Published: · Modified: by Shelby Law Ruttan · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you love home food preservation, you will love this canned salsa recipe! Fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, and jalapeños are simmered, jarred, and processed in a hot water bath for a salsa recipe to keep on your shelves for whenever the craving hits!
If you have plenty offresh tomatoeson hand, then you will want to make this homemadesalsa for canning! Thissalsa recipehas great flavor made withfresh ripe tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, andjalapeno peppers!
I love fresh salsa, but salsa made with the best fresh ingredients from your own garden makes it even more special. The delicious flavor is far better than what you can buy in the grocery store so be sure to make plenty!
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why you'll love it
- Homemade Salsa Ingredients
- 🔪 How To Make Homemade Canned Salsa
- Substitutions
- Tips
- Equipment
- 🥫Storage
- FAQ's
- 📚 More Canning Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
❤️ Why you'll love it
Fresh flavor: thishomemade salsa for canning recipehas theflavor offresh salsamade with the freshest ingredients.
Versatile: you can make hot, medium, ormild salsaby adjusting the amount ofjalapeno peppersin the recipe.
Water BathCanningprocess: no pressure cooker is required for this recipe, the salsa is processed in ahot water bathfor sealing purposes.
Homemade Salsa Ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes:thebest tomatoesto use arepaste tomatoes, such as german paste orroma tomatoes. These have less liquid and more substance to the vegetable.
- Yellow onion:these have more bite and balance out nicely with the tomatoes.
- Green peppers:bell pepper is added for its sweeter flavors
- Garlic cloves:look for firm bulbs that have no brown.
- Jalapeño peppers: add the spice to the salsa.
- Cilantro:gives the salsa a freshness and flavor, if you aren't a fan of cilantro this can easily be left out.
- Salt and granulated sugar:balances out the flavors.
- Apple cider vinegar:to increaseacid levels.
🔪 How To Make Homemade Canned Salsa
For the tomatoes
- Bring alarge potof water to a boil overhigh heat. While water is boiling, prepare tomatoes by removing the core and scoring bottom of tomato with an X using a paring knife.
- Blanch tomatoes by placing into hot water for 10-20 seconds. Remove tomato from hot water and immediately place in ice 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 9½ cups of diced tomatoes for this recipe.
To make the salsa
- Add the onion,green peppers, mincedgarlic clove, andjalapeno peppersto alarge potwith the diced tomatoes.
- Place on burner overhigh heatand bring salsa mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
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 acanning funnelinside of the jarand scoop salsa intohot jarsuntil salsa reaches the neck of the jar.
- Insert a canning spatula into the filled jar 3-4 times to help release anyair bubbles.
- Wipe therim of the jarwith a towel and place sterilized lid ontop of the jarand screw on cap tightly. Repeat with remaining salsa andcanning jars.
To process the salsa
- Place jars of salsa in awater bath cannerfilled 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.
Substitutions
A few swaps that can be made if you are missing an ingredient.
- Vinegar - you can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Tomato - regular tomatoes can be used in place of paste (roma) tomatoes, but be sure to remove the seeds and drain the liquid or your salsa will be runny,
- Chipotle flavor - season with chipotle powder (to taste) for a smoky salsa version.
Tips
- Dice the tomatoes intosmall piecesand place them in a colander to drain while the other vegetables are being prepped to allow any remaining water in the tomato to escape.
- If vinegar is too tangy for you, feel free to substitute an equal amount oflime juice.
- For a quick chop on the tomatoes, place the tomato that has been deseeded in thefood processorand give it a few quick pulses.
Equipment
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate links.
- 9 piece canning kit, this includes a funnel, grip, canning spatula and more.
- Pint jars for canning (with lids and screw caps)
🥫Storage
Store jars of canned salsa in a cool dark place such as a basem*nt shelf or pantry up to 18 months.
FAQ's
Can you freeze this salsa instead of canning it?
To freeze this salsa recipe, be sure to place in an airtight freezer safe container and label the container. It can be stored in the freezer up to 4 months.
Can you double the recipe and can in quart jars?
The recipe can be doubled, however I do not recommend canning in quart jars as there is no official processing time for quart jars.
Can I use canned tomatoes in place of fresh tomatoes?
