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Katie Serbinski, M.S., R.D., is a registered dietitian and millennial mom, blogging about healthy recipes, child and mom nutrition, and motherhood.

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Home » Food & Recipes » Main Dishes » Traditional Sunday Gravy [Red Sauce]

Traditional Sunday Gravy [Red Sauce]

Nov 21, 2014 27 Comments

I’m thrilled to say that I am one of the newest members to join the Recipe Redux, a community of healthy food bloggers sharing recipes and guidance on how to eat healthier. The Recipe Redux motto? Every healthy recipe deserves to be delicious! I’ll be sharing a monthly recipe that’s been “reduxed” around a specific theme. November’s theme? A food memory for which I am thankful for. I didn’t have to think twice about the recipe I wanted to share: traditional Italian Sunday gravy.

Henry Hill sauce scene Goodfella's
No, this is not my husband. This is Henry Hill [aka Ray Liotta] in Goodfella’s. What lesson did Henry teach me? Stir the sauce so it doesn’t stick!
Nothing is more Italian than Sunday dinner. And nothing is more commonly served at Sunday dinner than gravy—otherwise known as tomato sauce, red sauce, meat sauce, etc. Some of my fondest childhood memories come from the smells of my Mom’s Sunday gravy cooking on the stove at 2PM on a Sunday afternoon. My earliest misadventures were being caught, literally red handed, dunking slices of bread into the sauce while it was still simmering on the stove. This tradition continues today, only now it’s with my husband doing the dunking!

IMG_2187
I should say that both my husband and son are doing the dunking now!

Traditional Sunday gravy is a meat infused sauce, and baby, there’s a lotta meat in there! I’ve “reduxed” my family’s recipe by cutting down on the meat and using just enough to infuse the sauce with flavor. Now don’t get me wrong, I do NOT think meat is unhealthy. But personally, I don’t think this sauce needs meatballs, Italian sausage, AND short ribs to flavor it. A little goes a long way!

Whether you call it gravy or sauce, here’s my Redux recipe. Manja!

Traditional Sunday Gravy [Red Sauce]IMG_0581

  • Servings: 6-8 cups of sauce
  • Time: 4-6 hours
  • Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1.5-2 pounds of beef short ribs (if you use pork ribs the sauce will be a lighter red vs. dark red)
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2-28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
  • 2-28 ounce cans of pureed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup of fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of butter

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and reserve.
  2. Add the onion to the pot. Sautee over a medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, sugar, and red pepper. Return the short ribs to the pot. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally.
  4. Adjust the seasoning of salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the basil and butter ten minutes before serving. Remove the short ribs and shred the meat before serving.

Serving suggestions: This sauce is the BEST when served on top of pasta or dunked with garlic bread. By all means add meatballs, Italian sausage, and extra short ribs if you’d like a meaty experience… OR consider adding some veggies, such as red and green bell pepper, mushrooms, or zucchini!

Clink the “InLinkz Frog” to view other Recipe Redux member recipes for November. I promise you’ll be “pinning” a few to try!

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Comments

  1. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

    November 21, 2014 at 7:44 am

    You have such a cute family! And this gravy looks divine!

    Reply
    • Katie Serbinski says

      November 22, 2014 at 7:50 am

      Thanks Taylor!! It’s definitely a family favorite 🙂

  2. Strength and Sunshine says

    November 21, 2014 at 9:45 am

    Love making my own sauces! It is ALWAYS the way to go!

    Reply
    • Katie Serbinski says

      November 22, 2014 at 7:51 am

      Couldn’t agree more!!!

  3. Kristy Hegner says

    November 21, 2014 at 10:55 am

    How exciting that you joined the Recipe Redux! And with baby #2 almost here! I have to admit that I have never made homemade pasta sauce I will definitely need to give your recipe a try 🙂

    Reply
    • Katie Serbinski says

      November 22, 2014 at 7:51 am

      Are you thinking about the RR?! You should!!!!!

    • Kristy Hegner says

      November 22, 2014 at 7:54 am

      I’d love to but think I’ll wait a few more months to get into a groove first 🙂

  4. Twitchetts.blogspot.com says

    November 21, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    Yum homemade is always best for so many reasons. Will try this out tonight!!

