Homemade Pasta Sauce

This hearty pasta sauce brings the flavors of the garden straight to your table. Made with vine-ripened tomatoes, sweet peppers, and onions, it’s seasoned with herbs and a touch of sugar to balance the acidity. Slowly simmered on the stove, it fills the kitchen with a rich, savory aroma that feels like home. It’s a tried-and-true recipe that works well for canning, giving you jars of homemade goodness to use all year long. Whether served over noodles, in casseroles, or tucked into lasagna, this sauce is a comforting staple the whole family will love.

Canning instructions are included here to bring the flavors of summer to the table even in midwinter!

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Homemade Pasta Sauce

Makes 10-14

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Ingredients

2 to 2.5 gallons tomato juice
4-6 green peppers chopped fine or blended with some tomato juice
8 to 10 small to medium onions chopped fine or blended with some tomato juice
1-2 small hot peppers optional
1 pint olive oil
1.5 T dried basil or ½ cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 T. garlic powder or 2 large cloves fresh chopped garlic sautéed in your olive oil
4 whole dried bay leaves remove before canning
1.5 T dried oregano or 1/2 cup fresh chopped oregano
1 T. dried Italian seasoning
1.5 T dried parsley or 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup salt
1 cup sugar more or less to your preference
2-4 cups tomato paste optional

Instructions

For every 2 to 2.5 gallons of tomato juice add: green peppers, small to medium onions, small hot peppers (optional)
Pour tomato juice onion pepper mixture into a large heavy bottom stock pot and add: olive oil, dried basil or fresh basil, garlic powder or cloves, fresh chopped garlic sautéed in your olive oil, dried bay leaves (remove before canning), oregano or oregano, Italian seasoning, dried parsley or chopped parsley, salt, sugar (more or less to your preference), tomato paste (optional).
Simmer everything together until your preferred consistency is reached (1-4 hours) stirring often to prevent scorching (more tomato paste will help your sauce thicken faster)
Ladle into clean jars, add lids and rings. Hot water bath for 10 minutes.