Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce

4.81 from 502 votes
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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! Canning spaghetti sauce is easy and rewarding and makes for the best pasta sauce ever!

Two glass jars of canned spaghetti sauce next to dry spaghetti
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in Canned Spaghetti Sauce
  2. Why Can Spaghetti Sauce?
  3. Tomatoes: A Family Tradition
  4. Family Tested, Dad Approved
  5. How Can I Use Canned Spaghetti Sauce?
  6. Water Bath Canning Spaghetti Sauce
  7. Pressure Canning Spaghetti Sauce
  8. Frequently Asked Questions about Canned Spaghetti Sauce
  9. More Delicious Pasta Recipes
  10. How to Make Canned Spaghetti Sauce
  11. Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

This canned spaghetti sauce is HANDS-DOWN, the very best with home-grown tomatoes. We are kind of crazy about our tomatoes over here. The taste of this savory tomato sauce stays fresh and turns any pasta dinner into something special.

Ingredients in Canned Spaghetti Sauce

All you need for perfect spaghetti sauce are some herbs, spices and of course, fresh ripe tomatoes! This sauce couldn’t be simpler to make:

  • Tomatoes – about 25 pounds. This recipe makes a huge batch of tomato puree.
  • Onions – I start with about five large yellow onions. You’ll end up with 7-8 cups chopped onions.
  • Red bell peppers – four large peppers work great.
  • Green bell pepper – dice one large pepper
  • Tomato paste – four 6-ounce cans should do the trick.
  • Soy sauce – Sounds weird, but trust us, it deepens the tomato flavor like you won’t believe!
  • Worcestershire sauce – stir in a little sauce to enhance the flavor of the tomatoes and give the sauce a meaty flavor.
  • Brown sugar – a little sweetness balances the acidity of the tomatoes and all the herbs.
  • Salt – a quarter cup, plus more to taste.
  • Garlic – you’ll need a LOT of garlic, chopped or minced. Start with ten cloves.
  • Oregano – I usually use dried herbs for this recipe.
  • Basil – again, dried works great!
  • Red pepper flakes – a little goes a long way with these spicy flakes. Start with a teaspoon and add more depending on your tastes.
  • Bay leaves – two leaves give such delicious flavor.
  • Lemon juice – for the jars

Why Can Spaghetti Sauce?

Canning spaghetti sauce offers several great benefits. It may take a little time up front but I love the satisfaction of walking into my pantry and seeing rows of freshly canned spaghetti sauce jars! Here are some more great benefits to canning:

  • Long-term preservation: Enjoy homemade sauce even when fresh tomatoes are out of season.
  • Control over ingredients: Customize the flavors, spices, and level of heat to suit personal taste preferences.
  • Convenience and time-saving: Have ready-to-use sauce on hand for quick and easy meal preparations.
  • Cost-effective: Save money by utilizing homegrown or bulk-purchased ingredients.

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, luckily 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, see our full guide.



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!

Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce in a Jar

How Can I Use Canned Spaghetti Sauce?

The name may say spaghetti, but this marinara sauce is so versatile, it’s sure to become one of your favorite staples, and not just on pasta night. Try it as a thickener for Italian-style soups like Minestrone, or add tomato paste to a serving to make pizza sauce. Here are some more delicious recipes that use spaghetti sauce:

Large jars of homemade spaghetti sauce that have been canned

Water Bath Canning Spaghetti Sauce

This particular recipe for canned spaghetti sauce hasn’t been “officially” tested for a water-bath canner. 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.

A close-up top-view of spaghetti sauce

Pressure Canning Spaghetti Sauce

For a weighted-gauge pressure canner, you will want to process 20 minutes for pint jars and 25 minutes for quart jars. Process at 10 pounds for altitudes between 0-1,000 feet. Process at 15 pounds for altitudes above 1,000 feet. For more information on pressure canning spaghetti sauce, check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation here.

Frequently Asked Questions about Canned Spaghetti Sauce

Can I Add Ground Beef to the Canned Spaghetti Sauce?

You can add ground beef or ground Italian sausage 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 fresh mushrooms, celery, parsley, thyme or meat 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!

READ NEXT:Ravioli Sauce

Two jars of homemade canned spaghetti sauce next sauce ingredients

More Delicious Pasta Recipes

How to Make Canned Spaghetti Sauce

One opened jar of spaghetti sauce next to an unopened jar

Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce

4.81 from 502 votes
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!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Processing 40 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 40 minutes
Course Canning
Cuisine Italian
Servings 60 servings

Video

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 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). 
    Seven tomatoes in a pot of boiling water
  • Boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove tomatoes one at a time with slotted spoon and plunge in an icewater bath. Peel and quarter tomatoes.
    Seven tomatoes in an ice water bath
  • 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.
    Fresh tomatoes in a skillet
  • 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). 
    Spaghetti sauce simmering in a large pan
  • 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.
    Lemon juice is being added to glass jars prepared for canning

For Water Bath Canning:

  • Process for 40 minutes in a boiling-water canner 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.
    Pepper jelly jars in a water bath

For Pressure Canning:

  • Using a weighted-gauge pressure canner, process 20 minutes for pint jars and 25 minutes for quart jars. Process at 10 lb for altitudes between 0-1,000 feet. Process at 15 lb for altitudes above 1,000 feet.
    Jar of spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes and basil

Notes

  • This recipe makes 9-10 quart-sized jars
  • 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, luckily 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, see our full guide.
  • 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.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 547mgPotassium: 511mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1858IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My kids LOVE this sauce. I canned a big batch last year with tomatoes from my own garden. This goes so well with ground sausage. Can’t wait till garden time this year!

  2. Getting prepared for canning this summer and very excited to make your recipe – sounds wonderful from all the comments. Question, if I leave out the peppers, would that change the flavor much?

    1. We can only endorse the recipe as written for canning purposes. Omissions, substitutions, or additions can be safely made if you plan to freeze the sauce instead of canning.

  3. 5 stars
    We absolutely love this sauce! We’ve made it for two years now with tomatoes, garlic, green bell pepper, sweet basil from our garden.

  4. 5 stars
    BEST spaghetti sauce! I made this sauce back in October and gave away canned jars for Christmas. Everyone LOVED it and and I’m being asked to make more!

  5. Okay, I just made this and I am a first timer. I used my tomatoes that I froze throughout the summer.
    I only ended up with 6 quart jars . . . Any ideas with where I may have gone wrong.

  6. 5 stars
    Very good sauce. We canned 40 pints this past summer and fall. We used approximately 75% Roma and 25% Bandywine tomatoes in our mix.

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