Homemade Salsa for Canning

4.19 from 774 votes

This easy homemade salsa for canning is a classic family recipe made with fresh Roma tomatoes, jalapeños, onions, and garlic. Perfect for preserving summer’s harvest, it’s flavorful, simple, and great for year-round snacking or gift giving.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword canning salsa, Homemade Salsa, Homemade Salsa for Canning, homemade salsa recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 15

Processing Time 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings pints

Calories 26kcal

Author Shelby Law Ruttan

Equipment

9 piece canning kit this includes a funnel, grip, canning spatula and more
Pint jars for canning

Ingredients

9½ cups fresh tomatoes diced
2 cups onions diced
2 cups green bell pepper diced
10 cloves fresh garlic minced
¾ cup jalapeno peppers diced
½ cup cilantro chopped
2 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

For the tomatoes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. While water is boiling, core tomatoes and score bottom of tomato with an X with a paring knife.
Blanch tomatoes by placing into hot water for 10-20 seconds. Remove tomato from hot water and immediately place in cold water.
Once the tomatoes have cooled enough, remove skins and seeds with membranes from tomatoes. Set aside to compost later.
Dice the meaty part of the tomato. You should have 9-½ cups of diced tomatoes for this recipe.

To make the salsa

Add the onion, green peppers, garlic, jalapeno peppers, sugar (if using), cilantro, salt, and vinegar to a large stockpot with the tomatoes.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook the vegetable mixture for 15-30 minutes. If you want a thicker salsa, simmer for a longer period of time.

Sterilize the canning jars and lids

While salsa is cooking, sterilize the canning jars and lids by placing in boiling hot water for 1 to 2 minutes.

To fill the canning jars

Remove a jar from the hot water and hold with a towel. Place a canning funnel inside of the jar and scoop salsa into jar until salsa reaches the neck of the jar. Insert a canning spatula into the filled jar 3-4 times to help release any air bubbles.
Wipe the rim of the jar with a towel and place sterilized lid on jar and screw on cap tightly. Repeat with remaining salsa and canning jars.

To process the salsa

Place jars of salsa in a water bath canner filled with water until it just covers the top of the jars and bring it to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Lift rack in canner and set the rack handles on the edge, allowing the jars to cool gradually, about 15 minutes.
Carefully remove jars from the canner and place on a counter lined with kitchen towel.
Jars will pop and seal as they cool down. If once the jar has cooled, the seal pops back up, then the salsa must be placed in the fridge and used within 2 weeks or reprocessed.

Video

Notes

NOTES:

Please note that your salsa will be thin or thick depending on the type of tomato you use and how much water is drained from the tomato beforehand. It is recommended to do the following for thicker salsa:

Remove all seeds from tomatoes and place tomato pulp in a colander over the sink. Press the pulp to express excess water out.
Simmer salsa mixture for a longer period of time to reduce the amount of liquid. It is ok to simmer it for 30 minutes or more if you really don't want to thicken with tomato paste.
Add 2 tablespoons (or more if preferred) to thicken the salsa more.

Nutrition