The Best Home Canned Tomato Sauce Recipe for Your Pantry
It’s so satisfying to be able to open a jar of home canned tomato sauce in the middle of winter and remembering the fresh tomatoes that went into making it. After all, homemade tomato sauce tastes completely different from anything you can pick up at the grocery store. The flavor is fresher, the ingredients are simple, and you have complete control over what goes into every jar.
Even better, making your own canned tomato sauce gives you a delicious and practical way to preserve the summer tomato harvest. Instead of watching a basket of ripe tomatoes become overripe on the counter, you can turn them into beautiful jars of sauce that will be waiting in your pantry for months to come.
Furthermore, this home canned tomato sauce recipe uses only three simple ingredients. There are no artificial colors, no unnecessary preservatives, and no complicated ingredients. Instead, you get the rich flavor of ripe tomatoes, along with a few simple additions that create a delicious sauce for everyday family meals.
Of course, canning tomato sauce does take some time. However, the effort is well worth it. Once you have a pantry filled with homemade sauce, meal preparation becomes much easier. You can simply reach for a jar, warm it up, and create dinner without starting from scratch.
Most importantly, you do not need to be an experienced home canner to get started. With the right equipment, fresh tomatoes, and careful attention to safe canning practices, you can make your own water bath canned tomato sauce at home.
Why You Will Love This Home Canned Tomato Sauce
First of all, homemade tomato sauce has an incredible freshness that store-bought doesn’t even compare to. When you make sauce from tomatoes that are ripe, flavorful, and in season, that fresh tomato flavor remains the foundation of the finished product.
Additionally, you know exactly what is going into every jar. This recipe contains only three simple ingredients, making it an excellent choice for anyone who prefers straightforward pantry staples.
Homemade canned tomato sauce can make busy evenings much easier. Need dinner quickly? Grab a jar. Making pasta? Grab a jar. Preparing pizza? Grab a jar. Making baked ziti? You already have the sauce ready.
That convenience is one of the biggest reasons I love home canning. Plus, by making it simple tomato sauce, you can add the spices as needed at the moment and not have to worry about whether it will be used or not. Add in basil, oregano, italian seasoning- whatever the tomato based meal is for the day.
Furthermore, making a large batch at once means you only have to do the work once. Afterward, you can enjoy your homemade sauce throughout the year.
What Tomatoes Are Best for Canning Tomato Sauce?
Choosing the right tomatoes can make a noticeable difference in your finished sauce. For the richest and thickest tomato sauce, paste tomatoes are the best option.
Popular varieties include:
- Roma tomatoes
- San Marzano tomatoes
- Amish Paste tomatoes
- Other meaty paste tomato varieties
Paste tomatoes are especially useful because they generally contain less water than slicing tomatoes. As a result, they can produce a thicker sauce with concentrated tomato flavor.
Of course, that does not mean you can only use paste tomatoes. If you have a garden overflowing with ripe tomatoes, you can certainly make sauce from the tomatoes you have available. However, tomatoes with more water will require additional cooking time to reach the thickness you prefer.
For more information about growing and selecting paste tomatoes, you can read What Are Paste Tomatoes and Why You Should Grow Them.
Most importantly, always begin with fresh, sound tomatoes. Avoid using tomatoes that are moldy, badly spoiled, or otherwise unsuitable for preservation.
Why Homemade Tomato Sauce Tastes So Much Better
There is a reason homemade tomato sauce is such a favorite in our kitchen. Fresh tomatoes bring a brightness and depth of flavor that can be difficult to find in commercially prepared sauces.
Additionally, homemade sauce allows you to control the texture. You can cook it until it reaches the consistency your family enjoys. Some people prefer a thinner sauce, while others want a thick, rich sauce that clings to pasta.
Because the sauce is being prepared for canning, you can also make a generous batch while tomatoes are at their peak.
Then, once the jars are processed and stored, you have homemade tomato sauce ready whenever you need it.
That is the beauty of preserving food at home. You do the work when the ingredients are plentiful, and later, you get to enjoy the results when fresh garden tomatoes are no longer available.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are also a nutritious addition to the diet. They contain several important vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, including the antioxidant lycopene.
Lycopene is the carotenoid responsible for much of the red color found in tomatoes. It has been widely studied for its antioxidant properties and potential role in supporting overall health.
