There is no secret to Sunday sauce. No grandma or nonna can tell me any different. I'm here to break the silence and provide you with my not-so-secret Sunday sauce
Everyone thinks they make the best sauce. I'm not saying mine is the best and you'll never taste anything different, because I'm not 90 years old and I haven't been making my sauce for the last 70 years. The key to the sauce, like anything else, is practice.
The most important part of making sauce is understanding what is happening at each step. If you're looking to just follow a recipe and be done with it, that's totally fine. Jump to the recipe below and you'll get the just of it if this is a one-and-done recipe for you. If you want to learn how to perfect your own "secret" Sunday Sauce, then read the blog because I'm going to teach you about the science of the not-so-secret Sunday Sauce today.
If you're into all-day Sunday cooking affairs, you may like my Bison Ragu or my Not-so-secret-bolognese!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 24 oz cans san marzano peeled tomatoes
- 9 basil leaves
- 1-2 tbsp kosher salt
- 10 meatballs
- 6 Italian sausages (hot, sweet, or both)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb pasta
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Garlic
There are three options for garlic. You can buy a head of garlic, already peeled garlic or a jar of minced garlic. Right off the bat, throw the sauce away if you're going to use the already minced garlic. As soon as garlic is cut, the membrane is broken and the smell of garlic that we all know starts building. If you use the already minced garlic, the sauce can end up with a really funky taste. I tested this out and the sauce ends up tasting somewhat artificial.
Second, you can buy the already peeled garlic. I've always been against this one just because I like peeling garlic. It reminds me of my grandma. But, I read The Food Lab by J. Kenli Lopez Alt. and he tested this and said as long as it hasn't been sitting in your fridge for weeks, it won't affect anything. If you prefer not to peel your own garlic, then use this one.
I'll always peel my garlic fresh. Even if it is only 1% better. It's something I enjoy doing. It's therapeutic for me, but my wife on the other hand hates when her fingers get sticky.
Mince the garlic. Take your time to do this and make sure the garlic is all minced to the same size. Unevenly cut garlic means uneven cooking.
Olive Oil
I've been using higher-quality olive oils and I have noticed a BIG difference. First, the aroma from the garlic and olive oil as you saute has a slightly sweeter and fresher smell. Second, the olive oil has a smoother taste on its own. I suggest trying Partanna. It's affordable and tastes really good.
I know people love to say you're not supposed to saute with olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, but you absolutely can. You just have to be careful not to let it get too hot because it will burn the garlic and the olive oil itself. I saute the garlic on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. While the garlic is sauteing, I add a little tomato paste.
Garlic will release little bubbles when it is cooking. Watch those little bubbles carefully. Once the garlic is really fragrant, those bubbles should stop and the tiniest pieces of garlic may start turning brown. This is a good indication to get ready to add the tomatoes in. Have a can already open so you don't burn the garlic trying to find your can opener.
Tomato Paste
Tomato Paste should be added during the saute process. It does absolutely no good to squirt tomato paste into the sauce after you already have your tomatoes in. Sauteing the tomato paste allows it to caramelize and infuse a more intense flavor to the sauce. If there is a "secret" to my not-so-secret Sunday sauce, I guess it would be this.
San Marzano Tomatoes
Again, not a secret, just using a better ingredient. I always want to know what brand people use in their secret Sunday sauce. You can choose to use whichever can of tomatoes you want. But San Marzano tomatoes will produce a sauce that has the least acidic taste. The tomato wall is a lot less thick than other types of tomatoes and will create a smoother sauce.
San Marzano is a region in Italy that is known for its tomatoes. If you buy real San Marzano tomatoes, you'll always see a big DOP somewhere on the can. This means it's a product of designated origin. You're not allowed to lie about this type of thing the same way you can't just write organic on your apples if they aren't organic. This is similar to how some types of cheese can only be produced in certain regions or countries.
Anyway, I like to use Cento San Marzano or Nina San Marzano. Both are good brands. But both offer lower price options that are not technically San Marzano, so be aware of that.
Basil
Always use fresh basil. Stir in half at the beginning and half at the end. There is a reason that I do this. I always stir it in, in the beginning, because that's what my mom always taught me to do. It gives a subtle flavor to the sauce. But, through some reading and research, I've found that stirring some into the sauce when it is finished can release a burst of fresh flavor. Think of this like seasoning in layers.
How to make the sauce
In a large pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the garlic. Stir often for 1 minute, pulling it away from the heat if it starts to brown. After 1 minute, add tomato paste away from the garlic. Allow the tomato paste to sit while you continue stirring the garlic for 1 more minute.
