Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Erica Walker

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5 from 700 votes
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This Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up a big batch of fresh garden tomatoes. It is rich, savory, thick enough to cling to pasta, and so much better than anything I can buy at the store. I love having jars of homemade spaghetti sauce on the pantry shelf because it makes dinner feel half done before I even start.

Two glass jars of canned spaghetti sauce next to dry spaghetti.

5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Best sauce ever. I use it in my rigatoni bake for potlucks, and I received tons of compliments and requests for the recipe. My children do not want spaghetti unless I use this sauce.” – Jennifer

“I tried this recipe for the first time last summer using all ingredients from my garden. This recipe was to die for! The worst part was I only made 9 quarts and should have made more.” – Kristina

“I have been using this recipe for several batches. It is so good everyone loves it. Thank you for sharing.” – Jole

Why I Love This Canned Spaghetti Sauce

We are a little tomato-crazy in our family, and this recipe is one of the big reasons why. Every year when the garden starts producing more tomatoes than we can eat fresh, I start thinking about canned spaghetti sauce. There is just something so satisfying about lining up those jars and knowing I have homemade sauce ready for busy nights, lasagna, soups, casseroles, and quick pasta dinners.

This recipe has also become a family favorite because it has passed the Dad test. My dad loves Italian food and is very picky about spaghetti sauce. It has to have the right balance of tomato flavor, seasoning, sweetness, and richness. When we served this sauce at family dinner, he loved it so much that he used a spoon to get every last bit off his plate. That is about the best review I could ask for.

🩷 Erica

Table of Contents

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Tomatoes: Fresh garden tomatoes are best. I have used Roma, Celebrity, Early Girl, Park’s Whopper, San Marzano, Beefsteak, and even a few cherry tomatoes mixed in.
  • Onions and bell peppers: These add body and flavor to the sauce. Red bell peppers add a little sweetness, and green bell pepper gives it a classic savory flavor.
  • Tomato paste: This helps thicken the sauce and gives it a deeper tomato flavor.
  • Soy sauce: It sounds a little strange in spaghetti sauce, but it deepens the savory tomato flavor. Use gluten-free soy sauce if needed.
  • Worcestershire sauce: This adds richness and a little meaty flavor without adding meat.
  • Brown sugar: A little sweetness balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the sauce the best flavor.
  • Spices: Dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and bay leaves give the sauce that classic homemade spaghetti sauce taste.
  • Bottled lemon juice: This is added directly to the jars for water bath or steam canning. Bottled lemon juice is recommended because the acidity is consistent. The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon citric acid per quart of tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid per pint.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

Canning spaghetti sauce is different from making a regular pot of sauce for dinner. With a fresh sauce, you can add a handful of this and a little more of that. With canning, you need to be much more careful because changing ingredients can affect acidity, thickness, and processing safety.

  • Sugar and salt: These can be adjusted to taste. Start with the recipe amount, taste as the sauce simmers, and adjust a little at a time.
  • Soy sauce: Use gluten-free soy sauce if you need this canned spaghetti sauce recipe to be gluten-free.
  • Citric acid: You can use citric acid instead of bottled lemon juice. Use ½ teaspoon citric acid per quart jar or ¼ teaspoon per pint jar.
  • Tomato varieties: A mix of paste tomatoes and juicy garden tomatoes works really well. Roma and San Marzano tomatoes make a thicker sauce, while larger garden tomatoes add fresh flavor.
  • Frozen tomatoes: Frozen tomatoes can be used. Thaw them first and drain off extra liquid so the sauce does not take as long to thicken.
  • Fresh herbs: For water bath canning, stick with the dried herbs in the recipe because that is how the recipe has been tested. If you want fresh basil, parsley, mushrooms, extra garlic, or meat, add those after opening the jar.
  • Meat: Do not add ground beef, sausage, or meat if you are water bath canning this recipe. If you want a meat sauce, add cooked meat when you open the jar, or use a tested pressure-canning recipe for spaghetti sauce with meat.

