Canning Spaghetti Sauce with Vegetables

Learn how to make home canned spaghetti sauce the easy way by following these simple steps. This delicious, savory pasta sauce is the perfect topping for many pasta dishes, not just spaghetti. Canning spaghetti sauce with vegetables is easy when you have the right equipment. If you want to make good use of a bountiful tomato, onion, pepper or squash (including zucchini) harvest, you’re in the right place. Those vegetables may all be used in this recipe. So keep reading for the best, garden-fresh, home-canned spaghetti sauce recipe with fresh tomatoes and other fresh vegetables. This spaghetti sauce recipe for canning (or as some people might spell it, spagetti sauce recipe for canning) is an excellent way to use frozen tomatoes or canned tomatoes as well! Read on to learn how to can homemade spaghetti sauce.

Home Canned Spaghetti Sauce Equipment

If you want to learn how to pressure can spaghetti sauce, there are some things that will make it a lot easier. Just as when I make my easy home canned salsa recipe, I wouldn’t attempt this recipe without the following items, which are essential to a smooth canning process. The first item is my trusty 22-quart Pressure Canner and Cooker. With this, I can process up to 7 quarts of spaghetti sauce at one time.

The second essential item is my 5-Piece Home Canning Kit, which I have had for at least 20 years. I dreaded canning before I made this purchase because I made such a mess all over the kitchen. The tools in the set, especially the funnel, have cut down on the canning mess immensely. I am also able to safely handle the hot jars using the tongs, lid lifter, jar wrench, and jar lifter. I would have given up canning long ago were it not for these tools. They have made that much of a difference.

You’ll also need canning jars and lids, which you can buy together. I prefer to use the wide-mouth jars since my home canned spaghetti sauce recipe is so chunky.

If you already have jars and screw bands, you can also just buy more lids.

To make the spaghetti sauce smoother and thicker, use an immersion blender.

You will also need a large (at least 10 quart) stockpot.

Home Canned Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients

The ingredients for this homemade spaghetti sauce for canning can vary, depending upon what you have growing in your garden. If you want a spicier spaghetti sauce, you could change out some of the green bell peppers for a few mild to medium chili peppers. If your family is opposed to eating zucchini, you certainly do not have to include it. Here are the simple ingredients for this recipe for canned spaghetti sauce.

20 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 60 medium-sized, which will make about 45 cups)

2 cups butternut squash, yellow squash, or zucchini (optional)

5 green bell peppers

5 large onions

16-20 cloves of garlic (more or less to taste)

3 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 cup brown sugar (or to taste)

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

2 8-ounce cans tomato paste

7 tablespoons lemon juice

Home Canned Spaghetti Sauce Instructions

Chop tomatoes. I use unpeeled tomatoes, but if you prefer to peel your tomatoes for this spaghetti sauce canning recipe, read further to get the simple tips about how to peel tomatoes easily. Before chopping the tomatoes for this spaghetti sauce for canning, I like to place an old bath towel under the cutting board to absorb any juice that overflows. Add the chopped tomatoes to the stockpot gradually as you chop them, heating on medium.

Peel, chop and remove the seeds from the squash, if using. Add to the stockpot. Chop the peppers and onions coarsely and add to the stockpot. If you like, you may process the onions and peppers in a food processor to chop even more finely.  Peel and chop the garlic and add it to the stockpot. Add all of the other ingredients except the lemon juice and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer the mixture gently for about 30 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, get out the pressure canner and start heating the water. Place the quart jars in the water to warm them. Using a small sauce pan, heat water on low and warm the canning lids.

When the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes or more, the squash, peppers and onions should be cooked and softened. Using an immersion blender, puree the spaghetti sauce to a smooth consistency.

Using the tongs from your canning kit, if you have them, remove jars from hot water and place in a sink. Remove the spaghetti sauce from the heat and place on a cutting board next to the sink for ease of filling the jars. Place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into each jar. Using a jar funnel (if you have one) and ladle, fill the quart jars with spaghetti sauce, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe each jar rim with a damp cloth and attach the warm lids with the screw bands. Place the jars in the pressure canner. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to seal the canner, then process the jars for 15 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure.

Now you know how to can homemade spaghetti sauce. This recipe makes about 7 quarts.

Home Canned Spaghetti Sauce Uses

There are many ways to use this canned homemade spaghetti sauce. Of course, you can serve it the classic way with spaghetti noodles. You can create a gluten-free meal by serving the homemade spaghetti sauce over cooked spaghetti squash. For a meaty spaghetti sauce, just add some cooked ground beef, as previously noted. (I like to cook my ground beef ahead of time in large batches to save time and money.) If you like to make lasagna, this canned pasta sauce recipe would be the perfect substitute for marinara sauce. Just add ground beef, if you like, and use as the easy recipe directs. You could also use this homemade canned spaghetti sauce as a dipping sauce for breadsticks. The home-canned spaghetti sauce may be used in any recipe that calls for marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce.

Home Canned Spaghetti Sauce Variations and Questions

What can I add to canned spaghetti sauce?

