Pressure Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (That’s Way Better Than The Store)
Is there anything better (or easier!) than spaghetti for dinner? I love pasta, but not those store-bought sauces. This pressure canned spaghetti sauce recipe is so much better. It’s flavorful, a great pantry staple, and you can say, “I made it myself!” 🙂
Pressure canning can seem intimidating, but I’ll walk you through every step.
Pressure Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Food mill (optional)
Ingredients
- 10 pounds tomatoes (or 16 cups tomato sauce)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion (1 medium chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 cup green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
- 5 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
Want To Save This For Later?
I’m email you a link so you can find it when you need it.
You'll join my email list which you will love. And if you don't, unsubscribe in one click. ❤️
Instructions
- Process Tomatoes. You can do this with a food mill or by hand. If doing this by hand, slice an X at the bottom of the tomatoes. Place them in boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Transfer to an ice water bath.
- Blend Tomatoes Into Sauce. The skin should peel right off. Next, cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the inner membrane and seeds. Transfer the tomatoes to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Cook the Tomato Sauce. Transfer the tomatoes to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so the tomatoes turn to a slow boil. Cook for 2 hours uncovered or until they have reduced by half and thickened.
- Prepare for Canning. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Transfer them to your pressure canner. Fill the pressure canner to the fill line while filling the jars halfway with water. Place over medium-high heat to bring the jars up to temperature. Place your lids and rings in a pot of water over medium-low heat. Do not boil.
- Remove the Tomato Sauce. Once the tomatoes have cooked down, transfer them to a bowl and set aside. (You can also leave them in this pot and use a different large pot for the next step.)
- Saute. Add oil to the pot and add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Saute until soft.
- Add Tomato Sauce. Add the tomatoes back to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Add Seasonings. Next, add the salt, oregano, parsley, basil, pepper, and sugar (if using). Stir to combine.
- Simmer. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.
- Fill Jars. Transfer the hot jars to a heat-safe area. Working with one jar at a time, topped with a canning funnel, add 1 tbsp of the lemon juice to each jar. Fill the jars with spaghetti sauce, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Using a de-bubbler, remove any bubbles, refilling the jars so they maintain a 1-inch headspace.
- Secure Jars. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth. Add the lids and rings.
- Process Jars in Canner. Transfer the jars to the pressure canner and secure the lid. Place the canner over medium-high heat and allow the steam to vent for 10 minutes. Once the canner has vented steam for 10 minutes, set the dial or add weight to 10 lbs (adjusting for elevation). Bring the pressure up to 11 lbs for the gauge canner or 10 lbs for the weighted canner. Process for 20 minutes for pints. Keep an eye on the gauge to ensure consistent pressure during the process time. If the pressure drops below the recommended pressure, stop the timer, increase the pressure, and start the timer again.
- Remove from Heat and Vent Steam. After the processing time is finished, remove the canner from the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. Once the steam stops venting, remove the weights or set your dial to 0 and allow it to release the rest of the pressure. After the steam has fully vented, wait 5 minutes, then carefully remove the lid and tilt it away from your face. Allow the jars to sit for 5 minutes.
- Cool Jars, Check Seals, Store. Transfer the jars to a heat-safe area and allow them to cool for 12-24 hours. Check for a proper seal. Once a proper seal has been confirmed, remove the rings, label them, and store them in a cool, dry area for 12-18 months.
Nutrition
This sauce is so much better than anything you find in the store. And if you grow your own tomatoes, it’s much cheaper! I use this spaghetti sauce when I want a cozy meal or for those nights when I don’t have time to cook.
I love it. My husband loves it. My kids even love it! I think you will, too. 😉
Key Ingredients and Tools
The right tools and ingredients will make this canning project a breeze. Here are a few key things you’ll need:
- Pressure Canner. This is a must-have for safely canning this spaghetti sauce recipe. Pressure canners are available at most home goods stores and online. Make sure to choose one that’s the right size for your needs.
- Bottled Lemon Juice. Bottled lemon juice is essential for canning because it has a consistent acidity level. Fresh lemon juice can sometimes throw off the pH balance, which is crucial for safe canning. You’ll find bottled lemon juice in the juice aisle of your grocery store.
- Tomatoes. While the recipe calls for 10 lbs of tomatoes, it doesn’t specify which kind. Paste tomatoes (like Roma or San Marzano) are best for canning and sauces because they have fewer seeds and thicker flesh. This gives you a richer, less watery sauce. Usually, these varieties are found at your local farmers market or grocery store. Any ripe, flavorful tomato will work if you can’t find paste tomatoes. Just be aware that you might need to cook the sauce a little longer to thicken it up.
With these tools and ingredients ready to go, you’ll be prepared to can delicious homemade spaghetti sauce!
Troubleshooting and Help
The high acidity of the tomatoes makes them safe to waterbath most types of tomato products, including spaghetti sauce. However, adding onions, peppers, and spices slightly lowers the acidity, making it unsafe to waterbath can. Pressure canning ensures that the sauce is sterilized properly and safe to store for long periods.
It’s possible. Dial gauge canners sometimes require slightly different pressure settings than weighted gauge canners. Always refer to your canner’s instruction manual for specific recommendations. And remember, adjusting for altitude is essential for safe canning, so check those guidelines, too!
Hmm, a few things could cause that. First, did you use paste tomatoes? They have less water content, so they make a thicker sauce. If you used a different kind of tomato, you might need to cook the sauce down a bit longer to reduce the liquid. Also, make sure you let the tomatoes cook down for the full two hours at the beginning. That helps concentrate the flavors and thicken things up.
No worries! You can peel and core the tomatoes by hand. Just score an X on the bottom of each tomato, blanch them in boiling water for a minute, then transfer them to an ice bath. The skins should slip right off. Then, cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds with a spoon. It takes a little more time, but it works just as well.
Let me know if you have any pressure canning questions, and I’ll be happy to help.
I hope you enjoy this pressure canned spaghetti sauce recipe as much as I do. It’s a great way to use tomatoes grown in your garden and stock your pantry. You’ll be so happy you have this on hectic days. Enjoy!
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
