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Best Easy No-Peel Tomato Sauce for Canning

no-peel tomato sauce for canning - featured image
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This no-peel tomato sauce skips the tedious blanching and peeling, using a food mill to create a velvety, rich sauce perfect for canning. It’s a time-saving revelation that delivers authentic, complex flavor without the fuss.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 pounds Roma tomatoes (about 4.5 kg)
  • 2 large yellow onions, diced
  • 6 to 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart jar (30 ml)
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash and prep the tomatoes: rinse under cool water, remove stems and bruised spots, cut into quarters.
  2. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add smashed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, without browning.
  3. Add quartered tomatoes to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer. Tomatoes will start breaking down after about 10 minutes.
  4. Simmer the sauce uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are completely soft and the mixture has reduced by about a third.
  5. Set up a food mill over a large bowl or pot. Ladle the cooked tomato mixture into the mill in batches and process until smooth, discarding skins and seeds.
  6. Return the strained sauce to the stockpot. Add fresh basil, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust salt.
  7. While sauce simmers, wash jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Place jars in a water bath canner or large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Keep hot. Simmer lids in hot water (not boiling) to soften seals.
  8. Just before filling each jar, add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to each quart jar.
  9. Using a canning funnel, ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Run a non-metallic spatula or chopstick around the inside to release air bubbles. Wipe rims clean with a damp paper towel.
  10. Place lids on jars and screw on bands until fingertip-tight. Lower jars into boiling water bath canner, ensuring they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring water back to a full boil, then process quart jars for 40 minutes (35 minutes for pint jars). Adjust for altitude if above 1,000 feet.
  11. After processing, turn off heat and let jars sit in water for 5 minutes. Remove with a jar lifter and place on a clean kitchen towel. Cool completely, undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals by pressing the center of each lid—if it doesn’t flex, it’s sealed.

Notes

Don’t skip the food mill—it removes skins and seeds for a smooth sauce. Use bottled lemon juice for consistent acidity in canning. Let jars cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours to ensure proper seals. For freezing, cool sauce completely and store in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: no-peel tomato sauce, canning tomato sauce, easy tomato sauce, homemade tomato sauce, Roma tomato sauce, food mill tomato sauce, water bath canning

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/best-easy-no-peel-tomato-sauce-for-canning/