Cooking 101—Precisely what is a Sunday Gravy? It depends on who you ask. You'll come across countless ways to create a sauce, and truth be told, some people eat it on Sunday.
Nona Says, Sunday Gravy
Say the word Gravy, and everyone has an opinion! But should this meat sauce be known as “gravy” or “sauce”?
In Italy, it's called sugo della domenica or Sunday’s sauce—a primary term among Italians for a special mama’s sauce. In the United States, Sunday Gravy is usually a tomato-based sauce prepared with a variety of meat, including meatballs, pork chops, spare ribs, and sausage.
East Coast Italians sometimes refer to tomato sauce as "gravy," "tomato gravy," or "Sunday gravy." These sauces contain a large amount of meat simmered for hours, similar to the Italian Neapolitan ragù.
Sunday gravy takes hours to prepare to acquire the rich, deep flavor that inspires so many people's love for this Italian meal. The sauce or gravy is commonly served over a bed of pasta with your choice of meat off to the side.
