Recipe

Slow-Simmered Sunday Gravy

Cozy Italian-American tomato sauce simmered all afternoon with browned meatballs and pork until silky, rich, and spoon-coating.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A large Dutch oven of deep red Italian-American Sunday gravy gently simmering on the stovetop with meatballs and pork pieces visible, steam rising in warm kitchen light, real food photography

Jump to Recipe

Sunday gravy is not a “quick sauce” situation. It is the kind of pot that starts early, perfumes the whole house, and makes you wander back to the stove every 20 minutes just to stir and taste. The payoff is a tomato sauce that tastes like it has stories. Deep, mellow, a little sweet from slow-cooked onions, and rich from the browned meats that hang out in the pot for hours.

This version keeps things accessible and realistic for home cooks: meatballs plus a simple pork element (ribs, shoulder chunks, or sausage), a straightforward browning method, and a simmer schedule that gives you that all-day flavor without turning your kitchen into a stress test.

Meatballs searing in a cast iron skillet with crisp browned edges, a thin sheen of olive oil, and a wooden spoon nearby, real food photography

Why It Works

Browning builds the base. Searing meatballs and pork first creates fond, which melts into the sauce for that restaurant-level depth.
Low simmer, long time. Gentle bubbling keeps the sauce glossy and prevents bitterness or scorching.
Skim and stir for a cleaner finish. A quick skim of fat plus occasional stirring gives you a rich sauce that still tastes bright and balanced.
Make-ahead friendly. Sunday gravy gets better overnight, and it freezes like a champ.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store Sunday Gravy

Refrigerator

Cool gravy down quickly, then refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
The fat will rise and solidify on top. You can leave it as a protective “cap” or lift some off before reheating.

Freezer

Freeze sauce (with or without meat) for up to 3 months.
For easiest weeknights, portion into 2-cup containers or freezer bags laid flat.
If freezing with meatballs, make sure they are fully submerged in sauce to prevent freezer burn.

Reheating

Warm gently in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if it has thickened too much.
Microwave works too. Cover loosely and heat in bursts, stirring between rounds.

Portioned containers of red tomato gravy cooling on a counter with lids nearby, ready for refrigeration and freezing, real food photography

Common Questions

What is Sunday gravy, exactly?

In a lot of Italian-American kitchens, “gravy” means a long-simmered tomato sauce cooked with meat, usually started earlier in the day and served for a big family meal. The meat flavors the sauce, and the sauce flavors the meat. Everybody wins.

Do I have to use ribs?

Nope. Use what is easy to find. Pork ribs give great flavor, but pork shoulder chunks (country-style ribs work well) are easier to brown and eat. Sweet or hot Italian sausage is also classic.

Can I simmer it all day without drying it out?

Yes, but keep it at a bare simmer and add small splashes of water if it gets too thick. Also keep the lid slightly ajar to control evaporation.

Why does my sauce taste acidic?

Tomatoes vary. Fix it by simmering longer, adding a small grated carrot (or a pinch of sugar), and finishing with a knob of butter. Also make sure you are not boiling hard, which can concentrate sharpness.

Should I put basil in from the start?

You can, but I like a split approach: a little during simmer for aroma, then a fresh handful at the end for brightness.

Can I blend the sauce?

Yes. For sanity and safety, pull the meats out first, then blend just the sauce. Once it is as smooth as you like, slide everything back in and keep simmering.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven (6 to 8 quarts)
Large skillet for browning (or brown right in the Dutch oven)
Wooden spoon for scraping fond
Rimmed baking sheet (optional, for holding browned meats)
Fine-mesh strainer (optional, for skimming or rescuing texture)
Instant-read thermometer (optional, for checking meatballs)
Potato masher (optional, for safely crushing tomatoes in the pot)

I love recipes that give you little “checkpoints” throughout the day. Sunday gravy is basically that, but edible. Brown some meat, stir some onions, crack open tomatoes, then let time do the heavy lifting. The first time I made a real all-afternoon pot, I kept expecting some complicated chef trick to show up. It never did. The trick was just paying attention and tasting as I went. Now it is my favorite kind of kitchen chaos: a slow simmer, a spoon in hand, and the strong possibility that I am “just going to taste it once more” until dinner magically happens.

Slow-Simmered Sunday Gravy

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 4 hours

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Sunday Gravy

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup water (use the tomato can to rinse)
1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
1 large Parmesan rind (optional)
1 to 2 sprigs fresh basil (plus more to finish)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Meatballs

1 pound ground beef (80 to 85% lean)
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pork for the Pot (choose one)

Option A: 1 1/2 pounds pork ribs, cut into 2 to 3 rib sections
Option B: 1 1/2 pounds country-style pork ribs or pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
Option C: 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage links (sweet or hot)

To Serve

1 1/2 pounds pasta (rigatoni, ziti, spaghetti) or creamy polenta
Grated Parmesan, for serving
Fresh basil or parsley, for serving

Instructions

Make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, stir together milk and breadcrumbs. Let sit 5 minutes to hydrate. Add beef, pork, Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until combined. Do not overwork it.
Form meatballs. Roll into 16 to 20 meatballs, about golf ball size. Place on a tray. If the mix feels sticky, lightly oil your hands.
Brown the pork. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large skillet) over medium-high heat. Pat pork dry and season lightly with salt. Brown on multiple sides until you get deep color. Work in batches so the pot is not crowded. Transfer pork to a plate.
Brown the meatballs. Add a bit more oil if needed. Brown meatballs in batches until nicely crusted on 2 to 3 sides. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer to the plate with the pork.
Build the flavor base. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion with a pinch of salt and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
Deglaze. Pour in wine (if using) and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up any fond until the pot looks like it is clean again. That is the good stuff.
Add tomatoes and start the simmer. For safety, crush the tomatoes in a bowl first (use clean hands, kitchen shears, or a potato masher), then pour them into the pot. Add water. Stir in Parmesan rind and basil sprigs. Bring to a gentle bubble.
Return meats to the pot. Slide pork back in first, nestling it under the sauce. Add meatballs on top. Reduce heat to low so the sauce is at a very lazy simmer, just a few bubbles here and there. Partially cover with a lid slightly ajar.
Simmer low and slow. Cook 3 hours, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom. If sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water. If fat pools heavily on top, skim a little with a spoon, but do not stress about getting every drop.
Finish the gravy. Remove basil stems and Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If you want a smoother sauce, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs and pork to a platter. Then give the sauce a few quick pulses with an immersion blender (or blend in batches). Return the meats to the pot and simmer 5 to 10 minutes so everything reunites.
Cook pasta or polenta. Boil pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Toss pasta with a ladle or two of sauce in a separate pan, adding a splash of pasta water to help it cling. Top with meatballs and pork, more sauce, Parmesan, and fresh basil.
Serve like it is Sunday. Bring the pot to the table if you want to feel powerful. Leftovers will taste even better tomorrow.

A bowl of rigatoni topped with rich red Sunday gravy, two meatballs, grated Parmesan, and basil on a rustic dinner table, real food photography

Nutrition information is estimated.

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