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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.
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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hi! Is there a good substitute for the butter? I don’t mix red meat and dairy.
This looks so good will be making it today. Would you say the sauce would freeze well?
Hey Nicole,
Yes totally fine to freeze this sauce! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi, just a follow up to my post about using a blade or chuck roast…I did end up using the roast, I cut it into 6 pieces,browned those and proceeded with the recipe. I sent my hubby to the store for sundried tomatoes, but he brought back sundried tomato pesto! So I used a couple TBL of that, it was amazing! It took the full 8 hours, and it was awesome. I did not add the jalapeno peppers, but added more chili flakes. I got a thick wonderful sauce, don’t skip the browned butter, it adds a complex layer to the recipe…that was pure genius!
Hi Barbie! I am so happy this recipe turned out so amazing for you!! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
I would love to make this recipe, but I’m having a hard time finding short ribs. Can you recommend another cut of beef? I was thinking possibly a blade roast cut into chunks? Many thanks.
Hey Barbie,
You could use chuck roast in place of the short ribs. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Iv made so many of your recipes in the last few months each one has been a hit I always try to tag you on Instagram when I do. With this recipe what kind of red wine works best not a red wine drinker also what other cuts could be used instead of ribs?
Hey Rhian,
Thanks for trying so many recipes! I would do a Cabernet Sauvignon. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Are the jalapeño peppers sliced or whole peppers? Fresh or pickled? Seeded or not?
Thank you
Hey Dotty,
I like to use pickled jalapeños, chop them, and whether you want to keep the seeds or not is totally up to you:) I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Could I make this in a dutch oven in the oven? If so, what temperature should the oven be, and how long would I have the ribs and sauce in the oven?
Hey Beverly,
I would do 325 for at least 3 hours. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
6 tablespoons of butter. No wonder there is an obesity epidemic in the USA
I couldn’t help myself, so I have to respond to this. The obesity epidemic is not due to too much fat–it is because of too much sugar and processed food.
Should I make any adjustments for the recipe if using an instant pot?
Hey Tess,
No adjustments needed:) Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
Hi.. have you ever made this recipe in a pressure cooker (after searing the ribs on the stovetop)? I like to cook baby back ribs in my pressure cooker and thought this recipe might work in one as well (certainly amending cooking time). Advice appreciated!
Hey Anne,
I haven’t tested this but I think it would work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Making this tomorrow! Love the idea of picketed jalapeños but want to serve this to my kids (2 and 4), will it make it too spicy for them? Thanks!
Hey Elizabeth,
Since they are pickled they shouldn’t be too spicy but you can always leave those out:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
~ It’s in the crockpot ~ Fingers crossed ~ fresh rigatoni pasta …
~ Looking forward to dinner
Amazing! I hope you love this Jane! xTieghan
Hi there! Is this something that can be prepared ahead of time and frozen?
Hi Victoria! You can prepare the sauce fully, cool it, then freeze for up to 4 months. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Going to make this in a dutch oven..any tips? And possibly a substitute for short ribs? Sometimes my grocery store doesn’t have them! Been dying to try a Sunday sauce with some shredded meat in it!
HI! Just simmer the sauce low and slow on the stop-top over medium low heat. That will work perfectly! If the store does not have short ribs, use a chuck roast. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
This recipe is absolutely delicious!! Thanks for sharing, Tieghan
Thank you Penny! xTieghan
Tieghan. I cannot begin to tell you how delicious this recipe is. I saw it on the site (and the first cookbook, I think) a while back but was too intimidated by the ingredients list. But this past Sunday was chilly and rainy and I decided I needed a crockpot dinner. I took another look at this recipe and realized I had most everything in the pantry already so decided to give it a try. Boy am I glad I did. It was 100% the perfect dinner and I couldn’t wait to come home Monday night and have another bowl. My husband was blown away as well and was raving all night and again the next night. I can’t wait to make it again for Sunday Dinner with the family! Thank you so much and can’t wait for Super Simple!
Wow that is so amazing! I am so glad you loved this recipe and it turned out perfectly! Thank you Alice! xTieghan