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)
216 Comments on “Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce {Step-by-Step Tutorial}”
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 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!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it over and over and it’s always perfect! This time, I made a quadruple batch, but, ran out of lemon juice. I used citric acid, ( 1/4 tsp ) and I’m afraid I ruined more than 3/4s of the batch! I thought about it, and opened a jar after I canned it. It was VERY tart! How can I salvage all that work?? Thank you–we LOVE this recipe and your salsa recipe–so, we can as much can!!
Hope you can help me!!!
Hi Kathy, I’m honestly not sure since I haven’t tried or tested this recipe with citric acid. You could try making a new batch and adding the citric acid sauce to the fresh batch and simmer together to see if that will help and then reprocess. I don’t know if citric acid is a viable substitute for the lemon juice (for canning safety)
Is there anything that can be down with the juice we drain from the tomatoes?
You could google ways to use “juice from drained tomatoes” – might be good if you freeze it in ice cubes and then add it to spaghetti sauces and the like.
I made a mistake and added 2 tbsp’s of lemon juice to 3 of my 500ml jars instead of halfing it! Not to sure what to do or how it will taste when I open them. Any suggestions on how to make it taste better when I open it?
You could try adding a bit more tomato flavor when you open the jar (or a bit more salt and sugar to offset the acidity).
i can the juice too and use it for veggie stock.
HELP!!
I accidentally used a TABLESPOON instead of a TEASPOON when I measured the Worcestershire Sauce! I doubled the recipe, so the amount I used was 4 TABLESPOONS!
I feel like such a DOPE!
IS IT STILL SAFE TO CAN THIS???
It actually tastes very good, so I’m praying it’s not going to kill me if we open a jar and eat it. UGH!
PS Decided today was the day for the million pounds of chopped & frozen tomatoes from the summer I never had time to make into your sauce! And now I’m afraid I ruined it!
Hi Sue, yes, the sauce will still be safe to can.
Oh, my goodness. You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. THANK YOU!
Delicious! The first time I made this, I used too many of my garden tomatoes giving a runny consistency and requiring over 8 hours of simmering to get the right consistency. I highly recommend including the Roma tomatoes to achieve the right thickness as described in this recipe. I also tried making this recipe with all canned Roma tomatoes and it turned out incredibly well. My family loves this sauce – my husband and I prefer this sauce over any we’ve purchased from the store.
Please help! I started making this last night. I added the tomatoes, peppers and onions to the pot. Then the night got crazy and I forgot about it until this morning. It doesn’t smell as fresh and delicious as the last batch I made, and I’m worried that it spoiled overnight. Is that possible? Thanks.
I’m honestly not sure, Corinne – to be safe, it’s probably best not to use it if it was left out all night.
Will there be a problem if the lemon juice is omitted?
It won’t be safe for canning if the lemon juice is left out.
We were trying to double recipe but instead of 24 cups of tomatoes we did sixteen. Will that be a problem
If there aren’t enough tomatoes, it may affect the acidity which will affect the pH/canning safety.
I forgot to put lemon juice in the the bottom but already processed the jar. How crucial is the lemon juice?
It’s important to the safety of the pH/canning levels.
How much lemon juice would you add if you are using pint jars? Also, would the processing time be the same?
I’m honestly not sure about pint jars. Changing up elements of canning recipes makes me a little nervous because I don’t want to compromise canning safety. But I’m guessing you could use half the amount of lemon juice but I’d process for the same amount of time.
Hello trying this out but short by half on tomatoes. Don’t feel water bath worth running for only 2quarts. Will the tomato puree keep in fridge for a few days? Or can I make it and eat this sauce keeping in fridge after simmering part without the canning process?
Yes, the tomato puree will be fine in the refrigerator for a day or so. But you can also make it and eat it after simmering (refrigerate or freeze).
Sounds great, and I’ll have to try it, we run our tomatoes through a strainer which removes all the skins and seeds, then we place it in a roaster with all the rest of the ingredients and simply let it cook down without the fear of burning it, the only thing we leave out is the spices as it can cause the sauce to become much too hot we simply add them when we open and use the sauce.
First time making home made sauce. This recipe is sooooo good. You have to try it.
