My Great Grandmothers canned spaghetti sauce recipe.
We had a wonderful blessing this weekend; we were given four bushels of tomatoes! After being disappointed in our tomato harvest these unexpected tomatoes were welcomed with opened arms. You’ll not get one complaint from me about having to spend my day canning spaghetti sauce, they were a God sent blessing.
I have been canning spaghetti sauce for years, and almost can do it in my sleep, so I wanted to pass on a step-by-step guide for those of you just starting out canning tomatoes. This spaghetti sauce canning recipe has been passed down through three generations of my family and still is in its original form. Enjoy!
Step #1 – Read the recipe and gather your supplies to be certain you have everything.
Step #2 -Wash and visually examine your canning jars and lids. You are looking for cracks and chips that would prevent them from sealing properly or cause breakage during the canning process. This recipe makes 12 quarts.
Step #3 – I have found using tomatoes that are at their peak give this sauce the best flavor. Wash and core 1/2 bushel of tomatoes.
Step #4 – Using a food mill puree the tomatoes, separating the seeds and skin from the pulp. You will be only be using the pulp for this recipe. Add the sauce to 21-quart canner.
Step #5 – Using a food processor puree 4 medium sweet peppers, 2 hot peppers, 3 large onions and 2 heaping tablespoons of chopped garlic. Add peppers, onion and garlic mixture to pureed tomatoes.
Step #6 – Stir in 2 cups of oil, 14-6 oz. cans of tomato paste, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, (we like our sauce a bit sweeter, so I increase this to 2 cups), 1/2 cup salt, 3 tablespoons of sweet basil and 4 tablespoons of oregano.
Step #7 – Bring sauce to a hard boil and simmer uncovered for one hour or until desired thickness.
Step # 8 – Start preparing your boiling-water canner. Fill your canner 2/3 full with water and bring to a simmer. Fill a tea pot or have another source of boiling water ready and available for Step #13.
Step #9 – When the sauce is 15 minutes from being done place lids and bands in a separate pan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and then shut off the pan, leaving the water covering the lids and bands.
Step #10 – While the lids are heating up, heat your jars. You can either do this in your dishwasher by running them through a hot rinse or place your jars in the oven and set the temperature to 170 degrees. Once your oven reaches 170 degrees leave them in for 5 minutes and then shut off the oven and leave the door closed.
Step #11 – Remove a jar from your oven and carefully fill spaghetti sauce into the hot jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Run a nonmetallic spatula between the sauce and the jar to release any air bubbles.
Step #12 – Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. Place hot lid and band on the jar and tighten.
Step #13 – As each jar is being filled, set it onto the elevated rack in your boiling water canner. Once your canner is filled lower the rack and add boiling water so the water level is 1 inch above the top of the jars.
Step #14 – Process pints for 40 minutes and quarts for 45 minutes. Start timing once you see a steady boil.
Step #15 – When processing time is complete, turn off the heat and remove the cover. Remove jars from canner and place on a towel to cool. Let jars cool for 12 to 24 hours.
Step #16 – After jars are cooled, check lids for seal by pressing on the center of each lid. If the center is pulled down they have sealed, if it flexes it does not have a proper seal and store in the refrigerator and use within 5 days.
If you are new to home canning check out our list of “Must Have Canning Supplies.”
This has been my families favorite spaghetti sauce for years and I hope if you give it a try it will become one of your favorites as well!
- 1/2 bushel ripe tomatoes
- 2 hot peppers
- 3 large onions
- 4 medium green peppers
- 2 heaping tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 cups oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 14 - 6 oz. cans tomato paste
- 1/2 cup salt
- 3 tablespoons sweet basil
- 4 tablespoons oregano
- See step-by-step instructions above recipe.
Thanks for stopping by!
Tracy Lynn
P.S. Do you like what you are reading?
Are you looking to slow down and live a simpler life?
