Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce {Step-by-Step Tutorial}
Using garden fresh tomatoes, this delicious homemade canned spaghetti sauce recipe is super easy to make (step-by-step pictures below) and so flavorful!
Long promised, I’m finally sharing the homemade canned spaghetti sauce recipe that will adequately take care of all those lingering fresh garden tomatoes!
Below is a step-by-step guide to making and canning this marinara sauce along with some general details about canning to help out any beginners interested in getting started.
This sauce is thick and hearty with a rich flavor that suits everything from topping a simple plate of pasta or using in recipes that call for jarred spaghetti sauce.
As you may already know, I have a tried-and-true, decades old homemade spaghetti sauce I use regularly for family spaghetti dinners (and a faster weeknight spaghetti sauce), but neither of those have been tested for canning safety.
That’s where this homemade canned spaghetti sauce recipe comes in! While the flavor profile of this canned version is a little different from the above favorites, it is delicious in its own right.
Plus, it’s just plain satisfying to see how fresh tomatoes can turn into something so splendid. Basically, you’ll feel like a canning rock star in no time.
Let’s start with a few canning basics. Here are a few posts I’ve done in the past that help demystify home canning:
Canning 101: Water Bath Canning Basics
Small Batch Canning 101
Below in the tutorial for this homemade canned spaghetti sauce recipe, I’m using a steam bath canner. It processes the same high-acidity foods as a water bath canner but uses a lot less water and is less bulky.
You can learn more about it in this post (why I use it, if it’s safe for canning, etc.). There also an article on the National Center for Home Food Preservation about steam canners here.
What Canning Tools Are Needed for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce?
*affiliate links included below for products I’ve purchased from Amazon
-this over-the-sink colander is awesome for draining the tomatoes
-my trusty Breville food processor does all the chopping
–steam bath canner (with dial on top for accurate safety)
-this simple canning toolset has just about everything I need for filling and handling the jars (I also have this extra canning funnel with measurements; I use it every day to strain kefir but it doubles as a great canning tool)
Now let’s get started!
To make this canned spaghetti sauce recipe, you’re going to need about 18-19 pounds of fresh tomatoes, which is right around 60 tomatoes.
I use a mix of Roma (paste) tomatoes and every day garden tomatoes (I think I have early girl in my garden this year which I used for this recipe).
Peeling the Tomatoes
The more traditional method of removing the skins from the tomatoes involves plunging the tomatoes into boiling water and then plunging again into ice water.
I can’t bring myself to mess with that after I learned about the broiling method (which I talk about here in this popular homemade canned salsa recipe post).
Broiling the tomatoes to remove the skins is super easy. Cut the tomatoes in half, cram them in a single layer on a sheet pan and put them under an oven broiler for a couple of minutes until the skins wrinkle.
Once the tomatoes come out and cool for a minute, those skins will peel right off, and the sheet pans are super easy to clean!
I’ve heard you actually don’t need to remove the peels of the tomatoes – but keep in mind, they can be bitter and give an off-taste to the recipe you are using if you leave them on (and I have read on a couple sites that the skins may mess with the canning pH level, but I’m not 100% sure about that).
Draining, Chopping, and Measuring the Tomatoes
After the skins come off (go ahead and discard them), place the tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl or the sink and let them drain for 30 minutes to an hour until most of the watery liquid has drained off.
You can speed up this process by using your hands to mash and squeeze the tomatoes (did that just sound weird to anyone else?)…or a spoon works too.
You can see the before and after below.
I throw the tomatoes in the food processor and give them a whirl until they are pretty well blended (I also use the food processor to chop up the peppers, onions, and garlic, too – makes it so easy and saves me White Knuckle Knife Syndrome from all that chopping).
Measure the tomatoes after they have been drained and chopped.
Simmer the Spaghetti Sauce
Combine all the ingredients for the spaghetti sauce except the lemon juice in a pot.