This is excellent spaghetti sauce. I followed the recipe exactly, however, it is a little salty. Even my hubby who loves salt said it was salty
Oh Mel, I trust you and I have used your salsa recipe for years. It’s so good that I sort of turn a blind eye to the tomato paste or not recommendation because I think that would change acidity and thickness too much, but anyway. This original recipe linked to taste of home provides me no peace about the safety of this recipe. I read the TOH page twice and clicked on the test kitchen approved link, and I don’t see anything about this being a tested recipe. It also says to use fresh lemon juice for better flavor, which is well-known to not be recommended by The Experts. Am I missing the info about how this is an approved recipe?
Especially since this is water bath canned with low acid ingredients. The NCFHP only has pressure canned spaghetti sauce, with or without meat.
Hey Monica, I apologize for the delay in responding. I actually had typed up a response to your comment last week but for some reason it didn’t post. I apologize. When I posted this recipe, I reached out to the Taste of Home kitchen staff via a contact form on their website asking if this recipe had been tested and I received a response back simply stating: yes, their canning recipes are tested and approved by local county extension agencies. I didn’t press for further details. I have compared this recipe to a couple other tomato-based recipes in the Ball Blue Book and it’s *similar* in makeup to some of those, but not exact. Sorry I can’t give a more clear answer, but that’s the information I received from Taste of Home prior to posting this recipe.
Thank you for taking the time to respond! I appreciate it.
Thank you for the tip on broiling the tomatoes to slip the skins. In all my years of canning, I’ve never thought of this, and usually just grind them all up in my VitaMix (which makes for a more watery sauce. I’ve heard there’s something about using the skins which makes the sauce watery). I’m going to try it this way with the few tomatoes my pathetic garden produced this year. Over 9″ of rain in July really messed it up. Have you ever used a crockpot to boil down the sauce? It works really well, but I’m wondering if it would hot enough to then can the sauce? (I usually freeze it) Thanks for your incredible recipes. Your site is my go to whenever I need something yummy!
Thanks, Linda! I haven’t used my slow cooker to heat up the sauce. I think if the high setting can get the sauce simmering, it should be hot enough to can.
Hello, I don’t own a food processor, other than a mini one that came with my stick blender. Is there another method you would recommend to prep the tomatoes prior to measuring?
You can use a blender and pulse lightly or chop by hand.
I have a Roma Tomato strainer and sauce maker. I put the whole tomato in and it separates the skin and core and gives me the juice and “meat” portion of the tomato. Does that work instead of baking or blanching to remove the skin?
Yes, that should work!
You say to use bottled lemon juice. Can you use fresh juice from lemons?
I believe that for canning safety, it is best to use bottled lemon juice because the acidity in fresh lemons can vary.
Can citric acid be used in place of the lemon juice for this recipe?
I’m not sure – sorry! I hesitate to give advice that may change the pH (and canning safety).
Understand, rigatoni pasta is NEVER served in this manner. Rigatoni should be cooked to almost ‘to the bight’ then allowed to simmer in the sauce. The tubes are to fill with sauce and the ridges ‘grab’ the sauce.
Can you use fresh herbs in this recipe and still can it?
Enough fresh herbs may change the pH so it’s best to follow the recipe for canning safety.
Do I have to use lemon juice in the jars? I can taste it and I don’t like it in the sauce.
The lemon juice is necessary for canning safety.
This is the first time I’ve ever canned spaghetti sauce and the flavor of this sauce is absolutely scrumptious!!! I’m new to the canning world. I canned salsa for the first time last year and it turned out great. My boyfriend loved my salsa so much that he hoarded it, lol. He loves this spaghetti sauce also. Thank you so much for the recipe and the canning pointers, you’re the best! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!!!
This is my first time canning and am using the water bath method for your sauce. I read somewhere that it is of ultimate importance that when you put your sauce into the jar, you make sure you get all the air bubbles out of the jar before you put the lid and ring on. I have been making myself crazy trying to do this. Yet, in your instructions, you don’t even mention it. Is it or is it not necessary to get rid of the teeny tiny air bubbles from the jars before putting on the lid and ring and putting them into the water bath?
Hi Marianne, if there are large air bubbles, I’ll take care of them, but largely, I don’t have issues with air bubbles and this spaghetti sauce so I haven’t worried about it.
