When it comes to Italian cuisine, few names stand out as much as Mario Batali. The renowned chef has become an icon for authentic Italian cooking, and his Sunday gravy recipe is one of his most famed creations.
If you’ve been looking for a delicious and traditional Italian Sunday meal, this is the perfect recipe to try.
What is Mario Batali’s Sunday Gravy?
Mario Francesco Batali is an American chef, writer, and former restaurateur. Batali co-owned restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Singapore. He has made significant contributions to the culinary world and has achieved great success as a chef and media personality.
One of his most popular dishes is Sunday Gravy. It is the most favorite Italian-American meal. The Sunday gravy is a traditional slow-cooked tomato sauce, made from a combination of meat, tomato sauce, and herbs.
Typically, the sauce is served over a bed of pasta, but it can also be used as a sauce for other dishes like lasagna, eggplant parmesan, or pizza.
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s a simple dish to prepare but it has so much flavor and depth. With just a few basic ingredients,
Why You’ll Love This Mario Batali Sunday Gravy?
Mario Batali’s Sunday Gravy is a truly unique and delicious Italian dish. The slow-cooking process ensures that all of the flavors blend together perfectly, creating a sauce that is full of depth and complexity.
This recipe also uses a combination of different types of meat, allowing you to customize the dish to your personal preferences.
Furthermore, the long cooking time gives you plenty of time to prepare other dishes or spend time with your family.
The Ingredients
- Plum tomatoes: This is the base for the gravy, and San Marzano plum tomatoes are best. The tomatoes should be pulsed in a blender or hand-crushed before adding them to the sauce.
- Ground beef: This adds a hearty flavor and texture to the dish. You can use any ground meat you like, but beef tends to lend itself to this recipe particularly well.
- Tomato paste: This adds a bit of sweetness and depth to the sauce.
- Onion: A medium-sized onion is diced and added to the sauce.
- Red wine: This adds a bit of acidity and depth of flavor to the gravy.
- Olive oil: Olive oil helps to bring out all of the flavors in the sauce and prevents it from sticking to the pot.
- Salt, sugar, and pepper: These are used for seasoning.
Directions
Step 1:
Heat a pot and add the olive oil, finely chopped onion, and ground beef. Cook until the beef is completely cooked through and browned.
Step 2:
Add in the salt, pepper, sugar, and tomato paste to the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes more or until everything is well combined.
Step 3:
Reduce the heat to low and add the plum tomatoes. Let it simmer for 2 hours while stirring occasionally.
Step 4:
Once cooked, pour in the red wine and let it continue cooking for an additional hour until it has reduced by half.
Step 5:
Taste the sauce to adjust any seasonings as needed.
Step 6:
Serve over your favorite pasta dish or as a side for lasagna, eggplant parmesan, or pizza. Enjoy!
Notes
• If you prefer a thicker sauce, feel free to add a few tablespoons of tomato paste.
• If you want to add some heat to the sauce, you can add some red pepper flakes.
• You can also substitute ground turkey or ground pork for the ground beef in this recipe.
• For a richer flavor, you can add a few tablespoons of olive oil.
• This sauce freezes beautifully, so feel free to make a large batch and freeze it for future use.
• If you don’t have red wine, you can substitute an equal amount of beef broth.
Storage Tips
Any leftover Mario Batali Sunday Gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze the sauce, allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight freezer-safe container. The sauce will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
One serving of Mario Batali Sunday Gravy contains approximately:
Serving Suggestions
• Serve the sauce over a bed of your favorite pasta.
• Use the sauce as a topping for pizza.
• Use the sauce in lasagna or eggplant parmesan.
• Use the sauce as a base for a hearty soup.
• Serve the sauce with roasted vegetables.
• Use the sauce as a dip for breadsticks or garlic bread.
What Other Substitutes Can I Use in Mario Batali Sunday Gravy?
There are a few ingredients that can be substituted in this recipe if you don’t have them on hand. Here are some of the most common substitutions:
• Ground Beef – You can substitute ground turkey or ground pork for the ground beef.
• Italian Sausage – You can substitute sweet or hot Italian sausage for the Italian sausage.
• Tomatoes – You can substitute fresh tomatoes for the canned tomatoes.
• Tomato Paste – You can substitute tomato sauce for the tomato paste.
• Red Wine – You can substitute beef broth for the red wine.
• Herbs – You can substitute fresh herbs for the dried herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?
Yes, you can use ground turkey or ground pork instead of ground beef.
What can I do with leftover Sunday Gravy?
Leftover Sunday Gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Q. Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes?
Yes, you can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes.
Can I freeze the sauce?
A. Yes, the sauce freezes beautifully. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight freezer-safe container.
Q. What other herbs can I use in the recipe?
You can use any of your favorite herbs in the recipe, such as oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
Equipment
- A large cooking pot
- Knife, Measuring spoon
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 428- ounce cans of San Marzano plum tomatoes blender pulsed or hand crushed
- 1 pound ground beef
- 16- ounce can of tomato paste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 onion diced medium size
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 cup red wine
Instructions
- Heat a large pot on medium-high heat and add in the olive oil, onion, and ground beef.
- Cook the mixture until the beef is fully cooked and browned.
- Add in the salt, pepper, sugar, and tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes more or until everything is combined.
- Reduce the heat to a low setting and add in the plum tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once the sauce is cooked, you can add in the red wine and let it cook for an additional hour until it has reduced by half.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if desired.
- Serve over your favorite pasta or as a side for other dishes like lasagna, eggplant parmesan, or pizza. Enjoy.
Notes
• If you want to add some heat to the sauce, you can add some red pepper flakes.
• You can also substitute ground turkey or ground pork for the ground beef in this recipe.
• For a richer flavor, you can add a few tablespoons of olive oil.
• This sauce freezes beautifully, so feel free to make a large batch and freeze it for future use.
• If you don’t have red wine, you can substitute an equal amount of beef broth.
Nutrition
Conclusion
Mario Batali’s Sunday Gravy is a classic Italian dish that is sure to please. This recipe is incredibly easy to make and the slow-cooking process ensures that all of the flavors blend together perfectly.
The sauce can be served over a bed of pasta or used as a sauce for other dishes. This recipe is also very versatile, as you can customize it to your personal tastes by using different types of meat and herbs.
So, if you’re looking for a delicious and traditional Italian Sunday meal, this is the perfect recipe to try.