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Grow a Good Life

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in Canning & Preserving

Tomato Salsa Recipe for Canning

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This tomato salsa canning recipe is packed with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and just enough spicy tingle to tickle your taste buds. Open a jar any time and enjoy with tortilla chips or with your favorite Mexican inspired meals.

This tomato salsa canning recipe is packed with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and just enough spicy tingle to tickle your taste buds. Open a jar any time and enjoy with tortilla chips or with your favorite Mexican inspired meals.

Many of us begin a vegetable garden with dreams of preserving the harvest dancing in our heads. Tomatoes, peppers and onions are staples in most gardens and tend to ripen and ready to harvest around the same time. Canning salsa is a great way to preserve the abundant harvest to enjoy all year.

Even if you don’t grow a garden, the fresh ingredients for making salsa are plentiful at farmers’ markets and farm stands during the growing season. Stock up with enough to can a batch of homemade salsa and enjoy the delicious flavors of summer all winter long.

harvest basket of tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic

Helpful Tips for Canning Salsa

If you are canning salsa, is important to use recipes that are formulated and tested for safe home canning. Salsa recipes for water bath canning must meet acidity-level requirements to prevent the growth of botulism bacteria.

This recipe is from the “Zesty Salsa” recipe in the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. The only differences between the recipe below and the “Zesty Salsa” recipe is this recipe is cut in half. The ratio of ingredients is the same and maintains the proper acidity level required for safe canning.

Prepare and chop your salsa ingredients before measuring

Wash, peel, seed, and chop your tomatoes, peppers, and onions first, and then measure or weigh them. Cut all vegetables into 1/4-inch pieces.

A kitchen scale comes in very handy when preserving the harvest. I have included both weight and cup measurements in the recipe below.

If you are chopping by hand, wear gloves when handling hot chile peppers and avoid contact with your skin and eyes. If you should accidentally get hot pepper oils on your skin or in your eyes, try these tips to stop the burn.

Select one method of measuring and stick with it throughout the recipe so the ratio of ingredients remains the same.

Use a food processor to save time chopping

A food processor makes chopping easier and less time consuming.

Cut your prepared tomatoes, peppers, and onions into chunks, and then pulse them in the food processor into smaller pieces. Weigh or measure each ingredient and chop more if needed to equal the amount required for the recipe.

Use paste tomatoes for a thick salsa

Paste tomatoes, such as Roma, San Marzano, and Amish Paste, have a firm flesh and will produce a thicker salsa.

Slicing tomatoes can also be used, but they are more watery. Both paste and slicing tomatoes are safe to use for making salsa, but I recommend using paste tomatoes for a denser salsa.

Any variety of peppers can be used for salsa

Pepper varieties can be mixed and matched in this recipe, but do not change the total amount of peppers. The recipe as written produces a medium-hot salsa. Use more hot peppers and fewer mild peppers for a fierier salsa. Some examples of mild peppers include bell, banana, and Anaheim. Hot peppers include habanero, jalapeño, and Serrano.

Do not change the total amount of peppers or the salsa recipe may not be safe for canning.

Any variety of onions can be used

You can use any type of onion in this salsa recipe, including red, yellow, white, or a mixture of all three. Maintain the total amount of onions called for in the recipe to keep the salsa safe for canning.

Vinegar is required to safely can the salsa

The vinegar in this salsa canning recipe is mandatory in order to make this recipe safe for canning. Use white or apple cider vinegar with at least 5% acidity.

  • White vinegar is clear vinegar made by distilling corn and rye. Choose an organic brand to avoid genetically modified corn.
  • Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apples.

If you do not want to use vinegar, consider trying this Garden Fresh Salsa Recipe and freezing it instead.

Steps for Making and Canning Salsa

If you are new to canning or haven’t canned in a while, it may be helpful to review this article on water bath canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.

A more detailed and printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but these are the general steps for making and canning salsa:

Step 1: Gather your canning gear

  • Food processor to chop salsa ingredients
  • Gloves for handling hot peppers
  • Water bath canner
  • 6 half pint canning jars or 3 pint canning jars
  • Lids and bands
  • Canning tools: lid lifter, jar lifter, canning ladle, funnel, and bubble popper
  • Plus basic kitchen supplies such as a large bowl, large pots, small pot, kitchen towels, knife, and a cutting board.

Step 2: Prepare the canning equipment

Setup your water bath canner with the canning rack on a large burner of your stove. Wash your jars, place them in the canner, add water and boil the jars for 10 minutes to sterilize.

Heat your canning lids in a small pot over low heat. Keep the canning jars and lids warm until they are ready to use.

Step 3: Prepare the tomatoes

Wash the tomatoes well under running water.

Blanch the tomatoes briefly in boiling water to crack the skin and make it easier to remove.

To blanch tomatoes, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. As the water is heating, fill a large bowl with ice water.

Once the water comes to a boil, dip your tomatoes into the boiling water until the skins crack and loosen, about 30-60 seconds. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and place in the bowl of ice water to cool. Repeat for all the tomatoes.

Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and chop your tomatoes into 1/4 inch pieces. Weigh or measure the chopped tomatoes and add 3 pounds (or 5 cups) to the large pot.

Canning your own diced tomatoes is an easy way to preserve an abundance of ripe tomatoes quickly. Canned tomatoes are handy to use in chilies, soups, stews, and casseroles.

Step 4: Prepare the peppers

Wash your peppers under running water.

Wear gloves when dealing with hot peppers so you don’t burn your hands.

Roast and peel your peppers if you are using long chile type peppers such as Anaheim or Mexican chiles. The tough skin can give an unpleasant texture to salsa.

  • See How to Roast and Peel Peppers

Thin-skinned peppers, such as banana, bells jalapeño don’t need to be skinned. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and membranes. Chop the peppers into 1/4 inch pieces with a knife or food processor. Weigh or measure the chopped peppers and add 1 1/2 pounds (or 3 cups) total mild and hot peppers to the large pot.

chopped peppers on a cutting board

Step 5: Prepare your onions

Use a sharp knife to cut the ends off the onions and slice them in half. Peel off the papery skins and discard.

Cut the onions into 1/4 inch pieces with knife or food processor. Weigh or measure the chopped peppers and add 3/4 pound (or 2 1/2 cups) to the pot.

red onion sliced in half on a cutting board

Step 6: Add the remaining ingredients and simmer the salsa

Add the vinegar, minced garlic, cilantro, and canning salt to the pot. Stir to combine and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the salsa for about 10 minutes.

overhead photo of the salsa simmering on the stove

Step 7: Can your salsa

Add the warm salsa to warm jars and process in a water bath canner. Let the jars cool, test the seals, label and date the jars, and store the canned salsa in a cool, dark location.

Canning salsa is a great way to preserve the abundant harvest to enjoy all year. Read on for tips to prepare and safely can salsa.

5 from 4 votes
Canning salsa is a great way to preserve the abundant harvest to enjoy all year. Read on for tips to prepare and safely can salsa.
Print
Tomato Salsa Canning Recipe
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

This salsa recipe for canning is packed with tomato, peppers, onions, and just enough spicy tingle to tickle your taste buds. Open a jar any time and enjoy with tortilla chips or with your favorite Mexican inspired meals.

Course: Canning
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword: tomato salsa canning recipe
Servings: 6 half-pints
Calories: 15 kcal
Author: Grow a Good Life
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds chopped paste tomatoes (5 cups)
  • 1 pound chopped mild peppers (2 1/2 cups)
  • 3/4 pound chopped onions (2 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 pound chopped hot peppers (1 1/4 cups)
  • 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acetic acid)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
  • 1 teaspoon canning salt
Instructions
Prepare your canning equipment
  1. Wash your jars and lids in warm, soapy water and rinse well.

  2. Place the jar rack into the water bath canner, set the clean jars in the canner, add water, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize. Keep jars warm until they are ready to use.

  3. Warm your lids in a small pot of water over low heat until you are ready to can the salsa.

Make the salsa
  1. Combine the prepared ingredients in a large saucepot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the salsa for about 10 minutes.

Can the salsa
  1. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Use your jar lifter to lift the jars from the canner. Drain the water back into the canner, and line up the jars on the towel.

  2. Use your canning ladle and funnel to fill the canning jars with salsa, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

  3. Wipe the rims of the jars. Use your magnetic lid lifter to lift lids out of the warm water, center lid on the jar, and screw on band until it is fingertip tight.

  4. Use your jar lifter to place the jars into the canner leaving space in between them.

  5. Once all the jars are in canner, adjust the water level so it is at least one inch above the jar tops. If you need to add water, use the hot water from the small pot your lids were in. Pour the water around the jars and not directly on them.

  6. Cover the canner and bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, continue boiling the jars of salsa for 15 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 feet (Adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary: 0-1,000 feet = 15 minutes; 1,001–6,000 feet = 20 minutes; above 6,000 feet = 25 minutes.).

  7. When processing time is complete, turn off heat and allow the canner to cool down and settle for about 10 minutes. 

  8. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter; remove the cover by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face. Use a jar lifter to lift the jars from canner and place on the towel. 

  9. Allow the jars to cool for 12 to 24-hours. You should hear the satisfactory "ping" of the jar lids sealing.

  10. After 12 to 24-hours, check to be sure jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center of the lid. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down, it did not seal. Refrigerate jar and use up within a week. Once the jar is open, refrigerate and use up within a week.

  11. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark location for up to a year. Yields 6 half pints, 3 pints.

Enjoy your home canned salsa with chips, or in your favorite Mexican inspired meals such as burritos, chicken enchiladas, chili-lime beef steak fajitas, or nachos.

This recipe was originally published September 17, 2017. It has been updated with more information and photos.

You may also like:

  • How to Grow a Salsa Garden
  • Homemade Flour Tortilla Recipe
  • Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (Salsa Verde)
  • Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Green Chile Sauce
  • Homemade Taco Seasoning

Good planning is key to a successful vegetable garden

Whether you are new to growing your own food or have been growing a vegetable garden for years, you will benefit from some planning each year. You will find everything you need to organize and plan your vegetable garden in my PDF eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden.

