Sunday Italian Gravy (Tomato Sauce)

By Amanda Scarlati - Updated: Dec 11, 2024 - Published: Dec 11, 2024 - This post contains affiliate links.

4.95 from 91 votes

Total Time 4 25

Wooden spoon holding red sauce over a large pot of sauce.

Italian Sunday Gravy, also known as Italian red gravy or Sunday sauce, is more than just tomato sauce—it’s a beloved Italian-American tradition. Made from simple, quality ingredients and simmered low and slow, this authentic Italian gravy recipe brings deep, homemade flavor to your table.

Large pot of red sauce with a wooden spoon holding some sauce over it.

This Sunday Sauce is more than just a recipe for our family—it’s a way to bring everyone together at the table. The process of making the sauce is just as meaningful as enjoying it. The aroma it creates fills our home with warmth and nostalgia.

Unlike a Quick Marinara Sauce, Italian Sunday gravy is deeply layered with flavor, with the addition of beef bones and stock, and simmered for hours to create a velvety, rich texture.

Whether you're new to making Sunday sauce or looking for a different recipe, I will guide you through every step to achieve the best Italian Gravy yet!

Jump to:

🤔 What is Italian Red Gravy
🍅 Ingredients to Make Italian Sunday Sauce
From Amanda's Kitchen
👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make the Best Homemade Italian Sunday Gravy
❤️ Pot for Sunday Sauce
🥡 How to Store Italian-American Tomato Sauce Gravy
Glossary
🍽️ Uses for Sunday Sauce
Did You Make this Recipe?
Recipe
Comments

🤔 What is Italian Red Gravy

Sunday Gravy or Red Gravy is an Italian-American sauce made with meat bones, just meat, or both to add layers of flavor to create a rich tomato sauce.
The difference between Sunday Gravy and Marinara is that Red Gravy is made with meat and cooked for an extended time. On the other hand, marinara is quickly made without meat and has a light and fresh flavor.
Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce, also known as 'sugo,' is also cooked longer to develop flavor, but typically doesn’t contain meat. This is different from canned “tomato sauce” in the grocery store.

🍅 Ingredients to Make Italian Sunday Sauce

If there is one thing I learned in school, a great sauce is made by layering flavors from the beginning. If you start with good-quality ingredients, the end product will be that much better.

Cans of whole peeled and crushed tomatoes, carton of beef stock, can of tomato paste, jar of tomato purée, onion, garlic head, Parmesan rind, olive oil and dried herbs in dishes.

Tomatoes - I prefer using equal parts of whole peeled, tomato puree, and crushed tomatoes for the best texture and flavor. If you can get your hands on San Marzano tomatoes, they are sweeter, less acidic, and perfect for sauce. Note: Authentic San Marzano tomatoes are only available in the whole peeled variety, so be on the lookout at the store. If you'd like to learn more about finding authentic varieties, check out my guide on San Marzano Tomatoes.
Meat - I prefer marrow bones for a rich sauce, but you can also use sausage, short ribs, or leftover steak trimmings for a meatier flavor.
Herbs - I used a combo of dried parsley, oregano, and basil, which are added at the beginning and toasted so they start to release their flavor from the beginning. If you have fresh herbs you want to use, I recommend adding them towards the end of cooking instead, since they don’t need as much time to release their flavor.

From Amanda's Kitchen

As a trained chef and home cook, I’ve perfected this sauce over years of Sunday dinners with my family. This version brings that tradition to your kitchen—with a few pro techniques for big flavor.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make the Best Homemade Italian Sunday Gravy

First, brown the marrow bones in a large pot, then add the onions and saute for a few minutes to soften them.

Add the garlic, dried herbs, and tomato paste and cook for another couple of minutes until the tomato paste melts into the other ingredients.

Marrow bones simmering in oil in a large pot, and then herbs, tomato paste, and garlic mixed in with a wooden spoon.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and scrape the bottom to remove any stuck-on flavorful bits.

Add the beef stock, whole peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato puree. Stir everything well and then let the sauce simmer over low heat. It should just bubble on the surface, but not too vigorously. (You can add a rind of parmesan or pecorino romano cheese too!)

Marrow bones in a wine and tomato mixture in a large pot and canned whole tomatoes simmering in red sauce in the pot.