You can do so, but if you do decide to use canned tomatoes, be sure to pick a plum tomato or san marzano tomato and drain the liquid.
Will omitting the onions change the acidity of the salsa?
The vinegar adds enough acidity that you can omit the onions.
I forgot to add the vinegar to the salsa mixture, is it still ok to eat?
If you forget to add the vinegar, open the jars, place the salsa back into a stock pot and bring the to a boil with the vinegar added, then return to the jars and put it through a water bath canning.
I don't like the flavor of vinegar, can I do leave it out?
Vinegar is needed for the acidity and is a very important part of this recipe and you cannot leave it out. However, you can use white vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar.
📚 More Canning Recipes
Sweet, crispy, and delicious homemadeBread and Butter Picklesare a family favorite.
My Nanny's recipe forCrisp Sweet Picklesis one the whole family loves.
Pickled Green Beansare agreat wayto use excess beans from the garden!
This is a greatGarlic Dill Picklesrecipe!
Homemade Pasta Sauceis made with canned tomatoes and so easy and delicious.
When you make this Homemade Salsa for Canning recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @honeybunchhunts or #honeybunchhunts so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Homemade Salsa for Canning
Shelby Law Ruttan
If you love home food preservation, you will love this canned salsa recipe! Fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, and jalapeños are simmered, jarred, and processed in a hot water bath for a salsa recipe to keep on your shelves for whenever the craving hits!
4.20 from 785 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 1 hour hr
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Processing Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 pints
Calories 26 kcal
Equipment
9 piece canning kit this includes a funnel, grip, canning spatula and more
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 9.50 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
Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 26kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 877mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g
Keyword Air Fryer Butternut Squash, canning salsa, Homemade Salsa, Homemade Salsa for Canning, homemade salsa recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
More Canning Recipes
- Canning Tomatoes in a Hot Water Bath
- Homemade Pasta Sauce with canned tomatoes
- Muscadine Jam
- Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe
About Shelby Law Ruttan
Honeybunch Hunts is a website dedicated to sharing canning and dehydrating recipes, wild game recipes, fish, seafood, plant based recipes, and some DIY scattered in between. Written by Shelby Law Ruttan, is also author and owner of Grumpy’s Honeybunch, and The Best Vegetarian Recipes. Shelby has also authored two cookbooks, The One Pot Paleo Cookbook and The Pescatarian Keto Cookbook.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Mikki
Hi, can you please tell me how many pints will your salsa recipe make. Also, I am omitting the bell pepper, so what adjustments should I make? Thank you
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Mikki, this recipe makes 6 pints. Omitting the bell pepper requires no adjustments but you will likely have less volume.
Reply
Vicki Printz
Can you telle what the water temp should be at the start of the water bath, cold warm or hot,?
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Shelby Law Ruttan
You should never add cold water to hot jars, since this salsa is packed hot, I highly recommend adding hot water.
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Vanessa
Hi! Is it possible to do this recipe with half pint jars?!
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Shelby Law Ruttan
I have not done this but think it would probably work.
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Lynn
Is it ok to double this recipe, I am using quart jars and would still like To end up w/ 6 jars (quarts 🙂
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Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Lynn, its ok to double the recipe, but as for canning in quart jars, I don't recommend it. I did a lot of research before canning salsa myself and there is no recommended processing time for quart jars (as per Ball). I highly recommend researching on your end before using quart jars. Pint jars are the only safe method I am aware of. I know some people process in quart jars, but until I find a viable source approving it for a certain amount of time, I can't recommend it. I hope you still make the recipe, and doubling it is not a bad thing! I plan to make plenty of jars this year! Let me know how it goes 🙂 Shelby
Sharon
I am curious to know why you think quart jars wouldn't be safe. Canning tomato sauce in quart jars is perfectly safe...is the difference that you are using hot water bath and not a pressure canner?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Because after researching this on canning websites, it has not been tested using quart jars. So, because of this, I cannot recommend it myself.
Reply
Linda
The tomato skins can be dried in a dehydrater and ground to make tomato powder.
Shelby Law Ruttan
That is a great suggestion, thank you!
Shelby Law Ruttan
There is more than just tomatoes in this recipe. When I did my research, the cooperative extension does not recommend canning in quart sized jars. Therefore, I personally recommend you follow their recommendations. I cannot promote something that has not been tested.