    Reply
  5. Andrea - The Baking Dietitian says

    November 21, 2014 at 4:02 pm

    Yum! I can’t wait to try this one. Looks SO good! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Sonali- The Foodie Physician says

    November 21, 2014 at 6:14 pm

    I love Sunday Sauce and your “reduxed” version sounds perfect! I’m so excited to be a new Redux member too, welcome!!

    Reply
    • Katie Serbinski says

      November 22, 2014 at 7:52 am

      Yay! Can’t wait to see more of your reduxed recipes!!

  7. jillconyers says

    November 22, 2014 at 2:10 am

    Welcome to the Redux! It’s fun to play with the monthly theme. I haven’t bought store red sauce in forever. Homemade is always better. Love the Goodfellas reference!

    Reply
    • Katie Serbinski says

      November 22, 2014 at 7:53 am

      Lol. I was hoping someone would appreciate it! Definitely a guilty pleasure movie of mine…

  8. athleticavocado says

    November 22, 2014 at 9:15 am

    this looks heavenly!!!

    Reply
  9. Deanna Segrave-Daly (@tspbasil) says

    November 22, 2014 at 11:15 am

    Oh I so love this post because where I come from tomato sauce is most definitely gravy and I love that scene from Goodfellas. Think I gotta make me a pot tomorrow….

    Reply
    • Katie Serbinski says

      November 23, 2014 at 8:44 pm

      I’m glad I’m not the only Goodfella’s fan!! It was one of the only scenes I could relate too 😉

  10. Marisa | Marisa Moore Nutrition says

    November 22, 2014 at 11:37 am

    Welcome to the Recipe Redux, Katie! Loved your post. This recipe inspires me to make my own red sauce… one day.

    Reply
  11. Jen @ The Halfway Homemaker says

    November 22, 2014 at 3:40 pm

    Mmm, looks so good, I have never used short ribs. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Baked Mini Meatballs - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    March 2, 2015 at 10:53 am

    […] last name, but he’s Italian like his Momma is many ways. Joey loves almost anything smothered in Sunday Gravy, he has tried eating a whole clove of garlic [unsupervised], and he LOVES meatballs. I forgot to […]

    Reply
  2. Homemade Isn't Always Healthier - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    May 4, 2015 at 7:16 am

    […] Sauce: This Italian KNOWS how to make a good red sauce, Sunday gravy, marinara, etc. But my freezer has limited space [thank you frozen breastmilk]. So […]

    Reply
  3. Ground Beef Tortellini Skillet - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    July 30, 2015 at 2:42 am

    […] 90 degrees outside and my kitchen can’t take the heat that comes with simmering my famous Sunday gravy more than a few […]

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  4. My Biggest Food Blogging Secret - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    August 8, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    […] Dinner at my parents OR if we are at our house I’ll always make some kind of pasta with red sauce. Which makes for great lunch […]

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  5. [3 Cheese] Wagon Wheel Pasta Bake - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    September 15, 2015 at 1:06 am

    […] of my childhood memories surrounding food involve red sauce and pasta. Now that my boys are both eating solid foods, we have pasta for dinner once or twice a […]

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  6. Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    September 30, 2015 at 10:31 pm

    […] of my childhood, making and eating pizza every Friday night with my brother, parents, and friends. Sunday gravy brings back memories of soccer Sunday’s, followed by a big plate of pasta and meat sauce shared […]

    Reply
  7. How To Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    November 19, 2015 at 1:58 am

    […] want the boys the eat their portion, I’ll add some butter and Parmesan cheese OR top it with classic marinara sauce. If the boys are in bed before I eat dinner, I might go spicy and even top it with spicy peanut […]

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  8. Skillet Ziti with Chicken Sausage - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    January 6, 2016 at 8:40 pm

    […] labels on different brands. And if you have the time, try making my favorite marinara sauce, aka Sunday Gravy. It’s definitely meant for Sunday cooking… not Tuesday night at […]

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  9. Slow Cooker Meatballs and Tomato Sauce - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    January 18, 2016 at 5:03 pm

    […] Bolognese, Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup, and Sunday Gravy. Manja my […]

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Katie Serbinski at Mom to Mom Nutrition

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Hi, I’m Katie! Registered Dietitian, Mom, and Mealtime Negotiator. I’m on a mission to make mealtime happier, healthier, and easier with small children, despite what my 4 picky eaters have me believing. From family-friendly recipes to confessions about my unfiltered motherhood moments, I hope you grab a seat at my kitchen table!
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