Grow a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden

Preserve the harvest bounty of tomatoes, peppers, and onions with this safe canning recipe for tomato salsa. Line your food storage shelves with jars of canned tomato salsa and enjoy the delicious flavors of summer all year long. Visit for the recipe and full tutorial.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BenB says

    October 4, 2020 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    I would like to add black beans and corn to this recipe, do I need to add more vinegar?

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      October 5, 2020 at 8:19 am

      BenB, Adding black beans and corn to this recipe will make it unsafe for canning. Instead, you can add them after opening the jar at serving time. You can learn more about safe canning at the NCHFP website.

      Reply
  2. Nancy Hill says

    August 31, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    I saw that you halved this recipe from the Ball recipe. Can this recipe then be doubled to put in pint jars?

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      September 1, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Nancy, Yes, you can double the recipe and can using pint sized jars. The processing time for both half-pints and pints is the same, 15 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 feet (Adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary).

      Reply
  3. Margie Spitza says

    August 29, 2020 at 8:37 pm

    I’m getting ready to can this salsa. I have all the veggies chopped and looking at the 6 half pint jars. I’m adding up the total cups of veggies in this recipe and it adds up to over 11 cups. How would that fit in 6 half pint jars? Does cooking it down bring it to 6 cups to fill the jars? I’m confused. Please help😊

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      August 31, 2020 at 8:46 am

      Margie, Yes, cooking the salsa reduces the volume.

      Reply
  4. Connie Janke says

    August 28, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    My question is this: the printed recipe calls for a total of 2 3/4 cup peppers and the written directions indicate that everything will work out fine as long as the total combination of peppers is 3 cups. I am very aware of the importance of exact proportions in canning. Please clarify. Thank you!

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      August 28, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      Connie, The printed recipe is correct: 3.75 cups of combined chopped hot and mild peppers.

      Reply
  5. Pamela Towne says

    July 7, 2020 at 10:34 am

    Can you tell me what the shelf life is with this recipe.
    Thank you, Pam

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      July 8, 2020 at 9:41 am

      Pam, Properly sealed jars can be stored for 12-18 months.

      Reply
  6. Jay says

    June 9, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    Hello. Is there a way to add more jalapeños to a salsa recipe and still make it safe to can? Maybe more vinegar? Thanks

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      June 10, 2020 at 1:14 pm

      Jay, The salsa recipe may not be safe for canning if you change the total amount of peppers. However, you can use ALL jalapeño peppers instead of a mix of mild and hot peppers. Skip the mild peppers and use 1 1/2 pound (3 3/4 cup) chopped jalapeño peppers and you will have a hotter salsa.

      Reply
  7. connie adee says

    September 22, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    5 stars
    just got a batch canned……thanks for a great recipe

    Reply
  8. Kathleen says

    September 21, 2019 at 9:51 am

    5 stars
    Really good recipe, although it took me 4 1/2 hours to make it. That’s on me for using cherry tomatoes from the garden and trying to peel hundreds of them.

    If you’re inclined to try to use up hundreds of cherry tomatoes, however, this salsa came out sweet and spicy — far better than I even expected. Remember, too, to chop everything REALLY small. Also, I experienced no vinegary taste whatsoever.

    Reply
  9. Jamie says

    July 22, 2019 at 3:34 pm

    Hello. I saw in your tomato sauce recipe that you can use citric acid in place of lemon juice for the acidity. Can you do the same for this salsa recipe as to not alter the taste with vinegar? How much would you recommend?

    Reply
    • ©Rachel Arsenault says

      July 23, 2019 at 7:50 am

      Jamie, Tomatoes are acidic enough to can with just an additional small amount of lemon juice or citric acid. Salsa also has onions, peppers, and garlic, which are not acidic enough to can safely in a water bath canner. So vinegar must be added to prevent the growth of the botulism bacteria. I could not locate a tested safe canning recipe for salsa that uses citric acid.

      I am not fond of the vinegar taste either, so I often freeze salsa instead. I have two other salsa recipes that can be frozen: Garden Fresh Salsa and Grilled Tomato Salsa. I fill pint size freezer bags with the finished salsa and freeze it flat. That way I can break off pieces as I need it and thaw it out.

      Reply
    • Jen says

      September 14, 2020 at 10:17 pm

      I used apple vinager and has a strong taste. Is there something I can do to tame down the vinager taste? Thank you!

      Reply
      • ©Rachel Arsenault says

        September 16, 2020 at 12:04 pm

        Jen, You could add a little sugar after opening the jar to cut the vinegar taste. We don’t care for the vinegary flavor of this salsa either, but it is required to can this recipe safely. Next time, try the Jalapeño Tomato Salsa canning recipe. It uses fresh lime juice instead of vinegar.

        Reply
  10. Jenn says

    June 2, 2019 at 1:06 pm

    This looks perfect! I could live on chips and salsa!

    Reply
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