I love your salsa recipe and am excited to try the pasta sauce. Do you think this would be okay to pressure can instead of steam can?
I’m not entirely certain, but I believe it can be.
Hello! I love your salsa recipe and am excited to try the pasta sauce recipe. Do you think this would be okay to can in a pressure canner instead?
Hi Olivia, yes, I think that works (although I haven’t tried it myself)
Thank you Mel for this delicious recipe! I am super picky with my spaghetti sauces, this one is fabulous!. I made one batch today and simmering now getting ready to be canned. My only regret is I don’t have more tomatoes in my garden to do another batch! I will definitely be storing this recipe for the next time.
Just wanted to thank you for all the helpful tips! I’ve always prepared the tomatoes the messy way (boiling to ice water bath) to peel them. This was soo much easier and it seemed to keep more of the tomato flesh. It’s also amazingly thick and delicious! Just finished making the 4 quarts and I already want to make more. Thanks again!
Hi, I am going to be doing this with a couple friends and am wondering how many jars this makes ( so we know if we need to double or triple the recipe).
Thanks! It sounds yummy, I’m so excited to try 🙂
It makes 4 quarts.
This a delicious sauce! I was told that it should be pressure canned or frozen not hot water/steam canned due to the low acid vegetables and oil in it though.
Thank you so much for this recipe…I’m finishing up with my last canning batch today, & the sauce is delicious! Thanks again! 🙂
I’m making this right now and it’s so tasty! Just wanted to add that your lemon juice should not be cold when you add it to the hot jars… I just cracked a jar because I added cold lemon juice to a hot jar. :/
Hi!
Can I add fresh basil to this recipe and some balsamic vinegar
I’m not sure how those additions would affect canning safety. To be safe, it would be better to add them once you open a jar of sauce to use it.
When taking out of canner – should you tighten the lids?
The bands shouldn’t ever be over tightened so unless they are super loose, you don’t need to tighten them (in fact, if the jars are properly sealed, you can take the bands off completely).
Can you freeze this recipe?
Yes
Can I use olive oil instead of canola or vegetable?
I’m honestly not sure, Jenae – but I think so!
Love this!!
I am about to can and realize I have pints not
Quarts. Do I still use the same amount of lemon juice on the bottom or less?
You can use half the amount for pints.
Help!! I followed your recipe to a T except that I used pint jars instead of quarts. My half asleep brain forgot that I needed to half the lemon juice!!!! Now I have 9 pints of spaghetti sauce each with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in them. . Have I ruined the acidity levels of my sauce? What would you suggest I do?? What is the reason for adding lemon juice?
In terms of canning safety, it’s fine because if anything, the acidity is higher (and that’s not a problem, it’s only if the acidity is lowered that canning safety is at risk). I’m not sure how the 2 tablespoons per pint will affect the taste.
This recipe is ridiculously good. We made a bunch of sauce intending to can it and have it through the winter but we are eating it all up now! I will definitely make more!! Thank you!!!
I’m soooooo soooo happy you made this post. I have been bottling the last little bit and have thoroughly enjoyed it, so I’m so happy you have other recipes here. I bottled jalapenos, relish, salsa and tomatoes. Next week is peaches and more jalapenos. I can’t stop eating them. Thanks again. 🙂
If I put this into pint jars, is the base process time the same?
I think technically you can cut the processing time down but I don’t know by how much so I’d process for the same amount to be safe.
Do you drain the tomatoes as much as you do for your salsa recipe or leave some of that juice in? The pictures look like it is very thick. Leave some or most of the juice in it to make it thinner?
I don’t drain them quite as much as the salsa recipe – they have a bit of liquid to them still when I chop them.
Just tried this recipe for the first time and oh my gosh! It’s so delicious!! I will be making another batch to store away for winter. Thanks for sharing this!
Glad to hear that, Katherine!
Is it safe to use oil when water bath canning? Can this be left out? Also can I sub citric acid for lemon juice?”
Hi Becky, I think you can leave out the oil. I’m not sure about the citric acid – I don’t want to give advice that could compromise canning safety.
