Canning pizza sauce at home is a great way to preserve fresh tomatoes and enjoy the delicious taste of homemade pizza all year round. It’s a simple process that allows you to control the ingredients and customize the flavor to your liking. Plus, having a supply of homemade pizza sauce on hand makes dinner prep a breeze.

To start, you’ll need ripe tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, herbs, and spices. You can also add bell peppers, carrots, or other vegetables for added flavor and nutrition. The key is to use the best quality, ripe tomatoes you can find, as they will be the base of your sauce.

Begin by blanching the tomatoes to remove the skins, then chop them and sauté with onions and garlic in olive oil until the mixture is soft and fragrant. Next, you’ll add your choice of herbs and spices – such as basil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes – to enhance the flavor of the sauce. Let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.

Once your pizza sauce is ready, it’s time to preserve it in jars for future use. To do this, you’ll need to sterilize the jars and lids, then fill them with the hot sauce, leaving some headspace at the top. Wipe the rims clean, place the lids on top, and tighten the rings.

Finally, process the jars in a water bath canner for about 15 minutes to ensure they are properly sealed and safe for long-term storage. Once the processing time is complete, carefully remove the jars and let them cool on a towel-lined counter. As they cool, you should hear the satisfying pop of the lids as they seal.

When you’re ready to use your canned pizza sauce, simply open a jar, spread it on your pizza dough, and add your favorite toppings. The result will be a flavorful, homemade pizza that rivals any take-out or frozen variety.

Canning pizza sauce at home is not only a practical way to stretch the season’s harvest, it’s also a way to savor the taste of summer all year long. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic canning equipment, you can enjoy the satisfaction of knowing exactly what goes into your pizza sauce, while also creating a convenient pantry staple for busy weeknight meals. So next time you have an abundance of ripe tomatoes, consider making a batch of homemade pizza sauce to enjoy throughout the year.