The Best Authentic Italian Sunday Gravy (Sugo)
This authentic recipe for Italian Sunday gravy (sauce) - or sugo, as my family calls it - is a rich tradition that's been passed down through my Sicilian family for generations. It's a homemade red sauce that gets simmered for hours with meatballs, Italian sausage, and melt-in-your-mouth pieces of tender slow cooked pork. Traditionally served on Sundays, this iconic Italian recipe is perfect for big family gatherings, special occasions or any night of the week.
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The smell of sauce simmering on the stove always brings me back to Sundays at my grandparent's house growing up, when the whole family would gather around for what we call "pasta sugo." Those memories hold a really special place in my heart.
I come from a big Sicilian American family, and gathering on Sundays to eat pasta with red sauce and slowly cooked meats has always been a tradition in our family.
My great grandparents came to America as Italian immigrants and brought their Sunday ritual for making "pasta sugo" along with them.
Here in New Jersey, there's an age-old debate about whether this dish is called "sauce" or "gravy." Every Italian American makes their pasta sauce a different way, and they all have strong opinions about what it's called.
In our family, we never really called it sauce or gravy ("gravy is for turkey," my pop-pop would say). Our family calls it sugo, which is the Italian word for sauce. No matter what you call it - sugo, sauce or gravy - this is a recipe you definitely want to make.
This recipe for authentic Italian red gravy is ideal for feeding a large group. We serve it at every single family gathering - Christmas, Easter, and sometimes even Thanksgiving - along with other Italian specialties like sausage and peppers, chicken Milanese, eggplant parmesan and lasagna.
While red gravy does require several hours of low and slow cooking, the actual hands-on prep is pretty minimal. This is the best Sunday gravy recipe because it's incredibly forgiving and adaptable. It can easily be scaled up or down to accommodate your number of guests.
But best of all, it freezes beautifully. I always make a full batch even if it's just Chaser and I eating dinner. Then I freeze the leftovers for quick and easy dinners to enjoy another day.
Everyone makes their sauce a little bit different. What makes this recipe special is that ultimately you get to decide what tastes best, and continue the tradition on in your own way.
I'm so excited to share my version of my Sicilian family's authentic recipe for Sunday Sugo, aka pasta sugo, aka Sunday gravy, Sunday sauce, red gravy, or whatever you want to call it. The important thing is that you make it and share it with the people you love.
For more authentic Italian recipes, try my Sicilian pasta alla Norma, Sicilian rice balls, or pasta Ponza.
Why This Recipe Works
- An authentic recipe, made with quality ingredients, passed down from my Sicilian family.
- Adjust the ingredients and quantities to suit your needs and make it how YOU like it.
- Serves a crowd and is great for parties and special occasions.
- Freezes exceptionally well to make for super easy dinners that your future self will thank you for.
Canned Tomatoes - You can use whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes in this recipe. If using whole peeled tomatoes you will need to crush them yourself. Some Italians prefer using tomato puree, or passata pomodoro, which produces an extra smooth sauce. It's really about personal preference. Italians are passionate about which brand of tomatoes they use. San Marzano tomatoes are often said to be the best tomatoes, but I find them inconsistent. My family is partial to the brand Pastene, but use whichever canned or jarred tomatoes you like and are available to you.
Herbs and Spices: We keep the spices minimal in our sugo. I use fresh Italian parsley and bay leaves, which is our secret ingredient. It gives the spaghetti sauce a subtle, but distinct flavor. If I have fresh basil, I will add a few sprigs as well, but I never add dried basil - it has a different flavor that I don't care for. Some cooks prefer to season only with red pepper flakes and no black pepper - I add a little bit of both for depth of flavor.
Sugar: This ingredient is very controversial and personal to each cook, but you can add a pinch of sugar to your sauce to balance the acidity - if you prefer. For me, it depends on the tomatoes. Sometimes I add sugar, and sometimes I don't think it's needed.
Meats: A good Sunday sauce typically includes a variety of meat. Ours always includes meatballs, Italian sausage and big fall-apart pieces of pork. The different types of meat give the sauce lots of flavor and richness - without the meats, it would just be marinara sauce.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Large Stock Pot
- Wooden Spoon
- Immersion blender or food mill
- Can opener
- Large strainer or colander
- Large slotted spoon
- Gravy boat
how to make italian sunday gravy
- First, sear the pork to develop a nice depth of flavor. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork and cook on each side until nicely browned. Set aside.
- Lower the heat, then sauté the onions until soft.
- Add the garlic and chili flakes, then continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
Pro Tip: Be careful not to brown the garlic and onions. Cook them nice and gently just to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
Pro Tip: Tomato paste is optional. My family like their sugo a little bit thinner, but it adds nice body to the sauce. If you like your gravy a little bit thicker, don't skip it! You can also thin out the sauce with more water as needed.
- Add the tomatoes, bay leaves and parsley, then season with salt and pepper. Fill one empty tomato can with water and add it to the pot, then stir to combine.
Pro Tip: Have your can of tomatoes opened and ready before adding the garlic so that you can add it quickly to prevent the garlic from burning, which can happen quickly.
- Bring the sauce up to a boil, then add the pork loin, sausage and meatballs, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer on the lowest possible heat setting for about 3 hours, or until the pork is falling apart and tender.
Pro Tip: It's important to stir the pot about every 20 minutes or so to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Turn off the heat and allow the meats to sit in the sauce until ready to eat. I like to make my sauce on Sunday morning, then let it hang out on the stove all day.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed. Remove the bay leaves and any bones from the pork, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the meats to a large platter, and serve with pasta. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Italian red gravy is very rich, so consider finishing with some fresh basil or parsley to add a little freshness.
Tips for Success
- If using whole peeled tomatoes, use the back of a wooden spoon to break them apart. For a smoother sauce, an immersion blender to puree the tomatoes before adding to the pot.
- Adding sugar to sauce is controversial amongst Italians, but a little pinch can help mellow the acid and balance the flavor. It won't make the sauce sweet as long as you use a small amount!
- After sautéing the vegetables and adding the tomatoes, you can transfer the sauce to a slow cooker or crock pot, add the meat, and let it cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- This recipe is very forgiving - you can adjust the amount or type of meat to suit your preference and the number of people you're serving.
- Be sure to make enough to have leftovers! They taste even better the next day and freeze beautifully for later.
Variations
- You can use a pork loin, pork chops, pork shoulder (Boston butt), pork ribs, or neck bones, which will breakdown and tenderize as they cook.
- You can also use tough cuts of beef, like chuck, short ribs or shin meat instead, or use a combination of beef and pork. I usually buy whatever is on sale at the grocery store.
- Use either sweet Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage or both to give the sauce a delicious flavor. Put the sausage links in whole and they will break apart as they cook. Try to find sausage made at a local butcher, Italian markets or local grocery stores for best results.
- I always make my homemade authentic Italian meatballs when I make Sunday gravy, but you can use a good quality store bought meatball if you're short on time. Italian markets often sell homemade meatballs that are perfect for using in the sauce.
Optional Additions
These additional ingredients can be added to the sauce for added flavor and will stretch it to feed more people.
- Parmesan Rind: Always save your old parmesan cheese rinds (I keep mine in a bag in the freezer) and add one to the sauce as it slow cooks to give your gravy an extra rich, buttery flavor.
- Hard Boiled Eggs - This is something my grandmother and great grandmother would add to their sugo to add extra protein to the meal to feed their large families. It's not something I typically do today, but it's common among Sicilians.
- Wine - I don't typically add wine to my sauce, but many cooks do. Adding a generous splash -or up to a cup - of either red wine or white wine to this slow-cooked tomato sauce will give it an even deeper flavor, a bit more sweetness and some acidity. For the best tomato sauce, sure to use an un-oaked wine, and don't use an expensive wine (it's a waste).
- Braciole - I prefer to make homemade beef braciole as a stand-alone dinner, but for many families an Italian Sunday dinner wouldn't be complete without braciole in the gravy.
Every family and every cook makes their Sunday gravy a little bit different. Play around with different flavors and ingredients to discover what your family loves!
Serving Suggestions
This is a family recipe, so I'm sharing how my Italian family likes to serve our pasta sugo recipe, aka Italian red gravy. This meat-filled Italian tomato sauce is meant to be served family style. Serve it in the center of a large table, or buffet style on a separate table.
Pasta - Pasta is always served with Sunday gravy. My favorite pasta to use is rigatoni, but spaghetti, linguine, penne or your favorite pasta will work. Toss al dente pasta with a little bit of sauce and a splash of pasta water until every noodle is evenly coated. Serve the pasta with the meats and extra sauce on the side.