How to Make Canned Spaghetti Sauce

Seven tomatoes in a pot of boiling water
  1. Peel the tomatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the skins begin to split. Move them to the ice water, then peel and quarter the tomatoes over a large bowl so you save all the juices.
Sauteed onions for Canned Spaghetti Sauce
  1. Prepare the vegetables. Pulse the onions and bell peppers in a food processor until finely chopped. You can sauté them first in a little oil with a pinch of salt for extra flavor, or add them straight to the sauce.
Spaghetti sauce simmering in a large pan
  1. Simmer the sauce. Add the tomatoes, chopped vegetables, tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic, salt, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 4 to 5 hours, stirring often so the sauce does not scorch.
Pouring lemon juice from a tablespoon in a canning jar.
  1. Blend and prepare the jars. Remove the bay leaves. Use an immersion blender if you want a smoother sauce, or leave it chunkier if that is how you like it. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to each hot jar before filling.
Spaghetti Sauce in glass canning jars next to tomatoes and basil
  1. Fill the jars. Ladle the hot sauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe the rims clean, and add the lids and rings.
Canning jars with tomatoes in a canning pot of steamy water.
  1. Process and cool. Process the jars using the water bath canning or pressure canning. When processing is finished, let the jars cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours, then check the seals, label the jars, and store them in a cool, dark place.

Altitude Adjustments

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.

Pressure Canning – process at 11 pounds pressure up to 2,000 feet elevation, increasing by 1 pound for every 2,000 feet (12 lbs for 2,001–4,000 ft, 13 lbs for 4,001–6,000 ft, and 14 lbs for 6,001–8,000 ft).

Recipe Tips

  • Weigh the tomatoes before peeling. That is how we measure them for this recipe.
  • Use hot sauce and hot jars. Hot sauce going into hot jars helps prevent cracking.
  • Do not skip the bottled lemon juice for water bath canning. Add it directly to each jar, not to the whole pot of sauce.
  • Include the pepper juice. If liquid comes out when you pulse the bell peppers, add it to the sauce.
  • Stir often while simmering. Tomatoes can scorch on the bottom of the pot, especially once the sauce starts to thicken.
  • Use an electric roaster carefully. It can work for cooking down a large batch, but I would not leave it unattended overnight. Stir it often and watch for burning.
  • Thicken by simmering longer. The final yield can change depending on how juicy your tomatoes are and how long the sauce reduces.
  • Use an immersion blender for smooth sauce. For chunkier sauce, pulse the vegetables less and skip the blending.
  • Do not over-tighten the rings. Fingertip tight is enough.
  • Check every seal. Any jar that does not seal should be refrigerated and used soon or reprocessed with a new lid.
Jars held up by canning rack on a canning pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Help! I forgot to add lemon juice to the jars before canning, is my spaghetti sauce still good?

Do not, I repeat, do NOT skip this step if you are water bath or steam canning. Stick a reminder note on your jars or tie a ribbon on your finger so you don’t forget. You absolutely can not safely water bath or steam can tomatoes without bringing up the acidity first. If you forget to add the lemon juice you will need to open the jars, add the juice, replace with new lids, and reprocess.

What tomatoes work best?

Fresh garden tomatoes are always the best choice. I’ve had great results with Roma, Celebrity, Early Girl, Park’s Whopper, San Marzano, and Beefsteak varieties. And when I have extras, I even toss in a handful of cherry tomatoes!

How many tomatoes is 25 pounds?

The number of tomatoes in 25 pounds really depends on the variety and size of the tomatoes. If you’re using smaller varieties like Roma or plum tomatoes, you’ll get about 70–80 tomatoes in 25 pounds. For medium-sized tomatoes, it’s closer to 55–65, and for large beefsteak tomatoes, you can expect around 35–40. So in general, 25 pounds of tomatoes will give you somewhere between 35 and 80 tomatoes, depending on the size.

