Seasoned Tomato Sauce Recipe for Home Canning
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No store bought tomato sauce compares with the flavor of homemade. Capture summer in a jar with this seasoned tomato sauce recipe for home canning.
I talk about canning tomato sauce a lot here at Grow a Good Life, especially this year as I faced the challenge of preserving a bumper crop. It seems I constantly had baskets of ripe tomatoes to work through for the last two months. Now that the final tomato harvest is simmering on the stove, I thought it was time to share the tomato sauce recipe and method I use to preserve the majority of my homegrown tomato harvest.
Growing up in an Italian household, the only tomato sauce we were aware of was the homemade kind made from canned or fresh tomatoes in season. There were no jars of purchased tomato sauce in our pantry. As an adult, I continued the tradition cooking up large batches of homemade tomato sauce and freezing it for future meals.
When I began growing a garden of my own, one of the first things I learned to can was tomato sauce from homegrown tomatoes. Eventually, I made it my yearly goal to grow enough tomatoes to provide a sufficient amount of canned tomato sauce to last us until the following season.
No store bought tomato sauce compares with the flavor of homemade. This is the seasoned tomato sauce recipe and method I use to home can the tomato harvest.
Tips for Canning Tomato Sauce
Here are tips for turning freshly harvested tomatoes into homemade tomato sauce and canning it in shelf stable jars:
Follow a Safe Canning Recipe
If you are canning tomato sauce, is important to use recipes that are formulated and tested for safe home canning. When I make tomato sauce for canning, I follow the seasoned tomato sauce recipe in the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. This is the closest to the homemade tomato sauce I grew up with.
Use Paste Tomatoes
Use plum type tomatoes for a flavorful and thick sauce. My favorites are Amish Paste, Juliet, Roma, and San Marzano. Plum tomatoes, also referred to as paste tomatoes, are meaty with thick walls and have very little water content. You can still use other types of tomatoes, but it may take longer for the extra water to cook out.
Choose good-quality tomatoes with no signs of rot, insect damage, or disease. Don’t use tomatoes from frost-killed vines as the acidity may have changed or these may harbor harmful pathogens that may not be killed during processing.
Remove Skins and Seeds
If you are canning tomatoes, you need to remove the seeds and peels in recipes that call for it. So far, there are no tested canning recipes that include the skins. The peels may harbor bacteria, and add unwanted texture to the sauce. Additionally, the peels and seeds may affect the density of the sauce, preventing heat from penetrating properly when processed in a water bath canner.
This recipe calls for simmering the tomato sauce with the skins and seeds first, and then straining out the solids from the tomato pulp. Cooking with the skins and seeds aids in extracting the natural pectin that will help thicken the sauce.
The way I do the initial cooking depends on the weather. If it is hot outside, I will simmer the sauce on the stove as described in the recipe. If the weather is cooler, I roast the vegetables first in a 325˚F oven until softened, about an hour. Then add all the ingredients to a pot and simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced by half. Roasting adds a lovely, deep tomato flavor to the finished sauce. Be sure to include all the liquid that releases from the tomatoes.
After the sauce has reduced by one-half, strain with a food strainer or food mill to remove solids, and smooth out the sauce. Then return the sauce to the stove, heat to a simmer, and fill the jars.
If you don’t have a food strainer, you can blanch and peel the tomatoes, and scoop out the seeds before making your sauce: See How to Peel Tomatoes for an illustrated, step-by-step tutorial.
Acidifying Tomatoes
When canning tomatoes, an acid is needed to ensure that the pH is at a level that prevents the growth of C. Botulinum bacteria, which causes botulism. There are two simple ways you can use to adjust the acidity when canning tomatoes. Add citric acid or commercial bottled lemon juice:
- Citric acid is my favorite way to acidify tomatoes because it does not affect the flavor.
- Bottled Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice has been uniformly acidified so there is a consistent and known acid (pH) level that is needed for safe canning. Don’t use fresh squeezed lemon juice because there is no way to know the level of acid in the juice.
Don’t Have a Water Bath Canner?
You can use a standard large stockpot as long as it is tall enough to cover the jars by two inches of water, and at least two more inches of air space to prevent boiling water from splashing out. You will need to use a rack in the bottom of the pot to hold the jars up away from direct heat, so they won’t break, and can in smaller batches depending on how many jars your pot will hold.
Steps to Making and Canning Tomato Sauce
This home canned seasoned tomato sauce is perfect for tossing with spaghetti and pasta, spreading on homemade pizza, and spooned over chicken or eggplant Parmesan.
Before you begin, it may be helpful to review this article on water bath canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.
This is a safe caning recipe from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving for “Seasoned Tomato Sauce.” The differences between this recipe and the Ball seasoned tomato sauce is this recipe has been cut in half. I just find working with a smaller batch of tomatoes much easier to manage since I only have two large pots to cook down the sauce.
Seasonings have been adjusted slightly to reduce the amount of salt, and increase the sugar to balance the tart flavor of the tomato sauce. I also reduce the sauce by slow cooking it over low heat for a longer period to preserve flavor rather than cooking over medium-high heat as indicated in the Ball recipe. Sometimes this takes all day, but the flavor is worth the effort.
The full and printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but these are the steps for making and canning Italian seasoned tomato sauce:
Step 1: Gather Your Equipment
You’ll need:
- Water bath canner with canning rack
- 8 pint sized canning jars, or 4 quart sized jars
- Canning lids and bands (new lids for each jar, bands can be reused)
- Canning tools: jar lifter, canning ladle, funnel, and bubble popper
- Kitchen scale
- Food strainer, food mill, or sieve
- Plus basic kitchen supplies such as a large saucepan, large prep bowls, towels, measuring cup, measuring spoons, large spoon, knife, and a cutting board.
Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients
Weigh and wash tomatoes well under clean, running water, and spread out to air dry on towels. Remove the peelings from the onions. Chop and measure 3 cups of chopped onions. Peel the garlic and mince.
Step 3: Cook the Sauce
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, and sauté the onions until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, then add the mixture to your saucepan.
Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters and add to your pot along with the oregano, bay leaves, black pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes if using. Hold off on the salt for now and add it to taste at the end.
Cover and bring the pot to a simmer over low heat. Vent the cover to let the moisture evaporate, and continue simmering to thicken the sauce until reduced by one-half. The cooking time will vary depending on the amount of moisture in your tomatoes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
If you are using multiple pots, roughly divide the ingredients for each pot, and combine into one pot as the sauce cooks down. Use your ladle to avoid splashing.
Once the volume is reduced by half, turn off the heat, and let it cool slightly so you won’t burn yourself when straining.
Step 4: Prepare the Canning Equipment
While the sauce is cooling, prepare the jars, set up the canner, and organize your work area.
Wash your jars, lids, bands, and canning tools in warm, soapy water. Rinse well, and set the lids, bands, and tools aside to air dry until you are ready to use them.
Jars must be heated before filling to prevent breakage due to thermal shock. Place the jar rack into the water bath canner, set the jars upright in the canner, and add water to cover the jars. Bring the canner to a simmer (180˚F) for 10 minutes, and keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them.
Follow the manufacturer’s directions for preparing the lids. Pre-heating lids is no longer necessary before using, but it is still safe to simmer (180°F) the lids if you want to. Just add them to the canner when you heat your jars.
Step 5: Strain the Sauce
Remove the bay leaves, and run the tomato sauce through a food strainer or food mill to remove skins, seeds, and to smooth out the sauce. Return the sauce to the pot, and bring the sauce back to a simmer (180˚F). Use a clean spoon and taste the sauce. Add salt and stir in. Taste again. Add more salt if needed.
Step 6: Can the Sauce
Spread a kitchen towel on the counter, and place the citric acid or lemon juice nearby along with the measuring spoons.
Use the jar lifter to remove a hot jar from the canner, drain, and place on the towel. Keep the remaining jars in the canner, so they stay warm.
Add citric acid or lemon juice to the jar. For pints, add 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid, or 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each jar. For quarts, add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to each jar.
Place the canning funnel on the jar, and ladle hot sauce into the jar while leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Run the bubble popper through the jar to release any trapped air bubbles.
Wipe the rim with a damp towel to remove residue. Center a lid on the jar, place the band over the lid, and screw it on until fingertip tight. Place the jar back into the canner, and repeat with the rest of the jars.
Adjust the water level so it is covering the jars by several inches, bring the pot to a boil, and process the jars for the times indicated in the recipe below. Let the jars cool, test the seals, label and date the jars, and store in a cool, dark location.
Seasoned Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 22.5 pounds paste tomatoes
- 3 cups chopped onions about 3 large onions
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoons cane sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoons red pepper flakes optional
- citric acid or bottled lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Weigh the tomatoes, rinse well under clean, running water, and air dry on a clean towel.
- Remove the peelings from the onions. Chop and measure 3 cups of chopped onions. Peel the garlic and mince.
Make the Sauce:
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, and sauté the onions until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, then add the mixture to your saucepan.
- Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters and add to the pot along with the bay leaves, oregano, sugar, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Bring the pot to a simmer over low heat, and continue simmering to thicken the sauce until reduced by one-half. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Once the volume is reduced by half, turn off the heat, and let the sauce cool slightly before straining.
Prepare the Canning Equipment:
- Wash your jars, lids, screw bands, and canning tools in hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly to remove all suds. Set aside to air dry on a clean kitchen towel.
- Place the jar rack into water bath canner, place jars in the canner, and add water to cover. Bring the canner to a simmer (180˚F) for 10 minutes, and keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them.
Can the Sauce:
- Remove the bay leaves, and purée the tomato sauce using a food strainer or food mill to remove skins, seeds, and to smooth out the sauce. Return the strained tomato sauce to the saucepot, and bring back to a simmer (180˚F).
- Use a clean spoon and taste the sauce. Add salt and stir in. Taste again. Add more salt if needed.
- Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Place the citric acid or lemon juice along with the measuring spoons next to the towel.
- Use your jar lifter to remove a jar from the canner, drain, and place on the towel. Keep the remaining jars in the canner so they stay hot.
- Add citric acid or lemon juice to the jar. For pints, add 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid, or 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each jar. For quarts, add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to each jar.
- Use your canning ladle and funnel and add the hot sauce to the warm jar leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Swirl your bubble popper through the jars to release air bubbles. Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp towel.
- Center a lid on the jar, and screw on the band until it is fingertip tight. Use the jar lifter to place the jar back into the canner, and repeat with the remaining jars. Try to leave some space in between the jars.
- Once all the jars are in canner, adjust the water level to two inches above the jar tops.
- Cover the canner and bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, set your timer, and process pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. Adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary (see notes).
- When processing time is complete, turn off the heat and allow the canner to cool down and settle for about 5 minutes.
- Spread a kitchen towel on the counter, and remove the cover by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face.
- Use the jar lifter to lift jars carefully from canner and place on the towel. Keep the jars upright, and don't tighten bands or check the seals yet. Let the jars sit undisturbed for 12 to 24-hours to cool.
- After the jars have cooled for at least 12 hours, check to be sure jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center of the lid. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down, it did not seal. Refrigerate the jar and use within a few days.
- Remove the screw on bands and wash the jars. Label, date, and store your jars in a cool, dark place. Use within 12 to 18 months. Refrigerate the sauce once opened and consume within a few days. Yields about 6-7 pint jars or 3-4 quarts depending on how much the sauce reduces.
Notes
- Pints at altitudes of 1,001 - 3,000 ft. is 40 minutes, 3,001 - 6,000 ft. is 45 minutes, and above 6,000 feet is 50 minutes.
- Quarts at altitudes of 1,001 - 3,000 ft. is 45 minutes, 3,001 - 6,000 ft. is 50 minutes, and above 6,000 feet is 55 minutes.
Nutrition
This article was originally published on October 8, 2015. It has been reviewed and updated with additional information and new photos.
Additional Canning Information:
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
- Canning Guides at the Ball Website
- 6 Tips to Prepare for Canning Season
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Thanks for the recipe and for transferring it over from the book. You know the only thing that scares me a bit is that typically, places like Ball and so on will talk about water bath canning/jarring being doable only for sauces where there is nothing other than tomato. So it works fine with things like onions and garlic in there? That won’t cause any kind of rot or fermentation?
Phil, I understand your concern, especially when it comes to food safety. That is why it is very important to use lab tested recipes from reputable sources like Ball, the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP), or university extensions. These recipes are carefully developed to maintain the right balance of acidity, even when low-acid ingredients like onions and garlic are included. When you follow a tested recipe exactly and process the jars in a water bath canner, you’re ensuring that your home-canned food is safe and protected from harmful bacteria that can cause spoilage.
If you’d like to learn more about how canning works and the science behind it, I highly recommend visiting the National Center for Home Food Preservation. A good place to start is with the USDA Guide to Home Canning: Part 1: Principles of Home Canning.
Hello. Thank you for sharing all of this information. I greatly appreciate it. I have been following your directions and making this sauce for a few years now. It’s the closest one to my mom and grandma’s.
Question for you. Can I do all the roasting and cooking down the tomatoes and then remove the skin and seeds today and then cook it down and refrigerate it overnight. Then tomorrow morning bring it to room temperature then heat to a simmer and do the hot water bath canning? Or would this not be safe or recommended.
Any guidance you can offer would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Carol-Ann Walker
Hi there, Carol-Ann! Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m glad to hear that this sauce recipe brings back memories of your mom’s and grandma’s cooking! Yes, it is safe to break the process over two days. You can roast and cook down the tomatoes, remove the skins and seeds, and then refrigerate the sauce overnight. However, when you’re ready to can the next day, don’t worry about bringing the sauce to room temperature. Instead, place it directly on the stove, heat it to a boil, and then reduce it to a simmer while you warm your jars for the water bath canning.
Rachel thank you so much for replying. That will certainly make things much easier for me. I process anywhere between 300 to 500 pounds of tomatoes into sauce. My household and other family members Love this sauce. It’s a ton of work but So worth it. This sauce truly is delicious.
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Carol-Ann, Wow, 300 to 500 pounds of tomatoes is incredible! I’m so glad to hear that the sauce is a hit in your household and with your family. It’s a lot of work, but knowing it’s worth it makes all the difference, right? Thank you so much for your kind words and for trusting my recipe.
Can this recipe be pressure canned? Looking in the Ball Complete book of Home Preserving I found a tomato sauce recipe where it says it can be pressure canned.
Theresa, This Seasoned Tomato Sauce canning recipe has been developed by Ball to be safe for water bath canning, and it’s unknown what the pressure canning processing time would be.
Canning recipes are not interchangeable because they are scientifically tested for safe canning as written. If you want to pressure can a tomato sauce, it’s best to use a recipe specifically developed for that method. The “Basic Tomato Sauce” on page 376 of the Ball Complete Guide to Home Canning is a plain tomato sauce that is safe to pressure can. Additionally, the “Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat” (if you omit the mushrooms) is pretty close in flavor. I hope this helps!
Can you add the lemon juice and the citric acid to the whole batch instead of each jar
Charlotte, The reason we add lemon juice and citric acid to each individual jar is to ensure that every jar has the proper amount of acid to make it safe for canning and shelf storage. It’s a crucial step for preserving the sauce safely. Please remember to follow the directions as specified in the recipe. It’s not a big deal to add the lemon juice and citric acid as you are filling the jars, and it’s for your safety and the quality of the final product.
Hi. I made this recipe but instead of straining out the peels and seeds I peeled the tomatoes before cooking. I forgot to put in the lemon juice! Will my canned be ok without the added acid? All the jars sealed well. Please advise if I need to re-can with the acid. Thank you
Lana, Peeling the tomatoes before cooking is perfectly fine, as long as the peelings are removed. However, the absence of lemon juice in your canned sauce is a concern. Lemon juice is a critical component for adjusting the sauce’s pH to make it safe for home canning. If it’s been within 2 hours of canning, you can reprocess the batch to ensure safety. Here’s what you can do:
1. Open the jars and pour everything into a large saucepot.
2. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
3. While the sauce is simmering, prepare your canner, warm clean jars, and use new lids.
4. Fill and process the jars as described in the recipe.
Thank you! I have done as you suggested 😄
Lana, Thanks for the follow up. I am so glad you were able to save your sauce. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions.
How would I convert this to use up frozen whole tomatoes?? Thanks so much.
Lacey, When using frozen whole tomatoes in this recipe, start by weighing the tomatoes while they are still frozen. Then, place them in a pot and heat them slowly over low to medium heat until they thaw out. Once thawed, you can proceed with the recipe. Be sure to include all the juice that comes out of the thawed tomatoes.