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Quick Homemade Canned Tomato Sauce

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This quick homemade canned tomato sauce is a simple, rewarding way to preserve summer’s bounty. With a time-saving trick to cut simmer time in half, you’ll have rich, chunky sauce ready for pasta, pizza, or soup all year round.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 lbs Roma tomatoes (about 4.5 kg)
  • 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
  • 6–8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart jar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Your Tomatoes (15 minutes): Wash the tomatoes thoroughly. Cut out the tough stem core and any bruised spots. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise.
  2. Cook the Aromatics (10 minutes): In your large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Start the Tomatoes (20 minutes): Add the halved tomatoes to the pot. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are completely soft and broken down.
  4. Strain the Juice (5 minutes): Set a fine-mesh strainer or colander over a large bowl. Carefully ladle the cooked tomato mixture into the strainer. Let the watery juice drain out for about 5 minutes. Do not press on the solids yet. Discard the juice or save for soup stock.
  5. Process Through the Food Mill (10 minutes): Working in batches, pass the drained tomato solids through your food mill set over a clean pot to remove skins and seeds. If you don’t have a food mill, press through a colander with the back of a spoon.
  6. Simmer the Sauce (30-40 minutes): Return the tomato pulp to your stockpot. Add fresh basil, salt, and dried oregano or pepper flakes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking.
  7. Prepare the Jars & Canner (15 minutes): Wash jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Place jars in canner, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and keep jars hot. Place lids in a small saucepan of simmering water.
  8. Fill the Jars (10 minutes): Remove a hot jar from canner using jar lifter. Place canning funnel on top. Ladle hot sauce into jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart jar. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim with clean, damp towel. Center lid and screw on band until fingertip-tight.
  9. Process the Jars (35 minutes for quarts): Place filled jars back into canner. Ensure water covers jars by at least one inch. Bring to a full rolling boil. Process quart jars for 35 minutes (pints for 20 minutes). Start timer when water returns to a boil.
  10. Cool and Store (12+ hours): Turn off heat and remove lid. Let jars sit in water for 5 minutes. Carefully lift out and place on a clean towel on counter. Leave undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check seals by pressing on center of each lid. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

Notes

Do not skip the bottled lemon juice—it ensures safe acidity for water bath canning. For a deeper flavor, roast the tomatoes, onions, and garlic at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes before adding to the pot. If sauce is too watery, simmer longer until it coats the back of a spoon. Always label jars with the date.

Nutrition

Keywords: homemade tomato sauce, canned tomato sauce, quick canning, Roma tomatoes, water bath canning, preserving tomatoes, summer harvest, pantry staple

Find it online: https://siennaspoon.com/quick-homemade-canned-tomato-sauce/