Can I Add Ground Beef to the Canned Spaghetti Sauce?

Do not add ground beef or sausage to this recipe if you are canning it. If you want meat sauce, add cooked meat after opening the jar, freeze the sauce instead of canning it, or follow a tested pressure-canning recipe specifically written for spaghetti sauce with meat.

Can I add other ingredients 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. When it comes to canning it’s best to stick with a tried and tested recipe and don’t deviate.

How long does Canned Spaghetti Sauce last on the shelf?

For best quality, use home-canned spaghetti sauce within 1 year. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. If a jar loses its seal, leaks, bulges, smells off, or looks moldy, throw it away.

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?

It can be. The ingredient to watch is soy sauce, so use a gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos if needed. Also check your Worcestershire sauce label.

Do I have to peel the tomatoes and do they need to be seeded?

I always peel the tomatoes and remove the rough stem area but they don’t need to be seeded. If you prefer to remove the seeds you certainly can. If you decide to leave the skins on, it won’t change the acidity but it will change the texture.

Can the sauce be simmered in a Crock Pot?

If you can get it to all fit, sure! Just simmer in the Crock Pot with the lid off until it reaches your desired thickness.

Can I adjust the sugar and/or salt quantities?

Yes, please adjust the sugar and salt to your personal liking. It will not affect the acidity so taste as you go and adjust in small amounts.

Why did I get more/less of a yield than in the recipe?

The amount of jars this recipe yields really depends on the water content of the tomatoes and how long you reduce the sauce. You can get more or less than what the recipe says depending on how thick you make it.

How can I make my spaghetti sauce thicker?

The easiest way is to just let it simmer until it thickens. You can also add tomato paste to thicken if needed.

What if I like a chunkier sauce?

If you like it more chunky, you can just roughly chop the tomatoes and veggies instead of blending.

Can I use citric acid instead of lemon juice to can spaghetti sauce safely?

YES. You can use ½ teaspoon of citric acid instead of lemon juice. Citric acid is more concentrated so you will need less. I like using lemon juice because it’s cheaper and more accessible but either one works.

Can I use fresh herbs instead of dried?

I do not recommend swapping dried herbs for fresh herbs if you are water bath canning this recipe, unless the recipe has been tested that way. Add fresh basil, parsley, or other herbs after opening the jar.

Should I weigh my tomatoes before or after peeling?

We weigh our tomatoes before peeling.

Can I use frozen tomatoes?

Yes, frozen tomatoes work. Thaw them first and drain off extra water before making the sauce. This helps the sauce thicken faster and keeps it from tasting watery.

Can I halve this recipe?

Yes, you can halve the recipe. Keep the same amount of bottled lemon juice or citric acid per jar. For quarts, use 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon citric acid per jar. For pints, use 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid per jar.

Large jars of homemade spaghetti sauce that have been canned

Make Ahead and Storage

  • Make ahead: You can wash and sort the tomatoes the day before. You can also chop the onions and peppers ahead of time and refrigerate them until you are ready to make the sauce.
  • Using frozen tomatoes: If you freeze tomatoes as they ripen, thaw them in a strainer over a large bowl or pot so extra water can drain away before cooking.
  • Shelf storage: Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. I like to use home-canned sauce within a year for best quality.
  • After opening: Refrigerate opened jars and use them within a few days.
  • Freezing instead of canning: This sauce freezes well. Let it cool, portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags, and freeze for several months. Freezing is also the best option if you want to add extra vegetables or meat without worrying about canning safety.

Our Family History with Tomatoes

Growing tomatoes has always been a family thing for us. Our Uncle Larry is one of the best gardeners I know. He has studied gardening, taught gardening, and somehow seems to know every trick for getting plants to grow. We joke that he has ten green thumbs. He shared so many of his garden tips with our mom, and she has always grown a beautiful garden too. See our full guide for growing tomatoes.

Tomatoes are one of those things that connect our family year after year. We compare what varieties we planted, how the crop is doing, what we have canned, and what we still need to make. Some of my favorite memories are from the kitchen with baskets of tomatoes on the counter and a huge pot of sauce simmering on the stove.

This canned spaghetti sauce recipe came from that tradition. We have tweaked it over the years, tested it, made it for family dinners, and served it to my very picky Italian-food-loving dad. When he approved it, we knew we had a keeper.

Uncle Larry is in his garden holding fresh garden tomatoes.

Acidity Testing for Canned Spaghetti Sauce

Tomatoes can be tricky for canning because their acidity can vary by variety, ripeness, and growing conditions. The CDC classifies low-acid foods as foods with a pH higher than 4.6, and low-acid foods need special care because they are the foods most often linked with botulism in home canning.

We have tested this recipe for safe water bath canning nine times, exactly as written, and it has consistently tested in the safe range, between 3.7 and 4.2 pH. A pH of 4.6 or lower is considered the key cutoff for high-acid foods. We have used Roma tomatoes, Celebrity, Park’s Whopper, and other red garden varieties with success. Even with that testing, it is still important to follow the recipe as written, use bottled lemon juice or citric acid in each jar for water bath canning, and follow trusted Home Food Preservation Guidelines.

A close-up top-view of spaghetti sauce

Water Bath Canning vs Pressure Canning

Water Bath Canning is the method I use when I make this canned spaghetti sauce recipe as written with bottled lemon juice added to each jar. It works for high-acid foods or properly acidified foods. A boiling-water canner needs enough water to cover the tops of the jars, and the water needs to stay boiling for the full processing time.

Pressure Canning uses higher temperatures than water bath canning and is required for low-acid foods like meat, vegetables, and sauces with meat. Some tested tomato recipes also include pressure-canning instructions, but that does not mean you can freely change the recipe. For tomato products, you still need to follow the tested recipe, use the correct jar size, process for the full time, adjust for altitude, and add bottled lemon juice or citric acid when the recipe calls for it. The National Center for Home Food Preservation lists spaghetti sauce without meat as a pressure-canning recipe with processing times of 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts, with pressure adjusted for altitude.

For this recipe, follow the processing instructions in the recipe card and do not guess on processing time. If you are new to canning, read through our Canning 101 post or your canner manual before starting and double-check your altitude.

Canning pot, citric acid, lemon juice, canning jars, canning funnel, lid lifter and jar lifter tongs.

Where to Find Canning Jars and Cookers

You can usually find canning jars at grocery stores, Walmart, Target, farm supply stores, hardware stores, and online. I like 1-quart canning jars from Ball for spaghetti sauce because one jar is a great amount for pasta night, lasagna, or a casserole. Pint jars are nice for smaller meals, pizza sauce, or recipes that only need a little sauce.

A few things to remember:

  • Use jars made for home canning.
  • Check jars for chips or cracks before filling.
  • Use new lids each time for canning.
  • Rings can be reused as long as they are not rusty or bent.
  • If you find jars secondhand, inspect them carefully and buy new lids.
  • You can use these jars for other recipes like canning fresh tomatoes, canning peaches, or canning pears.

For a weighted-gauge pressure canner, I like to use the Presto 16-Quart Pressure Canner, which is great for canning spaghetti sauce. I found mine at Walmart and it has worked great for me. You can also find good ones on Amazon.

Pairing Ideas

This canned spaghetti sauce is perfect over spaghetti, but I use it for so much more than pasta night. It is great in Lasagna with Cottage Cheese, Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells, Easy Chicken Cacciatore, Baked Ziti, Pasta e Fagioli Soup, Minestrone, and any recipe that calls for jarred marinara or spaghetti sauce. You can also simmer it a little longer after opening a jar and use it as pizza sauce. Any of these Italian dishes are amazing with our Homemade Breadsticks or Garlic Bread.