Tomatoes also provide vitamin C, potassium, folate, and other nutrients.
Interestingly, cooking tomatoes can make lycopene more available to the body. Therefore, tomato sauce can be a delicious way to incorporate cooked tomatoes into your meals.
Nevertheless, knowing that your homemade sauce starts with fresh tomatoes and simple ingredients makes it even more enjoyable.
Water Bath Canning Tomato Sauce
This recipe uses the water bath canning method. Since tomatoes are acidic foods, properly prepared tomato products can be processed using a boiling-water canner when the recipe and processing directions are designed for that method.
However, safe canning is still important.
Although tomatoes are naturally acidic, their acidity can vary depending on the variety and growing conditions. Therefore, do not change the ingredients, acidity, jar sizes, or processing instructions.
In particular, never reduce or omit the acid called for in a tested recipe simply because the sauce tastes acidic enough.
Likewise, avoid adding ingredients that have not been included in the tested recipe. Ingredients such as meat, vegetables, or other low-acid foods can change the safety of a canned product.
For the safest results, always follow a current, tested canning recipe and the recommended processing instructions.
How Many Jars Does This Recipe Make?
This recipe makes approximately eight pint jars of tomato sauce, although the final yield can vary.
The biggest factor is how much the sauce cooks down.
For example, if you prefer a thicker tomato sauce, you may simmer it longer. Consequently, you may end up with fewer jars than someone who prefers a thinner sauce.
That is perfectly normal.
Yield can also vary based on the type of tomatoes you use and their natural water content.
If you have a particularly large tomato harvest, you can prepare additional batches according to the recipe’s tested proportions and processing instructions.
Before you know it, you can have an entire pantry shelf filled with homemade tomato sauce.
Choosing the Right Jar Size
One of my favorite things about preserving tomato sauce is being able to choose the jar size that makes sense for your family.
Quart jars are wonderful when you are preparing a larger meal for the family. They are especially useful for dishes such as Spaghetti & Meatballs, Venison Baked Ziti, or cheesy Manicotti.
Pint jars are convenient when you need a smaller amount of sauce. They are also perfect for recipes such as Homemade Pizza.
Then, for recipes that only require a small amount of tomato sauce, half-pint jars can be incredibly convenient. They are a great option for smaller recipes such as Sloppy Joes or any meal that calls for approximately one cup of sauce.
However, always make sure the jar size you choose is specifically permitted by the tested canning recipe you are following. Processing times are not automatically interchangeable between different jar sizes.
How to Use Home Canned Tomato Sauce
Once your jars have been safely processed and stored, there are countless ways to use your homemade tomato sauce.
Of course, pasta is one of the easiest options. Simply open a jar, warm the sauce, and spoon it over your favorite pasta.
You can also use your sauce for:
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Lasagna
- Baked ziti
- Manicotti
- Stuffed shells
- Homemade pizza
- Chicken Parmesan
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Sloppy Joes
- Meatball subs
- Italian casseroles
- Vegetable-based pasta dishes
Furthermore, homemade tomato sauce can become the foundation for other recipes. You can season it when you open the jar according to the meal you are preparing.
That means one jar of homemade sauce can become several different meals throughout the year.
Tips for Making the Best Canned Tomato Sauce
Start With Ripe Tomatoes
The flavor of your finished sauce begins with the tomatoes. Whenever possible, use ripe tomatoes that are flavorful and in good condition.
The better the tomatoes taste going into the pot, the better your finished sauce will taste.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Canning is not something you’re going to be able to rush through. Instead, set aside enough time to prepare the tomatoes, cook the sauce, prepare the jars, and process everything properly.
If you are new to canning, give yourself extra time the first few times.
Eventually, the process will become much more familiar.
Prepare Your Jars Carefully
Clean, properly prepared jars are an essential part of home canning. Inspect jars before use and discard any jars with cracks, chips, or other damage.
Also, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your lids and the recipe’s preparation directions.
Keep Your Work Area Organized
Canning becomes much easier when everything is ready before you begin.
Have your jars, lids, canning equipment, ingredients, towels, and utensils prepared before you start filling jars.
As a result, the entire process tends to feel much less overwhelming.