Can I prepare the tomatoes and keep in the fridge a day ahead
Yes
Hi there! I have made your salsa a few time now with my garden tomatoes, and I’m about to tackle this sauce to can! Wondering if it’s safe to add a few carrots to this recipe? I have them in my garden and have used a recipe in the paste (off All Recipes) that called for carrots. I’m assuming that adding carrots would alter safe pH levels, or no?
Thanks so much!
Hi Melissa, unfortunately, I don’t think so. Carrots are low in acidity and will lower the pH making the salsa potentially unsafe to can so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Hi Mel! I’ve got loads of tomatoes and want to try this recipe. I’m wondering where it was tested? The National Center for Home Food preservation has a recipe for spaghetti sauce without meat on their site, but it only lists pressure canning for the recipe. I thought added peppers and onions meant recipes needed to be pressure canned? Thanks so much. Made your salsa last week and loved it!
Hi Clare, I linked the original recipe below the recipe. It’s from Taste of Home. When I emailed Taste of Home to ask about testing, they said all of their canning recipes are approved through local county extension agencies, but that’s all I know. Just like the salsa, you can add peppers and onions as long as there is enough acidity with the tomatoes (and added ingredients like the lemon juice in this recipe).
Do you need to add the worcestershire sauce?
It adds flavor that will be missing if you leave it out.
If I am unable to can the whole pot at one time, can i refrigerate the sauce, reheat and then can?
Yes, I believe so!
First time canning. Can I prep the tomatoes to a point then freeze them? My tomatoes are coming in slowly.
I throw my ripe tomatoes in freezer ziploc bags and toss them in the freezer. When I have enough to use for canning, I thaw the tomatoes and the skins peel right off and I use as directed in the recipe (draining any excess water from thawing).
We always used a squeezo strainer to remove the skins and the seeds. I see that you only remove the skins and use the rest of the tomato. Would removing the seeds change the flavor or consistency of the sauce? Maybe removing seeds is one of those things that Ive learned to do and really don’t have to. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks,
Eric
Hi Eric, from what I’ve read from a canning perspective, the seeds are just a matter of preference. You can leave them in or take them out – it generally doesn’t affect taste but it does affect texture somewhat.
can you use olive oil instead of vegetable or canola oil?
Yes, I believe so.
We made this to can and OMG. Started with a 1/2 batch to make sure we liked it and we LOVED it. Made 2 more whole batches and have tomatoes frozen in 12 cup batches to make more! Tastes like the old days! This has gone in my handwritten recipe book to pass down to my kiddos. A staple, for sure!! Thank you so much, Mel, for this recipe!
Could you use a victorio food strainer to skin and break down the tomatoes or do you think using the oven adds some flavor?
Yes, I think you definitely could do that.
I made this last weekend. Followed the recipe as written except I used a variety of tomatoes from my garden. I have to say it’s probably one of the best spaghetti sauces I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to can more next year. The flavors are wonderful!!!! Thank you!!
The BEST, made a double batch this weekend. Hope I’m able to harvest another load of tomatoes for one more batch. Thank you for all your amazing canning recipes.
Thanks, Kelly!
If I am using pints should I still use 2 tbsp lemon juice for each jar?
No, you can cut it to half of that.
I made this with tomatoes from my garden. I test tasted after simmering a while and it was too salty. Waaaay too salty. In a panic, I added about 5 cups more tomatoes but it didn’t help much. I ended up with 5 quarts and skipped the lemon juice. I processed with a pressure canner for 25 minutes at 11 pounds. I will cut the salt back by half next time.
Hi April,
Did you substitute the lemon juice for citric acid? According to canning food safety guidelines, an acid MUST be added when canning tomatoes or there is a risk of harmful bacteria growth and the tomatoes would not being safe to store on the shelf (they can be frozen, however). Tomatoes are a high-acid food (pH level of about 5, depending on variety of tomato) and therefore require an acid to achieve the correct pH level (4.6 or lower) when using the boiling-water bath method. If the flavor is too tart, you can always increase the amount of sugar to suit your taste. I am so sorry to be a buzz-kill, I am just concerned about your safety. Canning fresh produce is an exact science that has to be followed exactly to ensure delicious and safe results. One of my favorite canning cookbooks is Put ’em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton, and she explains this all beautifully and more eloquently than I have. There are also many articles published by just about any website regarding canning tomatoes and food safety. One that I found that you could check out is https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/canning_tomatoes_essential_safety_tips.
Hello, easy recipe! Thank you for sharing! Cant wait to taste! How long does the cans stay good for? And how long to wait to eat them? Thank you!
The canned spaghetti sauce is good for about a year if stored in a cool spot. You can eat them right away but the flavor gets a little better if you wait a couple weeks.
I use my kitchenaid attachment and it does my peeling and deseeding for me 🙂 Leaving me a beautiful sauce. I think i’ll use your recipe to the next batch i do and then can it. Sounds like a yummy sauce!
Thanks so much for sharing! Made exactly as written the first time. For our family we could taste a little too much pepper, so next time will use just one red or orange pepper and no green. Broiling the tomatoes worked so well! Definitely my new go to canning sauce!!
I’ve been canning spaghetti sauce for some time now. Wanted to try a different recipe. I mean no disrespect but I just don’t care for this particular recipe. I followed it to a t. It did make 4 quart as it said it would. We all have our tastes. It’s just not for me.
No worries, Maria! Sorry you didn’t love this one. 🙂
I would be ungrateful if I didn’t thank you for the Spaghetti Sauce recipe. I can this all summer not only for our family but quarts go to our neighbors and friends at Christmas time. It’s so nice to have those gifts completed months ahead of the holiday, not to mention that everyone loves receiving it!! I have given this recipe out many times. I don’t change a thing, like Mary Poppins it’s practically perfect in every way!
This makes me so happy! Thank you, Marilyn!
Can fresh herbs be used rather than dried ?
Yes I think so, but I haven’t tried it myself.
If I wanted to use pints instead of quarts what is the process time?
I would still process the same amount of time, but you could google a time recommendation for pints.
Hi Cyndy,
The correct processing time for pints.of tomatoes in a water bath canner is 35 minutes.
Sorry, I spelled your name wrong. My apologies!
Can you use red onions instead of white or yellow?
Yes, I think that would work.
Hello, this recipe sounds amazing. I too have read conflicting comments about the oil going rancid. can you clarify this for me? Was also wondering if olive oil would be okay instead of the vegetable or canola?
Mel, I can’t thank you enough for including the measured amounts of tomato needed for the recipe. When it says a weight or number of produce it’s usually wrong. I just made sweet pickle relish calling for 3-4 lbs of cucumbers for 4 pints. I got two and a half. I redid it myself, 12 cups only made 3 after squeezing out the water. At least I have an idea now. Judi
Can you use fresh herbs?
Yes, but I’d suggest adding them toward the end.
I planned on canning the recipe and then realized the canning pot I bought wasn’t compatible with my stove. So I froze the sauce. Delicious. I just bought a steam canning pot. I’ve been doing lots of research for canning (very scared of making a mistake) and I was just curious if you recommend a pH meter to measure pH. Or is it not necessary because these recipes have been tested and tested and are considered to stay within the safe pH zone when directions are followed?
I can only speak for the canning recipes that I post – but they have all been tested for proper and safe pH levels for canning. However, getting a pH meter could help you have more peace of mind.
What brand of canner is in the picture on the top ? And do you like it.
It is a Victorinox steam canner – and yes, I love it!
Is is safe to use oil when canning this way? I keep seeing conflicting information on using oil in recipes and the increased risk of botulism. Will it change pH if I omit? Thanks!
Adding or taking away ingredients can definitely affect pH so it’s best to not alter a canning recipe (that’s been tested) too much for food safety reasons.
I tried this recipe out with my fall tomatoes, froze it instead of canned it, and it is now gone! I wish we I’d have made more. I will definitely be making this again next season. Thank you for a delicious spaghetti sauce! Can’t remember why I didn’t can it… probably because I didn’t want to get out all the equipment but maybe because I didn’t want to add the lemon juice. So, so good! I absolutely recommend this.
The reason I’m asking is because I can’t find canning directions for spaghetti sauce that isn’t for a pressure canner.
Hi Mel! If I’m canning at 3,000-6,000 ft, how long do I water bath can the sauce? 50 minutes?
The reason I’m asking is because I can’t find canning directions for spaghetti sauce that isn’t for a pressure canner.