More Canning Recipes

This Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe is one of the best ways to turn fresh garden tomatoes into something you will use all year long. It is rich, savory, family-tested, and so convenient to have on the pantry shelf. Be sure to read through the tips and FAQs before you start, especially if you are new to canning spaghetti sauce.

Still have a question? Check the comments because we have answered lots of canning questions there over the years. If you do not see what you need, leave a comment and I will do my best to help. And if you make this recipe, please leave a rating and let me know how it turned out! 💛🍅🍝

Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

5 from 700 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Processing: 40 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours
Servings: 60 servings
This homemade canned spaghetti sauce is rich, savory, and perfect for using fresh garden tomatoes. It is so much better than store-bought sauce and makes pasta night easy all year long.
By Erica Walker
Two glass jars of canned spaghetti sauce next to dry spaghetti
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Ingredients 

  • 25 pounds tomatoes, (Any garden variety. I have used Roma, Celebrity, Whopper, Early Girl, Beefsteak, San Marzano, and even handfuls of cherry tomatoes)
  • 5 medium onions, (about 7-8 cups chopped)
  • 4 red bell peppers
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 4 (6oz) cans tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup 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 canning salt, also called pickling 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 adding small amounts to each jar

Instructions 

  • Fill a large pot or Dutch oven halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Working in batches, add tomatoes and boil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the skins begin to split.
    Seven tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
  • Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice water bath. Peel and quarter the tomatoes over a large bowl so you save the juices. Remove the tough stem area. The tomatoes do not need to be seeded.
    Seven tomatoes in an ice water bath for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
  • In a food processor, pulse the onions and bell peppers in batches until finely chopped. For extra flavor, you can sauté the peppers and onions in a little oil with a pinch of salt before adding them to the sauce.
    sauteed onions and garlic in a skillet
  • In a large stockpot, combine the tomatoes, onion and pepper mixture, tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves.
    Fresh tomatoes in a skillet for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
  • Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 4 to 5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so to prevent scorching. Remove and discard the bay leaves. For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
    Spaghetti sauce simmering in a large pan for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
  • Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice to each hot quart jar, or 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each hot pint jar. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims clean, and add lids and rings.
    Do not forget the lemon juice! If you forget to add the lemon juice you will need to open the jars, add the juice, replace with new lids, and reprocess.
    Pouring lemon juice from a tablespoon in a canning jar.

For Water Bath Canning:

  • Process quart jars for 40 minutes in a boiling-water canner for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. Adjust processing time for higher altitudes:
    1,001 to 3,000 feet: add 5 minutes
    3,001 to 6,000 feet: add 10 minutes
    6,001 to 8,000 feet: add 15 minutes
    8,001 to 10,000 feet: add 20 minutes
    Canning jars with tomatoes in a canning pot of steamy water.

Notes

  • This recipe usually makes 9 to 10 quart jars, but yield can vary depending on the water content of your tomatoes and how long you simmer the sauce.
  • Weigh tomatoes before peeling.
  • Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid directly to each jar, not to the pot of sauce.
  • If using citric acid instead of bottled lemon juice, use ½ teaspoon per quart jar or ¼ teaspoon per pint jar.
  • Do not skip the acid for water bath or steam canning.
  • Do not add meat if you are water bath canning this recipe.
  • Do not increase the onions, peppers, garlic, or other low-acid ingredients for canning.
  • Frozen tomatoes can be used. Thaw and drain them first for a thicker sauce.
  • Stir the sauce often while simmering so it does not burn on the bottom.
  • Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place and use within a year for best quality.
  • Refrigerate any jar that does not seal and use it soon.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 547mg, Potassium: 511mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1858IU, Vitamin C: 41mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Course: Canning

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and their three daughters. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and has a passion for travel and adventure. Whether kayaking, hiking, or scuba diving, she loves exploring the world—and bringing her family along for the ride.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My husband and I grew all the vegetables in our garden and bought the rest of the ingredients, this year we are going to grow herbs as well. My entire family raves over this spaghetti sauce, 5 stars, none of us have ever had a sauce as good as this, except the children under 5. So this year we are halving the red pepper flakes so they can enjoy it like the rest of us. Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply

    1. This is awesome!!! We are so glad your family loves this recipe as much as ours does! Thanks for the wonderful review!

