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white serving bowl with italian gravy for pasta in it

Old School Italian Gravy

Amanda
Rich and delicious, this Old School Italian Gravy is a perfectly crafted sauce that is simmered all day and is great for any Italian dish!
4.81 from 99 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 32 servings
Calories 39 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium beef marrow bone neck, knuckle or ribs bones
  • ½ large yellow onion chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons dried basil
  • 2 Tablespoons dried parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons dried oregano
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups dry red wine approximately ½ of a bottle
  • 2 quarts beef broth or stock
  • 2 28 ounce cans San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2 28 ounce cans tomato puree
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat and add in the olive oil. Once the the olive oil begins to shimmer, add in the beef bone and cook till browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in the chopped onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent and start to brown.
  • Next, add in the garlic, herbs and tomato paste and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes while stirring.
  • Deglaze the pot by pouring in the red wine and scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any bits stuck to it.
  • Add in the beef broth or stock as well as all of the tomatoes (whole, crushed and puree) and stir to thoroughly combine. Reduce heat to medium low.
  • Continue to simmer the sauce for a minimum of 1 hour, but 4-6 hours is preferred. Make sure to stir the sauce every 30 minutes or so to make sure everything is combined and nothing burns.
  • Once the sauce has been cooked down, remove the beef bone and season with salt and pepper, if needed. The sauce can then be used immediately or cooled completely to be frozen or canned. For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to blend to the desired consistency.

Notes

RECIPE ADJUSTMENTS:
  • Bones - Omit if you are vegetarian/vegan or if you cannot find them.
  • Broth - Use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian/vegan.
  • San Marzano Tomatoes - If you can’t locate these, regular canned tomatoes can be used.
  • Wine - You can substitute this with extra broth if you don’t like to cook with wine or don’t have any on hand.
Recipe Yields 4-6 quarts of sauce, depending on how much the sauce is reduced.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupsCalories: 39kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 263mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 94IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @scarlatifamilykitchen or tag #scarlatifamilykitchen!