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Our go-to Crockpot Sunday Sauce. Slow simmered Italian-style tomato sauce cooked with short ribs. If there’s one cozy fall and winter meal you need to be making, it’s this Sunday sauce. It’s a simple-to-put-together family-style meal that smells incredible while cooking away all day. Serve over hot pasta with freshly grated parmesan, basil, and a side of garlic bread. A hearty dinner that’s lovely on a Sunday, but equally great any night you decide to serve.
It’s Monday, but we’re making Sunday sauce. This recipe is so special. Of course, you can make it any day of the week. But I find it best when slow-cooked all Sunday long. Because there really is nothing cozier on a Sunday, than an incredible smelling dinner cooking away.
Add to the ambiance with fresh garlic bread and a candle burning in the background. My ideal kind of fall night.
As I type this, I’m in New York and loving my time here. Fall is beautiful in this city and the chilly nights have had me craving slow-cooker meals. I think most of us are on the same page.
With the weather officially cold and November just around the corner, it’s the time of year when we all start to stay in more, host casual dinners with friends, and embrace the cozy season. This sauce is the perfect recipe to have in your rotation of easy, special dinners to share with family and friends.
It’s an oldie-but-goodie recipe that I make throughout the fall and winter months, and one my family loves.
Here are the details
Start by searing the ribs in a nice big skillet. Or if using the oven method, a cocotte that’s oven safe. When the ribs are browned, pull them out and add them to the bowl of your crockpot/slow cooker (whatever you’d prefer to call it).
At this point, everything else goes in. The tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, red wine, carrots, onions, jalapeños, and Italian seasoning.
I also add a parmesan rind for extra flavor, plus 1 whole head of garlic right on top of the sauce. Then, slow cook all day long. The more time the sauce has to really simmer away, the more flavor it will develop.
Just before the sauce is finished cooking, I pull out the head of garlic, then squash out the cloves.
Take the cloves and melt them together with salted butter on the stove. As the butter slowly melts, smash the cloves down and allow some of the garlic to get crispy as the butter begins to brown.
When the butter is browned, I pour the garlicky goodness right back into the sauce. Of course, this step is not crucial to the recipe. But it really adds a special richness to the sauce that’s very delicious.
For serving
I always, always serve the sauce over hot pasta, topped with freshly grated parmesan and basil. Polenta could be another nice option if you’re looking for something other than pasta.
This sauce is also really great without the short ribs, just cook it up with your favorite meatballs.
Be sure to include some kind of bread, we love garlic bread or beer bread. A nice salad alongside is perfect too.
Yummmy, as Oslo loves to say. This is always a crowd pleaser!
Looking for other slow cooked fall recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Red Wine Cranberry Braised Short Ribs
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta
Slow Cooker Coq au Vin with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Sunday Sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Sunday Sauce
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1047 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds bone in beef short ribs
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 cans (28 ounce) crushed san Marzano tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 2 carrots, cut into large pieces
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup pickled jalapeños (optional, but recommend)
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 -1 teaspoon chili flakes
- parmesan rind, plus grated parmesan, for serving
- 1 head garlic, top portion trimmed off
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- pasta, plus fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat, sear the ribs on both sides. Place the ribs in the slow cooker. 2. To the slow cooker, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, wine, carrots, onion, pickled jalapeños, Italian seasoning, and season generously with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Stir the sauce to combine. 3. Place the parmesan rind in the sauce. Add the garlic head. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. During the last hour of cooking, remove the garlic. 4. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins. Add both the butter and cloves to a skillet set over medium heat. Mash the garlic into the butter, allowing the butter to brown and some of the garlic to get crispy. Remove from the heat.5. Remove the parmesan rind. Shred the ribs and add them to the sauce. Stir the garlic butter into the sauce. Serve over pasta. Top with parmesan and basil. Enjoy!
Oven
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.2. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-safe Dutch Oven over high heat, sear the ribs on both sides. 3. Reduce the heat to low. To the pot, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, wine, carrots, onion, pickled jalapeños, Italian seasoning, and season generously with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Stir the sauce to combine. Add the parmesan rind and garlic. Cover and roast in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone. During the last hour of cooking, remove the garlic. 4. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins. Add both the butter and cloves to a skillet set over medium heat. Mash the garlic into the butter, allowing the butter to brown and some of the garlic to get crispy. Remove from the heat. 5. Remove the parmesan rind. Shred the ribs and add them to the sauce. Stir the garlic butter into the sauce. Serve over pasta. Top with parmesan and basil. Enjoy!