      Reply

      1. 5 stars
        I just made this sauce and while it’s good I was wondering what type of onions you use in your recipe. Also since I couldn’t find good tomatoes in my area I decided to use whole plum tomatoes that were canned. I used 15 cans and the 4 tomato paste, but I feel like I should have added more paste since it’s not as thick as I would have liked.

        Reply

        1. Hi! I’m new to canning and followed this recipe, however, after reading a few other canning recipes, the boiling water bath instructed to bring to a rolling boil. However I started timing at a gentle boil, like I saw a few boil bubbles and started to time it, and did the full 40 minutes. Is a boil a boil or does this make my canning method unsafe? Even after the 40 minutes of a boiling water bath it never came to a full rolling boil. Made me think such a huge pot wouldn’t actually come to a rolling boil.

          Reply

          1. You probably want to have the water be at a full boil before starting the timer. Did all of your cans seal? I can’t tell you for sure whether it is safe or not. You might have to make that call. If you are unsure, you could possible contact someone at foodsafety (dot) org and get a more definite answer. Sorry I can’t be of much help here!

          2. Going to try this today. Just wondering if you can use fresh herbs instead of dried? Or will that effect the final PH level?

          3. We haven’t tried it with fresh herbs, so we can’t speak to how it would affect this recipe.

      2. 5 stars
        I made the sauce and made a mistake and only bathe them for 10 minutes instead of 40 minutes but the jars sealed. Are they still good?

        Reply

        1. I would say you are probably ok if the jars are sealed, your mixture was probably already hot enough when you added it to the jars and started processing. If you are worried about it, you can always reprocess them without breaking the seal but you are probably ok. Check them after they have cooled to make sure they are all still sealed properly. If so, you should be good to go!

          Reply

  3. 5 stars
    I can’t wait to give this a try. I wonder if anyone has tried… 1. Fixing the sauce in an Instant Pot and/or 2. Canning then in an Instant Pot?
    Can you tell I got an Instant Pot for Christmas? 😉

    Reply

    1. You can do both.. but you would have to make a much smaller batch. This is for quite a large batch. Hope this helps!

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    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.

    Reply

  5. 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?

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    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!

    Reply

    1. What a huge compliment! Thank you so much! Glad you were able to end off your canning season with such a successful batch. 😀

      Reply

  7. 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?

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    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

    Reply

    1. 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?!

      Reply

  9. 5 stars
    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.

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

  10. 5 stars
    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?

    Reply

    1. 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!

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  11. 5 stars
    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!

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    1. 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!

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  12. 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.

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    1. 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!

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  13. 5 stars
    This sauce is AMAMZING!!! We even had to make a second batch because we went through the first so quickly. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    1. You bet! So glad you liked this recipe! We always BLAZE through the spaghetti sauce. We have pretty much been canning every week.

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  14. 5 stars
    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!!

    Reply

    1. 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!

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  15. 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?

    Reply

    1. 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?

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  16. 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!

    Reply

    1. 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!

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  17. About how much juice is 25# of tomatoes? I have been making juice as my tomatoes ripen. I have about 3 gallons.

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    1. 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?

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  18. 5 stars
    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!

    Reply

    1. 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!

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  19. 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.

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  20. 5 stars
    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.

    Reply

    1. We usually don’t remove the seeds (too much work) but you are welcome to if you would like! Hope this helps!

      Reply