Meats and Sauce - Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the sauce and place it on a large serving platter. Transfer the sauce to gravy boats or pitchers and serve along side the pasta and meat.
Grated cheese - Always have a bowl of grated cheese for passing around the table. I use either grated Locatelli pecorino Romano, grated Grana Padano or grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for topping. Just be sure to use a good quality, freshly grated cheese and not the pre-grated cheese in a can.
Ricotta cheese - It's traditional in our family to eat pasta sugo with a scoop of ricotta cheese on the side. There's always a bowl of ricotta on the table for passing, and it's my personal favorite addition to the meal. Especially when it's homemade ricotta cheese.
What to serve with it
This authentic Italian Sunday gravy recipe is a classic and comforting dish that your entire family will love. Make your dinner extra special by including some starters, sides and dessert!
The best Sunday dinners always start with a little Antipasto. Serve a few Italian appetizers or snacks like olives, marinated vegetables or caponata. Italian meats and cheeses are also great to nibble on while the sauce simmers.
I like to offset the rich gravy with something fresh and green, like a simple Italian salad or Caesar salad, or garlicky sautéed vegetables, like spinach, escarole or broccoli rabe.
A basket of warm, crusty Italian bread or garlic bread is essential for mopping up every last bit of sauce (and sometimes we even make this chicken cutlet recipe to go along side as well!).
Wine at the dinner table is a family tradition. Pair your Italian Sunday red gravy with a nice Italian red wine, like Chianti or Sangiovese.
To end the meal, a traditional Italian or Sicilian dessert like ricotta pie would be ideal. Cannoli, tiramisu or ricotta cheesecake would all be great.
FAQs
The Italian word for sauce, sugo, is sometimes translated to English as gravy, which is how some Italian immigrants began calling it gravy when they came to America. It is commonly debated whether this dish is called sauce or gravy in Italian American culture.
Typically marinara sauce, or tomato sauce, is prepared without meat and only simmers for 20-30 minutes. Red gravy, or sugo, contains big pieces of meat and takes several hours to cook so the meats become tender.
Italian red gravy, or sugo, is a southern Italian dish that consists of a rich red sauce with large pieces of meat. Typically meatballs, Italian sausage and tough cuts of either pork or beef tenderize and fall apart after cooking low and slow for several hours. The meats are typically served on the side along with pasta. Bolognese, or Ragu as it's called in Bologna, is a northern Italian specialty. It's made with ground meat, often pork, beef and/or veal, simmered with Italian sofrito (carrots, celery and onion), white wine, milk and very little tomato. It's traditionally tossed with tagliatelle pasta or layered in lasagne.
This recipe tastes even better the next day. Store leftover meat and sauce together in resealable containers and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. Keep any leftover pasta separate. For longer storage, the containers can be frozen for up to 6 months. Defrost before reheating on the stove or in the microwave, stirring frequently.
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Italian Sunday Gravy (Sugo)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 lbs pork loin pork chops, ribs and/or neck bones
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 yellow or sweet onion, small size, finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic very thinly sliced
- pinch of red chili flakes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley finely minced
- pinch of sugar optional
- 1 ½ lbs Italian sausage hot, sweet or both
- 1 batch homemade Italian meatballs or 16-20 store-bought meatballs, cooked
- pasta for serving
- pecorino Romano cheese grated, for serving
- ricotta cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper, then sear until nicely browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium, then add the onions to the pot and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and chili flakes, then continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, bay leaves and parsley, then season with salt and pepper. Fill one empty tomato can ½ to ¾ of the way with water and add it to the pot, then stir to combine. If using whole peeled tomatoes, use the back of a wooden spoon to break them apart, or use an immersion blender for a smoother sauce.
- Bring the sauce up to a boil, then add the pork loin, sausage and meatballs and reduce the heat to low.
- Cover, but leave the lid slightly ajar and simmer on the lowest possible heat setting, stirring about every 20 minutes to prevent the bottom from burning, for about 3 hours, or until the pork is falling apart. Turn off the heat and allow the meats to sit in the sauce until ready to eat.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Remove the bay leaves and any bones from the pork, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the meats to a large platter.
- Toss al dente pasta with a little bit of sauce, then transfer the rest to gravy boats or another serving vessel, and serve the pasta with the platter of meats and sauce on the side, with a bowl of grated cheese and a bowl of ricotta for passing at the table.
Notes
- Cook the onion and garlic slowly over medium-low heat to avoid browning.
