This homemade Sunday Sauce recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying a cozy weekend dinner. Serve it over spaghetti, rigatoni, or your favorite pasta and top with freshly grated Parmesan for the ultimate comfort meal.
If you love a great sauce, then you may want to try our quicker ones too, Easy Pasta Sauce or Instant Pot Spaghetti. As you can tell, we love our Italian sauces.
Sunday Sauce is a rich, slow-simmered Italian tomato sauce traditionally made with a variety of meats and served over pasta for a comforting family meal. Often simmered for hours, this classic Italian Sunday sauce develops deep, savory flavor as the tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and meats meld together into a hearty, aromatic sauce.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Deep, rich flavors
- Great for a Sunday afternoon
- House smells delicious
- Perfect family meal
- Rich in Italian American tradition
Helpful Items For This Recipe
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.
HexClad Hybrid Nonstick 10-Quart Stockpot with Tempered Glass Lid
The Ingredients You Will Need To Make Sunday Sauce
This is a laundry list of ingredients, but it is what goes into a good Sunday Sauce.
Ingredients
Sauce
Olive oil – Use a good, but doesn’t have to be a great, extra virgin olive oil for browning.
Pork bones – You can use any kind of pork bones you can find. I have used both neck or rib bones. Use side ribs, not the expensive back ribs.
Sweet or spicy Italian sausage – I like to use sweet sausage and then amp it up with red pepper flakes to get a more controlled heat.
Small onions – You can use white or yellow onion, sweet or regular and diced.
Italian seasoning, Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper – Italian seasoning is a perfect, well-rounded combination of herbs. Use the salt and pepper more to taste.
Garlic – Very thinly sliced. This adds bags of flavor.
Red chili flakes – Use this to obtain the desired heat.
Tomato paste – This gives a deep, rich tomato flavor.
San Marzano tomatoes – These, in my mind, have the best flavor. They need to be pureed in a blender.
Red wine – Adds the umami and depth to the sauce.
Sugar – I use this to balance acidity from the tomatoes.
Fresh basil leaves – Nothing beats fresh basil for flavor. Use it torn into pieces.
Parmesan rind – This is optional, but we almost always have one in the freezer.
Meatballs
Olive oil – This is divided to saute the onion and then the meatballs.
Onion and Garlic – Finely diced for the onion and minced for the garlic.
Italian bread crumbs – You need a good binder so the meatballs will stay together.
Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated.
Fresh parsley – This is chopped and adds a nice freshness to the meatballs.
Dried oregano, Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper – Perfect seasonings.
Milk and large egg – This is used as a binder for the meatballs.
Lean ground beef and ground pork – I like the flavor from the two different meats.
For Serving
Pasta – Cooked, use your favorite, spaghetti, bucatini, linguine, all work great.
Grated Parmesan cheese – Make sure you grate your own cheese unless you buy it from an Italian market and know that it doesn’t have additional ingredients.
Crusty Italian bread – No pasta is complete without a great bread; make it garlic bread or cheese bread if you like.
How To Make Sunday Sauce
For The Sauce
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork bones and sear until brown on all sides. If using ribs, then season them first with salt and pepper. I usually add the ribs whole, but you can cut them up also. Remove the bones from the pot and set aside on a plate or sheet pan.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the diced onions, Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened and slightly golden in color.
Add the red chili flakes and sliced garlic and let cook until the garlic is very soft and breaking up, about 2 minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste begins to brown slightly.
Add the pureed tomatoes. Put 1 and 1/2 cups of water into the tomato cans and swirl them around to rinse off the residual tomato that is in the cans. Add the tomato water to the pot along with the sugar, 8 torn basil leaves, and the red wine. Season with a large pinch of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the Parmesan rind now if using.
Give the pot a good stir, then add back the pork bones. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to low. Cover with the lid, leaving a small space for steam to escape. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
For The Meatballs
While the sauce is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often. Once the onions are softened but not browning, add the minced garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute; remove from the heat, and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped parsley and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk. Add the egg-milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to form a smooth paste. Add in the cooled onions and garlic and stir to combine.
Place the meat into a large bowl and add the breadcrumb mixture to the meat. Using your hands like a pitchfork or claw, gently mix together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the meat, or the meatballs will be tough.
Roll the meat into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter, just slightly smaller than a golf ball. Make sure they are compressed well so they don’t fall apart while cooking, and place on a baking sheet.
Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning the meatballs so they are nicely browned on all sides. The meatballs should be 75% cooked, but will still be raw in the very middle. Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir gently to incorporate.