Let the sauce simmer for at least 2-4 hours, or longer! The longer it simmers, the more it thickens, and the flavors condense. I usually start my sauce first thing in the morning and let it go all day. (Don't forget to stir it every hour to prevent burning.)

After the sauce is simmered, taste it for seasoning and remove the marrow bones. You can use an immersion blender to blend the sauce to your desired consistency or leave it as is.

Large pot of red sauce with a wooden spoon resting on top and a wooden spoon being held over the pot with tomato sauce in it.

❤️ Pot for Sunday Sauce

You will need a heavy-bottomed pot to make this recipe. I recommend this 12-quart one for plenty of room and even heat distribution.

Below is an affiliate link, and I may be compensated (at no cost to you)
If you purchase after clicking on it.

Shop Now

🥡 How to Store Italian-American Tomato Sauce Gravy

After making the sauce, cool it completely before storing it. I transfer it to large bowls in the refrigerator and then into quart freezer bags. If you want to refrigerate some, it will last 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Pro Tip: To make storage easier, lay the filled quart bags flat on a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once frozen, they can be stored more efficiently in the freezer. The sauce will last for 3-6 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm on the stovetop over low heat.

Glossary

If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!

Go to the Glossary

🍽️ Uses for Sunday Sauce

This Italian Gravy is best for heartier dishes, but I’ve used it on everything from pasta to pizza! Here are some of my favorite dishes to use it in:

Italian Braised Beef Braciole - Tender, flavorful stuffed beef rolls simmered in this rich sauce—perfect for a cozy meal.
Classic Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese - Layers of pasta, ricotta, and this savory Sunday sauce for the ultimate comfort food.
Baked Mostaccioli with Italian Sausage - Pasta and sausage baked in Sunday sauce, topped with melted cheese.
Crispy Baked Eggplant Parmesan - Crispy, golden-brown eggplant layered with this sauce and melted mozzarella.
Italian-Style Meatloaf Recipe - A hearty, flavorful meatloaf made with Italian herbs and Sunday Gravy.

Did You Make this Recipe?

If you make this recipe, I would love for you to rate it and leave a comment. I love to hear from all of you, so tag me on Facebook and Instagram, so I can see all of your creations!

Recipe

4.95 from 91 votes

Italian Gravy (Sunday Sauce)

Yield : servings

Prep: 10

Cook: 4 15

Total: 4 25

This old-school Italian gravy—also known as Sunday sauce—is slow-simmered with meat and tomatoes for the ultimate comforting family meal.

PRINT PIN

Video

Equipment

Large Heavy Bottom Pot 10-12 quarts
Immersion Blender if desired

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 medium beef marrow bones, or neck, knuckle, or rib bones
½ large yellow onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic, approximately 3-4 cloves
2 Tablespoons dried basil
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
1 (6-ounce can) tomato paste
1 ½ cups dry red wine, cabernet or merlot
2 quarts beef stock, or beef broth
2 (28-ounce cans) whole peeled tomatoes, San Marzano certified, if possible
2 (28-ounce cans) crushed tomatoes
2 (28-ounce cans) tomato puree, or passata
parmesan rind, optional
salt and pepper, to taste

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Once the oil shimmers, add the bones and brown on all sides.
Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent and start to brown.
Add the minced garlic, dried herbs, and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, while stirring, until the tomato paste melts into the other ingredients.
Deglaze the pot with the red wine and scrape the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.
Add the beef stock, whole peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato puree. (If you are using the parmesan rind, add it here.)
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring the sauce every hour to prevent burning. (It should gently boil on the top, but not rapidly.) I recommend simmering the sauce for 2-4 hours if you can, but 6-8 hours is preferred. The longer it simmers, the thicker it will become and further consense the flavors.
Once simmered, remove any bones and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Use an immersion blender to blend to the desired consistency or use as is.
Use the sauce immediately or cool completely and store for later. (see note below)

Notes

This Recipe yields approximately 4-6 quarts of sauce, depending on how much the sauce is reduced.

Storage - Cool the sauce completely and store it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. To freeze, divide the sauce into quart freezer bags. You can freeze them flat on a sheet pan until solid so they easily fit in the freezer. Store in the freezer for 3-6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stovetop over low heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupsCalories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 310mgPotassium: 638mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 515IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 3mg