Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce

Name: Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 9 quarts.
Cuisine: Asian Appetizers, Asian Dinners, Indian Recipes
Ingredients: 25 pounds tomatoes (about 80 medium); 4 large green peppers, seeded; 4 large onions, cut into wedges; 2 cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste; 1/4 cup canola oil; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/4 cup salt; 8 garlic cloves, minced; 4 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes; 2 teaspoons dried basil; 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

DIY canning spaghetti sauce recipes are a tomato grower's dream come true! Use up your garden bounty and enjoy it later in the year. —Tonya Branham, Mt. Olive, Alabama

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Ingredients

25 pounds tomatoes (about 80 medium)
4 large green peppers, seeded
4 large onions, cut into wedges
2 cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste
1/4 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

Directions

In a Dutch oven, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, place tomatoes, one at a time, in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Remove each tomato and immediately plunge into ice water. Peel and quarter tomatoes; place in a stockpot.
Pulse green peppers and onions in batches in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to stockpot. Stir in next 11 ingredients. Add water to cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Discard bay leaves. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to each of 9 hot 1-qt. jars. Ladle hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight.
Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 40 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Test Kitchen Tips

Go for freshly squeezed lemon juice when preparing this summery sipper. Bottled lemon juice, which is from concentrate, won’t provide the same bright, fresh flavor.

Worcestershire sauce was originally considered a mistake. In 1835, an English lord commissioned two chemists to duplicate a sauce he had tried in India. The pungent batch was disappointing and wound up in their cellar. When the pair stumbled upon the aged concoction 2 years later, they were pleasantly surprised by its unique taste.

Layer this delicious sauce over our best pasta recipes ever.

Editor's Note

The processing time listed is 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.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 118 calories, 5g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 614mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Katrina

Jun 8, 2020

Either I didn't simmer for long enough (6 hours) or the onions here in Texas are waaaaay big but I'm getting about 12 qts from this recipe. Should i be concerned?
trixiebelle13

Jan 6, 2020

This sounds like a great recipe. I've been making spaghetti sauce for years. If anyone is nervous about canning, you can always use containers and put in freezer or in seal-a-meal bags.
nancycl

Nov 15, 2019

The best home canned spaghetti sauce recipe I have found. Not watery. I have also wondered if it should be pressure canned?
Patti

Sep 7, 2019

I agree with Lorriane. Everything I've read says use bottled lemon juice to assure acidity for safety. Also, have read that when using veggies such as peppers, sauce needs to be pressure canned, as this changes acididty too much to be safe for water bath. What does the test kitchen say?
Caroline

Aug 27, 2019

Me again. A year later. Water canned sauce with oil stored in the cupboard was a massive success. Tasty tasty tasty. Two things I will do this year differently: 1) add less [read: way less] sugar,
Lorraine

Aug 12, 2019

I haven't tried the recipe BUT I have been canning a lot in recent years and everything I read states bottled lemon juice should be used. The acidity is constant in bottled juice whereas fresh not so much. The success of a canning recipe depends on the acidity...lemon or vinegar to insure safety. Spices can used per taste.
Debra

Aug 6, 2019

Just learning to can tomatoes. When directions call for completely covering jars with water in bath, but video shows only a few inches. Which is correct?
Lizzy

Apr 2, 2019

First time at canning. Do you store in pantry or refrigerate?
Lauren

Oct 3, 2018

Is this a true tested recipe with this much oil in it? It’s my understanding that canning things made with lil in large quantities can cause botchulism.
Penny

May 30, 2018

I've been wanting to can sauce for years, think I will try this....many people say they had to add more spices....I think I would can as is and add more fresh when I am using it....also are mushrooms ok with this or should I wait and do them fresh also....thanks for the recipe and the great ideas from everyone...

Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce

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