Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This morning I picked a bucket full of tomatoes from our garden. Yes, it was actually a full bucket full. What better to do with all those ripe, beautiful pieces of heaven than to make spaghetti sauce. There's nothing better in the winter than pulling out a can of homemade spaghetti sauce made from vine ripe summer tomatoes. Yum, yum! This recipe yields 7 quart size jars.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
17-lbs. vine ripe tomatoes
1 large onion; chopped
1 whole pod garlic; minced
1/4 c. diced bell pepper
olive oil
a handful each of fresh basil, fresh oregano & fresh rosemary
salt & pepper to taste
5 Tblsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
1/3 c. sugar
bottled lemon juice

Wash and sterilize jars, seals and lids. Keep hot until ready to use.


Pour enough oil into a large, heavy stock pot to lightly coat bottom of pot. Saute garlic, onion and bell pepper in oil until tender.




Chop herbs and add to sauteed vegetables in stock pot. Allow to cook until herbs wilt.


Core and slice tomatoes into quarters. Add to stockpot.


Cook over medium-high heat and allow tomato mixture to come to boil. Add in salt, pepper and red pepper (if using.)


Using an immersion blender, blend tomatoes until smooth and seasonings have mixed well. Reduce heat and allow mixture to cook, uncovered, until it thickens to your liking.


Remove hot, sterile jars from water bath canner. To each quart jar, add 2 Tblsp. of bottled lemon juice. If using pint jars, add 1 Tblsp. lemon juice.


Ladle hot spaghetti sauce into jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rims with a damp towel to make sure the area is clean. Place seals and bands on each jar. Tighten to fingertip tight. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN.


Place jars into water bath canner and bring to a full rolling boil. Process jars for a full 40 minutes. If using pints, process for 20 minutes.


Remove jars from canner and allow to cool completely. As jars cool they should "ping" letting you know they have properly sealed. Label jars and store on pantry shelf.


Click HERE for printable recipe