Pour in 3 cans of san marzano tomatoes. After you pour the tomatoes into the pot, fill the can with about ⅛ of the way up with water and add that into the sauce to get everything off the walls of the can.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and then break apart the tomatoes with a wooden spoon or masher. It will be easier to do this once they are hot. Stir in the basil and salt and allow to simmer for ten minutes. Then use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend the sauce.
Keep the sauce at a simmer and add your meatballs and sausages typically par-cooked. You can see in the above picture, I par-cook the sausages, by adding them to a cold pot of water and bringing the water to a boil. Then I add them to the sauce.
I usually fry my meatballs until they are brown on the outside but not cooked all the way through. Allow the sauce to simmer at a very low simmer for 3 hours total.
Adding meat to a Sunday sauce is necessary. If you're vegetarian or vegan, obviously, you don't have to. Having meat cook through in the sauce for 2-3 hours helps develop the taste of the sauce. My dad has always said, "the meat makes the sauce."
After 3 hours turn the heat to low, and prepare your choice of pasta. Combine sauce with pasta in the pot you cooked the pasta in and serve with fresh parmesan.
Pro Tips!
- The true secret to the not-so-secret Sunday sauce is time and patience. Tomatoes have to cook to taste good. These tomatoes you are using are (sort of) raw. They have to completely cook through.
- Stir often to make sure it's not burning.
- Add salt to taste periodically. The tomato sauce will need more salt as it cooks. Just add a little bit at a time and taste to see how it is.
Recipe FAQs
Because on Sunday, this is what an Italian household will smell of. As soon as football season would start, we'd be back to having thick Sunday sauces every week! In the summer we'd have a lighter sauce like a pomodoro on Sunday.
Can I freeze the sauce?
Yes! Freeze the sauce in a Ziploc bag or air-tight container and store it to use for next time. I like to make double batches so it's less work the next time.
What meats go well with Sunday sauce?
I love meatballs, Italian sausage, neckbones, and bracciole with my Sunday Sauce.
What to make with Sunday sauce
We always used to eat a big salad after our pasta. It would taste so good with the dressing and the sauce. And of course, we'd have a big crusty loaf of Italian bread.
Now it's time to make yours!
Now you know how to make the not-so-Secret Sunday Sauce. No tricks. No special ingredients. Just science. Understanding why you take each step is crucial to making a good sauce. I'm always learning what other people do and working on my sauce. Your sauce should take on its own persona. I like to hear what other people do with their sauce, but I always ask why they take certain steps. This helps me understand why I should try it with my sauce!
Follow us on Instagram @vindelgiudice for more videos and recipes! Leave a comment below and let us know the "secrets" to your sauce...if you're willing to share!
📖 Recipe
The Not-So-Secret Sunday Sauce
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 immersion blender or blender
Ingredients
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 24 oz cans san marzano peeled tomatoes
- 9 basil leaves
- 1-2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 10 meatballs
- 6 Italian sausages (hot, sweet, or both)
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb pasta
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the garlic. Stir often for 1 minute, pulling it away from the heat if it starts to brown. After 1 minute, add tomato paste away from the garlic. Allow the tomato paste to sit while you continue stirring the garlic for 1 more minute.
- Pour in 3 cans of san marzano tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then break apart the tomatoes with a wooden spoon or masher. It will be easier to do this once they are hot. Stir in the basil and salt and allow to simmer for ten minutes. Then use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend the sauce.
- Keep the sauce at a simmer and add your meatballs and sausages typically parcooked. If they are already cooked fully, wait 1 hour before adding them in. Allow the sauce to simmer at a very low simmer for 3 hours total.
- After 3 hours turn the heat to low, and prepare your choice of pasta. Combine sauce with pasta in the pot you cooked the pasta in and serve with fresh parmesan.
Gina Woods
This recipe is very similar to my mother’s. She did put a whole onion in the sauce for flavor and a whole carrot to reduce acidity and Parmesan rind (that is put in the freezer when you finish your Parmesan cheese) was something the kids have added over the years. Tomato paste in her eyes was a no-no, I’m not sure why. Her secret to the consistency of the sauce was a good heavy pot. When she died all the kids wanted her “gravy” pot. My brother found the same pots on Etsy. They were called hammered aluminum. I love my gravy pot I could never get my gravy consistency like my mom’s until I started using it . Thank you for sharing your recipe and your reasons for your additions. My mom even added a bit of water to her tomato cans and swished it around. She also insisted that the fat from frying your meat was added for flavor. Mangia!
Vinny and Marisa
Glad you can relate! I love hearing why people have specific tips for their recipes.