Mom’s Meatballs & Sunday Sauce: An Italian-American Family Story
If you grew up in an Italian-American family, you know that Sunday wasn’t just another day—it was sacred. In our house on Rockwell Avenue in Bristol, Connecticut, Sunday supper was a ritual that brought everyone together, no matter how busy the week had been. That house—the same one my great-grandparents built 103 years ago when they first came over from Italy—is still the heart of our family, with my sister Connie and her family carrying on the tradition.
John, he will eat pasta with red sauce everyday—just like his dad!
Spaghetti & Meatballs: An American Twist
Let’s clear something up: if you go to Italy and order spaghetti and meatballs, you’ll get some funny looks. In Italy, “polpette” (meatballs) are their own thing—served as a second course, never plopped on top of a pile of pasta. So how did this iconic combo become a staple in Italian-American kitchens? Like so many things, it’s a story of adaptation. Immigrants made do with what they had, stretching ingredients to feed bigger families, and somewhere along the way, meatballs found their way into the pasta pot. It’s not “authentic” by Italian standards, but it’s 100% authentic to our experience.
Sauce vs. Gravy: The Great Debate
Another classic argument: is it “sauce” or “gravy”? Some families swear by “gravy,” but in our house, it’s always been “sauce.” No debates, no drama—just a big pot simmering away, filling the house with the kind of aroma that brings neighbors knocking. The sauce always started on Saturday, bubbling low and slow overnight, ready for whoever showed up on Sunday. And in our family, that could be just about anyone—friends, cousins, neighbors. My mom had a simple rule: let her know you were coming, and there would always be a seat at the table. All it took was one more box of pasta and a little extra sauce.
Sunday’s pasta bowl—decorated with a few meatballs.
Sunday Sauce
Ingredients
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0.25 cup Olive Oil
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1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes/Pepperoncino
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1 Large Onion, diced
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6 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
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3 Bay Leaves
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2 lbs Pork Ribs, pre-cooked
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6 oz Tomato Paste
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1 cup Red Wine
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48 oz Passata (Italian tomato puree)
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1 bunch Fresh Basil
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1.5 lbs Italian Pork Sausages, raw
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28 oz Whole Plum Tomatoes, hand crushed
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1 Salt, to taste
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1 Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
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2 tsp Dried Oregano
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0.25 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
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24 Meatballs (24-30)
Instructions
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add a generous pinch of pepperoncino. When it begins to sizzle, add the diced onion and sweat gently until soft and translucent.
- Thinly slice the garlic and add it to the pot along with the bay leaves. Cook gently over medium heat until fragrant.
- Add the pre-cooked pork ribs and stir to combine.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it toasts slightly and coats the meat and onions.
- Deglaze with red wine and simmer until slightly reduced.
- Add the passata. Fill each bottle 1/3 of the way with a little water, shake it around, and add it to the pot.
- Add a handful of fresh basil.
- Add the raw sausages directly to the sauce and let them poach. After about 1 hour, remove, slice, and return them to the pot.
- Hand-crush the canned tomatoes and add to the sauce. Rinse the can and bowl with a little water and add that liquid as well.
- Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano, and chopped parsley.
- Let the sauce gently simmer and percolate for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adjusting seasoning as needed.
Notes
- • We make our own sausages for this recipe, which gives the sauce exceptional flavor and character.
- • We use fresh bay leaves from the tree in our yard. It's always fun to have John go and gather things from the yard for Sunday dinner.
- • The meatballs are added during the simmering process - see our separate meatball recipe card for preparation details.
- • This sauce benefits from slow, gentle cooking. Don't rush it - the 3-hour simmer is what develops the deep, complex flavors.
- • The sauce can be made a day ahead and tastes even better when reheated.
Simple plate at Sunday Supper. I think that is a diet plate.
