From the moment I arrived at my Nonna and Nonno’s house every Sunday for lunch, I was met with the beautiful aroma of simmering tomato sauce…and that was Nonna’s Sunday Sauce with Spareribs & Meatballs. One you followed the aroma all the way to the stove, you’d find a large pot which held a sauce with an assortment of meat — sometimes the types of meat would slightly change but the classic was always meatballs & spareribs. My favorite was the little tray of mini fried meatballs my Nonna Pompea put aside for my brother and I, knowing we’d want a snack as soon as we arrived.
Once everything was ready, we’d sit together as a family and talk about our week over this beautiful home-cooked meal. First, we started with the pasta, then we moved on to the meat and some salad. Then we finished with some sort of simple sweet treat, my favorite was always sliced strawberries soaked in orange juice.
These sunday meals will always be one of my fondest memories. It was more than just a meal, but a symbol of love and tradition – one that I intend on passing down to my kids one day as well.
❤️ Why You’ll Love Nonna’s Sunday Sauce
Below you’ll find the recipe to my nonna Pompea’s meatballs, spareribs and sauce. This is the first recipe I ever learned to make, as I stood on a stool next to her at the age of 3.
It’s the kind of dish that I believe every home cook should have in their back pocket. I’d be lying if I said it was a quick recipe because the reality is that it’s one of those dishes that just gets better with time as it simmers. But that is what makes it perfect for a cozy sunday meal.
🍲 Ingredients
Onion – a yellow or vidalia onion, something light and sweet. This is an optional add for some, but for a meat sauce we always like to add it.
Garlic – a whole few cloves, finely minced. For the sauce & meatballs.
Olive oil – using the good stuff really makes a difference. (Though, for frying feel free to sub in another neutral oil if necessary.)
Crushed red pepper flakes – in this family we like a touch of heat, but its optional.
Canned peeled tomatoes – Nonna always said the whole tomatoes crushed by hand or pushed through the pass was the best, but if you need a short cut opt for some Tomato puree (passata)
Fresh basil – the whole thing, stem included! It has so much flavor.
Bone-in spareribs – A cheap cut with SO much flavor.
Ground meat – Nonna’s trilogy was always ½ lb pork, ½ lb beef, ½ lb veal.
Fresh Parsley – for the meatball mix.
Chopped bread – stale if you have leftover or fresh and crisp, chopped up in cubes and soaked in milk.
Eggs – to bind it all together.
Parmigiano Reggiano – to add to the meatball mix & to garnish.
Pasta – pick your favorite shape! Nonna always used rigatoni or linguini/spaghetti, but anything goes here.
👩🍳 How to Make Nonna’s Sunday Sauce
Start with the Ribs
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, sear spareribs until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Get the Sauce going
In the same pot, add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until soft. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Add crushed tomatoes, water, and basil. Bring to a simmer.
Simmer with Ribs
Return the ribs to the pot. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Make the Meatballs
Soak bread in milk until softened. In a bowl, combine ground meats, soaked bread, garlic, parsley, eggs, Parmigiano, and salt. Mix gently and form into meatballs.
Fry the Meatballs
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and fry meatballs until browned on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked through.
Finish the Sauce
Nestle meatballs into the sauce during the last 15–20 minutes of cooking to finish through and absorb flavor.
Cook the Pasta & Assemble
Boil pasta until al dente. Drain, then toss immediately with 1 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Add a few ladlefuls of sauce and mix gently until the pasta is glossy and coated.
Serve
Plate the pasta, then spoon additional sauce over the top. Finish with more Parmigiano.
🗒 Substitutions
While the Nonna’s sunday sauce is hard to swap out, the proteins can definitely be replaced.
- Make turkey or chicken meatballs for a lighter and leaner option.
- Make zucchini, eggplant or tofu meatball to keep it vegetarian.
- Make it without any meat at all! Keeping it lighter yet still delicious.
🗒 Nonna’s Sunday Sauce is Best served with
- A light salad
- Fresh bread
- Red wine
- Good company 🙂
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
🤔 Common Questions
Yes! Sunday sauce actually gets better with time. You can make it a day or two in advance and reheat gently before serving.
Nope — use what you have. The combo of pork, beef, and veal gives richness, but two or even one type will still be delicious.
You can, but searing adds flavor and helps them hold together better. Totally worth the extra step.
Barilla is my go-to brand and as far as the shape, I love rigatoni, fettuccine, or spaghetti — anything that holds sauce well. Just make sure it’s al dente and tossed with Parm!
This keeps them tender and prevents overcooking. Just 15–20 minutes is all they need to soak up flavor without drying out.
Nonna’s Sunday Sauce with Meatballs & Spareribs
Ingredients
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Three 28 oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 large stem fresh basil
For the Spareribs & Meatballs
- 2 lbs bone-in spareribs, seasoned generously with salt
- 1.5 –2 lbs ground meat, I like a mix of ½ lb pork, ½ lb beef, ½ lb veal
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup day-old bread, chopped
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 tbsp salt, or to taste
- Olive oil, for frying
For the Pasta
- 1 lb Barilla pasta, rigatoni, fettuccine, or spaghetti work beautifully
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for tossing
Instructions
Sear the Spareribs
- Pat the ribs dry and season all over with salt. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, sear them over medium-high heat until deeply golden on all sides. Work in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
Build the Sauce
- Lower the heat and add olive oil, onion, and garlic to the same pot. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes.
- Crush the peeled tomatoes by hand (or blend if you prefer a smooth sauce), then add them to the pot along with the water and basil. Bring to a simmer.
Simmer with Ribs
- Return the seared spareribs to the sauce. Partially cover the pot and simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the ribs are tender and the sauce is full of depth.
Make the Meatballs
- While the sauce simmers, soak the bread in milk until softened, then break it up well with your hands. In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, soaked bread, garlic, parsley, eggs, Parmigiano, and salt. Mix gently by hand and form into meatballs — don’t overwork the mixture.
Fry the Meatballs
- In a large skillet, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning until browned on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked through — just beautifully golden.
Finish the Sauce
- During the final 15–20 minutes of simmering, nestle the browned meatballs into the sauce. Let them gently finish cooking in the pot, absorbing all that Sunday flavor.
Cook the Pasta & Assemble
- Boil the pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Drain, then toss immediately with 1 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Add a few ladlefuls of sauce and mix until the pasta is glossy and well coated.
Serve
- Plate the pasta, then spoon more sauce on top. Serve with the meatballs and ribs, and finish with another sprinkle of Parmigiano. Enjoy with your people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good!!