- Have your can of tomatoes opened and ready before adding the garlic so that you can add it quickly to prevent the garlic from burning, which can happen quickly.
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the chunks of tomato and onion, but be sure to remove the bay leaves first.
- My family likes their sugo a little bit thinner, but if you like your gravy a little bit thicker, add more tomato paste. You can always thin out the sauce with more water as needed.
- Adding sugar to sauce is controversial amongst Italians, but a little pinch can help mellow the acid and balance the flavor. It won't make the sauce sweet as long as you use a small amount!
- Make sure the sauce is simmering on the lowest heat possible, and give it a stir at least every 20 minutes to ensure the bottom doesn't burn.
- After sautéing the vegetables and adding the tomatoes, you can transfer the sauce to a slow cooker or crock pot, add the meat, and let it cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- This recipe is very forgiving - you can adjust the amount or type of meat to suit your preference and the number of people you're serving.
- Italian red gravy is very rich, so consider finishing with some fresh basil or parsley to add a little freshness.
- Be sure to make enough to have leftovers! They taste even better the next day and freeze beautifully for later.
Made this recipe exactly as it was written, except for I used Calabrian chili instead of flakes and Estratto as opposed to regular tomato paste. It was incredible! One question: do you brown your sausage first, or do you add it raw before the long simmer?
Amazing! I usually don't bother browning the sausage, I don't think it's necessary. It won't hurt, but it's an extra step and I don't think it adds a ton.
Forget the sugar to cut acidity,
throw a cut up or minced carrot to sugo, gravy IS for
turkey, leave carrot or let it stay minced, no sugar needed
in your Sunday sugo.
Thanks for the tip! I personally don't like the flavor that carrots add, but this is a great idea if you do! 🙂
Your Sicilian family historically used canned tomatoes in their sauce? You must think we're all idiots.
No, I don't think my readers are idiots. Yes, my family historically uses canned tomatoes to make sauce, as do many others. Yes, we also make sauce with fresh tomatoes when in season. Yes, we also can tomatoes to use throughout the year. It's a practice as old as the recipe itself. I genuinely don't understand the vitriol.
Southern Italian here! Yes we do use cans of crushed tomatoes! Especially in winter.
Great to know! Thanks for chiming in!
I agree. Ignore the vitriol. They clearly have issues. I look forward to this and will make it this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
Appreciate you! 🫶
Yes, that first comment was very weird. No need to such vitriol on a very helpful site like this! Ignore.. My Sicilian grandparents lived in Brooklyn, and did not have massive garden space to grow bushels of tomatoes needed to make their own fresh sauce. Used canned all the time! 🫶
Thanks Greg! Very true! 🙂
I found the extra can of water made the sauce much too thin . Even after simmering for 3 hours with the lid off, the sauce was not useable as a sauce. I used cans of whole tomatoes with their juice.
I recommend holding off the extra water until the end, and then add some if the sauce is too thick.
I'm sorry this didn't work out well for you! It will reduce more as it cooks or you can add tomato paste for a thicker sauce. Thanks for leaving a review!
I agree with Don that the extra water makes the sauce too thin. I will either reduce the amount of water next time or eliminate it all together. Otherwise, the gravy tastes really good!
I'm sorry you thought so! It really is personal preference and can also vary widely based on how watery your tomatoes were to start and how much water evaporated during the cooking process. I took your feedback and adjusted the recipe and notes to make it easier to adjust. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review!
This is my second time making this recipe and it brings back childhood memories of my grandmother’s sugo! Happiness in a pot.
I'm so happy my recipe reminds you of your childhood and your grandma's sugo. That is the ultimate compliment! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review <3
So i love the recipe. Very easy to follow. I’m still not done cooking but i have no doubt it’ll he amazing. My only question is… i didn’t have meatballs so i just substituted 2lbs of ground beef. Is this acceptable or do you think it deviates to much from the original?
I think whatever works best for you is more than acceptable! If you like the flavor, then that's all that matters. The meatballs will add a bit more flavor to the sauce, but it won't change it drastically. Give it a try next time if you want, but either way you can't go wrong!
If I want to do this in the oven, instead of stove top...would I do 325 for the same times?
Yes! It should work out great. 🙂
Question: I’d like to make this a day before a big family dinner. Suggestions or recommendations for reheating? Can I reheat in a couple of crockpots without overcooking the sausages and meatballs? Thanks!
