After I made my first batch of pizza sauce I knew I wanted to try another variety that would work well for spaghetti sauce too. Several months ago I went on a girls weekend trip and had the best time with the ladies. We rented a cute little place, made dinner, had an impromptu dance party in the living room, and relaxed in some hot springs. One of my favorite parts of the whole trip was the dinner we prepared. Each of us gals contributed to a part of the meal. My close friend Zo brought some spaghetti sauce that she’d canned and it was the best spaghetti sauce I’ve ever had. It was absolutely amazing. That, combined with our quest to eliminate processed foods from our diet led me to want to make sauce for ourselves. Since we had plenty of tomatoes I whipped up a batch of this spaghetti | tomato | pizza sauce. It’s pretty darn delish. I dare say I love it as much as Zo’s, and that’s sayin’ something.
Are you new to canning or a canning professional? I’ve only been at it for a short while but already I can see it’s something that I’ll do for years and years down the road. I’ve stockpiled my pantry with all of the essentials: Ball Jar Mouth Pint Jars with Lids and Bands
were a must (I also have the Ball Canning Regular Mouth Half Pint Canning Jar 8 oz.
for jams and jellies & Ball 67000 Quart Wide Mouth Mason Jars
for my peaches!!). I thought I could find the jars at thrift stores but after searching a couple in my area I learned it was almost cheaper to buy brand new! Then I picked up a Norpro 6 Piece Canning Set
that I found to be CRUCIAL! To round out my canning must haves I made sure to get a Water-Bath Canner with Rack
which is a MUST HAVE! Once you’ve got everything you need I highly recommend this Spaghetti Tomato Pizza Sauce – it’s AMAZING!
Items used in this post:
Spaghetti Tomato Pizza Sauce
This Spaghetti Tomato Pizza Sauce is awesome on your spaghetti, works great in any recipe that calls for tomato sauce (adding extra flavor) and is the BEST base for any homemade pizza! Trust me, you'll want to add this to your list of canning goods this season!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 med bell pepper chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 5 lbs fresh ripe tomatoes peeled, quartered, and hard core removed
- 2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
- 1/4 c. red wine
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 large pinch salt
- Pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Instructions
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In a large saute pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot and just starting to smoke, add onions and peppers and saute for about 4-6 minutes; stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. After 5 minutes, add the garlic and continue to cook an additional minute longer to release the garlic oils. Immediately transfer mix into the slow cooker. De-glaze the pan with the red wine, add liquid to crock pot.
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Wash tomatoes thoroughly. Cut into quarters or even smaller pieces if you are using large tomatoes. Remove the hard center top core. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the slow cooker. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and mix. Add the spices, stir, and cook for 8 hours. Keep lid on for the entire cooking time.
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After 8 hours, open the lid and use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. If you do not have a hand blender you can puree small batches in a blender or food processor. Salt or pepper additionally if needed. Be careful to not over salt as this sauce will most likely be used to season already salted food.
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Return to the slow cooker, set on high heat and simmer uncovered until the desired thickness. Transfer the sauce to sterilized canning jars, carefully wipe the rims and seal. If you will use the sauce within 2 months, just refrigerate.
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If you plan a longer storage, do a full water bath. In a large pot, completely submerge the jars and boil for 30 minutes. Remove from pot and allow to cool to room temperature. Alternatively you can freeze the sauce in freezer bags.
Recipe Notes
[My 2 Cents]
This sauce will be great for pasta, as a pizza sauce, or even a cooking sauce. My favorite part was that you don't even have to peel the tomatoes. That cuts down on lots of time, just cut them up and on your way you'll be!
Adapted from 52 Ways To Cook
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust // Tried and Tasty
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough // Tried and Tasty
Thin Style Thai Chicken Pizza // Tried and Tasty
Simone
When you say: add liquid to crop pot. You mean water? And how much?
Yvonne
No, that’s referring to the red wine vinegar that is used to deglaze the pot. Once all of the delicious bits are off the bottom of the pan with the red wine you’ll transfer that liquid to the crock pot.
Do you think that instead of canning I could freeze the sauce?
Yvonne
Hmm, I don’t see why not! I’m actually terrible at freezing stuff – I freeze it and then never remember it’s in there.. so I’m not much help in that area :)
Anj
Hi Yvonne, I don’t have a crock pot. Any suggestion please. Thanks! :)
Yvonne
Certainly, you can simmer on the stove on medium-low for a couple of hours and should get the same consistency!
Laura
Hi, is the bell pepper green or can it be any color?
Yvonne
It can be any color, doesn’t matter at all!
