Easy Homemade Vodka Sauce Recipe for Canning

If you’re a fan of creamy, flavorful pasta sauces but want to preserve some homemade sauce for future use, this Vodka Sauce Recipe is perfect for you! This small-batch recipe combines rich tomatoes, aromatic garlic, onions, herbs, and a splash of vodka to create a delicious vodka sauce base that you can safely can using either the water bath or steam canning method.

One important note: Canning products with heavy cream is not a safe canning practice. Dairy products, like heavy cream, can harbor bacteria that thrive in low-acid environments, and the canning process does not adequately kill these bacteria. But don’t worry—you can easily add the cream after opening your jar of vodka sauce to get that creamy texture we all love.

Why Vodka Sauce Base?

This vodka sauce recipe gives you the flexibility to create a delicious, preservable tomato-based sauce that is ideal for long-term storage. When you’re ready to serve it, just heat the sauce, add your cream (or leave it out if you prefer), and it’s ready to go over pasta, chicken, or whatever else you’re in the mood for.

Let’s see how you can make your batch of this flavorful Vodka Sauce Base!

Ingredients for the Vodka Sauce Recipe

This recipe is from the All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. It is a small batch canning recipe and will yield about 4-pint jars or 2-quart jars of vodka sauce.

• 6 lbs of plum tomatoes (cored, and coarsely chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped (about 1 large onion)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 large basil sprigs
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice (important for acidity and safe canning)

Equipment Needed for Canning

Here is a listing of the equipment I used when making this recipe.

• Large Stainless Steel Pot or Enameled Dutch Oven
• Large Bowl
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Liquid Measuring Cups
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Food Mill
• Water Bath Canner or Steam Canner
• Quart Size or Pint Size Canning Jars
• Lids
• Rings/Bands
• 1/2 Pint Canning Ladle
• De-Bubbler
• Jar Lifter
• Headspace Measurer
• Funnel

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Jars

Clean jars and lids with warm soapy water. Ensure the jars do not have any chips or bubbles in the glass.

Step 2: Prepare Ingredients

With your knife and cutting board, core, and coarsely chop your tomatoes. Place them in a large bowl.

Finely chop your onion and mince your garlic cloves.

Step 3: Cook Ingredients

Combine onions, vodka, water, salt, pepper, and garlic in an enameled Dutch oven or Stainless Steel Pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and any accumulated juice. Return mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until onion and tomatoes are very soft.

Step 4: Use a Food Mill to Remove Skins and Seeds

Press the tomato mixture, in batches through a food mill into a large bowl. Discard skins and seeds.

Step 5: Reduce Vodka Sauce

Return the tomato mixture to the pot or Dutch oven.

Add basil sprigs.

Cook stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 45 minutes or until reduced by half.

Remove basil.

Stir in lemon juice.

Step 6: Prepare Canner

While cooking prepare your canner

Using Water Bath Canner: 

Put your water bath canner on your stove. Add your canning rack to the water bath canner. Add your quart jars to the water bath canner. They will warm as you heat the water. Add enough water to cover jars with at least 2-3 inches of water. Start to bring your water to a boil.

Using a Steam Canner: 

Put your steam canner on your stove. Add the steam canner rack to the bottom of the steam canner. Add the recommended amount of water to the steam canner according to the manufacturer. Add your quart jars to the steam canner. Put the lid on your steam canner and start your stove. The jars will warm as you heat your steam canner.

Step 7: Fill Jars

Once you have hot jars and hot sauce.

Water Bath Canner:

Remove your jars from the water bath canner one at a time using your jar lifter. Dump the water out of the jar into your water bath canner to ensure there is still 2-3 inches of water above your jars.

Steam Canner:

Remove the steam canner lid and remove your jars one at a time using your jar lifter.

Ladle hot sauce into hot jar leaving 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace. (Check with headspace measurer). Remove air bubbles with a de-bubbler and adjust the headspace by adding more hot sauce if necessary.

Wipe the rim to ensure a good seal is made with the lid. Center the lid on the jar and screw the band down to fingertip tight.

Using your jar lifter place the full jar back into the canner. Repeat the process until all sauce is used.

Step 8: Process Jars of Vodka Sauce

Water Bath Canner:

Lower the water bath canner rack into the boiling water. Ensure your jars are covered by at least 2 inches of water.

If your water is not boiling start your processing time when the water is boiling. Process your quart or pint jars for 40 minutes. Make sure to adjust your time for altitude.

Set a timer, it makes it much easier to make sure you process for the correct time. When your timer goes off turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.

Leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes.

Steam Canner:

Put the lid on the steam canner. Turn your stove on high until your steam canner water comes to a vigorous boil. Continue heating so the indicator is in the correct “Zone” per your altitude. 

Start your processing time when the needle reaches the maximum point you have tested your steam canner to reach in your “Zone”.

Adjust the burner so that it maintains an even rolling boil throughout the entire processing time. Usually, this will be much lower than where it was set for the vigorous boil. If the top lid is lifting and/or spitting water from the edges this is an indication that you have the heat turned up too high. Slowly reduce the heat until this stops. Watch the indicator to ensure the temperature does not decrease.

The processing times for steam canning are the same as for water bath canning. Process quart or pint jars for 40 minutes.

Make sure to adjust your time for altitude. Set a timer, it makes it much easier to make sure you process for the correct time.

When your timer goes off turn off the heat and let the canner stand for 5 minutes with the lid on before removing the jars. The lid MUST remain ON the canner during this time. This cool-down period is necessary to ensure the jar contents are properly processed.

Carefully remove the lid by tilting it away from you to avoid steam burns.

Step 9: Cool and Store

Using your jar lifer carefully move the jars onto a wire rack or kitchen towel to allow them to cool. When moving the jars try not to tilt them to the side as this could affect the seal of the jars. Allow your jars to cool for 12-24 hours before handling.

Once cool, remove the canning rings from the jars. Wash your jars off to ensure no food residue on the outside of the jar from processing. Label your jar with the name of the recipe and date. This will help you remember what recipe you used to can and the date will allow you to use the oldest canned goods first.

Adding the Heavy Cream When Serving

When you’re ready to enjoy your vodka sauce, open a jar, heat the sauce in a saucepan, and stir in 2 Tbsp of heavy cream for a 1-pint jar or 1/4 cup of heavy cream for a 1-quart jar. Add the desired amount of freshly chopped basil. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes, letting the cream blend smoothly into the sauce. Serve over your favorite pasta, or use it as a base for pizza, casseroles, or chicken dishes. Add a sprinkling of shaved parmesan cheese.

A Few Important Safety Notes:

• Do NOT add cream before canning. As mentioned earlier, dairy products are not safe for canning because they increase the risk of botulism and spoilage. Always add the cream just before serving.
• Always follow proper canning practices, including using the right amount of lemon juice for acidity.
• Make sure to check your jars for proper seals before storing them. If a jar doesn’t seal, refrigerate it and use it within a few days.

Why You’ll Love This Vodka Sauce Recipe:

• Flexible: You can use this sauce in a variety of dishes and add cream for a rich flavor whenever you want.
• Small-Batch: This recipe is perfect for home canners who don’t want to make huge quantities.
• Safe and Reliable: By following this method, you’ll have a delicious canned product that is safe to store and enjoy anytime.

Canning your vodka sauce base is a great way to enjoy fresh homemade sauce year-round. By leaving out the cream until you’re ready to use it, you’re following safe canning practices while still creating a rich, flavorful sauce. Give it a try, and let me know how your sauce turns out in the comments below!

Other Tomato Sauce Recipes

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