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canning spaghetti sauce

Canning Savory Spaghetti Sauce

This shelf‑stable, flavor‑packed spaghetti sauce is made from ripe garden tomatoes and pantry staples, offering deep, balanced umami with soy sauce and Worcestershire, plus long-term storage up to 18 months.
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Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 8 hours
Servings: 36 quart jars
Course: Preserving, Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tomato Base
  • 75 pounds ripe tomatoes peeled and quartered
  • 12 6‑oz cans tomato paste add to thicken
Aromatics & Veggies
  • 15 medium onions about 7–8 cups chopped
  • 12 pieces red bell peppers chopped
  • 3 pieces green bell peppers chopped
  • 30 cloves garlic finely minced
Deep Flavor
  • ¾ cup soy sauce
  • 9 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups packed brown sugar
  • ¾ cup salt
Herbs & Spices
  • 9 tbsp dried oregano
  • 9 tbsp dried basil
  • 6 tsp red pepper flakes adjust for heat
  • 6 leaves bay leaves remove before canning
Canning
  • 3.75 cups lemon juice 2 tbsp per quart or 1 tbsp per pint jar

Method
 

  1. Prep Tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop in tomatoes, boil 1–2 minutes until skins loosen, then transfer to ice bath. Peel, remove stems, and quarter.
  2. Process Veggies: Chop onions and peppers in food processor. Optionally sauté in olive oil with a pinch of salt for 5–7 minutes before adding.
  3. Combine Ingredients: In a large stockpot, add tomatoes, chopped veggies, tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, salt, garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves.
  4. Simmer: Bring to gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 4–5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes until sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove bay leaves.
  5. Blend (Optional): Use immersion blender for chunkier texture or high‑power blender in batches for ultra‑smooth sauce.
  6. Prep Jars & Add Acid: Sterilize jars. Add lemon juice (2 tbsp per quart, 1 tbsp per pint) to each jar.
  7. Fill & Seal: Ladle hot sauce into jars leaving ½ in headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, apply lids & bands finger‑tight. Process in boiling water bath or pressure canner.
  8. Cool & Store: Let jars cool untouched 12–24 hours until lids pop. Store sealed jars in cool, dark place up to 18 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 5–7 days or freeze up to 6 months.

Notes

Use Roma or Amish Paste tomatoes for best texture. Adjust sugar or red pepper flakes to suit taste. If you prefer chunkier sauce, blend less. Ensure lemon juice is not skipped—critical for safety.