Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe – Canning and Freezing Instructions Included

When the garden begins overflowing with ripe tomatoes, peppers and onions, there is no better way to preserve the harvest than by making homemade pasta sauce!

It always starts with those first few tomatoes of summer. You patiently wait for them to ripen, then enjoy them fresh from the vine. But before long, tomatoes begin piling up on the kitchen counter while peppers and onions fill the crisper drawers. That is when it is time to turn the garden’s abundance into something you can enjoy all year long.

This homemade pasta sauce is packed with the fresh flavor of ripe tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and herbs. Once cooked down into a thick and flavorful sauce, it is perfect for serving over pasta, layering into lasagna or using in your favorite Italian-inspired recipes.

Best of all, the sauce can be preserved so none of that delicious summer harvest goes to waste. The recipe includes instructions for pressure canning, allowing you to stock your pantry with jars of homemade sauce for quick and easy meals throughout the year.

Don’t have pressure-canning equipment? No problem! The pasta sauce can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers. Either way, you will have the incredible taste of fresh garden vegetables ready to enjoy long after gardening season has ended.

How To Make Homemade Pasta Sauce

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 25 lbs of tomatoes, at least 75% Paste tomatoes
• 4 large green peppers
• 2 large red peppers
• 3 large sweet onions
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of garlic salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper
• 2 – 6 oz. cans of tomato paste
• 2 cups dry red wine

INSTRUCTIONS

Choosing The Right Tomatoes

The first step to making homemade pasta sauce is to pick out your tomatoes. Choose tomatoes that are fully ripe and free of disease. Remove any spots or blemishes prior to using.

Since you want the finished sauce to be nice and thick, it is best to use paste tomatoes to create the sauce. They are typically a few inches long and are more oblong in shape as opposed to round.

Paste tomatoes also contain less water and have thicker walls than slicing or cherry tomatoes. The more paste tomatoes you use, the thicker your sauce will be in the end.

Even if you don’t grow your own paste tomatoes, you can still find them readily available at local Farmer’s markets, streetside vendors, or in many grocery stores during the summer months. Look for varieties such as Roma, San Marzano, or Amish Paste. 

You can use other tomato varieties in addition to paste tomatoes. However, it is best to use at least 75% of paste tomatoes to achieve the desired consistency. Although adding in a few different tomato varieties will give you a richer, more unique flavor profile for your tomato sauce.

Prep The Veggies

Once you have your tomatoes it is time to prepare them to be turned into homemade pasta sauce. Start by peeling the tomatoes and remove the seeds. The easiest way to do this is to remove the stem end and drop the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water. 

Allow the tomatoes to boil for one minute, then immediately remove them and place them in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. When they are cool enough to handle (usually less than one minute), peel the skin off of the tomato and compost or discard the skins. 

Next, cut the tomato in half and remove the core as well as the seeds and excess juice. Dice the tomatoes and place them in a large non-reactive stockpot over medium heat. Stir frequently to avoid sticking and burning. 

While the tomatoes begin to heat up remove the stems and seeds of the peppers. Chop the peppers coarsely and then place them into a food processor. (Affiliate Product Link: Hamilton Beach Food Processor)

Peel and coarsely chop the onion and garlic and add them to the food processor as well. Pulse the ingredients until they are finely chopped but not pureed. 

Let The Sauce Reduce

Add the mixture to the stockpot as well as the remaining ingredients and stir. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has reduced by 25%. Stir frequently to help prevent sticking and to help break down the tomatoes.  

The next step will depend on whether you are planning to can the pasta sauce or freeze it. For canning, you need a pressure canner. It is not recommended to water bath this homemade pasta sauce. (Affiliate Product Link: Presto Pressure Canner)  

Canning Homemade Pasta Sauce

If you plan on pressure canning the sauce, prepare and sterilize quart-sized jars and keep them warm. Wash and set aside the lids and bands.

Next, get your pressure canner prepared based on the manufacturer’s instructions. Add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar to the water to prevent the jars from spotting. 

Once the sauce has reduced, ladle it into the hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Remove any bubbles, wipe the rim, and add the lids. Lastly, add the bands and finger tighten. 

Use a jar lifter to place the jars into the pressure canner. Once all the jars are in, lock the lid in place and process at 10 pounds of pressure for 25 minutes. *Follow the instructions for your specific canner on bringing it up to pressure. Be sure to adjust for altitude as required.

When the time is up, allow the pressure to naturally de-pressurize. Once ready, remove the jars with a jar lifter and place them on a thick towel. 

Allow the canned homemade pasta sauce to sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Then, check to make sure that the jars have been sealed by pressing the center of the lid. If it moves up and down, the jar did not seal. Place those jars immediately in your refrigerator and consume them within two weeks.

For jars that are sealed, store them in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months.

Freezing Homemade Pasta Sauce

After the sauce has thickened and reduced by 25%, allow it to cool completely. This can be done overnight in the fridge or for a few hours sitting out on your counter.

Once the tomato sauce has cooled, spoon it into freezer-safe containers. Seal the container tightly, removing as much air as possible. Label with the product name and date and place in your freezer. Use within 8 to 10 months for the best flavor and texture.

 If you want another great way to use up your excess tomatoes and garden vegetables, try making homemade pizza sauce instead: Homemade Pizza Sauce – Made From Fresh Tomatoes

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 16 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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