Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce (2024)

Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce is prepared with summer fresh, locally grown tomatoes, and seasoned with classic tomato sauce ingredients like onion, garlic, basil, and oregano. Not only will you contain all of that fresh tomato flavour, but you’ll cut dinner time prep in half!

I’ve already shared with you how to make a very simple and classic Canned Tomato Sauce. But, sometimes, you need a little more than simple and classic. In this recipe, Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce is everything you love about simple and classic with all of the additives that make a good sauce and delicious one!

Did I need to publish this recipe on its own if it’s so close to a basic sauce? I think so! There are some of you who will prefer the simple, classic sauce, but there are others who will want to dive right into the seasoned sauce only. So, this way, you can pick one or the other. Or, if you’re like me, make both, because there’s a time and place for simple and classic, and there’s a time and place for everything else. This, Dear Reader, is everything else!

In full disclosure, if you have recently read my Canned Tomato Sauce post, you can go ahead and use the jump to the recipe just up there under the title of this recipe. Everything you’re about to read here has been previously said, so save yourself from the Google-forced banter! Ha!

CANNED SEASONED TOMATO SAUCE

Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce is one of the newest addition to my canning pantry. In fact, I’ve only been canning tomato recipes for the past few years. My parents used to can, but never canned tomatoes. I am lucky enough to have grown up in a home where canned goods were always in abundance. My parents regularly canned things likepickled beets,mustard pickles, and a variety ofjams, like blueberry, partridge berries, squash berries, etc. As an adult, I couldn’t help but preserve and can food, because it was something that had always been a part of my life.

I’m trying to think back on whether or not my mother had a pantry. I honestly can’t remember! Our family home was sold when we moved away from Newfoundland, and a few years later, it was destroyed by fire. So, there’s no going back to see, is there!? It’s funny how certain childhood memories are so vivid and clear, but others, like the layout of my mother’s kitchen, have faded almost completely.

Somewhere in my mind, there’s an image of a shelf built with lumber and plywood. The shelves are stocked with the aforementioned canned items, but there’s also canned soup, canned rabbit, seal, and moose. But, I can’t recall if that shelf was in the basem*nt of our family home or not. It may have been at my Aunt Donna’s house. She canned quite a bit as well!

KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE

I think canning and preserving food is a dying art. Growing up in Newfoundland, I know for a fact that all of my childhood friends had moms who would can and preserve berries, fruits, or vegetables. And, meats were extremely common too! Over the years, I’ve lost contact with many of those friends, so I can’t say for certain how many of us have carried on the tradition.

Canning has a reputation for being a lot of hard work. It is and it isn’t. I don’t consider washing, peeling, prepping, etc., to be labour-intensive. Others do though! I’ve often heard the argument that canning is expensive. It is and it isn’t. The initial investment of a canning pot and jars is costly, but you can use the pot and the jars for many, many years to come. And, when you compare the initial costs with the cost of canned goods in grocery stores these days, canning is certainly more economical!

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to can and preserve the best Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce. It’s very easy to do, albeit, there are many steps to take to get everything just right. Make a day of it! Get a friend or your kids to help you. I do it alone because I really enjoy it. In my kitchen, we have an old radio. I tune in to my favourite country music station and sing along all day as I make numerous jars of sauce. If I only had easy access to rabbit, seal, and moose too! Oh, there’s just nothing like gravy made with either one of those!!

PRESERVING FOOD IS NECESSARY FOR SOME CULTURES

My mom and dad would often can side dishes and whole dinners. These jars of food would help to provide an easy, fast meal during the winter months when food became scarce or weather conditions prevented travel to the closest towns with chain grocery stores. For example, my mom could have a hot bowl of homemade soup on the table in five minutes. Or a meaty moose gravy to slather over mashed potatoes in no time at all.

To you, my childhood might sound something like that of Oliver Twist, but it was fantastic; really, it was! I learned so many life lessons watching how Mom and Dad provided for us three kids on a limited income. I learned how to knit, crochet, sew, cook, bake, budget, preserve, and how to make every grocery item in the pantry stretch just a little bit further. I’m fortunate enough not to have to worry about things like that so much, but I still have the skills should the time ever come.

Strangely though, even though I could easily go to the store and buy these things, there’s nothing like homemade, and there’s nothing that can compare to investing the hours it takes to preserve food.So, why don’t you join me? Are you ready to whip up a batch of this homemade Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce?

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Tomatoes– This recipe will yield 20 pints (500mL or 2 cups) of sauce. Roma or plum tomatoes are the best type of tomato for canning.
• Onions– You can use white or yellow onions.
• Garlic– There might seem like there’s a lot of garlic in this recipe, but keep in mind that it’s a big batch of sauce.
• Salt– Some people do not salt sauce when making it, but prefer to salt it when cooking the sauce to eat. I salt it when I’m making it, because I think the sauce tastes better if all ingredients are canned together.
• Italian Seasoning– There are many differing Italian seasoning blends out there. Use the one you’re most comfortable with. I have a greathomemade Italian Seasoning Blendif you want to make up your own.
• Lemon Juice– I always preach that fresh lemon juice is best, but when canning, you will want to use a bottle of lemon juice. It is pH balanced, so you know that you’re getting the right amount for safe food preservation.
• Olive Oil

HOW TO MAKE CANNED TOMATO SAUCE

PEELING THE TOMATOES

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Next, fill a large bowl half full with cold water and add a few cups of ice. While the water boils, sort through the tomatoes. Do not use any tomatoes with any bruises or spots on them. Score the bottom of the good tomatoes with a sharp knife. Scoring means to just slightly cut through the tomato skin in an X pattern.

Working in batches of 15-20 tomatoes, place the tomatoes into the boiling water and allow them to sit for one minute. Remove the tomatoes from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. The ice water will stop the cooking process and cool the tomatoes so that you can touch them. After a minute, you can peel the tomatoes by pulling the skin off in four large sections from the scoring X pattern you created at the bottom of each tomato. Place the skinned tomatoes into a bowl. Continue to do this until all of your tomatoes are peeled.

PREPPING THE VEGETABLES

Next, peel and quarter the onions. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Add the onions and garlic to a food processor and pulse until they form a very fine puree. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your food processor. Transfer the pureed onion and garlic to a large stock pot.

Add the olive oil to the pot and cook the onion and garlic mixture over medium heat for five minutes. In the meantime, quarter the peeled tomatoes and cut away the stem. Puree the tomatoes in batches as well. Once pureed, add them to the cooked onions and garlic. Once all of the pureed tomatoes are in the pot, add the salt and the Italian seasoning; stir well. Cook the tomato sauce for two hours, stirring often. While the sauce cooks, prepare the jars and your canner.

HOW TO WATER BATH CAN

STEP 1: PREPARING THE JARS

Some canners say that if you need to boil the jars longer than 10 minutes, then you don’t need to sterilize the jars. I say no! Canning is not as simple and cheap as frying an egg. It takes time, and an investment if you don’t already have the equipment. Eliminate any risk whatsoever by always sterilizing your jars. It’s easy to do and your Canned Tomato Sauce will thank you! Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse the jars well under running water to get rid of any soap residue.

Transfer the jars to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Using a jar wrench/lifter, lift the jars out of the water, tilting to pour out the water. Be careful; it’s hot! Stand the jar up onto a baking sheet. Once all of the jars are on the baking sheet, place them into your preheated oven at 200 degrees F. This will keep them hot and away from any contamination.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE SEALS AND RINGS

Mason jars are equipped with three parts. The first is the jar. The second and third parts combine to form the lid. The flat disc with the rubber ring on the bottom is the seal. Finally, the circular part that actually screws onto the jar is called a screw band. Depending on the brand or the recipe you’re reading, the names of these things can vary. But, they all do the same thing.

The screw bands never come in contact with the food, so they do not need to be washed or sterilized. But, because I want to eliminate any risk of contamination, I make sure they’re clean. After all, they have been sitting in a warehouse before they got to the store, and then finally, to me. That’s too many germs for my comfort level! I wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and transfer them to a bowl until I need them. The sealing disk/sealing ring needs a little more consideration.

If you look at the bottom of the lid, you will see a reddish-brown rubber ring. It’s attached to the lid. This ring has a huge job! It is pretty much in charge of keeping your food safe for long-term storage. Place the lids into a glass bowl. I like to separate them so that they are not all stacked. When I’m ready to ladle the food into the jars, I pour a kettle of boiling water over the lids so that they are sterile and the rubber band softens. That’s it. You have now prepared your jars. Next, we need to get the canner ready!

STEP 3: PREPARING THE CANNER

You can buy a canning pot, but you don’t have to do that. Any stock pot will do just fine. Be sure that the pot is tall enough to hold enough water so that your jars are covered by at least an inch of water. Fill the canning pot accordingly. Also, be sure to insert acanning rack or matinto the bottom of your pot. If you buy a canning pot it will come with one. Otherwise, you can buy them for any pot size. Never let your jars touch the bottom of the pot when boiling. They could easily break and your Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce will be lost. Once you’ve done this, bring the water to a full boil.

In most cases, if you’re new to canning, you might notice some white residue on the jars after all is said and done. This can easily be cleaned off once the jars are cool. A few tablespoons of white vinegar in the boiling water helps to eliminate most of it. I use it every single time.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to keep a kettle of boiling water close by. Depending on how many jars you need to process, you might have to boil them in batches. You will be surprised at how quickly rapidly boiling water can evaporate. Having a kettle of boiling water will allow you to easily top up the canning pot without altering the temperature of the water.