To make your canned spaghetti sauce even better, you can add different ingredients. If you want to increase the variety of chunky items, you could add canned mushrooms to your sauce. Cooked carrots might be another option. You could also change up the seasonings. Try adding a bit of parsley, thyme, or rosemary. You could adjust the amount of oregano and basil. Use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs. Add a little sugar or honey. Use balsamic vinegar instead of the Worcestershire sauce.

To make Cajun spaghetti sauce, you could add a bit of hot pepper sauce to the canned pasta sauce recipe. The possibilities for canned spaghetti sauce additions are many. When heating the sauce for serving, you could add cooked, ground meat. Top your spaghetti sauce with cheese. Be creative and see what happens with this homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes for canning. These ideas also work well if you are wondering how to make canned spaghetti sauce better when you buy it from the store.

Do you have to peel tomatoes for canning spaghetti sauce?

In this recipe for home canned spaghetti sauce, I choose not to peel the fresh tomatoes to save time. If you wish to peel your tomatoes, just wash them and place in boiling water for about one minute. When you remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon, immediately plunge them into ice water. The skins should split and remove easily. I don’t mind keeping the tomato skins in my homemade canned spaghetti sauce recipe. After using the immersion blender to thicken and smooth the sauce, the peels aren’t very noticeable. Also, I usually opt for the quickest cooking method that will give me good results. No one seems to mind the tomato peels in my home, but your situation may be different. Whatever you do will be fine. Just remember to add the tomato paste when you are cooking if you want to thicken the canned tomato spaghetti sauce. Using the immersion blender will thicken the sauce as well.

Can you use canned tomatoes?

Canning spaghetti sauce using canned tomatoes works the same way as using fresh tomatoes. It’s definitely faster, because you don’t have to spend as much time chopping. Also, if you are not a fan of leaving the peels on the tomatoes, the canned tomatoes are already peeled. Since the recipe calls for about 45 cups of chopped up ripe tomatoes, you could use 11-12 quarts of canned tomatoes for this spaghetti sauce canning recipe.

Do you have to add lemon juice to spaghetti sauce when canning?

Adding lemon juice to spaghetti sauce when canning is recommended for safety reasons, as it helps raise the overall acidity of the sauce, reducing the risk of bacterial contamination, especially if the sauce contains low-acid ingredients like onions, garlic, or vegetables, as in this recipe. 

How long does canned spaghetti sauce last?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website, canned tomato products such as this canning spaghetti sauce recipe will keep well on a shelf for about a year. The acidity of the tomatoes combined with the addition of lemon juice helps keep the homemade canned spaghetti sauce from going bad. In addition, also according to information on the website, pressure canning homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes yields a more nutritious product than boiling water canning. The Canning spaghetti sauce recipe shelf life will be extended if the canning jars are stored in a cool, dry place like a pantry.

Does spaghetti sauce have to be pressure canned?

Can you can pasta sauce without a pressure canner? Spaghetti sauce can be safely canned using a water bath canning method if it has sufficient acidity. However, if the sauce contains low-acid ingredients like meat or vegetables (as with this recipe for canned spaghetti sauce), or if the acidity level is uncertain, it’s safer to use a pressure canner to ensure proper sterilization and prevent the risk of botulism. 

What is the difference between spaghetti sauce and marinara sauce?

Wondering why this is a recipe for canning spaghetti sauce and not a recipe for canning marinara sauce? The main difference between spaghetti sauce and marinara sauce lies in their ingredients and preparation. Spaghetti sauce is typically richer and more complex, often containing additional ingredients (as with this recipe) like onions, garlic, other vegetables or meat, and simmered for a longer time. Marinara sauce, on the other hand, is simpler and lighter, made with just tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs, and cooked for a shorter time.

Italian Food Gift Baskets: Packaging Home Canned Spaghetti Sauce

This home canned spaghetti sauce would be a great addition to any Italian food gift basket, along with some dried pasta and a shelf-stable container of parmesan cheese. My favorite way to add a decorative touch to canned food gifts is to place a square of cellophane (about 8 or 9 inches on each side) over the Mason jar lid, then screw down the band on top of the square. Gather the cellophane up into a bunch and fasten with a twist tie down low, near the jar lid. Trim the edges of the gathered cellophane straight across to neaten it up, then add a ribbon to hide the twist tie. Once the ribbon is fastened, you can either remove the twist tie or keep it there.

Are You Now Craving Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes?

Ready to try this easy homemade canned spaghetti sauce recipe? The fresh tomatoes really are the star of the show. If you try this spaghetti sauce from fresh tomatoes for canning, let me know. I love it when people try the recipes I share.

Other Canning Ideas

Homemade canned goods make excellent gifts for the holidays or for gift baskets any time of the year. If you are a fan of home canning, you might want to try making canned blackberry syrup or canned raspberry syrup. If you like canned jam, you could make some pineapple rhubarb or raspberry blueberry jam. Looking for a way to use an abundant apple harvest? Make some delicious canned applesauce. There are many possibilities!

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Have fun making this homemade canned spaghetti sauce recipe with fresh tomatoes. May all of your healthy home canning endeavors meet with great success!