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Jars of homemade tomato basil sauce preserved with water bath canning, sitting on a wooden tray with fresh garden tomatoes. | Gathered In The Kitchen

Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce (Water Bath Canning Recipe)

Stephanie | Gathered In The Kitchen
Capture the taste of summer with this rich and flavorful homemade tomato basil sauce! Made with fresh garden tomatoes, basil, onions, and garlic, this recipe walks you through how to safely preserve your sauce using the water bath canning method. Perfect for pasta, pizza, casseroles, and more — and shelf-stable for up to 18 months.
5 from 5 vote
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Prep Time 1 hour
Processing Time 40 minutes
Course canning
Cuisine American
Servings 7 pints
Calories 133 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

Prep the produce

  • Wash tomatoes, remove cores and blossom ends, and cut into quarters.
    Wash basil leaves, mince finely, and discard stems.
    Peel and chop onions; peel and mince garlic.

Cook the sauce

  • In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until soft and transparent.
    Add chopped tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes.
    Strain out skins and seeds with a fine mesh strainer, then return strained mixture to the pot.
    Puree with an immersion blender (optional) for a smoother texture.
    Add minced basil. Simmer uncovered until sauce reduces by half.

Prepare jars

  • Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to each jar:• Pint = 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or ¼ tsp citric acid)• Quart = 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or ½ tsp citric acid)

Fill jars

  • Ladle hot tomato basil sauce into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
    Remove air bubbles, wipe rims clean, place lids on, and screw bands fingertip-tight.

Process in water bath canner

  • Place jars on rack inside canner.
    Fill with enough water to cover jars by at least 1 inch.
    Cover with lid, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.

Processing times

  • Pint jars: 35 minutes
    Quart jars: 40 minutes

Cool & store

  • When time is up, turn off heat. Remove canner lid and let jars rest 5 minutes.
    Carefully lift jars out, place on towel, and let cool undisturbed for 12 hours.
    Remove metal rings, check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark place for up to 12–18 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 6gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 33mgPotassium: 1561mgFiber: 8gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 5421IUVitamin C: 90mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 2mg
Keyword canning
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