This is the perfect meal for a big family dinner and it's great to make a day in advance. You can absolutely reheat in a few crockpots. Just keep them on low and make sure you stir every so often so the bottom doesn't burn. The meatballs and sausage will only get more tender as they cook in the sauce, so there's no risk of overcooking, but sometimes the meatballs start to fall apart after a really long time cooking. I recommend you wait to add the meatballs until the last hour of cooking and then they should be perfect. Hope this helps!
Hi Nicole. This recipe looks so yummy. Question, do I just brown meatballs then put into the pot to finish cooking? TIA
Yes! I like to brown my meatballs in the oven first - I think they come out just as good and it's much easier and less clean-up. You can see the full recipe for my meatballs here: https://coleycooks.com/meatballs/
Yummy .,,I alway add red wine to boost flavor!!! I’ve made it twice and very forgiving. You can kind of tweak it how you like it
Thanks for leaving a review! I'm so glad you love the recipe, and yes, it's great for adjusting and making your own!
So quick and easy to make. It’s delicious!!
So happy you love the recipe! Thanks for commenting!
I’ve made this several times now and it’s a true keeper! The house smells wonderful and it brings all those beautiful souls around my dining room table. Such a tender blessing!
It makes me so happy to hear this! Thanks for leaving a review!
My boyfriends family came from Sicily, and his mom made this same sauce except fresh basil instead of parsley, and always added hard boiled eggs. Mostly with chuck roast, or meatballs and Italian sausage. Your recipe reminds me so much of hers. The eggs were to soak up some of the acidity from the tomatoes, I was told. But I had another Italian friend who used large chunks of carrots for the same reason. The ricotta on the side, I use cottage cheese too, is if you are not a big fan of cooked tomatoes too, like me. Thanks a lot for this gorgeous recipe.
Thank you so much for this lovely comment. This means so much! I'm so glad you love my recipe! 🙂
This is the best Sunday Gravy recipe I've tried. All I had was sausages, but they still gave the gravy a rich and satisfying taste. Can't wait to try it with the pork and meatballs, to up that flavor explosion! Thanks for sharing - this will be made again!
I'm so happy you loved this recipe! I appreciate the review! 🙂
So all the beef is removed even if it’s falling apart?
I'm not sure I understand your question?
I made this for my wife's birthday since she loves Italian food, she absolutely loved it. I also made your Meatballs and they were a hit as well. Now she says I will have to make this every year for her birthday.
Thanks,
David
This made me so happy to read! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipes. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
I stumbled on to this webpage and recipe by accident. Being from Sorrento with friends from Sicily, the consensus is sauce. LOL. Gravy is for the people named Smith from Kansas. Thumbs up for the parmesan rind trick. Hard boiled eggs? Never seen that or heard of it, so thumbs up also for teaching me something new. The use of ricotta was surprising as well.
Hey Dino from Sorrento! If I've learned anything from traveling in Italy and knowing hundreds of Italians and Italian Americans, it's that everyone does things a little bit differently. Recipes, methods and ingredients can vary widely between cities, regions, etc., and then gets adapted and changed through generations, based on budget, ingredient availability and taste. There is no right or wrong way. There is only your way! And this is mine. 🙂
Our family was from Cefalu , Sicily & my mom learned from them, eggs were added during lent since they were not supposed to eat meat, great protein & extender . we add eggs even with meat. We also put boiled eggs in plain pasta with olive oil, pecorino, Italian bread crumbs & a little pasta water, give it a try, similar to cacio e pepe.
I love this! Eggs in sauce is really foreign and strange to a lot of people, so I love meeting other's whose families did that as well! I will have to give that past a try. Thanks so much for commenting! 🙂
Do you cover it when you simmer for 3 hours??
Yes. But I usually leave the lid cracked a little bit
Great recipe! I like to start with pancetta then the onions and garlic.
So glad you love the recipe! Pancetta would make this even more delicious!
My Nonni used to make Sugo and I can still remember the smell, This is very close! She used beef..normally short ribs, which I did as well. I added a little oregano, 2 cups of beef stock and a touch of dried garlic, and oh my,…,was it good! Not Nonni’s but Sooo Close! Thank you!
I'm so happy you loved the recipe! Short ribs are an amazing addition. Thanks for leaving a review - Nonni would be proud! <3
Very simple, yet complex flavors and absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing ~dee
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
An easy and authentic recipe. Very special.
Thank you for such a nice comment. I'm glad you appreciate the recipe! <3