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    Home » Recipes » International Cuisine » Sunday Gravy – Best Sauce For Meatballs

    Sunday Gravy – Best Sauce For Meatballs

    Published: Dec 29, 2021 Modified: Apr 28, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Get ready to try the Best Meatball Sauce Recipe Ever! This is the perfect Sunday Gravy to go with meatballs and pasta. It’s fragrant and filled with flavor from Italian seasoning, sausage, and pork loin!

    Jump to:
    • Best Sunday Gravy
    • Sunday Sauce Ingredients
    • Meatball Sauce Recipe Tip
    • FAQs
    • How to Make Meatball Sauce
    • What to Serve with Meatballs
    • The best Sauces for Meatballs
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Best Sunday Gravy

    The flavor is so simple but it is out of this world delicious! You can enjoy it on everything from your favorite pasta recipes to juicy and crispy air fryer meatballs

    This is my favorite go-to for a quick and easy Sunday Supper idea or when entertaining. The best part is that it uses staple pantry ingredients, plus sausage and pork loin, so it’s budget-friendly and easy to make!

    Meatball sauce recipe over meatballs and spaghetti in a white bowl

    Sunday Sauce Ingredients

    • sausage
    • pork loin, cubed
    • olive oil
    • Italian seasoning
    • tomato sauce
    • onion, chopped
    • sugar
    • Salt & pepper
    • Meatballs

    The crispy meatballs simmer in the spaghetti meat sauce for 4 hours, developing deep flavor. But what makes these meatballs and sauce flavors stand out is the addition of sausage and pork loin!

    Meatball Sauce Recipe Tip

    I prepare my meatballs ahead of time in the oven or air fryer (Air Fryer Meatballs are amazing), and then make the sauce. By the time both cook together for a few hours, the flavor is intense! There is nothing better than cooking meatballs in sauce and enjoying it for dinner with some pasta at the end of a long day.

    Lifting a meatball out of meatball sauce recipe in a white bowl with a fork

    FAQs

    Can I use frozen meatballs?

    Yes! If you have a stock of frozen meatballs in your freezer, making this delicious Italian spaghetti sauce is a great way to kick up the flavor. Prepare the meatballs according to the directions on the package, and then add to the sauce. This sauce will work its magic!

    Can I make meatball sauce ahead of time?

    I actually recommend making this sauce ahead of time and serving it the next day. The flavor intensifies and becomes even tastier.

    Can I freeze meatball sauce?

    I always make a double batch and freeze half. Just store the sauce in a freezer bag and defrost it on the counter when ready to use. Simmer on low for approximately 15-20 minutes and this sauce is just as amazing.

    How to Make Meatball Sauce

    1. Place a large deep pan or Dutch Oven over high heat and add ¼ cup olive oil. Add 1 small chopped onion and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
      Adding onion to olive oil in pan
    2. Stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are golden.
      Adding garlic to meatball sauce recipe in pan
    3. Add 1 pound sausage and 1 pound cubed pork loin to the pan.
      Adding meat to meatball sauce recipe in pan
      Cook until meat is golden brown, stirring occasionally.
      After cooking meat to golden brown in pan
    4. Gradually pour in 4 28 ounce cans of tomato sauce.
      Adding tomato sauce to make meatball sauce recipe
      Then, add ½ teaspoon sugar.
      Adding sugar to meatball sauce recipe in pan
      And finally, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.
      Adding Italian seasoning to meatball sauce recipe in pan
    5. How to cook meatballs in sauce: Stir, then add in your cooked meatballs.
      Adding cooked meatballs to pan for meatball sauce recipe
      Cover and simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
      Covered pan to make sauce for meatballs

    This spaghetti sauce recipe is truly special. The flavors are so deep. Cooking meatballs in tomato sauce makes them even juicier!

    Lifting meatball out of spaghetti with sauce for meatballs in white bowl

    What to Serve with Meatballs

    • Tomato Feta Salad
    • Roasted Brussel Sprouts
    • Roasted Artichoke Salad
    • Instant Pot Bread
    • Slow Cooker Lasagna
    Sauce for meatballs over meatballs and spaghetti in a white bowl

    The best Sauces for Meatballs

    • Honey Sriracha Sauce
    • Birria Sauce
    • Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Thai Chicken Meatballs
    • Sugo Recipe

    Try dipping my Pasta Chips Recipe in this sauce!

    Spaghetti sauce makes a great vacation recipe! Try more of my Easy Vacation Meals for ideas of what you can make while on vacation.

    📋 Recipe

    Lifting a meatball out of meatball sauce recipe over spaghetti in a white bowl

    Amazingly Easy Sunday Gravy

    Isabel Laessig
    The flavor of this sauce for meatballs will blow you away! This is the best meatball sauce recipe ever, and so easy to make, too.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American/Italian
    Servings 8
    Calories 396 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound sausage
    • 1 pound pork loin cubed
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 4 28 oz. tomato sauce cans
    • 1 small onion or half 1 large onion, chopped
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • meatballs
    Cooking Conversions

    See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

    Instructions
     

    • Place a large deep pan or Dutch Oven over high heat and add ¼ cup olive oil. Add 1 small chopped onion and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
    • Stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are golden.
    • Add 1 pound sausage and 1 pound cubed pork loin to the pan. Cook until meat is golden brown, stirring occasionally.
    • Gradually pour in 4 28 ounce cans of tomato sauce. Then, add ½ teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.
    • Stir, then add in your cooked meatballs. Cover and simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
    • Serve over pasta of choice, and enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • Cook meatballs completely before making sauce for meatballs. I like to make mine in the air fryer, but oven meatballs are a great choice, too. You can even use frozen oven-baked meatballs! Just cook them first.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 396kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 26gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 2171mgPotassium: 1499mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1525IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword How to make meatball sauce, meatball sauce recipe, Sunday Gravy, Sunday Sauce
    Did you try this recipe?Tag #SundaySupper on social and leave a comment below!
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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

    » About Me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sharon Chen says

      March 26, 2020 at 11:56 am

      Yum! I can’t wait to try this.

      Reply
    2. Tawnie Kroll says

      March 26, 2020 at 12:11 pm

      This was fantastic, thank you. I made a batch last week and it’s been perfect to have on hand for meals!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        March 30, 2020 at 11:13 am

        Thanks so much, Tawnie!

        Reply
    3. kim says

      March 26, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      Love this recipe! So easy with such great flavor! Will definitely be making again!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        March 30, 2020 at 11:14 am

        Thank you so much, Kim!

        Reply
    4. Cookilicious says

      March 26, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      Thanks for this recipe. It looks so good.

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        March 30, 2020 at 11:14 am

        It is just delicious. Thank you!

        Reply
    5. Mark Fieldhouse says

      January 15, 2022 at 2:26 am

      What kind of sausage?

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        January 21, 2022 at 10:57 am

        Hi Mark! Italian sausage works best for this recipe. Thank you for your question!

        Reply

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