STEP 4: FILLING THE JARS

Depending on the recipe, filling the jars is quite easy. Having some inexpensive equipment on hand can make this process much easier. Invest in acanning funnel. It will help you ladle the food into the jars without making a mess. Remember to pay attention to the recipe’s recommended headspace. This is the amount of empty space from the top of the food to the very top of the jar. Also, it’s imperative to keep the rim of the jar clean to ensure a good seal. You will also need abubble remover. You can buy these, but I’m not a fan of them. A clean wooden chopstick does the same thing. Removing bubbles will prevent mould from growing.

Lastly, you will need amagnetic lid lifter. Remember how I said the flat sealing lids will be submerged in a bowl of boiling water? Well, you can’t just pick them up with your hands. First of all, it’s hot! Secondly, you will want to eliminate the risk of any contamination. Do not touch the underside of the lid. Period! Using a magnetic lid lifter will allow you to pick up the lid and position it right onto the rim of the jar without ever touching it.

Finally, you will need to screw on the metal screw bands. In most cases, the food in the jars is scalding hot, so you can’t touch the jars to tighten the lids. But, that’s a good thing! You should never over-tighten the lids. Place the screw band over the jar and tighten it with one hand. It should be snug, not tight. Now, that’s it! You’re ready to boil these jars!

STEP 5: BOILING THE JARS OF FOOD

Carefully lift the jars of Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce straight up using ajar wrench/lifter. Lower the jar into the pot of boiling water. Fill the canning pot with jars in this manner. Don’t jam the jars in; leave a little bit of space between the jars. I aim for about a centimetre or a finger’s width. Remember, you can process the jars in batches.

Once the canning pot is loaded, place a lid on the pot, and start your timer according to the recipe you are following. If the water is not at a full boil, do not start timing until it is! When the time is up, use the jar wrench to lift the jars straight up out of the water. Transfer the jars to a flat surface that has been lined with a few layers of kitchen towels. Allow the jars to fully cool – at least 24 hours! Finally, wipe the jars down, label them with contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry.

Some people remove the screw bands after the jars have cooled for 24 hours. I remove them just to check if there is a good seal. I put them back on once I’ve checked. It’s up to you if you want to leave them off. If you notice that a jar has not been sealed, you can either discard it, or refrigerate it for immediate consumption. Only do so if you are 100% sure the food has not been compromised and that it is safe to eat.

ONCE THE SAUCE IS COOKED, IT’S TIME TO CAN!

With your pot of cooked, piping hot sauce nearby, line up your jars. Add one teaspoon of bottled lemon juice to each jar. Next, using a canning funnel and a ladle, spoon the sauce into the jar, leaving a half inch of headspace. Use the non-metallic bubble remover to remove any air bubbles. Wipe down the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel to ensure none of the sauce has come in contact with the rim.

Carefully remove the sealing discs from the hot water with a magnetic lid lifter. Position the sealing disc directly onto the lid of the jars. Do not touch the underside of the lid. Screw on the screw bands until firm – do not apply pressure! Just use your fingertips to tighten the screw bands. Using the jar lifter, place the jars into the water bath canner with the boiling water. Place a lid on the pot and boil the jars for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove each jar from the canner using the jar lifter. Do not tilt the jars or try to wipe them dry. Place jars onto a wire cooling rack that has been covered with a clean kitchen towel. Leave the jars to cool for a minimum of 12 hours. Once cooled, wipe the jars of any residue that might have been transferred to the outside of the jar during the boiling process. Label the jars and store in a dark, cool cabinet.

STORING CANNED TOMATO SAUCE

Once you have safely removed the jars of processed Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce from the canner, and they have cooled completely, it’s time to store them.

Storing properly is just as important as every step you take to ensure your efforts are safe and sterile. The first thing I like to do is wash the jars. Sometimes, the jars will be covered with residue from the boiling process. This is normal and will depend on your water source. If I can in our city apartment, the jars are not too cloudy at all. But, at our home in the country where we use well water, the jars will have a chalky, white residue on the outside.

You can wash the jars under warm running water with a little bit of dish detergent. Dry the jars well with a clean towel. Next, it’s important to label them properly. Trust me – if you fall in love with canning, you’ll come to rely on labels. In the beginning, I could easily mistake a jar of canned tomatoes with a jar of salsa or a jar of sauce!

Your label should include the name of the recipe and the date you made it. Store the jars in a cool, dark place. You don’t need to push them all to the back of the corner in your unfinished basem*nt! Any pantry or cabinet will do as long as it’s not directly above a heat source. I store mine in a built-in pantry under the stairs. Just keep them cool and away from direct light to prolong the shelf life.