Pizza is a beloved favorite for people of all ages, and what’s better than a homemade pizza with a delicious homemade pizza sauce? Making your own pizza sauce from scratch is not only rewarding, but it also allows you to have control over the quality of ingredients used. Plus, by canning your own pizza sauce, you can enjoy it all year round, even when fresh tomatoes are out of season.

Canning pizza sauce is a simple and efficient way to preserve the flavors of summer tomatoes, herbs, and garlic. By following a few easy steps, you can create a large batch of pizza sauce and store it for a long time, ready to use whenever you want. Here’s how to get started:

First, gather all the necessary ingredients. You will need fresh, ripe tomatoes, garlic, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, and fresh basil and oregano. You can also experiment with adding other herbs and spices to customize the flavor to your liking.

Start by blanching the tomatoes to make them easier to peel. Once the tomatoes are peeled, remove the seeds and chop them into small pieces. Then, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until they are soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes to the pot and simmer until the sauce thickens.

Next, add the salt, pepper, sugar, and herbs, and let the sauce simmer for another 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Once the sauce is ready, it’s time to prepare for canning. Sterilize your canning jars and lids, and then fill the jars with the hot pizza sauce, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the rims of the jars clean, place the lids on top, and screw on the bands until they are fingertip-tight.

Finally, process the jars in a boiling water bath for the recommended amount of time, typically around 35-40 minutes. Once the processing time is complete, carefully remove the jars from the water and let them cool completely. As the jars cool, you will hear the lids pop as they seal, indicating that the vacuum has formed and the jars are properly sealed.

Now you have delicious homemade pizza sauce ready to enjoy at any time. Canned pizza sauce can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year, making it an exceptional way to preserve the taste of summer well into the fall and winter months.

Canning your own pizza sauce not only allows you to enjoy the taste of homemade pizza all year round, but it also provides a great opportunity to experiment with different ingredient combinations and flavors. Plus, it’s a fun and rewarding way to spend an afternoon in the kitchen, knowing that you will have delicious pizza sauce to enjoy for months to come. So, why not give it a try and enjoy the satisfaction of preserving perfection with your own canned pizza sauce?