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These Homemade Spaghetti Sauce + Canning Instructions are simple to follow and make the most mouth-watering spaghetti sauce that you will ever have. It is the perfect way to use your bountiful garden harvest so that you can enjoy homegrown tomato flavor throughout the whole year. 

How to Can Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Each summer we always plant a garden. I remember gardening with my parents as a child and to this day we still carry on the tradition with our kids. There is something about taking a big harvest of fresh tomatoes and canning homemade spaghetti sauce with it that we can enjoy throughout the whole year. 

Once you can your own homemade spaghetti sauce you will never buy storebought sauce again because the sauce you create is packed with so much flavor. Often people are intimidated with canning spaghetti sauce, but with these step-by-step homemade spaghetti sauce canning instructions you will be able to can sauce each and every growing season.  

This recipe makes 5 quarts and is perfect to use in dishes such as Spaghetti Pie, Instant Pot No Boil Stuffed Shells, Classic Spaghetti, and all your other favorite Italian dishes! 

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Canning Instructions

• Fill a large pot halfway full with water, bring to a boil. Slowly add tomatoes one at a time.  Allow to boil for about 2 minutes.

• Remove tomatoes with slotted spoon and place into an ice water bath. Peel the tomato skins and cut into halves or quarters. 

• Using a food processer, add bell peppers and onions in batches until all are finely chopped. 
• In a large stockpot, place all peeled tomatoes and add in the onion and bell pepper mixture then add in tomato paste, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, oregano, bay leaves, and basil.

• Bring pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours, make sure to stir every 15 minutes or so. Discard bay leaves.

• Sterilize the canning jars in a hot water bath, and for each quart jar add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Ladle spaghetti sauce into jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace at the top; wipe rims and place lids.

• If using a water bath method – Place jars in boiling water for 40 minutes.

• If using a pressure canner follow the instructions to process quart size jars of tomatoes

Tips Tricks and FAQs

How long does homemade spaghetti sauce last in a Mason jar?

When properly canned and stored, homemade spaghetti sauce can last a long time. It will have the peak flavor that you love for up to 24 months, but will still be fine to consume for up to 5 years. 

Can I add ingredients to this recipe?

When you are canning, you have to be especially carefully adding in extra ingredients. When it comes to seasonings and spices you usually will be fine to add them, but adding meats and other vegetables can really throw off the acidity. When you do this it can make your sauce unsafe to can. So you really want to stick to the exact recipe, especially when canning. If you want to add extra ingredients you might want to consider freezing your sauce rather than canning it. 

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

If canning is still intimidating, or you don’t have the proper equipment, you can absolutely freeze this sauce. Prepare your sauce as directed and let it completely cool. Once cooled, place in freezer bags. This will last several months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight prior to reheating.

What if you don’t have fresh garden tomatoes?

Try this incredible recipe How to make marinara sauce for canning by Adventures of a Nurse, you can use canned crushed tomatoes and plum tomatoes for her delicious recipe. This is my go to recipe for using up my canned tomatoes and stocking up on some incredibly delicious marinara sauce.

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