Stir well so the tomato paste doesn’t clump up and sink to the bottom. Burned tomato paste flavor throughout your sauce, and you may hate me forever.
Bring the spaghetti sauce to a simmer and let it cook for about an hour. It should be nice and thick. If it is still really watery, let it simmer longer.
I use my immersion blender to get in there and smooth out any large chunks. The level of puree at this point is totally up to you (and you can also use a regular blender and process in batches, if needed – just take care blending the hot mixture).
Here’s a quick little tip: while the spaghetti sauce is simmering, I get my steam bath canner filled with water and heating up on another burner. While it heats, I place the clean canning jars I’m going to use on the steam canner, cover with the lid, and let the jars steam and sterilize while the spaghetti sauce simmers.
Fill the Jars
Pour two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice into sterilized and hot quart sized jars (this recipe makes about 4 quarts). Fresh lemon juice isn’t recommended as the acidity level of fresh lemons can vary.
Now ladle in that sauce!
Wipe the rim of the jar clean with a damp cloth and put on a canning lid and ring (don’t over tighten).
Process the Spaghetti Sauce
Process the quart jars for 40 minutes in a steam bath or water bath canner, adding time as needed for higher elevation (1,001 – 3,000 feet add 5 minutes; 3,001 – 6,000 feet add 10 minutes; 6,001 – 8,000 feet add 15 minutes).
Once the jars have finished processing, carefully transfer them to a cooling rack or a towel set on the counter and let them cool naturally to room temperature…and wait for that beautiful pinging sound to let you know the jars have sealed (best sound in the world!).
And there you have it! Delicious, rich, hearty homemade canned spaghetti sauce!
A Note About Canning Safety and Experimenting
I love home canning! And I love sharing canning recipes with you.
I actually experiment a lot with canning different things at home – trying new recipes and getting creative with ingredients and flavors. But when it comes to actually sharing those recipes with you, my beloved readers, I won’t post my recipe experiments, as delicious as they may be.
I’ll only ever share recipes that have been adequately tested for canning safety (pH levels) or that follow safe canning guidelines. That keeps both me and you safe.
But it also means that creativity (and yes, sometimes flavor) can be thwarted a bit. Canning safety dictates that a certain amount of acidity be included in a recipe for safe water bath/steam bath canning. And messing around with adding and decreasing ingredients (especially high or low acid ingredients) can compromise the safety.
I’ve made many other spaghetti sauce recipes for canning over the years. Some very delicious ones actually (several of you have sent me your favorites), but most of them have not been tested for canning safety, which means I can’t in good conscious share them.
Canning safety isn’t something to mess around with when sharing recipes with millions of people, if you know what I mean.
The good news is that recipes like today’s home canned spaghetti sauce are delicious and widely recognized to be safe to can at home. Phew! A tried-and-true canned spaghetti sauce recipe to hold on to forever.
Now, enough reading, let’s get canning!
One Year Ago: Cheesy Baked Ziti {Make-Ahead/Freezer Meal}
Two Years Ago: The Best Homemade Salsa {Fresh or For Canning}
Three Years Ago: Portillo’s Chopped Salad with Sweet Italian Dressing
Four Years Ago: Peanut Butter Granola
Five Years Ago: Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Brown Sugar Streusel
Homemade Canned Spaghetti Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 cups peeled, drained, and chopped tomatoes (see note)
- 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, about 1 large pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper, about 1 large pepper
- 2 cups finely chopped white or yellow onions, about 3 medium onions
- 3 cans (6-ounces each) tomato paste
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ¼ to ½ cup granulated or brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons salt, I use canning salt, see note for options
- 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic, about 6 cloves
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup bottled lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a large 8-quart pot, stir to combine well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often. Take out the bay leaf and discard. For a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender or transfer the sauce to a blender to process until smooth (optional).
- Pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into the bottom of sterilized, hot quart jars. Ladle in spaghetti sauce within 1/2-inch of the top. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. Place a canning lid and ring on each jar.