I am so happy you’ve landed here and I can share some of the simple living principles that have made a huge difference in our lives.
To give you a place to start I have created a “5 Steps to Simple Living Guide“ that I am offering to you free.
Along with this free download, is included a complimentary subscription to our weekly Our Simple Homestead Newsletter. Each week you’ll receive simple living tips, homesteading ideas, old-fashion recipes and every once in awhile a touch of the Amish lifestyle.
Click here to receive your free download of 5 Steps to Simple Living today!
DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation from affiliate and sponsored posts on this blog.
Tracy, could you run the tomatoes through the blender? I was wondering if that would take care of the skins. I don’t have a food mill. Thanks a lot!
Beth,
I really don’t think a blender will work. You will want to extract all the seeds and the skins and I cannot think of a way other than the food mill to get all the seeds out so all you have is the tomato puree. I know it is an expense, but investing in a food mill will come in handy for lots of other things. We have made grape juice and apple sauce in ours, so it get a work out each year.
Sometimes you can get lucky and find one at a yard sale. I got mine for $2.
Some of my greatest canning finds came from yard sales!
My tomatoes are getting ready, and we love spaghetti. Thanks for the recipe!
It is our favorite sauce!
This looks wonderful! Despite being Italian and raised on Italian food, I have never canned my own tomato sauce. I usually dry my tomatoes, but I love the herbs and other vegetables in your recipe, so I am pinning and hope to try it.
Really interesting… Here in the UK canning is not something that is done! I would have never have thought of separating the skin and seeds, I always blend it all up, cook, and freeze. Thanks for sharing:)
I never heard of blending the seeds and skins all together. I will have to try that it might be quicker.
I also run my tomatoes through a blender, I use a very fine sift to drain the juice and extract the pulp. But I cook my tomatoes by quartering them and put them in a pot to cook until mushy and they will drain easily. I also make spaghetti sauce but I use some dark brown sugar and it taste delicious. I use 1/4 dark brown sugar and 3/4 white sugar to a recipe.
Thank you so much for this step by step. I can’t wait to try this recipe. This is the first time I’ve seen the idea of putting the jars in the oven to stay warm while waiting to be filled…brilliant!
When I had a dishwasher I warmed them in there but I don’t have one anymore so the oven has come in handy. The key is to shut the oven off after 5 minutes and only let the oven get to 170. I have forgotten about them and have ruined some jars by getting them too hot!
This looks amazing to try!! How much does 1/2 bushel weigh? I don’t have a bushel basket to use, but was wondering if I could use a weigh amount.
1/2 bushel will weigh around 25#’s. Have fun canning!
I hope to try this! I have never canned my own spaghetti sauce, but it has been on my list of want-to’s for a while. Thanks for the recipe and tutorial. Pinning!
Thanks for pinning it Kelly and I hope you come back to it and try it!
Hello,
I love this site…and I’d like to save recipes, having said that I’m computer challenged to some degree…just learning. So I need alittle help….can someone please tell me if I save a recipe…where is the recipe box so I can go back and find the recipe so I can make it ??
Thanks for any help
Abby on my site when you go to save a recipe it will prompt you to sign up for a free Yumprint account. Once you sign up for that account you can save your recipes from my site in your account with them and then when you want to look one up you only have to log back into your account with Yumprint to print or view it. Let me know if you have any question once you set up your new account.
This is my first visit to your blog & I am *so* excited to have found this place! I would love, love to have a thriving homestead one day. Perhaps canning some tomato sauce would help me feel closer to that goal. Thank you so much for sharing! Have a great weekend!
I am so glad found us. Enjoy!
Looks delicious! I love stocking our pantry with homemade sauces! Thank you for sharing your post on the HomeAcre Hop, hope to see you again tomorrow! – Nancy
The HomeAcre Hop
Just sent someone to this post that was asking about canning spaghetti sauce recipes 😉 Happy Monday to you!
Thanks JES!!!
