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Home / Beef, Pork & Lamb

Italian Sausage Sunday Sauce

Make this Italian classic for a plate of Italian comfort and prove that everything is better homemade.

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

03/25/2025
5 from 19 votes
Jump to Recipe
Serves: 4 people
Prep: 20 minutes mins
Cook: 3 hours hrs

Spaghetti and Italian Sausage with a block of cheese and grater in the background

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Sunday Sauce never tasted so good! This recipe makes Italian Sausage in a rich tomato sauce – an Italian-American classic.

Add meatballs for a classic Italian Sunday dinner.

Spaghetti and Italian Sausage on a plate with cheese and a dish of sauce in the background
Pin This Recipe For Later!

I’ve been making this recipe since I was a little girl. I made it on Sundays alongside my mother and Italian grandmother growing up and I’m so happy to pass it on to you.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Slow cooking the sauce with the sausage adds a lot of extra flavor.
  • The fresh basil adds sweetness cutting down on the acidity.
  • The use of fresh garlic and herbs gives it a flavor profile that can’t be beat.

Sunday Sauce {Sunday Gravy}

Italian Americans everywhere have a family Sunday sauce (also known as Sunday gravy). It’s a meal that cooks all day and brings the family together for a delicious weekend meal.

When I say this is a staple in my house I really mean it. Once every few weeks, I make a huge pot of it this sauce and we have it for Sunday dinner.

Then I break it up into portions (some with sausage and some without) and freeze it for easy weeknight meals when we need them.

How To Make Sunday Sauce

Start with browning the sausages until they are a deep brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Italian sausage browning in a pan

Heat some olive oil in a large pot and saute chopped onions until soft.

Onions and garlic cooking in a pan

For extra depth of flavor, once soft, allow the onions to brown and then scrape any crispy bits into the tomatoes.

Add garlic and cook another minute before adding the crushed tomatoes.

tomatoes added to the pan with the onions and garlic

Add the browned sausage

Sausage being added to the pot with the sauce

Add fresh basil and parsley.

Don’t skip the fresh basil. It adds a herby sweetness that just can’t be beat.

Fresh herbs added to the sauce in the pot

Stir in seasoning, bring to a boil, and simmer at least one hour.

the Sausage and sauce cooked in the pot

As the sauce cooks, it thickens and becomes more and more flavorful the longer it cooks.

Taste for seasoning before serving and season to taste and serve over spaghetti.

Spaghetti and Italian Sausage with a block of cheese and grater in the background

Enjoy Every Last bite.

a fork with twirled spaghetti and a slice of sausage on it

For Perfect Spaghetti and Sausage

  • Cook Slow and Low. The longer the sauce cooks, the better it tastes.
  • Don’t forget to stir! Be sure to stir your sauce every half hour or so to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • During the cooking process, if the sauce looks too thick, add a 1/2 cup of water at a time until it’s your desired consistency.
  • If you like your sauce extra thick, you can add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to the sauce to thicken it.
  • If the sauce is too acidic you can add a teaspoon of sugar at a time to balance it out.
  • If the sauce tastes too sweet, you can add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar at a time (tasting in between) to cut the sweetness.
  • Add meatballs for a traditional Sunday Sauce.
  • You can also cook this recipe in a slow cooker –Prepare on your stove up to the simmering step, and then throw everything into your slow cooker. Cook on low heat for up to 8 hours.

Other Italian Dishes You’ll Love

  • Spaghetti Bolognese
  • Spaghetti and Meatballs
  • Amatriciana Sauce
  • Marinara Sauce
  • Chicken Cacciatore

FAQs

Can Sunday Sauce Be Frozen?

Yes. I make huge batches and once cooled, I freeze in individual servings putting the sauce and a couple of sausage into freezer-safe containers to eat on busy nights. It can freeze for up to 3 months.

How To Store Sunday Sauce.

Place in an airtight containder for up to three days.

Rate This Recipe

Click here to leave a star rating!

