Patti, Yes, it’s perfectly safe to freeze the sauce instead of water bath canning. Just make sure to use freezer-safe containers and leave a couple of inches of headspace at the top to allow for expansion as the sauce freezes.

Pam, I understand the desire for a thicker sauce, but since this is a tested safe canning recipe, adding tomato paste may alter the acidity, making the recipe unsafe for canning. Instead, I recommend either simmering the sauce longer to thicken it naturally or adding tomato paste after you open the jar and are ready to use it. If you’d prefer to add the tomato paste now, it’s best to freeze the sauce rather than can it to ensure it’s safe for storage.

Kelsey, No, it is not safe to increase the onions. It’s important to maintain the balance of ingredients in canning recipes to ensure safety. Increasing the amount of low acid ingredients, like onions, can dilute the acidity of the sauce. This dilution can create conditions that are conducive to botulism, a serious and potentially dangerous form of food poisoning.