- Process the spaghetti sauce in a water or steam bath canner for 40 minutes (add 5 minutes if you live at 1,001 to 3,000 feet – if you live at higher elevation than that, you’ll want to use a water bath canner since steam bath canners shouldn’t be used to process jars longer than 45 minutes).
- Remove the jars carefully from the water or steam bath and let cool to room temperature. Check to make sure the jars have sealed correctly (lightly press the top of the lid; it should be firm – if the center bubbles up and down when you press on it, it hasn’t sealed correctly and will need to be refrigerated or re-processed).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: used this recipe as inspiration and cut down quantities to make 4 quarts (without compromising acidity levels)
Could I freeze this sauce instead of can it? We have limited pantry space but a large chest freezer and a bumper crop of garden tomatoes in our greenhouse.
Yes, absolutely! If so, you don’t need to add the lemon juice.
Could you substitute olive oil or avocado oil?
Yes
Can I verify this is supposed to say 1/2 c oil? The original calls for 1/4 c oil with all other ingredients so with this halved and double the oil, that’s quite a difference. I wasn’t sure if that’s a typo or if you’ve canned this safely as is without issues?
Yes, the amount of oil is correct (I verified with my local extension agency that the oil amount is safe…however, you can cut it down to 1/4 cup if you’d like).
Hi Mel.. If I’m canning in pints instead of quarts.do I only use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in bottom of jar? Thanks
Yes
Hi, can I half this recipe, and would adding citric acid instead of lemon juice be safe?
I believe so, but you will need to consult a verified canning resource (like an extension agency or the Ball Blue Book, etc) to figure out how to make the adjustment and in what quantity.
This does take a long time (about 8 hours), but the flavor is good. I replaced some of the bell peppers with carrots just for my own personal preference. All the jars sealed.
Thoughts on not adding the peppers? We are not a huge fan of peppers
Also a question about tomatoes paste. Can we just cook down longer instead of you using it or does that
affect the the safey.
I was wondering the same. Do I need to use tomatoe paste?
Yes, it is necessary for the pH in the recipe to be safe for canning.
The tomato sauce is needed for proper pH/canning safety.
You can leave them out (overall flavor of the sauce will be a bit different).
Do I need the tomato paste for canning safety. It looked like you replied to this question but the answer isn’t quite clear to me.
Thanks!
The tomato paste is optional but the tomato sauce is necessary for canning safety.
For dinner I browned 3/4 lb. of ground turkey & 1/3 lb. of ground sausage and mixed sauce with it. The sauce has such good flavor. It is now my go to canned spaghetti sauce recipe
I am making this and had not tasted the recipe until I had already put the jars in the canned. (Tasted some leftover). It is very salty. I compared to another recipe that yielded the same amount and it only used 1 tablespoon. Just wanted people to know. I wanted to double check and see if it was meant to say 3 teaspoons.
Hi, It will take way to long to cut up/chop all the veggies. What would happen if I were to puree it in the blender?
I’m not sure, I haven’t tried that – it might affect the consistency of the sauce, but you would have to experiment to find out.
I have canned spaghetti sauce this way for years. You can definitely use a food processor instead of chopping the peppers and onions by hand. It has not changed the consistency of my sauce.
How would I remove the seeds? I have diverticulosis and can’t have things with seeds.
Hi Beth, it’s likely you’ll need to use a food mill or other device to remove the seeds.
Hey Mel, I have an uncle who has salt issues. Could I leave the salt out and just add salt before serving? Or will this affect the ph level?
Leaving out the salt won’t affect the pH (it does for things like pickles, but not for spaghetti sauce or tomatoes).
I only had fresh lemon so did not add, but already water canned. Do I need to open, add lemon juice, and reseal?
For proper canning safety, yes, the lemon juice needs to be added and sauce reprocessed.
Made a double batch. The flavor is amazing! Sweet but not too sweet. Perfect amount of spices. I used fresh parsley since I grow it in my garden. This sauce tastes better than any store boughten sauce. Will definitely make it again!