Finishing and Serving
Add the sausage links to the skillet and brown on all sides; they should be 75% cooked. Cut into 1-inch pieces and add them to the sauce and gently stir to incorporate.
Continue to cook the sauce for another hour. Once your sauce is done and thickened slightly, taste the sauce for seasoning and add more Kosher salt if needed. Add the remaining torn basil and stir gently.
Remove and discard the pork bones and Parmesan rind if used.
Serve the sauce and meat over your favorite pasta, with grated Parmesan cheese, and a loaf of crusty bread for dipping!
Recipe Pro Tips
Use Good Quality Tomatoes
The tomatoes are the base of the sauce, so choose high-quality canned whole tomatoes or crushed tomatoes for the best flavor. I always use San Marzano.
Let It Simmer Low and Slow
Sunday sauce develops its signature depth by simmering for 2–4 hours. The longer it cooks, the richer the flavor becomes.
Add Multiple Meats
Traditional Sunday sauce often includes meatballs, sausage, pork, or beef. The different meats add layers of flavor to the sauce.
Start with a Flavorful Base
Sauté garlic and onions in olive oil first to build a strong aromatic foundation.
Using Wine
A splash of red wine adds depth and complexity to the sauce.
Use Herbs, Fresh or Dried
Basil, parsley, and oregano bring freshness and balance to the rich tomato sauce.
Stir Occasionally
Give the sauce an occasional stir while it simmers to prevent sticking and help flavors meld.
Finish with Parmesan
A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese at serving time adds savory richness. We also love to add the rind while cooking.
Save Pasta Water
If the sauce gets too thick, add a little starchy pasta water to loosen it while keeping it silky.
It Tastes Even Better the Next Day
Sunday sauce is famous for developing even deeper flavor after resting overnight. This is true for many sauces like this and stews.
Sunday Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb. pork bones neck or rib
- 1 lb. sweet or spicy Italian sausage links
- 2 small onions diced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Kosher salt and more to taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper and more to taste
- 5 cloves garlic very thinly slices
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 3 28 oz. cans San Marzano type tomatoes pureed in a blender
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 tsp sugar
- 16 fresh basil leaves torn into pieces
- Parmesan rind optional
Meatballs
- 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chop
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb. ground pork
For Serving
- 1 lb. your favorite pasta cooked
- Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 loaf crusty Italian bread
Instructions
Make the sauce first:
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork bones and sear until brown on all sides. If using ribs, then season them first with salt and pepper. Remove the bones from the pot and set aside on a plate or sheet pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the diced onions, Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened and slightly golden in color.
- Add the red chili flakes and sliced garlic and let cook until the garlic is very soft and breaking up, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste begins to brown slightly.
- Add the pureed tomatoes. Put 1 and 1/2 cups of water into the tomato cans and swirl them around to rinse off the residual tomato that is in the cans. Add the tomato water to the pot along with the sugar, 8 torn basil leaves and the red wine. Season with a large pinch of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the Parmesan rind now if using.
- Give the pot a good stir, then add back the pork bones. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to low. Cover with the lid, leaving a small space for steam to escape. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Make the meatballs:
- While the sauce is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring often. Once the onions are softened but not browning, add the minced garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped parsley and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk. Add the egg-milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to form a smooth paste. Add in the cooled onions and garlic and stir to combine.
- Place the meat into a large bowl and add the breadcrumb mixture to the meat. Using your hands like a pitchfork or claw, gently mix together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the meat, or the meatballs will be tough.
- Roll the meat into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter, just slightly smaller than a golf ball. Make sure they are compressed well so they don’t fall apart while cooking, and place on a baking sheet.
- Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning the meatballs so they are nicely browned on all sides. The meatballs should be 75% cooked, but will still be raw in the very middle. Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir gently to incorporate.
Finish The Sauce:
- Add the sausage links to the skillet and brown on all sides; they should be 75% cooked. Cut into 1-inch pieces and add them to sauce and gently stir to incorporate.
- Continue to cook the sauce for another hour. Once your sauce is done and thickened slightly, taste the sauce for seasoning and add more Kosher salt if needed. Add the remaining torn basil and stir gently.
- Remove and discard the pork bones and Parmesan rind if used.
- Serve the sauce and meat over your favorite pasta with grated Parmesan cheese and a loaf of crusty bread for dipping!
Comments & Reviews
Melanie says
This turned out amazing and so worth the time! The sauce is rich and hearty with so much flavor. We loved the combo of the sausage and meatballs together (which came out perfectly tender). And my house smelled so good while this was cooking. Definitely one we’ll be making again.
Tara Noland says
The joy of cooking it and smelling it all day if half the enjoyment!!