Meatball Sunday sauce

Meatball Sunday sauce

There’s something special about Italian Sundays, and  meatball Sunday sauce where life slows down, and the kitchen becomes the heart of the home. For many Italian families,  including my family, Sundays  and sauce go together like peanut butter and jelly. Sunday sauce- a tradition that speaks to generations of love, warmth and togetherness. My easy and quick version,  with tender, flavorful, meatballs is tribute to those cherished moments and the joy of sharing good food with loved ones. It’s more than just a meal-it’s a ritual, an experience, and for many, a tradition passed down through generations.

Sunday sauce doesn’t have to be an all- day affair to feel like a special home- cooked meal. My version is designed for the modern home cook- easy to make, quick to assemble, with just 1 1/2 hours of cook time. It’s a perfect recipe to prep ahead of time. With tender meatballs and a rich tomato sauce, this Meatball Sunday sauce recipe delivers all the flavor of a traditional Italian Sunday meal without hours in the kitchen.

Why this Meatball Sunday sauce is prefect for busy days

Minimal prep: The ingredients are straightforward and easy to find, no need for fancy techniques or equipment.

Quick Assembly: With a streamlined process, you can have the sauce simmering and the meatballs prepped in under 30 minutes.

Make- ahead friendly: Both the meatballs and the sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for three days or frozen for up to three months. And then reheated for an effortless ready made meal that taste like you spend the whole day cooking.

Versatile: This Sunday sauce can be served over pasta, polenta, or even on it’s own with a side of crusty bread.

Meatball Sunday sauce doesn’t have to be complicated to feel special- this recipe proves that a hearty, flavor meal can come together easily. Whether you enjoy it just made or make ahead, this dish is  guaranteed to bring  joy and Italian tradition to your table.

Ingredients For the Meatballs

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. finely minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1 ground beef
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • INGREDIENTS FOR the Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 14 oz. crushed tomatoes
  • 1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano
  • 1 cup water from rinsing out the tomato cans
  • A few fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Start by making the sauce. Chop the onion, garlic and Italian parsley into almost a paste. Then in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium high heat saute the paste until soft and fragrant.
  2. Add the tomatoes rinse out the cans with a little water and add to the stock pot. Bring to a slow simmer. cover and simmer for 1 hour. In the meantime make the meatballs:  Preheat your oven to 375- degrees In a bowl add the all the meatball ingredients except for the ground beef and mix until well combined. Let the breadcrumb mixture sit for 10 minutes. Then add the ground beef, and mix just until well mixed. With wet hands form the meat into golf size balls. You  should have 10 meatballs with this amount of ingredients.
  3. Bake the meatballs on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 10 -12 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
  4. After the sauce has been simmering for 1 hour. Add the baked meatballs and simmer the Sunday sauce for 30 minutes longer. ENJOY!!!!