Fiona
Doesn’t the recipe state ‘peeled tomatoes’? Not sure if I need to or not?
Yvonne
Either way works, if you don’t peel them you just want to make sure you blend them extra well!
Mao
Can I use dry herbs …. difficult to get fresh ones ? Also an alternative to red wine
Yvonne
Most certainly, you can always swap dry for fresh the flavor will just be slightly less potent.
Mao
Instead of wine can I use red wine vinegar?
Yvonne
Ooh that may just be the perfect substitution!
Puja
Hi. We dont use/drink wine. Any substitutes for that?
Yvonne
Hello, I don’t drink wine either – I used a cooking wine Holland House Cooking Wine, Red
“>House Red Cooking Wine sold at the grocery store, but since it’s only 1/4 a cup – you may be able to omit it. I’m not sure how/if it affects the shelf life once it’s canned!
Caz
Hi from the UK! You’ve inspired me to make my own sauce and I know my sister will love your blog too! Thanks yvonne!
Yvonne
Wonderful! That makes me so happy, thanks for sharing my site with your sister!
Thanks Yvonne! I am excited to try it out this weekend!
Kristine Sorenson
How big of a crockpot did you use and how much sauce did it make?
Yvonne
My crock pot is six quarts… but I don’t remember exactly how many it made!! I’m sorry – it wasn’t a whole bunch, maybe six pints??
Jessica
I don’t have an immersion blender….would a hand mixer work at all? It would seem like such a pain to have to keep putting batches into a regular blender and re-doing that multiple times.
Also, on the instructions when we start to initially cook in the crock pot for the 8 hours it doesn’t say whether it should be on high or low. I am cooking right now and have it on high…hoping that is okay.
Yvonne
Bummer! But yes, you can just use a hand mixer I’m sure.. it probably just won’t get as thin.. or maybe it will – try it out! Let me know if it works for you. I cooked it on high the entire time to make sure I got as much of the extra liquid out. Thanks for letting me know, I will get the recipe edited to reflect that! Happy sauce making :)
Teresa
Came across your blog- I definitely am going to bookmark this page :) You are inspiring me to try canning with the tomato/pizza sauce !!! I usually make it from scratch every time but would be wonderful to have some already made!!!
Thank you!
Yvonne
I am so happy to have you!! Welcome, and you’re welcome!
Liz
Is there something else you could use instead of red wine? Grape juice perhaps?
Yvonne
Sure! I bet that would work – I used a red cooking wine that you will find in most grocery store down the baking aisle. It’s only a couple of bucks, so I’m assuming the alcohol content isn’t very high. Works great!
You have me on a canning trip! I’m working on some tomato soup right now!
Yvonne
Tomato soups sounds YUMMY!!! I need to get my hands on an industrial sized kitchen so I can get together with all of my girlfriends and have a canning fest :) How fun would that be?!?
oh YES, can I come, the last (only) time I canned was with a ton of girlfriends all together, it was so much fun!
Yvonne
That would be so fun!!! I would love it!
I just canned some salsa for the first time in a long time. I think I’ve caught the ‘canning bug’ and need try this and canning peaches. Thanks Yvonne!
Yvonne
That “canning bug” is going around!
Karen
I do a lot of canning and I used to can peaches now I freeze them. Skin and pit the peaches, slice into wedges or chunks until you have approximately 4 to 5 cups and then put into freezer bags and add 1/4 tsp of citric acid and up to a 1/4 cup of white sugar. Seal the bag and make sure the granulated mixture of sugar and citric acid is combined well with peaches. Places the peaches in the freezer for later in the year.
Thaw in refrigerator overnight and have as is or in muffins(without the juices), do a peach cobbler or peach crumble pie etc.
You can get the citric acid (vitamin C) at a bulk foods store.
Yvonne
Thanks Karen! I’m posting the canned peaches tomorrow :) I love your tips/input – thank you so much!
I know I keep saying this, but you are so domestic! Come to my house & teach me your ways!!! If you can do all that in your small kitchen, imagine how much I can do in mine!!!
Yvonne
You are so funny!! We’ll swap skills – I’ll teach you a few things, you teach me a few things (starting with how to make pie crust…)!
Aimee Berrett
Yum. This looks so good. And I LOVE that you don’t have to peel the tomatoes. Last year when I canned sauce I was too lazy to peel them and blended some of them up, but now I pick some of the skins out when I’m eating the sauce, cause I don’t like the texture! This looks so good, I can’t wait to try it!
Yvonne
You know what’s great with this one?? I think because it cooks SO long and you blend it with an immersion blender – the skins disappear! I was a little worried about that, but there weren’t any skins to even pick out!!