Making and Canning Delicious Homemade Pizza Sauce

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Did you know that making your own pizza sauce at home can be not only delicious but also incredibly easy? Whether you’re looking to elevate your pizza nights or stock up for the winter months, making and canning delicious homemade pizza sauce is a game-changer.

canning homemade pizza sauce featured image

In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to make homemade pizza sauce from scratch and preserve it using the simple method of water bath canning. It’s the perfect way to capture the essence of vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh herbs, and garlic, and enjoy that vibrant pizza sauce all year long.

Homemade pizza night with the family just got way more fun! Say goodbye to grocery store pizza sauce and hello to the most delicious home-canned pizza sauce.

Check out my other super simple canning recipes such as my beginner spaghetti sauce here, or asparagus recipe here!

The Best Tomato Varieties for Homemade Pizza Sauce

If you are growing your own tomatoes, this is something to take into consideration when picking out your plants for the garden. Or if you prefer to start the plants from seed, be mindful of the varieties best suited for your needs. Different tomato varieties are better suited for different uses.

The tomatoes that are beefier with a meaty texture, and contain very few seeds (if any), are the best choice for making homemade pizza sauce. That being said, paste tomatoes such as Roma Tomatoes or San Marzano Tomatoes are my go-to varieties. However, I will use up whichever tomatoes need to be dealt with when it comes to making and canning homemade pizza sauce, as long as they are ripe tomatoes (and bug free).

I also use these same tomato varieties for canning homemade pasta sauce, check out my super simple how-to for beginners here.

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients make this homemade pizza sauce to die for! What better way to put the gardens bounty to use than making and canning delicious homemade pizza sauce.

Fresh Tomatoes (or frozen tomatoes)
Onion
Cloves of Garlic
Oregano, Basil, Parsley, Thyme (optional to preference)
Salt
Pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Sterilizing the Mason Jars and Lids

There are multiple ways to do this:

Dishwasher Method – Some dishwashers have a sanitize function on the dishwasher which works well for preparing the mason jars. The downfall, however, is this can be a time consuming method.
Oven Method – Wash the jars with soap, rinse, but do not dry. Place upside down on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes at 275 degrees Fahrenheit (130 degrees Celsius). Carefully remove the hot jars for canning.
Boiling Method – Wash the jars with soap and rinse. Place jars in a large pot of boiling water (like the water bath canner) and let them sanitize for 20 minutes. Remove jars and let air dry before use.

For the lids – place in a small sauce pan of hot water until it is time to add them to the jars.

Step 2: Making the Pizza Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1: First wash the tomatoes.

Canning pizza sauce step 1 prepare the tomatoeas

Step 2: Then remove the stem and core, and quarter the tomatoes. Leave the tomato skins intact. Place tomatoes into an aluminum cake pan or 9×13 baking dish.

Canning pizza sauce step 3 add the spices

Step 3: Peel and chop the onion, garlic, and other herbs. Add to the baking dish atop the tomatoes. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Canning pizza sauce step 4 bake the tomatoes and spices

Step 4: Bake tomatoes for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow the tomatoes to cool slightly.

Canning pizza sauce step 5 immersion blender to smooth

Step 5: Using an immersion blender, purée the tomatoes until they are a smooth consistency.

Canning pizza sauce step 6 add the sauce to sterilized mason jars

Step 6: Using a canning funnel and a ladle, ladle sauce into the sterilized jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles from the hot sauce and wipe the rim of the jar with a clean damp cloth or papertowel. Using the magnet lid lifter tool, grab the jar lid from the small sauce pan, and carefully place it on the jar. Loosely screw the rings onto the lids to ensure the lids stay in place.

Step 3: Water Bath Canning the Pizza Sauce

Add hot water to a little over ½ of the water bath canner and bring to a boil.

Place the jars on the inner wire rack of the water bath canner and lower it into the boiling water. Add the lid to the canner. Process for 35 minutes in boiling water.

After the 35 minutes is up, turn off the heat and carefully remove the canner lid. Grab the metal insert by the handles (with oven mitts) and raise the jars up, carefully hooking the handles onto the edge of the water bath canner. Let the jars sit for 5 minutes.

Lay out a hand towel or a doubled up flour sack towel on a counter surface. This will act as a barrier between the hot jars and cool counter, preventing the counter and keeping the jars from bursting with the drastic temperature change. Using the jar lifter tool, carefully remove the jars from the wire insert and place them on the towel. Allow jars to sit and cool, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours.

Test jars for airtight seals. The lids will not “pop” when pushed down on and will not pop off when pulled up on.

Canning homemade pizza sauce step 7 add to water bath canner

Final image of homemade canned pizza sauce on display with garlic and onions

Important Notes:

When I first started canning I would submerge the jars under the water, ensuring at least an inch of boiling water would cover the jars. This has been successful. However, I have since learned that is not necessary, and less water is required.
Processing time of 40 minutes is appropriate for altitudes less than 1000 feet for quart jars and 35 minutes for pint jars. For higher elevations, add an additional minute. Increase processing time by 1 minute for each 1000 feet altitude above 1000.
Tomatoes can have varying pH levels, so adding acid to ensure a safe level of acidity is recommended. For example: 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon of citric acid can be added to a quart jar, while 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon of citric acid can be added to each pint jar. A pH level of 4.6 or less will prevent bacteria. However, this isn’t something I have personally ever done and I have never had an issue, and the above is a tested recipe for generations.
For homemade pizza sauce I prefer to use my immersion blender. Other options would be a regular blender, food processor, or a sauce maker Sauce Master.

Equipment

Canning Jars – Pint Jars (new mason jars and lids with screw bands or used jars with new lids – seal must be intact) I recommend wide mouth jars, they are easier to work with, but regular work just as well.
Canning specific items – here is a great deal on a full hot water bath canner starter canning set (with the following included):
Large water bath canner
GraniteWare Blancher (or use a large pot and a food strainer)
Canning Tools – a great kit makes life easier! (jar lifter, funnel, magnetic lid lifter)
Immersion Blender – I prefer this for pizza sauce rather than using a food mill, since the immersion blender allows the pizza sauce to remain more of a thick tomato purée texture versus runny.
Aluminum Cake Pan or 9×13 Baking Dish

Storage

If a jar does not completely seal, store it in the refrigerator and consume within 1 week. If the pizza sauce isn’t used within one week, repackage it for freezing (pour into freezer containers and let cool, then freeze for up to 1 year). Jars of pizza sauce that seal will be shelf stable for up to 1 year.

Canned goods should be stored in a cool dark place. All of our canned goods are kept in the basement on sturdy shelves.

In addition, we prefer to store our canned goods without the outer rings or screw bands on the jars. This is recommended because it prevents rust, mold, and vermin. Plus, the rings can trap moisture or food residue which can make bands difficult to remove.

FAQ

Does pizza sauce need to be pressure canned?

No, this recipe allows canning of pizza sauce with a water bath canner safely.

How many pizzas can you make with one pint?

Each pint will make one large pizza or two medium pizzas.

Do you leave skins on the tomatoes?

Yes, for this recipe leave the skins on. They will be blended smooth with the immersion blender.

Which tomatoes are best for this recipe?

We prefer to use Roma tomatoes, but any will work.

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