Instant Pot Sunday Sauce is a rich, hearty tomato sauce made with Italian sausage, meatballs, garlic, red wine, and Italian herbs. The pressure cooker brings all those delicious flavors together in less time than traditional Sunday sauce simmering on the stove.
I love a good homemade Sunday sauce, especially one loaded with meatballs and sausage. This Instant Pot version gives me that comforting, homemade flavor without spending hours watching a pot on the stove.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Rich Flavor: Sausage, meatballs, red wine, and herbs make a hearty sauce.
- Less Simmering: The Instant Pot cuts down on hours of stovetop cooking.
- One-Pot Cooking: Brown the meat right in the Instant Pot.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make extra sauce for another dinner.
About the Ingredients
- Garlic: Adds fresh, savory flavor.
- Meatballs: Use your favorite homemade or store-bought meatballs.
- Italian Sausage: Adds hearty flavor to the sauce.
- Red Wine: Gives the tomato sauce extra depth.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Create the thick tomato base.
- Whole Peeled Tomatoes: Add texture and rich tomato flavor.
- Bay Leaves: Add subtle flavor as the sauce cooks.
- Oregano, Thyme, and Rosemary: Give the sauce its Italian herb flavor.
- Water: Adds liquid for pressure cooking.
- Olive Oil: Used to brown the meat and garlic.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Instant Pot Sunday Sauce
Brown the Sausage: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add olive oil, sliced garlic, and sausage. Cook until the sausage is browned.
Brown the Meatballs: Remove the sausage and lightly brown the meatballs in the same pot.
Add the Ingredients: Return the sausage to the pot. Add the red wine and water, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Do not stir the thick tomato sauce into the bottom of the pot.
Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes.
Release and Serve: Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid. Remove the bay leaves, check that the meatballs and sausage are fully cooked, and serve with your favorite pasta.
Tips I Found Helpful
- Brown the Meat: Adds extra flavor to the sauce.
- Deglaze the Pot: Scrape up browned bits to help prevent a burn warning.
- Use Good Tomatoes: Quality canned tomatoes make a difference.
- Adjust the Thickness: Use Sauté after pressure cooking if you prefer a thicker sauce.
- Remove Bay Leaves: Take them out before serving.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
More Recipes I Love
Instant pot Sunday Sauce
A rich homemade tomato sauce with Italian sausage, meatballs, red wine, and herbs, made in the Instant Pot.
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 pound meatballs
- 1 pound Italian sausage links
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- Pinch of thyme
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add olive oil, sliced garlic, and sausage links. Cook until browned, then remove the sausage.
- Add the meatballs and brown lightly on all sides.
- Return the sausage to the pot. Pour in the red wine and water, scraping the bottom to loosen any browned bits.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, whole peeled tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Keep the thick tomatoes above the thinner liquid without stirring them into the bottom.
- Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally. Carefully open the lid and remove the bay leaves.
- Check that the meatballs and sausage have reached a safe internal temperature, then serve with your favorite pasta.
Notes
Use fully thawed meatballs and sausage. Cooking time does not include browning, coming to pressure, or pressure release. Use an Instant Pot large enough to keep the ingredients below the maximum fill line.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 278Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 599mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 13g
Hello, I was wonder what size the crushed and whole canned tomatoes are? I went to the store last night for the ingredients and didn’t know which to get