Notes
Italian Seasoning:Â Mix 2 tablespoons dried basil, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried sage. Store in a sealed container.
I made the Sunday Sauce today and it turned out great! The suggestion to serve it with garlic bread was the icing on the cake. I made the bread from scratch and it was perfect with this dish. Thanks for the great recipes!
Hey Mariann,
Happy Wednesday! I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was a winner! 🤩
Oldie but a goodie. Is anything revamped about this from the other recipe other than the pasta type in the pics?
Thanks so much Jamie!! I updated the recipe by changing up some ingredients and simplifying the recipe! Let me know if you give it a try! xT
does this recipe call for 1/3 jar of pickled jalapenos, or 1/3 of a jalapeno? It’s not clear.
Thanks!
The recipe says 1/3 cup of pickled jalapeno.
Hi Elizabeth,
The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of pickled jalapeños. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I have a ton of ripe tomatoes from my garden. Could I use those instead of the canned ones?
Hi Shelley,
You could certainly give it a try, my only concern is that you may not have enough liquids. I hope this recipe turns out well for you! xx
From my husband; “Oh, my goodness (really G**!, but you get the jest), honey, this is sooo GOOD!”. Then he asks, “Where is this from?”…I say, Tieghan! It was just what we needed on a cool fall evening (seems like forever, since I used the oven!). The best sauce I have ever made in this household. Between the smell of this meal cooking for hours in the oven and your amazing Pumpkin Smash Candle by Snif, we are in complete bliss! Bravo!
Hey Lisa,
Lol love this!! So glad to hear both you and your husband enjoyed this recipe and thanks for ordering the candle!! 🎃
Can you make this in an Instapot? Thanks!
Hey Lydia,
Sure!! I would sear the ribs and add everything but the pasta to the instant pot. Cook on high for 20 minutes. Release the stream shred the meat. Serve over your choice of pasta. I hope you love this recipe! xx
Can I use chuck roast in place of the ribs? Thanks
Hey Naomi,
Totally, that will work well for you! Let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope it’s delish! xT
Do you have an idea of how much chuck roast to use instead? My local grocery store doesn’t have short ribs!
Ahhh I’m not exactly sure because I haven’t tried this, I would say maybe 3 pounds. Your butcher should have a better idea!!
Where can we find that pasta?
Hi Kim,
Here is the link for the pasta:
https://shopstyle.it/l/bMlQv
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hey Tieghan, is there smother type of meat this recipe would work with?
Hey Elle,
Sure, a beef chuck would be a great idea! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this recipe turns out well for you! xx
I had the same questions, but, reading the above wonderful description, all my questions were answered. Add garlic after browning, to the sauce. Making this tonight!
Thanks so much Lisa!! I hope this recipe turns out well for you, let me know if you give it a try! xT
this recipe has a few unanswered questions!! not the first time..
So sorry for the mistakes Erin, I think I fixed everything, please let me know if there is anything that I am missing:)
Can you suggest a good substitute for the red wine? Some of my folks are alcohol-free.
Hi Sally,
Of course, broth will also work well for you in place of the wine. I hope this recipe is tasty for you, let me know if you give it a try! xT
Not that I am an oficiando, but cooking evaporates the alcohol.
What do you do with the garlic once it is browned in the butter? This recipe looks delicious, can’t wait to try it! Thank you 😊
For those wondering what to do with the garlic, her blog says to pour the browned butter and garlic back into the sauce.
Thanks Sandy!!
It says pour the garlic butter into the sauce.
Thanks Nicole!!
Thanks so much Sarah!! You will add this to the sauce in step 5:) I hope this recipe turns out well for you! xT
1/3 ? what for the pickled jalapeños??
Hi Michelle,
You’ll want to use 1/3 cup of pickled jalapeños! Please let me know if I can help in any other way, I hope you love this dish! xx
What do you do with the smashed garlic and browned butter?
Hi there,
You are going to add the garlic butter to the sauce in step 5:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT