A home canning recipe for a Basic Salsa featuring fresh tomatoes. Make it as mild or spicy as you like. Save a little summer flavor for colder weather.
I’m on a canning kick around here. How can I not be with all the great produce that’s available this time of year?
Today I’m sharing my canning recipe for a good, basic salsa. The tomatoes are still coming in and peppers are ready, too, so it was time to go ahead and put up a few jars of this deliciousness to keep on hand for the winter.
It’s so nice to open a jar of homemade salsa when it’s cold out and be able to taste those fresh summer tomatoes once more. Mmmmm. A jar of this in my Salsa Chicken recipe in the middle of winter…well, I have to say it’s just fabulous.
This recipe makes five pints. That’s just about right for our household. If you want to make more, you can double or triple the recipe. Just make sure that you keep the same proportions to guarantee that it’s safe for canning.
A home canning recipe for a Basic Salsa featuring fresh tomatoes. Make it as mild or spicy as you like. Save a little summer flavor for colder weather. Click To Tweet
How to Can Basic Salsa
Before you start, get everything you need together. All your jars, lids, kitchen towels, produce, knives, canner, funnel. Everything. It’s so much easier than having to run around looking for something while you’re in the middle of a canning session.
Prepare the jars and lids
Prepare the jars, lids, and rings as usual. You can review how I manage this part of the process in this post. Fill the canner with water, bring to the boil and hold until ready to fill the jars.
There is a lot of prep work involved in this recipe. It’s not difficult at all, just peeling and chopping. And you begin by preparing your tomatoes.
Prep the tomatoes
I prefer Roma tomatoes for salsa but I also had a few yellow tomatoes on hand, so I included them as well. You can use any combination and types of tomatoes you like. To make peeling the tomatoes easy, simply drop them into boiling water for one minute. Then drain them and put them into cold water for a few minutes.
The skins will slip right off. It makes the peeling so simple!
I debated about whether to include all the chopping and mincing photos here for illustration purposes. After thinking it over, I decided that if you cook at all you certainly know how to dice peppers and onions, so I’m sparing you having to scroll past 15 photos of chopped vegetables!
Prep the remaining ingredients
Chop the tomatoes, onions and green pepper and jalapenos. I used three jalapenos for this amount of salsa because we like ours pretty mild. You can add up to nine if you like it hotter. You could also substitute a hotter pepper if you like, but don’t add more than the equivalent of about nine jalapenos so you don’t upset the pH balance of the recipe and make it unsafe for canning!
Finely mince the garlic. Combine all the ingredients in a stainless steel or enamel saucepan.
Cook the Salsa
Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until desired consistency, stirring frequently. Your house will smell like the most delicious Mexican eatery by the time this finishes cooking!
Fill and Process the Jars
Carefully remove the hot jars from the canner and ladle in the salsa to within 1/2 inch of the rim (head space). Return the filled jars to the canner. Begin timing when the water returns to a boil. Process 20 minutes for both half-pint and pint jars.
Cool Completely
Remove the hot, processed jars of gorgeous salsa from the canner and set them on a kitchen towel or something similar to give them a little cushion. Let them sit until completely cool – at least 8 hours. I usually just leave them overnight. Test to make sure you have complete seals and then store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
Makes 5 pints or 10 half pints.
Enjoy!
More Canning Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Pickled Okra
- Sugar-Free Bread and Butter Pickles
- Home Canned Tomatoes
- Favorite Kosher Dills
- Strawberry Jam
Salsa Canning Recipes from Other Bloggers:
- Smoky Roasted Salsa from Foodie Crush
- Easy Salsa Verde for Canning from I Breathe, I’m Hungry
- Canned Tomato Salsa from Simply Recipes
Pin to Your Pinterest Canning Board!
Basic Salsa
A home canning recipe for a Basic Salsa featuring fresh tomatoes. Make it as mild or spicy as you like. Save a little summer flavor for colder weather.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 sweet green pepper, chopped
- 3-9 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded and chopped
- 9 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups white or red wine vinegar
- 3 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. pickling salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare jars, lids and rings according to manufacturer’s directions. Fill canner with water, bring to the boil and hold until ready to fill jars.
- Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered for 25 minutes or until desired consistency, stirring frequently.
- Remove hot jars from the canner and ladle salsa into each to within 1/2 inch of rim (head space). Process 20 minutes for half-pint and pint jars.
- Makes 5 pints or 10 half pints.
Notes
--Based on a recipe in Small Batch Preserving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 40 Serving Size: 2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 18Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 61mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
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Lana Stuart is the author, photographer, cook, and occasional traveler at Never Enough Thyme. A former IT professional, she enjoys time in the kitchen and the art studio.
Sheryl McGowan says
I tried this recipe today for the first time. I had a small amount left over that wouldn’t fill a full jar so I tried it with some tortilla chips. It was delicious. It has a very nice flavor but the vinegar is very prominent. Does this mellow after being in cans for awhile?
