Homemade Pressure Canned Pizza Sauce: A Safe & Flavorful Recipe

Updated at: 13/07/2025

The aroma of simmering tomatoes, garlic, and herbs – a symphony of flavors that perfectly captures the essence of Italian cooking. This isn't just any pizza sauce; it's a homemade masterpiece, crafted with care and preserved using the time-tested method of pressure canning. This ensures you have a pantry stocked with vibrant, delicious sauce ready to elevate your pizza nights (or any Italian dish!) throughout the year, without the worry of spoilage. Beyond the convenience, pressure canning your pizza sauce offers a superior flavor profile compared to store-bought options, allowing you to fine-tune the seasonings precisely to your taste.

Forget the bland, mass-produced alternatives; this recipe empowers you to create a rich, flavorful sauce bursting with authentic Italian taste. The process, while involving pressure canning, is surprisingly straightforward and detailed below, offering step-by-step instructions to guarantee a safe and successful outcome. Let's dive into creating your own batch of delectable, long-lasting homemade pizza sauce.

Preparation and Safety Guidelines

Tools Needed
  • Pressure canner
  • Jars
  • Lids
  • Rings
  • Food mill (optional)
  • Oven
Safety Guidelines
  • Always follow tested pressure canning recipes exactly. Improper processing times or methods can lead to botulism, a deadly form of food poisoning.
  • Use a pressure canner in perfect working order and ensure the gauge is accurate. Regular maintenance and testing are crucial for safe canning.
  • Inspect jars carefully for cracks or imperfections before using. Properly seal lids according to the manufacturer's instructions to prevent contamination.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare Ingredients

    • Roast red peppers and garlic at 400°F for 15 minutes. Finely dice onion.

  2. Combine and Simmer

    • In a pot, combine 13 cups of tomato puree, diced onion, roasted garlic, and diced red peppers.
    • Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for approximately 2 hours, or until it reaches desired thickness. Add salt, oregano, basil, and brown sugar to taste.
    Simmer Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for approximately 2 hours, or until it reaches desired thickness. Add salt, oregano, basil, and brown sugar to taste.Simmer Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for approximately 2 hours, or until it reaches desired thickness. Add salt, oregano, basil, and brown sugar to taste.
    Combine and Simmer

  3. Prepare Jars

    • Add ½ tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each half-pint jar.
    Add Lemon Juice: Add ½ tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each half-pint jar.
    Prepare Jars

  4. Fill Jars

    • Fill jars with the pizza sauce, leaving a 1-inch headspace.
    Fill Jars: Fill jars with the pizza sauce, leaving a 1-inch headspace.
    Fill Jars

  5. Pressure Can

    • Process filled jars in a pressure canner at 11 pounds of pressure for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, allow the pressure to drop naturally before removing jars.

  6. Cool and Store

    • Let jars cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Remove rings and label jars with date and contents.
    Cool and Store: Let jars cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Remove rings and label jars with date and contents.
    Cool and Store

Read more: Ultimate Food Preservation Hack: Stop Moldy Tomato Sauce!

Tips

  • Use the longest processing time for all vegetables in the recipe to ensure safety. In this case, 40 minutes for onions.
  • Add bottled lemon juice (1 tbsp per pint) as extra acid for safety.
  • Use coarse salt (sea salt), not table salt, for pressure canning.
  • Always follow safe pressure canning procedures. If you are unfamiliar, refer to a guide or video.
  • Store jars in a cool, dark, dry place for up to one year. Don't stack jars.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Insufficient Headspace

Reason: Leaving too much space at the top of the jar before sealing allows air pockets to form, leading to botulism risk and reduced shelf life.
Solution: Ensure the correct headspace (usually 1/4 inch) is maintained for proper pressure canning.

2. Improper Processing Time

Reason: Using incorrect processing time based on altitude or jar size can result in under-processed jars and spoilage, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
Solution: Always follow a tested pressure canning recipe that accounts for altitude and jar size.

FAQs

Is pressure canning pizza sauce really necessary? Can't I just freeze it?
Freezing is a great option for short-term storage, but pressure canning provides much longer shelf stability (up to a year or more) and ensures the sauce is safe from harmful bacteria. Freezing can also alter the texture slightly.
What kind of jars should I use for pressure canning pizza sauce?
Use only wide-mouth mason jars specifically designed for canning. Ensure they are clean, free of chips or cracks, and the lids and rings are new. Do not reuse lids.
What happens if I don't process the jars long enough in the pressure canner?
Insufficient processing time can lead to botulism, a serious and potentially fatal foodborne illness. Always follow the recommended processing time for your altitude to ensure the jars are properly sterilized and the sauce is safely preserved.
This recipe focuses on achieving a vibrant, long-lasting tomato-based pizza sauce through pressure canning. However, if you're looking to explore alternative pizza sauce options beyond tomatoes, you might find inspiration in our guide featuring five creative, tomato-less pizza sauce recipes. This will help you expand your pizza sauce horizons, even if you want to primarily utilize this pressure canning method for tomato-based varieties.