With canning season in the horizon I figured I’d better share this recipe. I have experimented with making spaghetti sauce on several occasions and this recipe is the one I ALWAYS return to. It comes from a good friend’s mom who has canned for many years. I am posting with her permission of course!
- 12 lbs peeled and diced tomatoes (4-5 qts)
- 12 oz can of tomato paste
- 1/3-1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons of dried sweet basil or 1/3 cup of fresh chopped basil
- 1/2-1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- 3 medium onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 green pepper diced
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
Put tomatoes, paste, sugar, basil, salt, and pepper in large pot.
Sauté onion, peppers in oil for 5 minutes adding garlic just before time is up. Then add to tomatoes. Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat for 2 hours or desired consistency. Stir occasionally. Pack into pint or quart jars. Pressure cook @ 10lbs of pressure for 20-25 minutes or you can take the lazy easy way out and freeze in plastic containers or bags. I have been known to take that route on a good many occasions.
PERSONAL NOTES
- I shared not only to be nice but mostly because organization is not one of my finer points and I would be distraught if I lost this recipe.
- I don’t chop up my tomatoes I use my tomato saucer I purchased a few years back from Johnny’s select seed. It is pictured in this post from 2011. It is by far one of my favorite kitchen gadgets!
- As my sauce is cooking I blend with my immersion blender (another favorite in the kitchen) so there are “NO CHUNKS” because the kids won’t eat it if it has “CHUNKS”. PUNKS!!!!
- Last note….I promise. A couple weeks back we were in Boston and we ate at an authentic Italian restaurant. It was DIVINE! My boy said “Mom this sauce tastes a lot like yours.” That is all he needed to say. I hoping to put up at least 30-40 quarts….enough to make it through a long Maine winter. Happy Canning!



