Sheryl
Lana Stuart says
The taste doesn’t change significantly during storage. Interesting, though, I’ve never noticed a predominant vinegar taste with this salsa.
Bernie says
Hi! I have a question about the water bath photo. I always make sure the water is over the jars by at least 2 inches. Your photo looks like the top half of the jars are above the water and not completely submerged. Can you explain this to me? If that’s the method I should use for canning anything with tomatoes it would explain why I sometimes get water inside my sauce jars. Thanks!
Lana Stuart says
Hi Bernie – yes, I can see how that photo would be confusing. The jars are sitting in the rack which is hooked over the sides of the canner. They haven’t been lowered into the water yet. The standard is that the tops of the jars should covered by at least 1″ of water and they would be when lowered into the canner.
Kacie says
For the amount of tomatoes…
Is this 3 lbs before they are peeled and chopped, or is 3 lbs the quantity needed after they are peeled and chopped? Past experience peeling tomatoes for canning tells me you can lose a lot of “product” during that process.
Lana Stuart says
It’s 3 pounds before peeling. I lose very, very little in the peeling and chopping.
Lehran says
Hi there! Just finished canning this recipe and it looks delish! Just wondering what the shelf life is and the best way to store the jars? :-)
Lana Stuart says
Lehran, you should store the jars in a cool, dry place and use the salsa within one year.
Deborah says
I just made this today, my goodness it smelled delicious!!!! I just started canning a few months ago and this is my first attempt at salsa. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks
Lana Stuart says
Hope you enjoy the salsa, Deborah. It’s a long-time favorite recipe of ours.
Deb says
I am wondering if it’s possible to use cider vinegar, as that is what I have used in the past. I don’t know the recipe anymore but I do remember that I used cider vinegar. Thanks in advance for your help!
Lana says
If your vinegar is at least 5% acidic then it’s safe to use for canning. It will, however, change the taste of the salsa quite a lot.
Jason says
Quick question. You use the water bath method for canning. Can you just put steaming hot salsa in a jar and seal the jar that way, without boiling the jars at the end? Thanks!
Lana says
Jason – You can do that, but after the jars and contents cool down (about 24 hours) you’ll have to store them in the refrigerator and use them within a month or so. To keep them in the pantry not under refrigeration they must be sealed using a water bath. Water bath sealed jars are safe to store out of the refrigerator for up to a year.
Sharon says
This salsa sounds so good. Could I add some black beans and yellow corn to it without changing the ph for canning?
Lana says
Sharon – Sorry but either black beans or yellow corn would make this recipe unsafe for water bath canning. You could, however, make the salsa according to the recipe and add those when you open a jar for use.
Chef Tom says
I love salsa and I love your pics. great post!
Mary Zielke says
Can I use this canning process for Cherry Salsa also?
Lana says
Mary, It would depend on whether the recipe for your Cherry Salsa is safe for canning. You should always use a USDA tested and approved recipe which will include the correct headspace, jar size and processing time.
Catherine says
This looks great! I have 7lbs of tomatoes that need to be used this week, so I’m going to try this tomorrow night.
Do you remove the seeds from the tomatoes? Does it matter whether they’re there or not? I’ve never made salsa before at all, but I’m sure I can do better than the store-bought stuff! Thanks!
Lana says
Catherine – I don’t remove the seeds. Just peel and chop.
Foodlvr says
This looks amazing. I want salsa, on everything. I make it but in 2 jar amounts and never to can. I have been thinking of doing canning and I just got my hands on a Blue Book. Can’t wait to begin. I need more jars, and 2 other things that I saw at Ace last week. I am going back this weekend to get them.
Lana says
This is a really nice, all-purpose mild salsa that is easy to make and can. I try to make a batch every summer when tomatoes are plentiful and it lasts us all year. Hope you enjoy it!
Edie says
I just made this recipe!
No chopping problems with the Kitchen Aid food processor and a helpful husband.
Fabulous Recipe!!
I doubled the recipe…my only suggestion is adding a 6 oz. tin of tomato paste at the end of the cooking time to the salsa. This made the finished product thick & rich, like store bought.
I made homemade foccacia bread and we couldn’t wait for the salsa to cool down to sample it….we devoured this wonderful full flavoured salsa with the bread. YUM!
Thanks Lana,
Edie
Lana says
Hi Edie – so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Your suggestion for adding tomato paste probably does make a richer product, but it alters the pH balance of the recipe making it questionable for home canning. With the additional tomato paste, I’d store it in the refrigerator.
Beverly says
Beautiful Sauce! So mouthwatering!
kayla says
hello,
Its easier to peel tomatoes by cutting an x at the top before boiling and then cooling and then peeling. also a note of caution many home canning mishaps end up sending many a friend to the hospital for food borne illness with special emphasize on the deadly disease botulism. Botulism which is an endospore bacteria can become active and grow under favorable conditions, these conditions can consist of an improper canning environment too much oxygen available or improper heating and sealing techniques. Endospore forming bacteria can live within our soil as well as plants and animals. These bacteria can remain in a dormant state for thousands of years before being activated by proper growth conditions, such as your home canned salsa. Don’t mean to come down on the recipe, just the food microbiologist within me comes out when recipes of these sort cross my path.
Lana says
Hello Kayla,
Thanks for your comment. My method of peeling tomatoes works great for me.
The salsa recipe is a USDA tested and approved canning recipe. The amount of vinegar in the recipe makes the pH of the finished product shelf stable and safe for canning as long as proper procedures are followed. I have been canning for more than 35 years and am careful to always use tested recipes. I encourage all new canners to become familiar with proper home canning techniques. I would not post a recipe on my blog if there were any question as to its safety for home canning.
Cajun Chef Ryan says
You are on the canning kick too!!! Nice! I need to take advantage of our garden Roma tomatoes as well and put up a batch of salsa. Your salsa looks wonderful.
Bon appetit!
CCR
=:~)
Lana says
I am, Ryan! And I have some more things to post soon. Stay tuned!
jenn (Bread + Butter) says
Looks like you got one too many jars of salsa there. Mind sending one my way? jk hehehe…
Lana says
Ha ha, Jenn. Nope, sorry, that’s just the right number of jars for us!
Megan says
I never thought to try to can salsa. Smart idea!
Alta says
Looks fantastic! Great photos. Do you know if salsa does alright in the freezer too? Then I could be lazy and skip the whole canning thing…lol
Lana says
Alta – I really don’t know how freezing affects salsa. I’m thinking maybe you’d end up with a watery product after it thawed. Just not sure.
Winnie says
I am so impressed…your canned salsa looks fantastic!
Kristen says
I’m going to be especially jealous this winter when you are popping open jars of fresh salsa. This looks delicious!
Tien says
Hi, Lana,
Thank you so much for such a detailed comment. With my luck, I found your canning instructions after I processed 15 jars of jam. I was scared about the process. They have been refrigerated. I hope to follow your instructions for Salsa and cucumbers soon. You do not have instructions for just tomatoes. I will have to look on your blog before the tomatoes overwhelm me. I so appreciate the comment. Have a great day. -Tien
sophia says
Salsa can be quite expensive…it’s so much cheaper, fresher, and nutritious to can your own! The colors are gorgeous, too!
Anna says
OMG! This looks fabulous!! I’m heading over to the farmer’s market today to pick up the ingredients !! So happy to have found your blog, it has inspired me to get back to canning again!!!
Lana says
Hi Anna. I’m glad I could be an inspiration for you to get in the kitchen and can something! It’s one of the things I enjoy doing the most. Having delicious canned goods during the cold winter months is worth all the effort!
Suzanne Collier says
I LOVE it! Thanks for this post. I am always in the market for a good salsa recipe and since my first canning adventure earlier in the year, I’m ready to do it again! Great pics, too!!
Teri says
I really admire people who are into canning. I just don’t have the inclination or patience but I wish I did, especially when winter rolls around and I’m missing all those veggies.
Steve says
This makes me want to try canning for the first time.
Lana says
Jump in and give it a try, Steve. I always advise people who’ve never canned to purchase the Ball Blue Book and follow its instructions. Start with something simple, like strawberry jam, and you’ll soon understand the process. I’m always happy to answer questions, too.
betsy says
It’s about to be apple season, and applesauce is crazy easy to can, too.
Lana Stuart says
Yes, it is easy, although I usually freeze my applesauce.
betsy says
Oh, I am so sorry I commented! I just realized that this is a super old post. Again, so sorry about that. I don’t know how I came across it.
Lana Stuart says
No problem, Betsy! I love comments whether they’re on old or new posts. You may have gotten to this one from Facebook since I posted a link to it on there just yesterday. I thought it was a good time to bring it up again with tomatoes in season right now.
Memoria says
I just had quesadillas this morning and was missing salsa. Now, I wish I could have made this!! I’m bookmarking this recipe. Thanks!
Sues says
This looks fabulous!! I have an obsession with Newman’s Own salsa, but really think I need to try making my own now :)
Jean says
Canning seems like such a huge undertaking to me since I’ve never done it before, but it must be nice to be able to enjoy your salsa when winter rolls around. :-)
Lana says
Jean, it does require some special equipment – a canning pot, jars, lids, rings – but the rewards are well worth the investment.
Vickie says
I have so many peppers this year – I can’t wait to do this. Thanks for posting this great looking sauce!
Cajun Chef Ryan says
Perfect timing Nana! I am in a canning kick too, just put up some Pickled Grape Tomatoes this past weekend and my canning “ToDo” list has some “New Dill” cucumbers, salsa, fire roasted tomato sauce, and a few others to “put up” my garden harvest.
Your salsa is a perfect recipe, I too prefer the Roma’s for my salsas.
Bon appetit!
=:~)
Amanda says
This looks totally gorgeous! Thank you for the recipe lana, I have bookmarked it :)