Reply
John Grussenmeyer
Hello, I just tried making this recipe and flavor wise it came out great but it was very watery. I tried to cook the salsa down for about 30 minutes but it seemed to keep releasing juice. Is there a way to prevent this?
Shelby Law Ruttan
I indicate in the post that if you prefer a thicker sauce to add tomato paste, that helps thicken and does far better than simmering to try and evaporate the juices. Also, I recommend draining the tomatoes if you think there is too much juice. Depending on what you use for tomato will depend on how loose the sauce is. Hope this helps.
Carrie
Can canned beans and corn be added to this recipe?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
It is not recommended to add canned beans or corn to this recipe if you plan to store it on the shelf. If freezing or storing in the refrigerator, then yes, feel free to play with the recipe and add what you think would be good.
Reply
Catherine Engel
I have lots of poblano peppers. Could I use a combination of green peppers and poblanos? I also have Hungarian hot wax peppers. Could I substitute those for the jalapenos? Thank you.
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Catherine, I feel you could use poblano peppers. I would roast, peel, and seed them first though. There are already 2 green peppers in the recipe so I think I would just substitute the poblano for the jalapeno. I feel the Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers would be better pickled on their own, but I don't have a lot of experience with them so I really can't give you a recommendation for using them in this recipe. Thanks for stopping by and let me know how it turns out if you use poblano. Thanks! Shelby
Reply
Joan
Could you use canned tomatoes
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
I don't recommend canned tomatoes. I created this recipe using fresh tomatoes and have never used canned tomatoes to make it. I am also not sure about using a canned product to can something made out of it. I haven't done that and not sure what the recommendations would be. Thanks for stopping by! Shelby
Reply
Cathy
Can I omit onions without changing acidity
Shelby Law Ruttan
Yes, the vinegar adds enough acid. Thank you for stopping by!
LaNae
Hi Shelby!
This has been my go-to recipe for my canned salsa for a loooong time now! As for the question regarding using canned tomatoes, I have an answer/opinion! My sister has always used canned tomatoes for this recipe and I’ve always used fresh. After 6 months on the shelf we decided to compare them. The only difference in the ingredients is fresh vs canned, and I can tell you honestly that the fresh tomato recipe blew hers out of the water. Even if there was a safe & documented way to can with canned tomatoes, I’d have to pass! This is by far the best recipe I’ve ever used! For anyone having issues with too much liquid, it depends on the tomatoes. I’ve had luck with straining (as mentioned in the post) as well as boiling longer and using tomato paste. All wonderful tips and tricks for perfect salsa in the post and I can’t thank you enough for sharing!!!!Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi LaNae! Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know your experiment and end results! It is truly appreciated and I am so happy you think this is the best recipe you've used 🙂 You made my day! Shelby
Meri
I have used several different kind of peppers when I make my salsa. You will have a little different flavor and it can be hotter if you use a hotter pepper.
Reply
Noelle
Delicious..simple, easy with no extra frills, but all the taste.Reply
Ang
Can I keep the skin on my tomatoes ?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
I do not recommend leaving the skin on.
Therese
Hi! Can I use frozen tomatoes? I just picked a bunch and won't have time to do anything with them for a few days so I stuck them in the freezer whole.
Thanks!
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
I don't see why not as they will be cooked anyway. You might want to thicken the salsa with a little tomato paste if it seems too runny.
Reply
Chrissy
I used this recipe and we love it. My 8yr old granddaughter called me and said “my salsa was so good. Can you send me some just for me?” I’ll be doing that. Thank you so much. Followed your recipe to the T. Thank you . I’ll be using this all the time.
Carol
So I made this salsa the other day and it turned out amazing! I have some leftover fresh corn. Would that be a good addition to a batch of this? Again it was amazing as it is I juts like corn sals and just wondered. Thanks so much!
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Cathy
Can do without any kind sugar?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Cathy, you can leave it out if you want, however the sugar helps balance out the flavors, I recommend it, but your recipe shouldn't fail by leaving it out.
Reply
Amy
Can I replace the apple cider vinegar with white distilled vinegar?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Yes, you should be able to substitute with white vinegar.
