Go Back

How to Can Spaghetti Sauce: A Beginner's Guide with Recipe

A foolproof spaghetti sauce for canning made with 30 pounds of fresh tomatoes, herbs, and rich flavor—perfect for pressure canning and preserving summer’s bounty all year long.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 7 -9 quarts
Course: Canning
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 113
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 30 lbs fresh tomatoes Roma or San Marzano
  • 2-1/2 lbs ground meat beef, sausage, venison, or turkey
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup onions finely chopped
  • 1 cup celery or green peppers chopped
  • 1 lb fresh mushrooms sliced (optional)
  • 4-1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 4 tbsp fresh parsley minced
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • Optional: Omit meat for vegetarian version and add 1 lb mushrooms + 1 cup cooked lentils

Method
 

  1. Wash and blanch tomatoes for 30-60 seconds, then cool and peel. Quarter and simmer for 20 minutes.
  2. Pass tomatoes through a food mill or sieve to remove seeds and make pulp.
  3. Brown meat in a skillet, then add garlic, onions, celery/peppers, and mushrooms. Sauté until tender.
  4. Combine tomato pulp with meat mixture. Add salt, oregano, parsley, black pepper, and brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for 1–1.5 hours.
  5. Sterilize jars while sauce simmers.
  6. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids.
  7. Process in pressure canner—pints for 60 minutes, quarts for 70 minutes—adjusting for altitude.
  8. Cool jars for 12–24 hours, check seals, and store in a cool, dark place.

Notes

For best results, use pressure canning only. Water bath methods are unsafe for this recipe due to meat and low-acid vegetables. Adjust pressure based on your altitude and ensure 1-inch headspace for proper sealing.