Homemade Canned Tomato Sauce (Beginner-Friendly Recipe with San Marzano Tomatoes)

If you’ve ever found yourself with baskets of ripe garden tomatoes and wondered, what on earth am I going to do with all these? — you’re in the right place. Canning tomato sauce might sound intimidating, but trust me, if I can do it, you can too. All it takes is a big pot, some clean jars, and a little patience while the sauce simmers.

This recipe is perfect for beginners because it’s straightforward, uses fresh ingredients from the garden, and doesn’t require peeling tomatoes (who has time for that?). The bay leaves add a subtle depth of flavor, while the banana peppers give the sauce just a touch of sweetness and gentle heat. Once the sauce is pureed and packed into jars, you’ll process them in a boiling water bath so they’re completely safe and shelf-stable for months to come.

By the end, you’ll have 6–7 jars of rich, homemade tomato sauce sitting on your counter, cooling and sealing with that satisfying “pop.” It’s the kind of kitchen project that feels old-fashioned in the best way — and you’ll thank yourself all winter long when you open a jar for pasta, lasagna, or homemade pizza.

So, take a deep breath, grab your tomatoes, and let’s make this together. You’ll see — it’s much easier than it seems, and the reward is absolutely delicious.

🛠 What You’ll Need for Water Bath Canning

• Large stockpot (big enough to hold jars covered with water)

• 6–7 quart (1 L) glass canning jars with lids and bands

• Jar lifter or sturdy tongs

• Canning funnel (makes filling jars much easier)

• Ladle

• Clean towels (to set hot jars on)

• Immersion blender or food processor (to puree sauce)

Canned Tomato Sauce with Bay Leaves & Banana Peppers

Yield: 6–7 quart (1 L) jars

Ingredients

• 15 lbs San Marzano (or other Italian/Roma) tomatoes, washed & cored

• 1–2 medium onions, chopped (optional)

• 3–4 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)

• 4 fresh yellow banana peppers, chopped (adjust heat to taste)

• 4 bay leaves (remove before pureeing/jarring)

• 2–3 Tbsp olive oil (optional, for sautéing veg)

• 2–3 Tbsp dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme — optional)

• Salt: 1 tsp per quart jar (added directly to jars before filling)

• Bottled lemon juice (mandatory for safety): 2 Tbsp per quart jar

• Black pepper, sugar, or chili flakes (optional, to taste)

Instructions

1. Cook the base:

   • In a large stockpot, heat olive oil and sauté onions, garlic, and banana peppers until soft.

   • Add tomatoes, bay leaves, dried herbs, pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired.

   • Simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 2–3 hours, until reduced and flavorful.

2. Puree:

   • Remove bay leaves.

   • Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree to desired consistency.

3. Prepare jars:

   • Sterilize 7 x 1L (quart) jars and lids. Keep hot.

4. Add lemon juice & salt directly to jars:

   • 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice + 1 tsp salt per quart jar.

5. Fill jars:

   • Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving ½ inch (1.25 cm) headspace.

   • Wipe rims, apply lids, and screw bands fingertip-tight.

6. Process jars (boiling water bath):

   • Quarts (1 L): 40 minutes (adjust for altitude if >1000 ft).

7. Cool & store:

   • Cool upright for 12–24 hours. Check seals.

   • Label with date and store in a cool, dark place for up to 12–18 months.

Notes

Why Roma, Italian, or San Marzano tomatoes?
Not all tomatoes are created equal, especially for canning. Juicy slicing tomatoes (like beefsteak or heirloom varieties) contain a lot of water, which means you’ll spend much longer cooking them down to get a thick sauce. Roma, Italian, and San Marzano tomatoes, on the other hand, are “paste tomatoes.” They’re naturally meatier, with fewer seeds and far less water. That makes them cook down quickly into a rich, thick sauce with a deep tomato flavor — no endless simmering required.

If you only have juicy tomatoes, don’t worry — you can still use them, but expect to simmer longer to reduce the extra liquid. If you’re buying or planning your garden for canning, though, paste tomatoes like San Marzano are worth every bit of space they take up.

Canned Tomato Sauce with Bay Leaves & Banana Peppers

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Author: Richelle Fortin

If you’ve ever found yourself with baskets of ripe garden tomatoes and wondered, what on earth am I going to do with all these? — you’re in the right place. Canning tomato sauce might sound intimidating, but trust me, if I can do it, you can too. All it takes is a big pot, some clean jars, and a little patience while the sauce simmers.

Ingredients

• 15 lbs San Marzano (or other Italian/Roma) tomatoes, washed & cored
• 1–2 medium onions, chopped (optional)
• 3–4 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
• 4 fresh yellow banana peppers, chopped (adjust heat to taste)
• 4 bay leaves (remove before pureeing/jarring)
• 2–3 Tbsp olive oil (optional, for sautéing veg)
• 2–3 Tbsp dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme — optional)
• Salt: 1 tsp per quart jar (added directly to jars before filling)
• Bottled lemon juice (mandatory for safety): 2 Tbsp per quart jar
• Black pepper, sugar, or chili flakes (optional, to taste)

Instructions

1. Cook the base:
2. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil and sauté onions, garlic, and banana peppers until soft.
3. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, dried herbs, pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired.
4. Simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 2–3 hours, until reduced and flavorful.
5. Puree:
6. Remove bay leaves.
7. Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree to desired consistency.
8. Prepare jars:
9. Sterilize 7 x 1L (quart) jars and lids. Keep hot.
10. Add lemon juice & salt directly to jars:
11. 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice + 1 tsp salt per quart jar.
12. Fill jars:
13. Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving ½ inch (1.25 cm) headspace.
14. Wipe rims, apply lids, and screw bands fingertip-tight.
15. Process jars (boiling water bath):
16. Quarts (1 L): 40 minutes (adjust for altitude if >1000 ft).
17. Cool & store:
18. Cool upright for 12–24 hours. Check seals.
19. Label with date and store in a cool, dark place for up to 12–18 months.

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