Reply
Michelle
Can I use basil in this recipe?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Basil has a distinct flavor that I wouldn't use in salsa. If you don't like cilantro, you can just leave it out.
Cassidy
Hello,
Sadly I forgot to add lemon juice before putting salsa in the jars. Is it okay to leave it? Or do I need to dump it out and re-can?If that is the case, do I need to reheat the salsa before putting it back in jars?
Thank you!
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Cassidy, this recipe calls for vinegar. Did you put the vinegar in? If not, then yes, you do need to reprocess.
Chris
Your recipe is fantastic Shelby and not sure why a commentator called it soup….it is absolutely delicious and definitely will make again and again, thank you for sharing this recipe!! ❤️❤️❤️AWESOME!!!
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Cindy Leigh
I made it without sugar, and it was great.
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Shelby Law Ruttan
That's awesome, thank you for letting me know! Shelby
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Beth
Is the vinegar enough to preserve in jars long term or should lemon juice be added as well? Thank you
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Vinegar is sufficient.
garry
I agree with some of the comments. this is a soup. i followed the recipe to a "T". not my first time canning a salsa. was looking for something different. but it turned out very liquidy. not happy with the outcome.
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Garry, in the tips for this recipe I indicate to add tomato paste to the salsa if you want a thicker salsa. You could still do so by putting the salsa back on the stove top and adding enough tomato paste to thicken to your taste. Also, I do not see where anyone has indicated it is like soup, for us this was more like fresh salsa and we completely enjoyed it. Shelby
Reply
Gale
Just finished my first batch of this salsa, left out the sugar and cilantro. Very pleased with this recipe.Reply
Colette
use tomatoe past to thicken
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Kim
What if I forgot the vinegar? Are the canned salsa still ok to eat?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
I would open the jars, bring the salsa to a boil with the vinegar added, then reseal.
Reply
Christine
Hi, I canned your recipe today but put in a cup of fresh corn. Is this safe to store in my pantry or should I keep in the refrig?
Thanks in advance.Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
It should be ok as long as the fresh corn was cooked with the other fresh veggies.
Reply
Deb
I followed the recipe except for the sugar. It’s very good. For the person that thought it was to watery, simmer your salsa
until it reduces to the consistency you want. We simmered ours about 30 minutes instead of 15.
Again we really like the flavor.Reply
Christine
Thank you for your response. How long would you recommend it being left in the frig unopenned?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Christine, As long as it has not been opened, it could stay in the fridge at least up to a year. Shelby
Reply
Tom
I added 1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin, it needed that little punch.
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Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Tom, thanks for sharing!
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Sharon Cameron
Made the salsa. Drained my tomatoes, so not soupy. I substituted 1-4oz can of diced jalapeños for the 3/4 cup fresh jalapeños. Also added 1 small can of tomato sauce to equal 9.5 cups of tomatoes to make the salsa thicker. Love this recipe. It turned out great. Thank you for sharing.
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Sharon, happy to hear it worked out well for you! Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your experience! Shelby
Reply
Susan
Hello, want to make this salsa and was wondering if you can cut the recipe in half and still have it safe for canning?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Yes, you can do so. I get about 7 pints when I make the full recipe. Hope this helps! Shelby
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Susie
I’m confused. Above you state the water bath direction but here you say you don’t water bath. Please clarify -thanks! Looking forward to trying it!
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Susie, sorry for the confusion and thank you for pointing it out to me! I process the jars in the hot water bath canner. For some reason I thought I was responding to a pickle question in the comment you are referencing. I adjusted that comment also.
Katrina Jenkins
I followed recipe to a Tee(I think) and the Apple cider vinegar taste is very strong. How can I save this batch??
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Pickles usually have a vinegary taste due to the pickling process. These pickles should have that vinegar tang with sweetness from the sugar. Reducing the vinegar reduces the safety of the recipe.
Reply
Stephanie
Hi I cut this recipe in half. So I used half the amount of all the ingredients is it still safe? Should I keep it in the fridge ? Thanks
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
As long as you hot packed everything in sterilized jars and the jar is sealed you should be ok. If you have any concern that it is not safe, store it in the refrigerator. I hope you enjoyed the recipe!
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Jennifer
I just made this salsa recipe and had the same result. It is heavy on the vinegar. I'm afraid that I wasted my homegrown tomatoes, peppers, and jalepenos. I don't usually like adding much sugar to my salsa, but found myself increasing it just to cut some of the venegar taste. I'm waiting for it to cool and will taste it again then. Fingers crossed! I wish I hadn't misplaced my other recipe!
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
When changing the recipe to make it way other than the way it was written, it is always a chance it will not turn out. As far as the vinegar goes, I personally do not feel it is too heavy, each person as their own tastes and for me this is the perfect balance. I really do hope it worked out for you and if not, that you will find a recipe that works for you. Thanks for trying. Shelby
Reply
Patrick
Can this be PCanned
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
The recipe is made for canning.
Reply
Bianca
Thank you for this absolutely delicious recipe!!! We tried three different recipes this year, and this was by far the family favorite. It’s bookmarked for next year and years to come. 🙂Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Bianca, Thank you so much for trying the recipe and coming back to rate it! So happy you enjoyed it and plan to make it again. Shelby
Reply
Deborah
Hi.. the recipe looks great znd I wanted to try it but I can not find actual recipe with actual amounts of each items to make the salsa??? I have been through the site 3 times?? Please help as tomorrow is show time to make salsa.. thank you in advance
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Deborah, there is a jump to link just above the ❤️ WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT heading. Alternatively, you can scroll to the bottom of the post where the recipe card is located. I apologize for a delayed response but I have been on vacation with limited internet access.
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Carolyn Giovanni
I like to date my canning. About how long do I have to use the salsa? Is it years or months when stored in a dark closet.
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Shelby Law Ruttan
As long as the seal does not break, it can last 2-5 years without compromising taste or nutritional value (according to Mrs. Wages canning site). I always date mine also and I have salsa dated 2 years that is still good (I just opened a jar last week!).
Reply
Debbie Weaver
Hi this salsa sounds amazing my question is I can not eat anything spicy can I omit the hot pepper without compromising the flavor.
Thank-you,
DebReply
Shelby Law Ruttan
You can omit the hot pepper and it will remove the heat. You could substitute green bell pepper in its place. Thanks for stopping by!
Reply
Tina
This was my first time to can salsa. It was a long project but it taste delicious! Looking forward to having home made salsa during the winter! The directions were easy to follow!Reply
Linda S.
Just made this for the first time today!! It is so good! And it looks so pretty in the jars!
Thank you for a great recipe. It was easy and well explained. I plan on making much more!Reply
Deb
I forgot to dip a spatula a couple of times to remove excess air. My salsa was bubbling when I removed it from the canner. Should I be concerned?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
I have forgotten in the past to do the same thing and still have had the jars sealed. The bubbling is something that will happen as the jars were in a hot water bath canner that was at the boiling point. I hope they sealed for you. Shelby
Reply
Brianna
Can you tell me about how many tomatoes will be needed?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Brianna, in the blog post, under tips, I state that you will need about 9-1/2 cups of tomatoes.
Reply
Brianna
Thank you I was just wondering about how many tomatoes that equals since I don’t have a scale.
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Tomatoes vary in size but about 4 medium sized roma tomatoes (the recommended tomato) is 1 pound, so approximately 38 medium sized Roma tomatoes. I hope that helped!
Reply
Julie
I’m getting ready to try this recipe and am confused. The printable recipe states 9 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes diced, but here you state 9 1/2 pounds of tomatoes are needed. Which is it?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
This recipe calls for 9-1/2 cups of diced, seeded tomatoes. That is approximately 3-4 pounds.
Reply
Lora
Hi, I love the looks of 6our salsa! Do you think it would be okay to decrease the vinegar to 1/2 to 3/4 cup? This will be my first time canning salsa. Thank you so much
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Lora, I think it would be ok to replace that 1/4 cup with water.
Reply
Angie
Can I use fresh lemon or lime juice ( preferably lime) instead of vinegar & can I omit the jalapeño?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Angie, Yes, you can make that substitute as both lemon or lime juice (lime is my preference also) are acidic and more acidic than vinegar. The jalapeno is not a requirement, its for those who like the flavor. It can be left out without damaging the recipe. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
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Nikkii Leshok
This could possibly be the best salsa I’ve ever tried! We followed the recipe & instructions almost exactly. We grow San Marzano tomatoes for our homemade spaghetti sauce so that’s what we used and replaced the jalapeño peppers with Bulgarian hot wax. I’m not too big on a lot of heat so I’m the end I think the hot wax peppers worked better for us. I know everything tastes better when it’s made from ingredients you’ve grown yourself but that doesn’t take away from this recipe!
