlic bread, and salad.

Cooking Tips

• Don’t rush the process. As I said, this recipe is a labor of love. Often, I’ll make this the day before and let it sit overnight in the fridge. Then I’ll start it back up in the morning. It doesn’t have to be a two-day process, but I will say that this helps the meat flavors blend into the sauce.
• Or you can prepare the meat the day before to make it easier to get the sauce started on the day you’re going to make it. Meatballs can also be made and frozen ahead of time.
• If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in a bit of broth or water to thin it out.
• Stir every 15 minutes to ½ hour or so to keep the sauce from burning on the bottom of the pot. Basically, keep an eye on it.
• Spice up the sauce by adding extra crushed red pepper flakes or using hot Italian sausage. I like to keep the sauce mild and serve crushed red pepper flakes on the side for those that prefer a spicier sauce.
• You can add fresh basil or parsley at the end if you prefer fresh or dried spices.

Serving Suggestions

There are many different ways to serve Sunday sauce, and this is how we do it.

• Of course, I’ll make al dente gluten free pasta to soak up the sauce. Our favorite kinds of pasta are rigatoni and classic spaghetti noodles.
• After I drain the pasta, I’ll leave it in the colander or place it into a bowl for everyone to put together their plate of pasta and sauce.
• I remove the meat from the pot and place it into a large serving bowl. 
• Then we put the pasta on our plates, spoon sauce over the pasta, and finally grab some meat. Of course, grated parmesan cheese gives this pasta, sauce, and meatballs the perfect last touch before digging in.
• I highly recommend making gluten-free garlic bread and caesar salad as side dishes.

Storage Tips

For the week.

Store sauce and meat together in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop. If the sauce thickens, add water or stock to thin it out.

To freeze.

This recipe freezes beautifully. After the sauce cools, store in airtight containers or freeze into portions using silicone freezer trays. I find it helpful to freeze sauce into smaller portions, so you don’t have to heat large frozen batches of sauce when you only need a small amount. Check out my tutorial on freezing spaghetti sauce found our my sister site.

Other Italian Sauces

• Gluten Free Alfredo Sauce
• Gluten Free Marinara Sauce
• Gluten Free Pizza Sauce
• Vodka Cream Sauce
• Arrabiata sauce

See our other gluten free sauces.

Did you make the recipe?

Have you tried this Sunday Sauce recipe? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences.