Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce is FAR better than anything you can find in a store. You’ll love the rich, savory flavor. The best way to use fresh garden tomatoes!
This canned spaghetti sauce is HANDS-DOWN the very best with home-grown tomatoes. We are kind of crazy about our tomatoes over here.
Tomatoes: A Family Tradition
Growing tomatoes is a “family tradition” of sorts for us. Our Uncle Larry is arguably the best gardener ever. He always has an immaculate garden, and has studied and taught about gardening. The man knows ALL the tricks to get plants to grow. Uncle Larry has 10 green thumbs! His techniques have been passed around the family, lucky for us. He shared his secrets with our mom, who also grows a bountiful garden every year. To learn more about our tips and tricks for growing tomatoes, click here.
MY LATEST RECIPES
Tomato growing is our family’s way to connect year after year. We compare notes on everything from how our crops are faring, to what varieties we planted, to what has been canned so far. And of course, we love talking about all the delicious ways we can eat them!
Along with the abundance of tomatoes comes a million ways to prepare them. One of our fondest memories growing up with our mom was making her delicious Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce. We’ve tweaked the recipe over the years and now it’s darn near perfection!
Family Tested, Dad Approved
Part of the reason we worked so hard to perfect this canned spaghetti sauce recipe is because of our dad. To know him is to know his passionate love for Italian food. He is super picky about spaghetti sauce; it has to be just right. Well, we’re happy to report that we served this sauce at family dinner recently and our dad loved it! He couldn’t get enough. In fact, he used a spoon to get all the excess off his plate. He’s crazy about this savory sauce, and you will be too!
How Can I Use Canned Spaghetti Sauce?
The name may say spaghetti, but this sauce is so versatile it’s sure to become one of your favorite staples, and not just on pasta night. Try it in these delicious recipes:
- Lasagna
- Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Minestrone Soup
- Pizza Sauce, simply add a little extra tomato paste to thicken it up.
Water Bath Canning Spaghetti Sauce
This particular recipe for canned spaghetti sauce hasn’t been “officially” tested for water-bath canning. However, after MUCH research, we’ve found that if you add lemon juice to the jars this recipe is acidic enough for canning. Tomatoes are in the “gray area” of having enough acidity, so they might be just fine on their own. But adding a bit of lemon juice ensures their acidity. If you’re still worried, you can pressure can them or add more lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
UPDATE: This recipe has been tried and LOVED by many of you. Be sure to check out the comments to see everyone’s reviews about this canned spaghetti sauce.
Still Not Sure About Canning? Your Questions Answered!
We get it; canning can be intimidating for some. But stick with us here, we can help you!
Can I Add Ground Beef to the Canned Spaghetti Sauce?
- ONLY if you are going to pressure can it OR if you freeze it instead of canning it (or you just want to eat it fresh or within a few days). Do not add ground beef if you are planning to water-bath can or steam can — it will not be safe to eat after sitting on the shelf.
Can I Add ___(fill in the blank)___ to this recipe?
- Be really careful when adding or omitting ingredients to a canning recipe. You are usually fine adding spices but when it comes to adding more produce, meat or anything else it could throw off the acidity levels, thus making unsafe for canning.
How long does Canned Spaghetti Sauce last on the shelf?
- We usually try to eat anything that we have canned within a year. You can probably go a couple years but probably not much longer than that. Some canning sites even say you shouldn’t go more than 6 months, but I think you are fine going longer than that.
Can I freeze the sauce instead of canning it?
- Absolutely! This spaghetti sauce recipe freezes beautifully and lasts for several months in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. Just make sure to thaw the sauce completely in the refrigerator before re-heating. If you DO want to add more random ingredients like ground beef or extra veggies, freezing is a good way to go if you are worried about acidity levels.
Is this sauce gluten free?
- The only ingredient that has any gluten in this recipe is the soy sauce. It sounds weird to even have soy sauce in a spaghetti sauce recipe but trust us, it is divine! Instead of cutting the soy sauce, opt for a gluten free brand. The rich flavor will knock your socks off!
How to Make Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce
Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce
Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce is FAR better than anything you can find in a store. You'll love the rich, savory flavor. The best way to use fresh garden tomatoes!
- 25 Lbs. tomatoes
- 5 onions
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 4 (6oz) cans tomato paste
- 1/4 c. soy sauce Sounds weird, but trust us, it deepens the tomato flavor like you won't believe!
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup salt
- 10 cloves garlic chopped or minced
- 3 tablespoons oregano dried
- 3 tablespoons basil dried
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/4 cups lemon juice for jars
Fill a large pot or Dutch oven half-way with water, bring to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, add tomatoes one at a time until you can't fit any more (about 8-10 tomatoes).
Boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove tomatoes one at a time with slotted spoon and plunge in an icewater bath. Peel and quarter tomatoes.
- In a food processor, cover and process green peppers and onions in batches until finely chopped (if you want to add extra flavor, saute the peppers and onions in a little oil and a pinch of salt before processing).
In a large stockpot, combine the tomatoes (do not discard excess juices from the tomatoes), onion/pepper mixture, tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, garlic, oregano, basil, pepper flakes, and bay leaves.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so (tomatoes burn easily so keep an eye on it). Discard bay leaves.
If you want to make your sauce thick and smooth, use an immersion blender to blend the tomatoes until smooth with no large chunks (you can also blend it in batches in a blender).
Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to 9 or 10 hot 1-quart jars (depending on how much sauce you have).
Ladle hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace at the top. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 40 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. For altitudes up to 3,000 feet, add 5 minutes; 6,000 feet, add 10 minutes; 8,000 feet, add 15 minutes; 10,000 feet, add 20 minutes.
Katie Jensen says
How long would you process in a steam canner?
Erica says
You would do it pretty much the same– I would maybe add like 5 more minutes to the time so it has a little more time to cook through.
liz says
As a canning/preserving instructor I do not recommend steam bath canning anything that processes longer than 20 minutes, rather it should be water bathed. That being said, I would pressure can this recipe, even with the acid being added to each jar.
Cheryl says
Liz, I made this recipe last year, and it is delicious. However, I would also be more comfortable pressure canning it. Do you know how I would determine which weight to use and how long to process it?
Stacy K Bingham says
Do we need to add lemon juice if we’re pressure calling it?
Brittney Dix says
Has this recipe been tested for canning safety to make sure the acidity level is sufficient to prevent botulism?
Erica says
This recipe was based off of several recipes, including Taste of Home and Ball Canning. This is what one of the sources said: “Anything canned in a boiling water bath needs to be high acid (for the science minded types, this means that it has to have a pH of 4.5 or below). This is because botulism cannot grow in high acid environments. However, tomatoes are in the grey zone, typically having a pH right around 4.5. Because of this, tomatoes need to be acidified when canned, so that the acid levels are pushed into the safe zone and the pH becomes something lower than 4.5. That’s why all other good instructions for canning whole tomatoes includes two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice per jar (you can also use citric acid if you prefer).”
If you are still worried about it you can pressure can it or just freeze it.
Hopefully this helps clear things up!
Susan says
Ok, just to be clear- do you add the 1 1/4 c. Lemon juice to the sauce? OR – Do you put 2 tablespoons into the jar just before putting the sauce into the jar?
Sorry, just want to do it right!
Erica says
You put it directly into the jars… 🙂
Tori says
Make sure your lemon juice is heated up!! I lost 3 jars before I realized!!! =(
Erica says
The lemon juice doesn’t need to be heated… it will heat up in the jars when you process them. Where have you heard that the lemon juice needs to be heated??
Barry says
I think Tori meant adding cold lemon juice from the fridge into heated jars can cause them to break.
Erica says
It is such a small amount of lemon juice per jar… I don’t think it will break the jar. I never had any problems with it. I hope this helps!
Tori says
That’s exactly what I meant Barry. I had taken my lemon juice out of the fridge and put 2 tbsp into each jar… on my 5th jar I heard that dreaded “tink” and on inspection I had broken 3 out of the 5 jars (they were brand new so it wasn’t from just age). Anyway, the remainder of the jars I had omitted the lemon juice because I didn’t want to break anymore jars and it turned out great! We survived and this was seriously the BEST sauce we have ever had. So here we are getting ready for another year of harvesting and canning! Thanks for the recipe!!! (It was so worth those broken jars!!) =)
Erica says
So glad you like the recipe and I am glad you survived– though we recommend the lemon juice, we are glad it worked out ok for you without it 🙂
Kristin says
Does the lemon juice change the flavor of the sauce?
Erica says
No, it doesn’t. I promise the spaghetti sauce won’t be sour 😉
Natasha of Natashaskitchen.com says
Hello Erica!! Our mutual friend, Jean W. introduced me to your blog. I’m so excited to explore it more and get to know a local foodie! 🙂
Erica says
Natasha! I can’t wait to hang out with you and get to know you better, I love meeting new blogger friends!
Laura says
Does this sauce taste ok if frozen?
Erica says
Yes it will still taste great frozen 🙂
Jill says
How is freezing sauce a better method then open kettle canning?
Erica says
It’s not necessarily “better”.. some might like doing it better that way because it is easier.
Brian says
I don’t believe my eyes when I saw your ad on FB today. I’ve been looking for a good homemade sauce recipe. Today, I went to the market and got 25 lbs. of tomatoes, but really couldn’t find a good recipe until I saw your’s … now all I gotta do is get started …. Thanks so much for this recipe and I’ve faved your blog for future recipes.
Erica says
haha sounds like we posted just in time! Glad we could help and excited that you are a new follower! 😀
Lindsey says
How much does this make?
Erica says
It makes 9-10 quarts
Diane says
Hmmm….I just mad this and got 14 quarts. I was careful to weigh the tomatoes before and after boiling them. Perhaps the difference was the size of my onions. I used five of the ginormous sized ones that are just under a pound a piece.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Way awesome that you got more than you were expecting! There could be several reasons for this. The sauce may not have simmered down as much or bigger onions (as you suggested). Hope this helps!
Linda says
Do you have this recipe in a smaller version? I really want to try it before I make such a large amount. Like your father, I am picky about spaghetti sauce.
Erica says
Probably the best thing to do would be to quarter the original recipe. Are you wanting to can the recipe or just try it out or freeze it?
Bente says
I was just wondering the same thing. I have very little freezer space and would rather just make smaller portions that I’ll use within a month or so.
Can I use fresh basil? I have a lovely, healthy plant and hardly ever get to use it. If so, will i need to dry it first in the oven?
Erica says
If you are using fresh basil and freezing it you should be fine using fresh! No drying necessary 🙂 Hope this helps!
pam says
Like your new picture, very nice…. Love your blog, come here often.
Cindy Earnest says
If you were to pressure can it, at what lb pressure and for how long?
Erica says
I haven’t done this in a pressure canner (I don’t even own a pressure canner). You might want to look for a similar recipe online that is specifically for pressure canning and go off of that. Sorry I’m not of much help here– I just don’t want to point you in the wrong direction since I don’t do pressure canning!
Emilee says
How long would I process if I do pints instead of quarts?
Erica says
You would process the same amount of time, even if they are in pints. Technically you could probably take a minute or two off but I like to be on the safe side when it comes to canning 🙂
Michelle says
Do you cut up the tomatoes any smaller than in quarters?
Erica says
You definitely can… because you use an immersion blender it all gets blended together anyway. If you have huge tomatoes you can definitely cut them up more!
Tasha says
I have read it a few times now and looks awesome! But… am I missing something? It says to process the green peppers and onions- I don’t see where it says what to do w/ the red bell peppers? Is it supposed to be both bell peppers there?
Also- for us canning dummies 😉 is it saying to pour the hot sauce into hot jars? How do you recommend getting the jars hot- soaking in hot water..? Sorry to ask probably a super basic questions- but this looks amazing and I’d love to make some- but want to do it right and not waste so much!
Erica says
You can definitely heat them in water. What I will usually do is run the jars by themselves in the dishwasher and get them out right when the load is done so they are nice and hot. I will take them out of the dishwasher, dry them off, and pour the sauce in. You are right about the peppers, both red and green are processed. I will get that right on the recipe 🙂 Thanks for the catch!
Lori says
Do you leave tomatoes whole?
Erica says
You put them in the boiling water whole, yes. You take the skins off and cut them up after they are boiled and plunged in the water bath.
Sheila says
Do you remove the seeds?
Erica says
I didn’t but you sure can! I honestly don’t even notice them in the sauce
jill sifford says
For us, the seeds actually add flavor and a little more texture. Thank you for the recipe. Jill
Susanne says
I just finished my spaghetti sauce. It is delicious!! Mine sauce is quite thin and so I am wondering if I should have let it simmer longer. Anyway just wondering if I added too many tomatoes or if it is just a thinner sauce. Thank you so much for sharing it!!
Erica says
If you want to thicken it up you can add more tomato paste.. it could have been watery tomatoes or it needed more time to simmer. Could be a number of reasons but tomato paste should fix that 🙂
Carol says
Is “red bell pepper flakes” the same thing as crushed red pepper (the spicy pepper)?
Erica says
haha yes, that was a typo on my part. I changed it on the recipe. It is correct now 🙂
Kaylene says
What kind of tomatoes would you say would be best to use?
Erica says
We used big boys and early girls but Romas would work great! Really, any tomato would be fine. You just want to use nice, juicy tomatoes if you can!
Lindsey says
Erica, sorry another question…at what point do u do the immersion blender? No where on the recipe did I see that, but I could have missed it. Also does garlic just gets thrown in as a whole clove or do u mince it?
Erica says
You use it right at the end after it has simmered for a few hours. You do it right before funneling into the jars. Hope this helps!
CJ says
I am not finding anything about this in the recipe itself. What am I missing? I don’t even know what an immersion blender is..
Erica says
Here is a link to an immersion blender: http://amzn.to/1Jg8qpM
Erica says
Oh, and definitely mince the garlic.. I will put that on the recipe!
Kelli Wells says
Finished making a whole batch. First time I have done it from scratch with fresh tomatoes. AND IT WAS AWESOME!!! Even my daughter who usually is very picky and doesn’t eat spaghetti loved it! I did freeze instead of can and the second week it was just as good after defrosting. thanks!!!
Cindee says
Our extension service says that processing spaghetti sauce in a boiling water bath is not recommended. Do you know why they would say that? I tried this recipe a few weeks ago. It worked great and we really like it, but now I’m wondering if I should go get a pressure canner.
Erica says
I have read on some sites that they say spaghetti sauce isn’t acidic enough– that is why we added lemon juice to the jars. From all the recipes I have seen online and other canning recipes, I feel confident that the spaghetti sauce is fine (I wouldn’t serve it to my family unless I felt good about it). If you are worried about it you can definitely pressure can or freeze it.
jill sifford says
Fortunately we have safely survived 48 years of water bath canning tomato recipes.
Wait a minute, maybe that’s what is wrong with me!
Sharon Haifley says
Grew up canning with Mom in a water bath canner. She never had a pressure canner. Didn’t learn to use one till I got married and my mother in law taught me. Mom even waterbathed green beans. (3 HRS) but I am living to tell the story. We never got sick from beans or anything else. If the lid was not sealed when she took it from the basement, she threw it out.
She did all her tomatoes and peaches water bath too.
Cassandra says
Have you done this with cans of diced tomatoes? Is it basically the same? We are well past canning season in WI.
Erica says
We haven’t done it with diced tomatoes– It would probably work just fine if you could figure out the right tomato to diced tomato ratios!
Steve says
I use 2 #10 cans of tomato sauce and 2 #10 cans of diced tomatoes and it turns out great every time
Thanks Steve
Echo says
Thank you for the tips!
PattyB says
Thanks! I have one #10 can of tomato sauce… I see I’ll have to get more. I know I can 1/4 the recipe but I’m canning the sauce and I might as well can four #10 cans rather than one #10 can.
Sue H says
How much is is #10 cans? Not familiar with that size (not an experienced cook!)
Thanks!
Nancy J Letson says
A #10 can is the large food service size – some stores have them in the “institutional” foods section.
They hold about 12 3/4 cups of product, usually much cheaper and easier than opening lots of smaller cans.
PattyB says
Another great way to skin your tomatoes is to put them whole in the freezer. When they are thawing out the skins slip right off. I found this out because I added tomatoes to the bag in the freezer as they ripened on the tomato plant. Was able to skip the boil/cold bath step completely!
I also buy onions and bell peppers [esp. the red ones!] when they are on sale, chop them up and freeze in bags of 1 cup each for future recipes.
Echo says
Great ideas! Thank you so much for sharing your tips!
Lori says
I like using a victoria strainer, it takes the skin and most of the seeds out and gives me the tomato juice and pulp. it is also quick and easy, and the kids love helping turn the handle. I can run the skins through twice to get a little thicker pulp.
Mary says
What preasure and for how long in a preasure cooker canner for the sauce we live in Florida
Erica says
I haven’t pressure-canned this recipe before but here is a great resource I found online for you.. it has everything you asked: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/spaghetti_sauce.html Hope this helps!
Gail says
25 pounds of tomatoes equals what size basket of tomatoes? Will I be able to find Roma tomatoes in quantity as I live in New England?
Erica says
You can use any kind of tomatoes. We used Early Girl and Park’s Whopper tomatoes last time and it was wonderful. It’s tough to estimate basket sizes… I would say about a 2/3 full 5-gallon bucket is about 25 Lbs.
Darlene L. says
Just made a batch of this spaghetti sauce, it is absolutely delicious!!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!! I will NEVER, again buy spaghetti sauce in a store, there is no comparison, Thanks again!!!
Emily says
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you liked it!
tony says
I want some sauce
Laurie says
I was wondering, can you use a food mill instead of peeling and coring all the tomatoes. My grandma and mom aways used this as it cuts out all that extra time. Or is there a reason you cook it that way?
Erica says
Yes, that would probably work– You just want to make sure you are still getting a lot of the meat of the tomato (pulp).
Chris Robinson says
Hi ladies:) I am in the middle of many roma tomatoes. I have put them through the food strainer because I have many grand children I watch so I have to work in shifts. I strain all my tomatoes & the next day I make my sauce & can. I need your help in figuring out how many gallons of juice I would use for this recipe? I sure hope you can help this grandma! Thanks for your time.
Chris
Erica says
I actually just canned today! It was about 2-ish gallons of tomato juice/pulp for one batch
Chris Robinson says
Thanks!
Bonnie Riley says
1/4 cup of salt-I hope I am assuming right by using canning salt?
Erica says
I just used Kosher salt. Taste it though because when I made it today I used quite a bit more salt. Make it to your personal taste in saltiness 🙂
Betty says
I have a high speed Vitamix blender that really pulverizes do I still need to take the skins off
Erica says
It’s totally up to you. I use my blendtec sometimes but I always still remove the skins. Let me know if you decide to try it and how it turns out!
Diane says
I always leave my unblemished skins on in tomato sauces and when jarring whole or crushed tomatoes. There are a lot of great vitamins and tomato skins. They may add a little bitterness that requires a little spice adjustments. The same is true with using tomato seeds. I use them. I used the Vitamix to blend the sautéed onion and peppers. Worked well. At the end of the cooking process I used the immersion blender, and was so very happy that I did. This recipe filled to the brim my16 quart stock pot. That amount of sauce to process in the Vitamix would’ve been very cumbersome endeavor. The immersion blender (a handheld stick that you insert in the pot to blend) allows you to manage the chunkiness or smoothness of your sauce. That is something that’s very difficult to do in any table top blender. And the whole pot is blended the same. Back to the tomato skins and seeds—the immersion blender broke down all of the skins and most of the seeds. I could’ve ran the immersion blender longer to break down all of the seeds but I really liked the consistency of the sauce that I had. Two thumbs up! 👍😍👍
Joan Winters says
Just tried canning with my daughter. We must have done something wrong. I do not have the right canning bath, so I put 4 pint jars in one of my big pans, boiled them covered for 45 minutes. But the lids didn’t pop. What can I do to save it?
Erica says
Did they pop after they had cooled?
Amy says
I just made the last night, I woke up in the middle of the night realizing I forgot the garlic, do you think it is still safe? I can just add garlic when I use it??
Erica says
Yes, that is totally fine.. you can just add it when re-heated. No biggie 🙂
Carrie Limon says
I would really love to try this recipe! But It’s just my husband and I. Could I make it on a smaller scale? I’m not a canner so anything left would have to be frozen.
Erica says
You can definitely make it on a smaller scale.. you could just use a recipe converter to make as much as you would like. This will also freeze well if you want to make extra.
Steephen says
Everyone who has eaten this spaghetti sauce says that it is the best they have ever tasted.
Erica says
Thank you so much! We are big fans, too 🙂 I just made a batch last week.. Mmmmm
Gloria Haynes says
I just spent all day making this. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but it’s not very good. I followed your recipe to the letter. So disappointed.
Erica says
Hi Gloria– definitely feel free to modify to your tastes. Last time I doubled the herbs and added a little more salt and it was wonderful. Some people like more Italian flavor, some like it more minimal. I usually taste and add, taste and add until it’s perfect. What type of tomatoes did you use? That can affect the taste, too.
Gloria Haynes says
I used Romas. The sauce has the unmistakable taste of bbq sauce.
Angela says
I see this is an older post, but in the hopes it can help other people thinking of trying this recipe I thought I would reply. I know that the brown sugar can settle on the bottom and caramelize if not stirred frequent enough….I would think that may be the bbq taste you got (sweeter) and even the tomato paste can settle at the bottom and burn giving off a different flavor. Just ideas I’m throwing out as I haven’t seen anyone else comment on that flavor and this is my second batch I’m making today!
Desiree Byrd says
Okay so I don’t can. It’s pretty intimidating for me, so I’m really just interested in this recipe for a small batch… for a one time dinner. Any idea how I might adjust for that?
Erica says
I haven’t ever made this as a non-canning dish before. You could probably just adjust for how many pounds of tomatoes you are using and divide the ingredient amounts by that number. Hope this helps!
Becky says
I need some help. I had 25lbs of tomatos that I froze and have thawed out. There is a LOT of water it seems. The water level is almost as high in the pot as the tomatoes, should I drain some of it? All of it? Thank you!
Becky says
Do I drain some of the liquid if I used frozen/thawed tomatoes? The water is almost covering the tomatos in the pan
Erica says
I have never heard of using frozen tomatoes for canning before so I’m not exactly sure. There shouldn’t be much or any water– it should just be pure tomato juices. If it isn’t boiling down and thickening right, I would definitely drain the water off
Jolene says
Hi Erica,
I just bought a electric Pressure Cooker and was wondering if I could make the Sauce in it? I have never used it before so kind of scared. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Erica says
A pressure cooker or pressure canner? A pressure cooker would be great to make the sauce in– it just needs to be in something where is will simmer down to the thickness you would like. The only issue I could see with a pressure cooker is that it is typically something you would cover– which might make it difficult for the excess steam/moisture to boil off. When you boil it on the stovetop you keep it uncovered so it can reduce down. I haven’t tried it in a pressure cooker though so it might be totally fine! I know this might not seem like a whole lot of help– let me know if you try it and how it turns out. I would definitely be interested to know!
Jason says
Hi Erica. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I am curious if you have tried it with red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice? Also, I would like to use pints instead of quarts so I assume only one tablespoon of juice at the bottom of each jar then? Thank you.
Erica says
Yes, if you do pints, just do 1 Tbsp of lemon juice– as far as the substitution goes, you will probably want to stick with lemon juice just to make sure you have enough acidity. I’m not sure red wine vinegar has enough.
Cassandra Shelton says
Just made this last Sunday. Tastes great but one question. Why process so long? Mine was a great consistency after 2 hrs and seems to have thickened more over the last week. Thanks
Cassandra
Erica says
The processing time is for safety for canning. As far as the simmering goes, if you like the consistency after just 2 hours you won’t need to simmer any longer! If you are happy with it– great!
Cassandra Shelton says
Also how does adding the lemon juice to the bottom of the jar effect the acidity of the food? Thanks again
Cassandra
Erica says
It raises the acidity to a safe level for canning. Hope this helps!
Dot says
I already diced my tomatoes from the garden and froze them in a bag. I would now like to can them and use this recipe. I have 22 pounds that I have diced up already and kept the juice also. I saw that if you use a canned diced tomato, you should add sauce. Do you think I should add sauce, or is the juice enough? I am hoping 22 pounds is enough, considering I already skinned them and cut out the cores. Do you think 22 pounds with sauce will work?
Dot says
I mean 22 pounds with *natural juice, not sauce. Will the juice alone and 22pounds work. Sorry.
Erica says
I’m not exactly sure how well it will go from frozen to canned. You probably would want to add at least a little sauce so it isn’t runny. Maybe simmer it down and see what you think? Hope this helps!
Donna says
Hi!!
I’ve made your sauce one other time and it was awesome! I remember last time I made it, I was a little confused with the processing instructions.
Your instructions say:
“Process for 40 minutes in a boiling-water canner.”
Just to be *crystal* clear, you mean to submerge the jars in boiling water (cover by 1inch) and then boil for 40 mins… Right?
I may just be having a brain fart, but I cannot remember what I did last time I made this sauce!! I *think* I processed it in a pressure canner, but I cannot remember how long or at what pressure.
Can you clarify? This recipe is definitely a keeper!! It’s going into the Family Bible (what we call my Grandmother’s cookbook).
Thanks!
Erica says
Yes, you are right. You will want to use an actually water-bath canner (I am assuming that is what you have). You can do it in a pressure canner but since I don’t have one myself, I don’t know what times and pressure to recommend. I hope I was able to answer your question! So glad you like the recipe! It is a favorite around here, too!
kaye says
Sorry haven’t tried your sauce yet. Just did my own and am commenting for those asking about pressure canning. I process @ 11# for 20 min for quarts, 15 min for pints. Have not had a problem in 40 years of canning. My sauce has mushrooms in it also just an FYI. Your sauce looks wonderful, think I will try it next time, enjoy trying new things!
Martin says
If not canning and making a smaller portion can you make this in a crockpot? If so how would you do that?
Erica says
Yes, you can– you would want to probably do 1/4 to 1/5 of the recipe and just put it in the crock pot.. depending on the size of your crock pot.
Elizabeth says
Delicious! I’ve been canning tomatoes for some time, but spaghetti sauce was a first for me. I have a huge basil plant and so I used fresh basil, about two cups. (We really like our basil.) Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thanks!
Erica says
So glad you liked it! We would definitely use fresh basil if we had that much readily available– great idea!
Jean says
Sounds like it would make great chili….spaghetti sauce, not so much.
Erica says
It is delicious! It sounds strange but the flavors work!
Cary says
Is it necessary to use lemon juice if freezing the sauce? Or is that just for canning?
Thank you.
Erica says
just for canning– you won’t need to add if freezing.
Patty says
Thanks the recipe. I looked around for a good pasta sauce that could be canned – either pressure or hot water. I followed the recipe exactly. I did not saute the onions and peppers (since some folks think this is controversial). The sauce took about 5 hours to reduce. I was hoping this was as good as the sauce I made last year. Well, gotta say, this recipe knocked it out of the ball park. It is nice, thick, spicy, delish! Some small children might like it due to the pepper flakes. I didn’t know what kind of onions to use – so I used a couple varieties. I love my salsa thick, rich and flavorful, and this recipe delivers. I yielded 9 quarts. Thanks for sharing.
Erica says
Patty- Thank you so much for your comment! I am so glad that you like it! Thank you for sharing how many quarts you yielded. 🙂
Kelly says
Sounds really good! Do you get rid of all the tomato seeds or just blend them up too? Thanks!
Erica says
We just blend them up– it makes it easier 🙂 Hope this helps!
Ashley Morris says
I am interested in making this. I am new to canning and was wondering if I could add carrots, zucchini and olives to it? I love texture in my sauce!
Erica says
You need to be careful when adding veggies when canning because it can throw off the PH-balance. I don’t know for sure what those veggies would do to the balance but if I were you I would add them when you are preparing your meal AFTER you have already canned, but that is just me. I would saute the carrots, zucchini, and olives and then pour the sauce over and heat before serving. Hope this helps!
Melanie says
After the 25 lbs of tomatoes are skinned and seeded, how many quarts or litres will there be ? Mine are already at that point.
Erica says
It should make anywhere between 7-10 quarts (we usually get about 9)
Trent says
Ah, I found this again! Last year I made this recipe and canned it, gave it to coworkers and everyone raved about it. Sadly, I did not bookmark the site, so I feared that I had lost it! It’s time to make some more sauce today, and absolutely LOVE this recipe! Thanks for posting it for me to find (and again a second time).
Erica says
So glad you liked this recipe!!! It is a favorite of ours, too! Actually getting ready to make a batch this week– we can’t get enough!
Rachel says
I looked and looked and looked for a spaghetti sauce recipe i thought would be worth my time trying to make. I have been so excited to try this recipe and we finally have enough tomatoes to try it! We are getting ready to make it and I will be posting back with how it goes and our opinions of it!
Erica says
I am excited to hear how you like it! Be sure to come back and let us know!
Michelle in Michigan says
Simmering now and it smells delish! It seems to be reducing nicely after 2 hours — will it continue to reduce (and get thicker) after more time?
Erica says
Yes, it will keep reducing the longer you have it on. Hope you like it!
Anna says
Well..how was it?
Cathy says
Hi. Am curious as to why if they are growing tomatoes with less acidity,why can with lemon juice,wouldn’t it make more sense to grow the tomatoes they were instead of creating a problem for people who home can.I have been canning for 40+years,never had any problems.no I didn’t add citric acid nor lemon juice to any of my sauces,juices,soup,ketchup all which were made using roma an beefy tomatoes.
Donie schmidt says
made this yesterday. we are some tonight. ” best sauce you ever made” from my husband. did not change a thing on the recipe
Erica says
So glad that you (and your husband) liked it! 😀
christina says
if I used fresh oregano do I have to freeze it? thanks
Erica says
I don’t think you would need to freeze it– just add at least 5x the amount so you get the same flavor. Hope this helps!
Sharon says
What is the shelf life for this spaghetti sauce once canned thru the water bath process? I don’t think I saw that anywhere on the recipe. Excited to try the recipe ????
Erica says
Typically in canning forums they it is best within a year but we have gone 2-3 years and it has been fine 🙂
Nikki M. says
I do not own an immersion blender. Can I use my ninja blender or will that puree it too much?
Erica says
You can totally use the ninja blender.. you will just have to do it in batches and may be a little more messy. If you like it a little on the chunky sire you can just pulse it until you get the consistency you like. Hope this helps!
Arlene Louise Baker says
Hi, I am just making your sauce pretty close to your ingredients, I like it chunky so left my mushrooms (which I added) and peppers and onion a little chunky. Last time I made it i used a food processor for peppers and onions and they were really cooked out when sauce was done. as when I buy canned sauce I always buy the chunky style and we like that. Thanks for your recipe,
Erica says
Yum! I love the idea of adding mushrooms! Great idea, thank you for sharing!
joe urban says
did you water bath or pressure can with the mushrooms
Eileen Murphy says
Think I am going to make this today. Looks yummy.
Erica says
Let us know how you like it!
Colin says
Added fresh mushrooms after about 2 hrs and also 1 LB of browned and strained hamburger. Didn’t blend the onions, garlic or peppers – but we chop them very fine – and substituted Red Chili pepper flakes instead of red pepper flakes for a bit more bite. Also added 1 TBSP of smoked paprika and this came out the best I’ve ever had. I added the lemon/lime (yes I used half lemon and half lime instead of only lemon) to the entire mixture about 30 minutes before canning. It will all be gone within 3 months anyways! Doing this because we have such a huge crop of tomatoes this year.
Erica says
So glad you like this recipe! Hopefully you pressure canned this if you used ground beef… I don’t think it is safe to use a water bath or steam canner if you are adding protein. :/
Rebecca says
My home smelled amazing! Every time my DH walked into the kitchen, he took in a big breath and of course a sample. I followed your recipe very close, only added a few jalapenos and used fresh basil. I had about 30 lbs of field tomatoes and ended up with 11 quarts. I am so happy I found your sauce. I have been canning for many, many years and by far this is one of the best recipes I have every done. This totally ROCKED!
Erica says
Rebecca— Thank you so much for the nice comment! 😀 I am so glad you like the spaghetti sauce. Thanks for sharing how many quarts you yielded with your tomatoes. That is always helpful to other readers so they know what to expect. Great idea using jalapeños and fresh basil, too. YUM!
Jan says
I have made the Taste Of Home recipe 2 years in a row and then came across this one. I am going to use this as I like the 4 red peppers vs the green as the red are usually sweeter. Also no canola oil in yours which I like and brown sugar vs white. I am going to make this tonight and can’t wait to see which I like better (a little worried about the soy sauce but I will trust)
Erica says
haha I know the soy sauce sounds weird, I promise you won’t be able to even taste it. It just gives a deeper flavor that just salt alone. I actually always add a little soy sauce when I make spaghetti sauce (even when I am not canning it)! So excited for you to try it, be sure to let me know what you think!
Karen says
I didn’t read through ALL the comments and I apologize if this has been asked already, but can I use fresh basil and can this or do I have to freeze it?
Erica says
Yes, you can use fresh basil 🙂 Hope this helps
Crystal says
Hi! This recipe sounds great! Was just wondering if you use canning salt or regular table salt?
Erica says
You can use either, I actually used Kosher salt
Carolyn says
If I make this in pint jars would I still use 2 TBSP lemon juice in each jar?
Erica says
No– you would only use 1 Tbsp. Hope this helps!
Kaylin says
Hello! I canned this recipe last season and it was wonderful! I’m wanting to make a batch for a fundraiser and was wondering how many ounces of tomato sauce would I need to substitute for fresh tomatoes?
Thanks so much!
Erica says
I haven’t measured out how many oz. of tomato sauce … instead of tomato sauce I would probably use crushed tomatoes. For a whole batch you would need quite a few! Do the cans of crushed tomatoes say how many tomatoes are in each can? That would give us a start to figuring out how many to use!
Jennifer says
Hey ! We’re building a house so I want to have plenty of recipes for next spring !
How much does this make in pints?
We have 12 acres, I’m thrilled to get started , I’ve canned strawberry jam and tomatoes last year .. nothing to crazy !
Erica says
Hi Jennifer– For each quart jar you should be able to get about 2 pints. I am guessing you will get about 18-20 pints jars for each batch. Good luck with all the new land! That should be a blast!
Allen says
I have some sweet basil plants is it ok if I add some?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Definitely! Fresh basil is amazing in this sauce.
Linda says
Would it be ok to make it without taking the seeds out. I ran across this recipe after I had already started cooking the tomatoes with the seeds in.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes, it should be fine 🙂 If you blend it in the blender it should take care of most of the seeds.. hope this helps!
Veronica hill says
Will this homemade sauce taste similar to prego sauce that you buy in stores. Because I love prego sauce.
Favorite Family Recipes says
It isn’t as sweet as Prego sauce, but it our favorite spaghetti sauce to use now! You could probably add a little extra sugar to make it sweeter like Prego if you wanted to, but I wouldn’t overdo it. If you want to make it thicker like prego when serving, just add a small can of tomato paste to the sauce when heating before serving (after it has been canned and you are pulling it off the shelf to eat). It will be nice and thick like Prego. Hope this helps!
Rachel says
Unfortunately, my family and I didn’t care for the sauce. The flavor was much too strong and spicy for our taste. I also found it to be quite oily when cooked for 4 hours and extremely dark in color. The Worcestershire sauce just didn’t do it for us.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Sorry this was a miss for you! I’m not sure what you mean by “oily”.. I can’t say that I have had it turn out oily before. You can definitely leave the Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes out if it isn’t to your liking! Feel free to modify how you see fit. :/
/Tessa Burden says
This sounds amazing. Would like to try this soon but one question, for the brown sugar do you us light brown sugar or dark brown sugar?
Favorite Family Recipes says
I used light brown but you can definitely use dark. It won’t make that much of a difference. Hope this helps!
Tessa Burden says
Thank you much appreciated. Can’t wait to try it.
Leslie says
I have never used soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce in spaghetti sauce before today, but I will from now on. This sauce is amazing! Thank you for posting it!
allie says
Recipe sounds good. But I would pressure can it. Let me tell you why. The lemon juice is sufficient if we’re only canning tomatoes but recipe also has peppers and onions, both low acid foods. Those must be pressure canned.
Favorite Family Recipes says
We did a lot of research and made sure the acids from the lemon juice balanced out the onions and peppers, but if you are still unsure, definitely pressure can it if you want!
Dianne says
When canning do you cover jars with water and do you cover with lid to process
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes you will definitely want to make sure the lid is on when you are processing. If I am using a water bath canner I will make sure the jars are completely submerged in water. Hope this helps!
Mundy Jamison says
I am also new to canning, started this year with pepper jelly, and other jellies. Anyhow, it seems like no one has had an issue with botulism since this has posted. I was wondering, if I make and can about half, would it help prevent something like botulism if it was stored in the refrigerator? Just a thought. I plan on making it. I think I read this somewhere else about canning, that if you are concerned you could keep it in the fridge. I am so excited to try it… We have a family dinner every week and I think this is what we will be having this week! In fact, today I am playing hooky from work because I have so many tomatoes and other stuff to can that I needed an extra day, especially with the cold weather coming in early this year.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes, you can absolutely keep it in the fridge. The nice thing about canning, though, is that you can keep all the jars in your pantry where there is more space. This recipe usually makes a nice big batch so storing them in the fridge may be difficult. It would work great if you maybe had an extra fridge? We haven’t had anyone write in with an issue with canning and storing normally so you are probably ok not storing them in the fridge if you didn’t want to!
Wendy says
I forgot to add the lemon juice to the jars before canning. Can I empty and wash the jars and reheat the sauce and start over with the canning process? This is my second batch and we love it! First batch I added the lemon juice????
Favorite Family Recipes says
You can but that is a lot of work! You can also keep them in the fridge for a few months. Darn it, I have forgotten to add the lemon juice before too and oh man, it stinks to start again 🙁
Thelma says
THIS IS THE BEST!!!!!!
I’m so glad I pushed on this choice when my choices for making sauce came up! Thank you for sharing this family secret, no longer buying bottled ????
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thanks so much for the 5-stars! So glad you enjoy the spaghetti sauce as much as we do. It’s my favorite thing to make with fresh garden tomatoes!
Rosemary says
When quartering the tomatoes, do you remove the seeds before blending?
This is a must try recipe when my tomato harvest is in.
Thanks for your response.
Favorite Family Recipes says
We usually don’t remove the seeds (too much work) but you are welcome to if you would like! Hope this helps!
Tina says
Does it turn out as good if you half the recipe? I know sometimes cutting the recipe in half doesn’t turn out as good.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes, it should turn out just fine halved 🙂
Liz L says
WOW! Made this sauce this past weekend and it is AMAZING. Better than Prego! Took quite a bit of time, but so worth it! I followed the recipe exactly and got 10 quarts. Will be making more as long as my tomato plants keep producing. I am so glad I found this recipe; thanks for posting it!
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thank you so much for sharing your success with this recipe! I am preparing to make another batch, too. My family doesn’t like the store-bought anymore so I have to can as much as I can each season to last us! 😀 Thanks so much for the 5-stars!
Lori Chowan says
About how much juice is 25# of tomatoes? I have been making juice as my tomatoes ripen. I have about 3 gallons.
Favorite Family Recipes says
I’m not exactly sure how much of the 25# is juice. If you are making canned spaghetti sauce you are probably going to need the pulp as well, not just the juice. Is that what you are asking?
Liz says
I have a lot of green peppers to be used up. Would it change the taste much to switch out red for green?
Also, any suggestions for using frozen tomatoes…I’m assuming they will be extra runny…
Excited to try this!
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes, frozen tomatoes will probably make it more runny. Also, you can totally use all green peppers if you want! You shouldn’t notice a big difference. Let us know how it turns out for you!
Jess says
I am making this now and realize I will not have enough time to let it simmer before I have to run around with the kids. Do you think it will be okay to simmer for a while now and complete the process when I come back later tonight?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes, that should be fine but I wouldn’t leave it at room temperature. Could you put it in a slow cooker while you are running kids around?
Jon says
This is the most amazing sauce! However, like some of the above posters, I do not feel comfortable preserving it with only a water bath. Some canning references go so far as to suggest a full mixed-vegetables long processing for a recipe like this. However, I found a very similar recipe on the National Center for Home Food Preservation. They recommended 11 pounds/20 minutes for pints, and 25 minutes for quarts, with the normal adjustments for altitude.
Here is the link to the NCHFP recipe I found: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/spaghetti_sauce.html
Your recipe is much better. Thank you for sharing it!!
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thanks for this info! It is always a good idea to be extra cautious with canning 🙂 You can always use a pressure cooker if you are unsure!
Elizabeth says
This sauce is AMAMZING!!! We even had to make a second batch because we went through the first so quickly. Thank you for sharing!
Favorite Family Recipes says
You bet! So glad you liked this recipe! We always BLAZE through the spaghetti sauce. We have pretty much been canning every week.
Michelle J says
Can you clarify if it really has to cook. For 4-5hours. The time outline at the beginning of the recipe doesn’t align with what’s in the recipe. 4-5 hours seems like a long time.
Favorite Family Recipes says
It is up to 4-5 hours. Technically it will taste fine after 10 minutes simmering or so.. but for the BEST taste, you will want to simmer longer. This really give the tomatoes a chance to simmer down and have a deeper flavor. It also allows all the flavors to really blend together nicely. Hope this helps!
Chad Schneider says
I am unsure how many tomatoes I started with, but I have the pulp ready to go. Wondering how many cups/quarts/etc. of pulp this recipe would require? Thank you!
Favorite Family Recipes says
I’m not sure I understand the question.. before simmering you should have close to 10-12 quarts of pulp. After adding the other ingredients and simmering it down you should be pretty close to 10 quart jars. Hope this helps!
Tracy says
This is my first time canning and I love the taste of this recipe. But I forgot to add the lemon juice! Am I doomed? Should I just toss the jars in the freezer or pop the lids and add it?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Oh nooooo! You may be able to get away with it but I would do what you suggested in your comment just to be safe. I would either freeze them or re-process them after adding the lemon juice. Those acidity levels are crucial when canning. Be sure to seal with new lids if re-processing. Hope this helps!
Michael says
Every year I hot water can salsa with the tomatoes and hot peppers I grow and I got about 30 pints of it this year. I’ve always wanted to can a batch of “gravy” as some in my family call it (tomato/spaghetti sauce) and after a particularly bountiful haul of tomatoes this weekend I decided that the time for me to try to make it was now. I came across your recipe and went to it. I didn’t quarter the tomatoes, I chopped them with a knife and I didn’t use an immersion blender. I always remove the seeds when I make salsa, but I left them in for this sauce and I’m happy with it that way. The only variations I made was I went with 6 small cans of tomato paste instead of 4 because I like a thicker sauce and I went with a half teaspoon of ground cayenne because I discovered I was out of red pepper flakes. I tried it before I canned it and it is delicious! I can’t wait to have it on my pasta later this week! I ended up with 10 quarts which is perfect. I’m definitely saving this recipe, and the next time I make it I think I may roast the peppers beforehand.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Hi Michael – Thank you for your nice comment! I love the idea of roasting the vegetables beforehand. I have been wanting to try roasting them but every time I get in the canning mood, I always forget. Definitely going to try with my next batch! Hopefully I can squeeze in one more big batch this year. Thank you so much for the 5-stars!
Todd Hiller says
This turned out awesome! Very, very good! Only thing I changed was the tomato type, I used roma tomatoes and I sliced them in large slices, brushed them with garlic oil and roasted them in the oven for about 1.5hrs at 425. I then put everything in a blender and blended it all, then in to canning jars and processed for 40 min. Best ever!! Thank you for the great recipe!
Todd H
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thank you so much for your comment! I’m so happy you like the recipe. Using roasted Roma tomatoes with garlic oil is genius. It sounds so flavorful! Don’t you just love having all of those jars of delicious spaghetti sauce in the pantry?!
Kati says
Hi! My tomatoes are finally getting a nice rich color and I am I credibly excited to dive into the world of homemade pasta sauce- but I was wondering if heirloom tomatoes would work with this recipe?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes, they should work great! Let us know how you like this recipe after you make it!
Connie Collins says
I was looking for a new recipe to do the last of my tomatoes and came across this one. What an awesome discovery! We got 9 quarts from it. We will never make Mrs. Wages again! What a great way to end our canning season. I think next year I may juice half the tomatoes so we don’t have so many seeds. I could eat this sauce plain it has such good flavor. Thank you!
Favorite Family Recipes says
What a huge compliment! Thank you so much! Glad you were able to end off your canning season with such a successful batch. 😀
Kim says
I’m going to try this recipe as it looks the best that I’ve seen but I am making it for my husband who is a bit picky about his spag sauce lol. He likes meat in it and likes cinnamon in his sauce. I’m not sure if I should add the cinnamon or not, do you think it will clash with the soya?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Cinnamon… now that is one I haven’t heard yet! If he likes it, then sure, why not? haha You can definitely add meat as well. We almost always add meat as well. Totally up to you!
Lori says
I used a Victoria Strainer last year instead of removing skins using a water bath and then blending the tomatoes. It worked great and the kids loved to crank the handle for me.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Those are so cool! Our mom has one and it is awesome for making tomato juice. Great idea!