I accidentally added the lemon juice to the sauce when it was simmering. Will it still turn out?
I’m not entirely sure how that affects the pH, Cory – I *think* it should be fine, but I’m not entirely sure. Sorry!
Can I use less salt. We are trying watch our salt intake my husband has kidney and heart issues
You can definitely cut the salt down, although it will affect the overall flavor.
Now that I am retired I decided to try canning for the first time. I followed this recipe to the T. This sauce is truly amazing. I am very glad this was my first choice to try. Everything went well. Thank you for the step by step recipe !
I modified this recipe somewhat. I use frozen tomatoes that I core and freeze fresh from the garden. I defrost them overnight and peel the skins after that. The skins come off very easily. I have also started breaking the tomatoes up and then using an immersion blender about 15 minutes in. This is a very good recipe and I like it.
How exactly would I measure this down enough for just oneor even two test jars?
Can you double this recipe?
Yes!
I used this recipe for my very first attempt at making canned tomato sauce and it’s SO tasty. Used home grown tomatoes and peppers and made a half-batch and I’m so happy. Dad approves too! Thank you so much.
Hey Mel – I gave this 5 stars in anticipation, but my question is can I omit the green pepper? I have a serious aversion to the flavor of green pepper. Will it affect the PH if I omit it? And is it okay if I don’t have the full poundage of tomatoes? Mine weighed about 12 lbs when I froze them. Thanks!
Hi Debra, yes, you can omit the green pepper…however, it is recommended to use the full amount of tomatoes for the proper acidity.
You did it again Mel. Such an amazing recipe! Thanks so much.
Do the seeds need to be removed from the tomatoes also? Thanks!
No, I don’t remove the seeds.
I posted a link to this recipe in a canning group I’m in as I’ve made it several times and we love it! The moderator said that it is not a safe canning recipe and that I should dump all the sauce I’ve canned as it’s at risk for botulism. I’m not doing that, as I think it is safe and we’ve never had issues with it. That said, do you have a source I can post in my group that would prove it’s tested safe for canning?
Hi Jaime, the recipe originally came from the Taste of Home website: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/homemade-canned-spaghetti-sauce/
Jaime – I had a canning group moderator tell me the same thing. I put all the jars in the fridge to be safe, despite her insistence that it’s not salvageable and could kill me lol. Has yours been okay?
Can I substitute red wine vinegar for the lemon juice? I like that flavor better In sauce.
I’m honestly not sure if that would be recommended for canning safety – if you find a reputable canning lab or source online that says that substitution is ok, that would be best.
Best spaghetti sauce I have ever made and tasted! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I was nervous about making spaghetti sauce because I’ve made it before and did not turn out very well. The consistency and everything is perfect and having the immersion blender to use really made a big difference in the consistency.
Tried other recipes and this one is by far the best!
Is there any reason I can’t make this in pint jars in my steam canner with 1 Tbsp lemon juice per jar? Yes, I would need to process at 45 minutes as I’m nearly at 3,000 ft, but I believe this canner limit is 45 minutes, isn’t it?
I don’t know what the canner limit is – as for if this recipe can be made in pint jars, I believe that is fine as long as they are processed correctly.
Do we have to use oil for this recipe? If so, would avocado oil be an option?
I don’t suggest editing the recipe to leave out ingredients – canning recipes rely on proper pH levels. I think you should be able to use avocado oil.
If I pressure can this recipe, can I add meat ???
I don’t have details on canning safety if adding meat – sorry!
Can I use canned Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes with basil for this recipe and if so do I still need to add lemon juice ? I have several cans one don’t want to waste them. I’m new to canning.
Hi Mary, using canned tomatoes significantly changes the recipe and I’m not sure how it affects the canning safety, so I wouldn’t recommend doing so.
Would it work to substitute fresh herbs for the dried herbs listed in the recipe? If so, what measurements would you recommend?
how long do you for? I don’t have a steam canner.