Yes, it would be 50 minutes for a water bath canner.
Is it necessary to remove the skins?? Super excited to try this recipe just wondering if the skins is a preference thing or if it would change anything.
The skins can have a bitter taste, which is why I remove them (and it helps to give the sauce a smoother texture if the skins are off).
Thank you for this amazing and quick way to peel tomatoes! No more boiling them and putting them in cold water…this rocked my world and the recipe is awesome…making the second batch tomorrow! Thank you…thank you!
Hi! We made this yesterday and I forgot to put lemon juice in the jars! Please tell me we didn’t ruin all of our hard work 🙁 Any idea if it will still be okay?
Hi Alison – technically without the lemon juice the pH levels are probably not safe enough for the sauce to be left on the shelves without refrigeration. If you want to keep them on shelves (vs the refrigerator), you’ll probably need to open the jars and reprocess with the lemon juice added. Darn. I’m sorry! That’s such a pain after all that hard work.
Stayed up until 2 am canning a triple batch of this stuff! Tried it with dinner tonight and I’m pretty sure my taste buds cried! Yay! I love canning so much. Thanks for this wonderful sauce recipe. (Ironically, I had printed off Taste of Homes recipe and was going to try it. I checked your site and realized you based this recipe off of that one. Yours was a hit! My tomato hating son asked for thirds! Thirds!!)
So, so happy to hear this, Natalie! And glad I’m not the only obsessive canner who stays up until the wee hours finishing my canning projects!
Mel,,,,Had a recipe for bloody marry mix, or V 8 kinda juice,,,lost it ,,,you have any good ones,,,The old one had to be simmered down,, tomatoes ,,,celery salt, pepper, carrots,+++++ can’t remember the rest…you simmered every thing together then ran it thru a hand juice mil,,,,was so great all winter, for sauce’s or cocktails. HELP.
Douglas
I don’t think I have a recipe like that unfortunately – sorry!
My husband is allergic to peppers. If I leave them out will that affect the pH level of the sauce and the overall outcome of the sauce?
It will make the sauce more acidic since the low acid peppers won’t be lowering the pH as much. As far as I know, it’s still safe for canning, but the flavor will be much different.
I’m interested to try this! Curious though…about how many tomatoes or lbs of tomatoes did it take you to get 12 cups? I know it will vary based on the size of the tomatoes but trying to get a general idea…
Hi Dani – I included that info (and other helpful tips) in the notes below the recipe instructions. 🙂
Ack! You totally did! I must be blind…♀️ Thanks!
I’m a huge canning nerd, so I just want to share that you forgot to mention debubbling the jars. Also, sterilizing jars is only necessary for items processed for less than 10 minutes so it’s not necessary here. It is a handy way to heat up the jars, though! I run my jars through the dishwasher so they’re hot and ready.
I made 22 quarts and realized that I forgot to add the lemon juice. Grrr! How important is it that the lemon juice is at the bottom? Can I just add it to the top and reseal/water bath? Or do you just recommend freezing them at this point. Thanks! We love the recipe!
Oh shoot, Suzy! The lemon juice is really important for acidity (safe canning and pH levels), but I think you should be able to add the lemon juice to the top of the jars (maybe stir it into the sauce with the long handle of a wooden spoon or something) and reprocess in a water bath.
Can you process the sauce in a water bath canner? Or is yhere pressure involved in the steam canner?
Yes, you can definitely use a water bath canner!
Can this recpie be made in the Instant Pot and then frozen in freezer bags.
I haven’t tried either (freezing or Instant Pot) but it’s certainly worth a try!
I’m so excited to try this out! Thank you for testing and making sure it is save to can with. I know I can count on your recipes to be good and healthy. Thanks again!
Thank you, Kaytie!
Could I freeze this in freezer bags if I didn’t want to can it???
I think so – if doing that, I’d probably cook the sauce longer to develop the flavor since it won’t be processed in a water bath or steam bath canner and stored on the shelf.
Can this recipe be done in instapot and just kept in freezer bags? Or is it potent with so many onions?
I haven’t tried that; if I was just freezing a spaghetti sauce recipe and not canning to be shelf stable, I’d use this one: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-spaghetti-sauce-perfected/
Great post! All is very clear and easy to follow.
