Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Processing
40 mins
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Total Time
5 hrs 40 mins
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Servings
60 servings
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Calories
54 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Italian
Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce
Description
The Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce recipe begins with blanching and peeling fresh tomatoes, then combining them with processed onions and bell peppers. Tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, garlic, dried oregano and basil, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves enhance the flavor profile. The sauce simmers uncovered for four to five hours to concentrate flavors and thicken the mixture, with frequent stirring to prevent sticking or burning.
The soy sauce adds umami depth without overpowering, and the brown sugar balances the tomato's acidity. This long simmering process results in a sauce with a balanced sweet and savory character and a smooth texture, especially if blended with an immersion blender after cooking.
Intended for canning in quart-sized jars using lemon juice for acidity, this sauce ensures shelf stability. It freezes well for several months, and can be reheated gently after thawing. The sauce can be customized with additional ingredients like ground beef or vegetables before freezing as needed, offering versatility for future meals.
Ingredients
- 25 pounds tomato
- 5 medium onion about 7-8 cups chopped
- 4 bell pepper red
- 1 green bell pepper
- 4 (6oz) cans tomato paste
- 1/4 cups 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 leaf
- 1 1/4 cups lemon juice for jars
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).
- 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.
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.
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.
Notes
- This recipe yields 9 to 10 quart-sized jars of spaghetti sauce suitable for canning.
- The sauce freezes well and can last several months in freezer-safe containers; thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Adding extra ingredients like ground beef or vegetables can be done before freezing to accommodate taste preferences while maintaining safe acidity levels.
- Lemon juice is used when canning to ensure proper acidity for preservation.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 60servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 54 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 54kcal | 3% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 547mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 511mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 1858IU | 37% |
| Vitamin C | 41mg | 46% |
| Calcium | 35mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.