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Best Homemade Tomato Basil Canning Sauce – Easy Recipe

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This easy homemade tomato basil canning sauce captures the taste of summer in a jar. Made with simple ingredients like ripe Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and roasted garlic, it’s perfect for pasta, gifts, or enjoying all year round.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes (or any paste tomato)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
  • 8 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
  • 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon salt (kosher salt; reduce to 2 teaspoons if using table salt)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, only if tomatoes taste acidic)

Instructions

  1. Prep your tomatoes (15 minutes): Wash tomatoes and cut out cores. Cut a small ‘X’ on the bottom of each tomato. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Drop tomatoes in boiling water for 30-45 seconds, then transfer to ice water. Slip off skins, discard, and roughly chop tomatoes (about 12 cups).
  2. Roast the aromatics (20 minutes): In your stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and smashed garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Do not let garlic brown.
  3. Simmer the base (30 minutes): Add chopped tomatoes to the pot. Stir in salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and deepens in color.
  4. Blend the sauce (5 minutes): Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth. If using a regular blender, work in batches, filling no more than halfway, and blend carefully.
  5. Add basil and finish (10 minutes): Return pot to low heat. Stir in fresh basil leaves and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still pourable.
  6. Prepare jars for canning (20 minutes): Wash jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Place jars in canner or large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let jars sit in hot water. Place lids in a small saucepan of simmering water.
  7. Fill the jars (15 minutes): Using a jar lifter, remove one jar at a time from hot water. Place on a clean towel. Using a wide-mouth funnel, ladle hot sauce into jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rim with a clean, damp paper towel. Center lid on jar and screw on band until fingertip-tight.
  8. Process in water bath (35 minutes for pints, 40 for quarts): Place filled jars back into canner, ensuring they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a full rolling boil, then start timer. Process for 35 minutes for pints, 40 for quarts. Adjust for high altitude if needed.
  9. Cool and check seals (12+ hours): Turn off heat. Remove jars using jar lifter and place on a towel-lined counter, leaving at least 1 inch between jars. Do not tighten bands. Let cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. After 24 hours, press center of each lid—if it doesn’t flex up and down, it’s sealed. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within a week.

Notes

Don’t skip roasting the onions and garlic—it adds depth of flavor. Use bottled lemon juice for safe acidity. Roma or San Marzano tomatoes are best for thicker sauce. Ensure water stays at a steady rolling boil during processing. Label jars with date and contents. Sauce flavor improves after a month of storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: tomato basil sauce, canning recipe, homemade sauce, garden tomatoes, water bath canning, easy canning, summer recipe

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/best-homemade-tomato-basil-canning-sauce-easy-recipe/