Mom’s Meatballs: A Family Legacy (with a Chef’s Upgrade)
Now, let’s talk about the star of the show: the meatballs. My mom’s were good—solid, classic, and always plentiful. But as a chef, I couldn’t help but tinker. My version uses a blend of beef, veal (when I can find it), and pork for richness. I dice the onions instead of grating them, letting the moisture tenderize the meat. Chopped garlic, fresh parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, a touch of yogurt and cream, and Progresso Italian breadcrumbs (because, honestly, who always has stale bread around?). No dried spices—just fresh, bright flavors.
And here’s my big change: I fry the meatballs in olive oil instead of baking them. My mom was a neat freak, and baking was tidier, but frying gives you that golden crust and keeps the inside juicy and tender. The trick is to mix the meat gently—overworking makes them tough.
Mom's Meatballs (But Better)
Ingredients
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1 lb Ground Beef
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1 lb Ground Pork
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1 lb Ground Veal
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2 Eggs
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1 cup Parmesan Romano, grated
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0.5 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
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0.25 cup Yogurt, European Style
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0.25 cup Heavy Cream
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3 cloves Garlic, microplaned
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1 Tbsp Black Pepper, ground
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1 Tbsp Salt
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1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
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1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes/Pepperoncino
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0.25 cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
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0.5 Medium Onion, finely diced
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1 cup All-Purpose Flour (for coating)
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1 pinch Salt (for flour)
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1 cup Olive Oil (for frying)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.
- Add eggs, grated Parmesan Romano, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, yogurt, and heavy cream.
- Using a microplane, grate the garlic directly into the mixture.
- Add ground black pepper, salt, dried oregano, a pinch of pepperoncino, and finely chopped parsley.
- Add the finely diced onion to the mixture.
- Mix all ingredients together gently - do not overmix. The mixture should be just barely combined.
- Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, portion the meat mixture into equal-sized balls.
- In a shallow dish, mix the all-purpose flour with a pinch of salt to make seasoned flour.
- Roll each scooped meatball in the seasoned flour, then use your hands to shape into a more uniform ball.
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Fry the meatballs in batches, browning well on both sides. Flip when the first side is golden brown.
- Add the browned meatballs to your Sunday sauce and let cook for about 3 hours.
Notes
- • If veal is unavailable, use 2 lbs of ground beef and 1 lb of ground pork. This is the ratio used in the video.
- • The onions are finely diced, not grated. They should not be cut too small. This allows them to release liquid during cooking, which helps keep the meatballs tender.
- • Do not overmix the meat mixture. Overmixing develops a protein called myosin, which makes the meatballs tough. Mix just until the ingredients are barely combined.
- • A 2-ounce ice cream scoop ensures consistent sizing. From 3 lbs of meat, you should get 24-30 meatballs.
- • The flour coating helps create a nice crust during frying and keeps the meatballs from falling apart.
- • These meatballs finish cooking in the Sunday sauce, absorbing all the wonderful flavors during the 3-hour simmer.
The Sauce: Pork, Sausage, and Love
For the sauce, I start with pork ribs and sausage—no shortcuts. The ribs get a quick run in the pressure cooker, then they, along with the sausages, go right into the sauce to simmer with the meatballs. I don’t roast the sausage first; I want all those juices and flavors in the pot. After a few hours (not too long, or the tomatoes get bitter), you’ve got a sauce that’s rich, meaty, and full of love.
Platter of the meats removed from the Sunday Sauce. This time I did Braciole (brah-ch-yole), not pork ribs.
More Than a Meal—It’s Community
Sunday supper isn’t just about food. It’s about building community, opening your home, and making everyone feel welcome. It’s a tradition that started in that Bristol house and one I’m grateful to continue today with my own family. My wife Bonnie knows how much it means to me, and together we honor my mom’s memory every time we gather around the table.
So here’s to Sunday sauce (never gravy!), to big pots and bigger hearts, and to the hope that sharing these stories and recipes sparks a little bit of community and joy in your own home.
Buon appetito—and remember, there’s always room for one more at the table.
A 2016 gathering, a family and friends gathering for Sunday Supper, when I go home to the family house in Bristol, CT. Mom would be happy.