Spaghetti and Italian Sausage with a block of cheese and grater in the background

Recipe

Italian Sausage Sunday Sauce

Make this Italian classic for a plate of Italian comfort and prove that everything is better homemade.
5 from 19 votes
Print
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 3 hours hrs
Total Time: 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds good quality Italian sausages
  • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  • 8 large garlic cloves (minced)
  • 4 cans crushed tomatoes (28-ounce cans)
  • 12 basil leaves (torn)
  • a good handful of fresh parsley (chopped with the stalks)
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Pierce the sausages in several places with a fork (this keeps them from bursting when cooked) and add them to the saucepan.
  • Brown the sausages until they are a deep brown (being careful not to let them stick to the pan) Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside (disregarding all but 1 tablespoons of fat in the pan).
  • Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in the pan with the remaining fat from the sausage (if there was no leftover fat from the sausage, use two tablespoons of oil instead).
  • Add the onion and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently until they start to look transparent (about 5 minutes).
  • Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well to combine.
  • Add the herbs, and the browned sausage, and season with some salt and pepper. Stir to combine all the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • As soon as the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring frequently to make sure the sauce doesn’t stick to the pan.
  • Taste the sauce before serving to make sure it doesn’t need more seasoning.
  • Bring a large pan of water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions being careful not to overcook.
  • Serve the sausage and sauce over spaghetti.
Slow Cooker Method
  • Follow the stovetop instructions through step 9. Then transfer to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • Taste the sauce before serving to make sure it doesn’t need more seasoning, season to taste, and serve over pasta.

Tips

Tips For The Perfect Spaghetti and Italian Sausage

  • Cook Slow and Low. The longer the sauce cooks, the better it tastes.
  • Don’t forget to stir! Be sure to stir your sauce every half hour or so to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • During the cooking process, if the sauce looks too thick, add a 1/2 cup of water at a time until it’s your desired consistency.
  • If you like your sauce extra thick, you can add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to the sauce to thicken it.
  • If the sauce is too acidic you can add a teaspoon of sugar at a time to balance it out.
  • If the sauce tastes too sweet, you can add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar at a time (tasting in between) to cut the sweetness.
  • You can also cook this recipe in a slow cooker – Prepare on your stove up to the simmering step, and then throw everything into your slow cooker. Cook on low heat for up to 8 hours.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 935 | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 85g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 1662mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 8.7mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3.8mg
Created by Erren Hart
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Update Notes: This post was originally published in 2014, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in Jan of 2020.

5 from 19 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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24 responses

  1. joseph Avatar
    joseph
    10/26/2024

    The oregano should be crushed with a rub between the palms of ones hands and placed in the hot oil stirring then the onions. I also add some tomato paste and cook it in wit the onions to break it down also a trick to removing bitter taste we use no sugar but a sprinkle not a lot a more like a dusting of baking soda. acid is gone. however a good brand of canned tomato puree should be used. and give it a taste before you add it. we use two to one sauce then puree. now yer talking flavor. AMEN

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      10/29/2024

      Love the feedback! Thank you Joseph!

      Reply
  2. Susan B. Avatar
    Susan B.
    02/28/2023

    Hi – could you confirm how much oregano to use? Is it 2 tablespoons or 2 teaspoons? There is a typo in the recipe. It reads: “2 tablespoons teaspoons fresh oregano.” Could you confirm which measurement is correct? I’m making this tonight. (Yum – I can’t wait!) Thank you!!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      03/01/2023

      So sorry! It’s 2 tablespoons dried and one teaspoon if you’re using fresh. Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  3. Leslie Mcdowell Avatar
    Leslie Mcdowell
    06/10/2022

    I grew up in a neighborhood that had many Italian families and watched how sauce was made. This is exactly it and I have been making mine like this for years. Thank you for sharing this memory and so others can make authentic sauce.

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      06/11/2022

      Yay! I’m so glad you liked it so much! Thanks for the great feedback!

      Reply
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