Zappa Family Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (2024)

What happens to the pork and beef that have been browned?

This is one of my favorite spaghetti sauce and meatball recipes. I've been making this since 2011. There's a lot to it and it takes a while to get the job done, but it's worth the effort. I make the whole recipe so there are lots of leftovers to freeze for another day. Plus, there's the variety of serving it with meat as a ragu or a spaghetti and meatball dinner.

If you pass the canned tomatoes through a mill, it will take out all the seeds. It only takes a couple of minutes. The seeds make a sauce bitter and without them there is no need to add sugar to the sauce. BTW: spaghetti and meatballs are never served in Italy.

Oregano is only added to Pizza sauce! That's the main difference between red sauce and pizza sauce. My Nonna would be spinning in her grave if see knew What's Jamie's sons number my daughter needs some painting done was added to Sugo (Red Sauce). But, she always added some form of pork to sweeten the sauce.

I am so sorry I never got all the details from my mother-in-law before she passed, so I have been on the same journey of trying to duplicate her gravy. I have discovered two things that bring me closer, though: first, I only use San Marzano tomatoes. Second, after some experimentation I succumbed to the memory of seeing her add chicken livers to the gravy. The combination brings me as close as I can get. Wish I'd had a more extended converation. So much yum at her house.

I hate to ask but what becomes of pork bones?

In the middle of step 2: "Return meats to pot with their juices."

i made this but i could not bring myself to add 4 1/2 cups of water i added 1 cup it turned out fantastic also made it a second time with 1 lb sweet sausage

This is an excellent spaghetti sauce recipe. I tried the brisket, along with a pork chop, the first time I cooked it and found the brisket to be too tough to enjoy in the sauce or on sandwiches. I recommend beef short ribs instead. Not only do they add great flavor but the meat is very tender, falling off the bones, after simmering per the recipe. While you can enjoy the meat as part of the sauce I removed some and made great tasting sandwiches with it.

This isn't true. I've been to Italy many, many times. Not only as a tourist, but to visit family and I've eaten spaghetti & meatballs not only in a restaurant, but also prepared in a family member's home.

Excellent…I did add the 4.5 cups of water and cooked as directed and it was wonderful. Was greeted by the heavenly aromatic homemade sauce/gravy when I came back home from a quick outing… Didn't have any beef to add but did have 2 pieces of pork minute steak so that was my base. Beef/pork/veal mixture meatballs were browned earlier and added to the sauce the last 20 minutes…Nice easy to follow recipe with wonderful results.

Is there an an answer to the question from 2 years ago about what happens to the meat after browning? In the past with other recipes I have used a large rib pork chop, and added it back once the sauce begins it’s 2+ hour simmer. But this recipe has much more meat so I’m wondering if the meat is discarded?

We have stopped buying marinara sauce because of this recipe.

From Italian grandmas: pasta is a 1st course to make sure the teenagers don't eat the tablecloth, a lb will save it from about 6-8 teenagers. Tiny changes in the sauce recipe in order of importance, as tomatoes are cooked: 1/4 C at least of dried parsley, 1-2 lbs of sweet Italian sausage in 1 inch pieces, pre-browned and drained, roughly 1C of robust red wine, no sugar. After the meat is tender remove it, add the meatballs to finish. The meat is part of the 2nd course, with vegetable sides.

“Restaurant quality” says my wife, of this sauce and the meatballs. She spent years going to high end Italian restaurants in New York city.

Can you make this sauce without pork? If so what would you substitute?

Wonderful sauce, best recipe I tried out of 10

People LOVE this recipe! I substituted ground turkey for a more heart healthy dish...it's all good!

This is a great recipe and fun to boot. I enjoyed looking through the various cuts of pork and beef in the reduced for quick sale section of the grocery. I found a bit of brisket and steak and a couple chunks of fatty trimmings in a package marked "beef suet." For the pork, I got two bone in pork shoulder steaks. Spent just over $5 on the meat. The pleasure of the aroma of the sauce is worth making it.

Best spaghetti sauce ever! Only added 2 1/2 cups of water though to keep the thickness (I like my sauce a little heavier) and used short rib and pork chop. Overall it was amazing though! I will definitely make it again.

Simple. Depends on your taste. The whole tomatoes should be put through a food mill, Sauce ... Fresh Basil. No garlic. Just Red Onions cooked way down. Cook both down to a thick puree'. Some Pork in there if you want. (Otherwise, it's a Ragu). A 'Sunday Sauce', lots of meat. Takes the better part of day. I'm an Irish guy who grew up in an Italian neighborhood. 'Nonnas' would pat and pinch my cheeks. I just liked to cook. Ah! The girls were jealous and gorgeous!

Is there an an answer to the question from 2 years ago about what happens to the meat after browning? In the past with other recipes I have used a large rib pork chop, and added it back once the sauce begins it’s 2+ hour simmer. But this recipe has much more meat so I’m wondering if the meat is discarded?

Simmering this right now. I skipped the sugar and peperoncini, and deglazed the pot (after the onions and garlic sauteed in the meat drippings) with a little balsamic vinegar which I thought would substitute nicely for those two ingredients while adding a little complexity of its own.

OMG!!! The answer to all my Italian prayers!! Love this recipe! Married to an Italian who has suck wonderful memories of Nonna and his mother's gravy. He loved this! Thank you very much!

why, oh why ruin a perfectly good tomato (if you are saying use Italian) with sugar! Absolutely no reason!

Best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever had, hands down!

This tastes un-American. Fast food or die!