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Nonna’s Classic San Marzano Sunday gravy

Nonna’s Classic San Marzano Sunday Gravy

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot Essential for slow simmering without scorching. A 6 to 8-quart size is ideal.
  • Wooden spoon To gently stir the sauce and scrape fond off the bottom.
  • Tongs Handy for turning and removing meat as needed.
  • Food mill or blender (optional) If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can run the tomatoes through a food mill before cooking.
  • Knife and Cutting Board For prepping the meat and vegetables.
  • Colander and serving dish For draining pasta and serving it family-style.

Ingredients
  

For the meat

  • 1 lb bone-in pork ribs
  • 1 lb Italian sausage links hot or sweet
  • 1 lb beef chuck cut into large chunks
  • 12 homemade or store-bought meatballs optional but highly encouraged

For the tomato sauce (gravy)

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cans 28 oz each whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 1 can 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1 tsp sugar to balance acidity
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves torn
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon

To finish

  • Fresh parsley and grated Pecorino Romano cheese for garnish
  • Fresh spaghetti pasta like rigatoni, ziti

Instructions
 

Brown the Meats

  1. Start by heating olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the pork ribs, sausage links, and beef chuck on all sides until browned. This should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the meat and set it aside on a platter.

Sauté the Aromatics

  1. In the same pot (don’t clean it—those brown bits are gold), lower the heat to medium and add the chopped onions. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir constantly to prevent burning.

Build the Sauce

  1. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes to deepen its flavor. Then pour in the red wine and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom. Stir in the hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper.

Simmer the Gravy

  1. Return the browned meats to the pot and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook on low heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. This long cooking time allows the homemade Italian gravy to develop deep, complex flavors. If you’re adding meatballs, add them in the last hour of cooking to prevent them from breaking apart.

Add Fresh Basil and Finish

  1. In the final 20 minutes, stir in the torn basil leaves. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water or more wine.

Cook and Combine with Pasta

  1. Boil your pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss it with a ladle of the sauce. Serve with more sauce spooned on top and meat on the side. Sprinkle with grated cheese and fresh parsley.