It’s a lot of work but the end result is definitely worth it and I’m looking at our 12 pints (we doubled the recipe) thinking I need to hurry up and do another double batch to get us through the winter. It’s seriously that good!Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Nikkii, thank you so much! I appreciate you sharing your experience and the substitutions you made. I'm so happy you made the recipe! Shelby
Reply
Karen C-F
I made the recipe and my family loved it. This was the best one i tried. Thank you for sharing.Reply
freda caddell
Can I use a sugar substitute instead of sugar?
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
Yes, you can use a sugar substitute. I recommend monkfruit as I have used it myself when making this recipe.
Reply
Jennifer
What an awesome idea! You have me over here wanting to get a canner!Reply
Gwynn Galvin
I love the addition of jalapenos in this salsa. They give the perfect hint of heat. My tacos never tasted so good!Reply
Kimbelry
In a comment you mention making the salsa recipe as spicy as you like and adjusting the peppers. Can you clarify? Everywhere that I ready says do NOT adjust onions and Jalapenos in recipes due to the change in acidity when canning. Can we do this and test the PH after 24 hours? Or are we supposed to increase the acidity buffer? Thank you!
Reply
Shelby Law Ruttan
There is enough acidity added to this recipe via the vinegar that adding a jalapeno will not be a problem. It doesn't take much to change the heat level with a jalapeno. Green peppers I would not increase as they do not add heat.
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Kimberly
I made this today, although I only had 2 lbs of tomatoes after blanching etc so I was only able to make 1 pint to preserve and a little to enjoy right away. I adjusted all ingredients down to match the 2lbs vs 9.5lbs. It was the first time I made salsa and while preparing the tomatoes I was ready to never try this again as I made the mistake of trying to use cherry tomatoes and that was a huge "bust", but I went through the process and after I tasted the salsa.....I decided I will most assuredly be making this recipe again. Yummy!Reply
Diana Hubbard
Loooks great … finishing up canning now … tasted great before … crossing fingers it tasted just a good afterwards and the months to comeReply
Kari
I saw younger commented about adding a can of tomato paste in the tips? I don’t see that?
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Shelby Law Ruttan
You can add tomato paste to thicken if desired. I would start with a tablespoon of tomato paste and add more a little at a time until the salsa reaches the thickness you desire. I would not add a whole can at a time as I feel that would be too much.
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Rose Marie
I made this salsa today, step by step, exact measures. It looks good and tastes great but unfortunately it was more like salsa soup. I doubled the recipe and by the time I got pint size jars filled I ended up with 9 jars total instead of 12. I ended up discarding about 6 cups of just sauce. Is there anything I can do next time to make the sauce thicker? I did add 2 cans of tomato paste and it didn't help at all.
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Shelby Law Ruttan
It is indicated in the post to use Roma or German Paste tomatoes as they are more flesh and have less water. You could drain the tomatoes before cooking them if you don't use a paste tomato.
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Brandy
Well I made this today using garden tomatoes and jalapeños. Somehow I only got 5 jars worth (plus a little extra, which made a small bowl of salsa to eat right away.) not sure how I was short… I went through several times to make sure I didn’t forget something. I actually Heaped everything. lol so idk.. But it is yummy! I also used the white vinegar since I had that on hand. Tomatoes were mostly the San marzano (a meaty, plum type) and about a 1/3 of a juicier type that I just seeded and squeezed the excess juice from. And my texture of the salsa was perfect.. not runny. Next time I would cut the sugar in half though.. I get using a little to balance but my salsa was a bit sweeter than I expected. Thanks for the recipe! Would make again.
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Rosanna
Not a fan of bell peppers how strong is the taste ans can i leave them out,
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Shelby Law Ruttan
You can leave the bell peppers out. Your volume will be less, but it will still turn out fine.
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4.20 from 785 votes (773 ratings without comment)
