Spare ribs in tomato sauce, an easy and tasty traditional recipe, are one of those dishes that smell of home and family Sundays. A main course full of flavor, with a thick and enveloping sauce. Perfect not only to accompany meat, but also to dress pasta or a nice slice of steaming polenta.
Dipping bread into the sauce of the spare ribs is almost a ritual, a simple gesture that holds memories and traditions. Every time I prepare this dish, I go back in my mind to my childhood, to Sundays spent in the kitchen while the sauce slowly simmered on the stove. I still remember my father, without much ceremony, dipping the roll directly into the pot while my mother scolded him with a smile, telling him he should use a spoon. Everyday life scenes that make this recipe even more special.
To prepare spare ribs in tomato sauce, pork ribs are used, which are first seared in a fragrant sauté, deglazed with white wine, and then enveloped by tomato pulp. Slow cooking over low heat is essential: only this way does the meat become tender and the sauce enriched with all its flavor.
To make the sauce even tastier, I often add a couple of crumbled sausages to the sauté, before adding the spare ribs. A small trick that gives a full-bodied and irresistible sauce, perfect also for dressing a Sunday first course.
Before moving on to the recipe, I leave you with some other ideas for preparing flavorful and genuine main courses, ideal for family lunch.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 392.89 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 17.05 (g) of which sugars 1.02 (g)
- Proteins 30.01 (g)
- Fat 22.45 (g) of which saturated 3.36 (g)of which unsaturated 5.15 (g)
- Fibers 3.59 (g)
- Sodium 714.20 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 1/2 onion
- to taste chili pepper
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2.2 lbs pork ribs
- 2 sausages (medium/small)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cans tomato pulp (400 g each)
- 3/8 cup water
- to taste coarse salt
- Few leaves bay leaf
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot
Preparation
Clean the carrot, celery, and onion, then finely chop them with a knife. Transfer the chopped vegetables into a large pot, add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, a pinch of chili pepper. Sauté over medium heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are well browned and release all their aroma, being careful not to burn them.
When the sauté is well golden, add the sausages without the casing and break them directly into the pot. With the help of a ladle or fork, crumble them well and let them brown for a couple of minutes, until they start to color and flavor the cooking base.
Now add the pork ribs and cover the pot with a lid. Let them brown over high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are well browned on all sides, taking care not to let them stick or burn the sauté. At this point, deglaze with the white wine and let it evaporate completely over high heat, without the lid, for about a minute.
Add the tomato pulp and adjust the salt with the coarse salt. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then stir well, lower the heat, and add the bay leaves. Let it cook over low heat for about two hours, keeping the lid slightly lifted on one side, so that the sauce can reduce slowly without spilling.
During cooking, stir occasionally and be careful not to prolong the times too much to avoid the meat from falling apart. If at the end you want a thicker sauce, remove the lid, slightly increase the heat and let it thicken for a few more minutes.
✍️ FINAL NOTES
Spare ribs in tomato sauce are a rich and succulent main course, ideal to be enjoyed hot, accompanied by plenty of bread for the inevitable dipping. The slow cooking makes the meat tender and flavorful, while the sauce is enriched with all the aromas of the sauté and the meat.
The excess sauce is a real treat: it can be used to dress a plate of pasta, as a base for a rustic risotto, or to accompany steaming polenta, served together with the ribs. The day after, if possible, it’s even better, because the flavors have had time to blend better.
This dish is perfect for Sunday lunches or occasions when you want to bring a traditional, simple but full of flavor recipe to the table, capable of pleasing everyone.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I prepare spare ribs in tomato sauce in advance?
Yes, spare ribs in tomato sauce can be prepared the day before. In fact, after a few hours of rest (or the next day), they are even better because the flavors blend better.
What type of tomato is best to use?
Tomato pulp is ideal for obtaining a thick and full-bodied sauce. Alternatively, you can use rustic passata or hand-crushed peeled tomatoes.
Can I use only ribs without sausage?
Of course, the recipe is excellent even without sausage. The sausage serves only to make the sauce richer and more flavorful, but it can be easily omitted.
