This is a recipe for Summer Garden Vegetable Tomato Sauce that I canned for later use using a pressure canner.
The tomato bounty is winding down now. I’m so happy that despite my negligence my tomato plants produced enough for me to make a small batch of veggie tomato sauce. Something that’s kind of new in this house. In years past meat sauce has always been the thing, but I’m doing my best to change that, little by little.
I had a ton of vegetables sitting on my counter and in my fridge and they needed to get used up so I pretty much dumped them all in this sauce. I did find that the tomato flavor was dulled by all the vegetables, but it still tasted delicious so it’s a recipe I decided should be recorded.
Here is my Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe if you are interested.
Since adding vegetables to tomato sauce reduces the acidity a pressure canner is required to can it. I’m so happy to finally have one! I cannot wait until the temperatures go down a bit so I can comfortably make broth and can that. I sound like a total dork, but I really cannot wait!
If you are interested in canning your tomato sauce I used this method.
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium carrot, shredded fine
- 1 cup eggplant, chopped fine
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped fine
- ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped fine
- 10 cups tomatoes, seeded & chopped
- 2 tsp black pepper
- ½ tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- Salt to taste
- In a large thick bottomed sauce pan heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots, cooking for one minute or until it becomes fragrant.
- Stir in the eggplant, zucchini, and green pepper and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the tomatoes & spices and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling reduces the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 2 to 3 hours, with occasional stirring. Longer cooking times will result in a smoother – less chunky sauce.
- Adjust seasoning & serve.
- Note: To reduce cooking time use pureed tomatoes or puree the mixture after 30 minutes of simmering and serve.