Preserving Homemade Pizza Sauce with Ripe Tomatoes for Later Use

Homemade canned pizza sauce: an easy, budget-friendly way to spice up your pizza nights! Store-bought options often fall flat, but with this recipe, you'll enjoy a rich, flavorful sauce that outshines store-bought versions every time.

Got a garden overflowing with tomatoes? Capitalize on your bounty by canning your pizza sauce. Just like homemade salsa, tomato soup, and tomato chutney, this recipe will make any store-bought offering seem dull in comparison. Best of all, it requires just 11 simple ingredients and minimal time.

Don't have time to spare? Use fresh, frozen, or even canned tomatoes to save on prep time. You can find exact measurements for the ingredients below. For the best results, have approximately 9 pounds of tomatoes on hand to produce 13 cups of tomato puree.

Spices give this sauce its unique, mouthwatering flavor profile. Try garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and salt, but don't hesitate to experiment with your favorite spices or swap out a few to suit your preferences. A touch of honey or sugar helps temper tomato acidity, resulting in a well-rounded sauce.

This thicker sauce ensures your pizza dough stays crisp and well-balanced, as opposed to soggy pasta sauce. Pizza sauce also boasts bolder spices and seasonings for a deeper, pizza-friendly flavor.

San Marzano tomatoes are the crème de la crème of canning tomatoes, delivering an unmatched blend of sweetness and meatiness in sauces. Roma tomatoes—famous for their meatiness and few seeds—are another smart choice. But don't worry if you're missing these options, any ol' tomato from your garden can produce a fantastic pizza sauce!

Ingredients:

Tomatoes
Garlic
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Rosemary
Sage
Salt
Honey or sugar
Olive oil
Lemon juice

Full measurements are available in the recipe card below.

Make the sauce:

Pureé the tomatoes using a food mill, food strainer, or electric food strainer. Skip this step if you're using canned passata.
Sauté minced garlic in olive oil.
Add half of the tomato pureé to the large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Once boiling, add remaining pureé one cup at a time, maintaining a constant boil.
Stir in the lemon juice, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, honey or sugar, and salt.
Boil the mixture for 15-30 minutes, reaching a thick sauce consistency. Stir occasionally.

Tips for canning:

Prepare jars, canner, and lids by washing jars in hot, soapy water, filling them with hot water, and placing them in a boiling water bath canner filled with water. Bring to 180°F over medium-high heat.
Keep the jars hot while finishing cooking the sauce.
Pack jars with hot sauce, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles, and adjust headspace if necessary.
Wipe the jar rim, center the lid, and finger-tighten the screw band.
Process jars in the boiling water canner for 35 minutes for both half pint and pint jars, adjusting for altitude if necessary.
After processing, turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let the jars sit in the canner for five minutes. Remove to a towel-lined counter, and let jars sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours before checking seals.

Properly sealed jars will store for 18 months in a cool, dark place. Be sure to remove the screw bands and avoid stacking more than two jars high. Freezing the pizza sauce is also an option; it will store for around 6-8 months.

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Recipe

This delicious sauce is perfect for pizza night! Spread it over your favorite crust, put your favorite toppings on, and enjoy a quick, easy, and incredibly delicious pizza made with homemade goodness.

Recipe Card

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Canning the pizza sauce allows you to make use of an abundance of garden tomatoes, resulting in a homemade sauce that outshines store-bought versions. With just 11 simple ingredients, this tomato puree-based recipe requires minimal time and effort, making it a perfect addition to your food-and-drink lifestyle.

For those short on time, this recipe can accommodate fresh, frozen, or even canned tomatoes, providing flexibility in your home-and-garden cooking routine. Be sure to experiment with spices like garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, honey or sugar to achieve the perfect flavor profile.

Follow the provided canning instructions to prepare and preserve your pizza sauce, ensuring it will be ready for use during your upcoming pizza nights. With the convenience of homemade sauce on hand, you'll never be left with dull, store-bought pizza sauce again.