Do you add lemon juice to the jars, I’ve read that there might not be enough acid to sp. sauce, and that oil will go rancid in the jars, I’m so confused……..
Sandy I have never added lemon juice to my jars and I have been making this recipe for as many years as I have been canning and have never had any trouble. You are safe following this recipe as is.
I was curious what the purpose is for the oil in the recipe. I’m looking for a good way to use my garden tomatoes and my Victorio strainer but this is the first time I’ve seen oil in a spaghetti sauce recipe other than a little oil in the pan to saute onion or other veggies. Do you think it could be omitted?
Miranda,
I can’t see why it would hurt omitting it, but I have never made it without the oil.
Are the measurements you gave for the sweet basil and oregano fresh or dried.
They are for dried herbs.
Hello. Do you think I could guess a juicer, not a squeezo to get the tomatoes ready?
I have never tried a juicer?
Hi Tracey. I have just cooked most of the water off of 21 qts of tomatoes for spag sauce. We just water bathed 61 qts of puree last week and now are on to spaghetti sauce. I have never seen oil in a recipe when water bathing…..are you mixing the oil in with a whisk to emulsify or just mixing it in with a spoon? First time doing spag sauce to can, I usually use my canned toms and make from scratch. I just want to get this right, sorry. We did 91 jars of pickles, 43 salsa, 61 tom puree, 25 peaches, and soon hot sauce…….I want to be certain i do not waste our bounty. Thank you.
Please email me stvanaernem@gmail.com will be canning on Sunday 9/4/16
Thank you for any help you can give and be well.
I don’t have any electric appliances at the cabin so all my blending is manual. I use a sieve and wood pestle from my grandmother. It’s a bit of work but gets the job done. I could purchase a manual food mill but my volume is so low this simple method works.
I’m impressed! That’s how my Grandma did it and I remember helping her. It took a lot longer but we made some wonderful memories together.
How awesome is this! We have loads of tomatoes this year. I need to give this a try. Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
My Grandma always used the sieve and wooden pestle too when making tomato ketchup! It was so good! Thanks for sharing I will feature this week at Home Sweet Home!
Thanks Sarah!
Scheduled to pin. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe and helpful tutorial with us at the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Canning can be intimidating, but this makes it look really do-able!
I love old family recipes Tracy and this one is definitely a keeper. I’ve pinned it for later!!
Thank you for sharing at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I’m delighted to be featuring your recipe at tonight’s party.
Hugs – Kerryanne
Thank you so much for the feature. This sauce is one of my favorite things t can each year.
This brings back so many memories of my father working the food mill for hours making homemade spaghetti sauce from our home-grown tomatoes. Unfortunately, I’ve had to give that up until our kids are a bit older, but will definitely keep these tips in mind for later. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
This is brilliant! I need to try something like this, because the taste of homemade sauce is so much better than store bought. Thanks for sharing this at the #Happynowlinkup 🙂
Sounds amazing! The only thing better than fresh homemade tomato sauce is being able to enjoy it in the middle of winter! Thanks for sharing on Homestead Blog Hop!
Hi Tracy, I had a disappointing crop of tomatoes this summer too. The heat was too much for the plants. I love the fact your recipe is a trusted family favourite and prefer homemade sauces over jars any day. Pinning for future reference.
Popped over from the #HappyNowLinkUp.
xx
Tracy,
Wow, this sauce is delicious and the step by step guide was perfect! (This is my first time canning anything). How long after you can them should they be used by?
Thank you so much!
Sam
Sam, I usually let them sit for a couple weeks so the spices and flavors mesh together.
What is the shelf life? I made this and love it !!!!
Do you think i could cut down the amount of tomato paste to 4- 6 oz can We have thickened out sauce by cutting tomatoes in forths and setting them in a strainer over a bowl. After setting for about 10 mins quite a bit of clear water drains out of them.
It would depend on how thick you want your sauce. I wouldn’t cut the paste down.