Homemade Canned Pasta Sauce
There’s nothing quite like opening a jar of homemade canned pasta sauce filled with the flavor of garden-fresh tomatoes. This recipe helps you turn a seasonal harvest into pantry-ready sauce for comforting family meals throughout the year.
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Canning Safety First
For safe shelf-stable pasta sauce, always follow a laboratory-tested canning recipe exactly. Do not increase the amounts of onions, peppers, garlic, or mushrooms, and adjust processing for your elevation. The recipe below follows guidance from the National Center for Home Food Preservation and requires a pressure canner—not a boiling-water bath
Recipe at a glance
- Official recipe: Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat
- Canning method: Pressure canner only
- Expected yield: About 9 pints
- Processing time: 20 minutes for pints or 25 minutes for quarts
- Headspace: 1 inch
- Pressure: Must be adjusted for elevation and canner type
Ingredients
- 30 pounds tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped celery or green pepper
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 4½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 4 tablespoons minced parsley
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Safety note: Keep these proportions exact. Do not add extra onions, peppers, mushrooms, or other vegetables. This recipe requires a pressure canner.
How to Prepare the Sauce
- Wash the tomatoes. Dip them in boiling water for 30–60 seconds, or until the skins split. Transfer them to cold water, remove the skins and cores, and cut into quarters.
- Place the tomatoes in a large saucepan and boil uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Press the cooked tomatoes through a food mill or sieve.
- Sauté the onions, garlic, celery or green pepper, and optional mushrooms in the vegetable oil until tender.
- Combine the vegetables and tomato pulp in a large saucepan. Add the salt, oregano, parsley, black pepper, and brown sugar
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer uncovered until it is thick enough for serving and has reduced by nearly half. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
- Ladle the hot sauce into hot canning jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
- Remove air bubbles, recheck the headspace, wipe each jar rim with a clean damp paper towel, and apply the lids according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Important: Process these jars in a pressure canner using the correct pressure for your altitude and canner type. Never use an ordinary pressure cooker. Follow your pressure canner’s manual carefully and have an experienced adult help if needed.
Pressure-Canning Chart
| Jar size | Time | 0-2,000 ft | 2,001-4,000 ft | 4,001-6,000 ft |
| Pints | 20 minutes | 11 PSI | 12 PSI | 13 PSI |
| Quarts | 25 minutes | 11 PSI | 12 PSI | 13 PSI |
At 6,001–8,000 feet, use 14 PSI. For a weighted-gauge canner, use 10 PSI at 0–1,000 feet and 15 PSI above 1,000 feet. Processing time remains 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.
Pressure canners produce extreme heat and pressure. An experienced adult should operate the canner and follow its manufacturer’s instructions. Confirm your elevation before selecting the pressure.
Cooling and Storing the Jars
An experienced adult should operate the pressure canner and follow its manufacturer’s manual and the complete NCHFP pressure-canning instructions. Allow the canner to depressurize naturally before opening it. Never force-cool the canner or remove its weight early.
- Place the processed jars upright on a towel or cooling rack.
- Leave them undisturbed at room temperature for 12–24 hours.
- Check each lid for a proper seal.
- Refrigerate and use any unsealed jar promptly.
- Remove the screw bands from sealed jars, label them with the contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark, dry place.
- Discard any jar showing leakage, an unsealed lid, unusual odor, or other signs of spoilage—never taste it.
These recommendations follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Ways to Use Homemade Pasta Sauce
- Spoon over spaghetti or your favorite pasta.
- Use as the base for homemade lasagna.
- Spread over pizza dough for an easy pizza night.
- Add to baked ziti or stuffed shells.
- Simmer with cooked meatballs for a family dinner.
- Serve with garlic bread and a fresh garden salad.
Having homemade pasta sauce in the pantry makes comforting meals easier throughout the year. Always inspect the jar and seal before opening, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.
Recommended Canning Supplies
These helpful tools make preparing and preserving homemade pasta sauce easier and more organized.
Save this recipe for later: Pin this homemade canned pasta sauce guide to your canning or homesteading Pinterest board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I process this pasta sauce in a water-bath canner?
No. This tested recipe contains low-acid vegetables and must be processed in a pressure canner. Do not substitute a boiling-water bath.
Can I add more onions, peppers, garlic, or mushrooms?
No. Increasing low-acid ingredients could make the sauce unsafe for shelf storage. Keep the tested ingredient proportions unchanged.
Can I leave out the mushrooms?
Yes. The mushrooms are optional, but do not replace them with additional vegetables.
How long should the jars cool?
Leave the jars upright and undisturbed for 12–24 hours before checking the seals.
A Pantry Staple Worth Making
Preserving tomatoes as homemade pasta sauce is a rewarding way to enjoy the garden harvest throughout the year. By following the tested ingredient proportions, using a pressure canner, and adjusting the pressure for your elevation, you can create a versatile pantry staple for many family meals.
Before beginning, read the complete NCHFP Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat recipe and your pressure canner’s instruction manual. Because pressure canning involves extreme heat and pressure, an experienced adult should operate the canner.
One Comment