Am I going to be canning this recipe? Probably not, only because I don’t have a garden and if a choice between buying all and canning vs buying jarred tomatoes … at the moment I’ll go with buying jarred tomatoes. BUT, if I had a garden and had the tomatoes, I would be doing this.
I enjoy small batch canning and 4 quarts fits the bill. Just 2 weeks ago, I made/canned pickles because cukes were available via my CSA. Such fun and so darn satisfying. But, it was larger batch and I was wishing I had a steam bath canner which I will acquire before doing larger batches again.
Thanks, Mel for putting this post together – takes all the guessing out of the process!
Thanks, Liz! I have pickles on my to-can list – I agree, it’s fun and satisfying! Love canning. 🙂
Can i leave put 1 can of tomato paste? I only have 2
I wouldn’t omit high acidity ingredients as it could make the salsa unsafe for canning.
I love your other spaghetti sauce recipe and I was excited for a minute thinking you were sharing how to can it! I’m all for safe canning practices though, so I’ll just keep freezing it for now. I wish our garden put out enough tomatoes to try this recipe!
Mel- about the salt and sugar… are these for flavor or safety? Wondering if I can reduce these amounts at all… dealing with some diet restrictions. Thank you for another great post!
Hi Amy – you can reduce both of those just fine for safety (although the flavor will change a bit if doing so).
I’m wondering if this can be safely processed in pints instead? If so, is the processing time shorter?
My kids are out of the house so I don’t use a quart of sauce at a time anymore.
Great question – and yes, it can be processed in pints. The processing time would be 35 minutes (increasing for altitude if needed)
Thank you for adding altitude canning directions.
My favorite method for getting peels off of tomatoes is to pile them into my (clean) kitchen sink with the sink plugged. Pour a pot of boiling water into the sink, covering the tomatoes. After a few minutes, use tongs to pull the plug. Once it drains, replace the plug and pour ice water over the tomatoes. Drain again and you’re done. Just another option if you don’t want to do the roasting.
Thanks, Debra!
Quick question – what do you do w/ the bay leaf after you cook the sauce – try to fish it out or just leave it?
Oh good question, Abbie – I take it out before blending. I’ll make a note of that in the recipe. Thanks for asking.
YEA!!! I am so excited. I have been waiting for this. My canning stuff is out and ready….
Let me know what you think, Jessica!
Thank you. I’ve been waiting for a spaghetti sauce recipe for canning! I appreciate your concern for food safety. I think it probably concerns too few people.
Thanks, Angela – it’s a big deal and something I take pretty seriously (especially since I have a responsibility to be prudent about what I share here)
I can’t wait to try this! I havr a couple of questions: I don’t like bell peppers. I know, I’m probably in a minority here, but if I leave them out, will this sauce still work to can? Second, I didn’t realize the steam canner couldn’t be used for longer than 45 minutes and I canned some tomatoes last week and processed them for 1 hour 25 minutes, which is what the Ball canning book said to do. Does that mean they aren’t good to use?
Hey Wendy – I’m not totally positive, but I believe the low acid peppers can be left out without affecting canning safety, however the flavor of the sauce will be different (probably not quite as well rounded without the peppers). Honestly, I don’t know about the tomatoes you processed. I’m going based on the info from the National Center for Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/steam_canners.html
They seem to have more information about steam canners than other sources and their recommendation is to keep the processing time at 45 minutes or less. Did the Ball Blue Book list a steam canner in their processing recommendation for the tomatoes? If so, I have trust that they’ve done their research also. If they only listed a water bath canner, the tomatoes probably aren’t considered 100% safe. How many jars? Can you store them in the refrigerator or freeze them?
How many pints/quarts does this make? I’d like to make a small batch to taste first, and am wondering by how much to reduce the starting quantities.
Thanks!
It yields about 4 quarts.
Mel, you are verry, verry persuasive! I’m almost convinced to give this a try. But years of crazy, messy, stressful canning sessions still haunt me and my kitchen!! Thanks for a great post!
Haha, I totally get it, Ashley! Canning can be stressful for sure. My sister tells me all the time she thinks I’m crazy for canning. I guess it’s therapeutic for me (although there are times I want to scream at the mess, too)