Do Not Rush the Processing Step
Once the jars are filled and placed into the canner, follow the recipe’s processing time carefully. Processing time must be adjusted for altitude as well.
Processing time matters because it is part of the safety process.
Therefore, resist the temptation to shorten the processing time because the jars already look hot or because you are in a hurry.
How to Store Home Canned Tomato Sauce
After processing, allow your jars to cool according to the canning instructions. Check the seals once the jars have cooled, and label your jars with the contents and date.
Then, store properly sealed jars in a cool, dark, dry location.
A pantry, basement storage area, or other suitable food-storage space can work well as long as temperatures remain appropriate and the area is protected from excessive heat, freezing temperatures, and direct sunlight.
While properly canned food can have a long shelf life, quality is best when canned foods are used within a reasonable timeframe. Aim to use the oldest jars first, rotating newer jars toward the back of the pantry.
This simple first-in, first-out system helps ensure that your homemade food does not sit forgotten on the shelf.
Is Home Canning Worth the Work?
Well of course I absolutely think so.
At first, looking at a large basket of tomatoes and thinking about turning all of them into sauce can feel like a huge undertaking. However, it really is incredibly rewarding to see those same tomatoes transformed into rows of beautiful jars.
More importantly, you are creating something useful.
You are preserving food for your family, making future meals easier, and taking advantage of tomatoes when they are fresh and plentiful.
Then comes the best part.
Months later, when the garden is covered in snow and fresh tomatoes are nowhere to be found, you can walk into your pantry and reach for a jar of homemade tomato sauce.
That moment makes all the work worthwhile.
Make This Canned Tomato Sauce Part of Your Pantry Tradition
Home canning does not have to be complicated or intimidating. Start with a manageable batch, gather your supplies, and give yourself plenty of time.
Then, as you become more comfortable, you can preserve larger quantities and build a pantry that works for your family.
Most importantly, homemade tomato sauce gives you a delicious head start on countless family meals.
So, when tomato season arrives and your kitchen is overflowing with ripe tomatoes, don’t let them go to waste. Turn them into home canned tomato sauce instead.
Fill those jars, stock your pantry, and enjoy the satisfaction that comes from preserving your own food.
Because eventually, you will reach for one of those jars on a busy evening, open it, and remember exactly why you took the time to make it.
Fresh tomatoes. Simple ingredients. Homemade flavor. A pantry full of possibilities.
More Easy Canning Recipes
Homemade Dill Pickles
Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce- Water bath canned
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Equipment
- Jar lids and rings
Ingredients
- 20 lbs Roma tomatoes
- Canning salt
- Lemon juice
Instructions
Cooking the tomato sauce
- Preheat the oven to 425℉
- Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side down onto the sheet pan.
- Roast the tomatoes for 30-45 minutes. The skins from the tomatoes should begin to separate and wrinkle and will be slightly charred.
- Remove the 1st batch from the oven. The skins of the tomatoes should easily peel off.
- Prepare the sheet pan full of halved tomatoes and continue roasting. Two sheet pans in the oven at a time is faster and fine to do.
- Process the skinned tomatoes in a blender until smooth and begin to simmer in the stockpot.
- Continue roasting and pureeing the tomatoes until the batch is finished, filling the stockpot as you go.
- Once all the tomatoes are in the pot, simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to your desired thickness. This takes about 1-2 hours.
Canning
- Prepare the water bath by filling the canning pot with water. Turn the burner on high to boil the water.
- Wash the jars with very hot, soapy water.
- Place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of canning salt into each jar.
- Using the funnel, fill each jar with the tomato sauce, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
- Run the bubble popper through each jar to ensure that the bubbles are removed.
- Wipe each jar rim with a clean paper towel.
- Place a clean lid on each jar and turn the bands fingertip tight.
- Using the jar lifter, place the jars into the boiling water bath.
- Place the lid on the water bath and process for 35 minutes.
- Turn off the stove and carefully remove the jars from the water bath with the jar lifter.
- Place the jars onto a towel lined cutting board to cool.
- Leave the jars for 12 hours to cool before checking for the lids to be secured and labeling the jars.
- Store in a cool dry place for up to 2 years.
Nutrition
Seems easy to make. Will try and possibly never buy canned again