Oh no! I just made so much of this and it tastes so good but I forgot to add the lemon juice before canning in the water bath. Please tell me it’s not all wasted!
Unfortunately without the lemon juice, it’s not considered safe (pH levels) to go on the shelf, but you can reprocess with lemon juice.
I just did the same thing at 1130pm last night (forgot the lemon juice!). To reprocess, can I simply open the jars, add the lemon, seal back up, and process again? (Or does lemon need to be at bottom of jar? Seems like a silly question, but I’m guessing there’s a reason for it?). I love your recipes, thank you so much!
That’s totally fine to add the lemon juice and reprocess like that.
I just made this recipe and have the jars in my hot water bath. I taste tested the sauce – it’s very tasty with great flavour! Thanks for posting this recipe!
Hi, I have issues with onions… so can I remove the onions without it messing with the ph??
I believe that’s fine since the sauce will still be acidic enough to can – I can’t comment on how it will change the flavor.
Could I make this sauce and freeze it instead of canning it? Are there any changes you’d recommend to make it freezer ready?
Yes, you can freeze it. If so, you don’t need the lemon juice.
I bought half a bushel of tomatoes today as my garden ones have been slow to produce this year, I also make your salsa recipe every year and go thru all 20 pint jars lol!
I’m wondering if I can roast the tomatoes, garlic, onions and peppers as we prefer the roasted flavor sauce. Or will this alter the pH of the veggies?
As long as you are using the same quantities, it *should* be fine.
Can I put the tomatoes through my tomato press or would that throw measurements off? It removes the skins and seeds and leaves me with sauced tomatoes that just need to be cooked down.
I think that should work fine!
Great easy recipe…
Hi For the spaghetti sauce can you elaborate on “drained”
Thank you
After the tomatoes are peeled, set them in a colander to drain so they aren’t really liquidy.
Once again thank you for an excellent recipe. We have a couple of pasta sauce canning recipes that we rotate on an annual basis. This one is far superior in flavour and texture.
Years ago I lived out west in Winnipeg and I enjoyed visiting my friend’s dad who was from Italy. He lived way down south by the US border and grew lovely garden tomatoes and made fantastic pasta sauce. His secret: a few squirts of ketchup and frozen Swedish meatballs from the grocery store down across the line in Warroad. I still haven’t been able to match it.
Steve! I think I might know the same gentleman of whom you speak! We used to live in Roseau and went to church in Warroad with a sweet man from Italy who was an excellent cook.
How did I miss this reply!? I’m just sharing this recipe with a friend here who is clearing out the last of her frozen garden tomatoes and saw this.
What a small world – it has to be be Johnny D. (John De Francesco). I was room mates with his son Angelo back in my single days. Another friend, had a cabin on Moose Lake and it was always a treat for us to go spend a holiday weekend at the cabin, have a meal with Johnny and sneak over to Warroad for cheap gas and groceries.
Johnny is a real renaissance man – it seems like he can do just about anything from drywall taping, laying mosaic tiles, cooking and playing the accordion. Angelo tells me he is living in Steinbach now and is still in good health.
Great memories! Since you lived in Roseau, I’ll consider you an honourary Canadian from this point forward.
If I make my spaghetti sauce with sausage and pork for flavor but remove the meat before canning, is it considered low or high acidity. Which method would I use to process.
That will lower the acidity and it may/may not be safe for canning. I can’t recommend a method since I don’t know the pH of the finished product.
I made this today. It is absolutely the best spaghetti sauce I’ve ever had. I reduced the salt to 2 tablespoons. I might be sneaking into the jars just 2 eat the sauce by itself.
Can I add shredded zucchini to the recipe??
Unfortunately, doing so will lower the pH of the recipe making it unsafe for water bath canning.
My daughter snuck into it before I finished cooking it down – and loved it – it just got better. I doubled the recipe and got 5 quarts. It’s a keeper!