I’m going to take a chance and say that this is the greatest homemade salsa for canning recipe. It’s the salsa for canning recipe I’ve used for years.
This salsa recipe is packed with fresh summer flavors and is ideal for stocking the cupboard. Use it as a dip with chips or as an ingredient in chili or soup dishes.
Salsa is one of our favorite home canned foods; we eat it not only as a snack, but it’s also a staple ingredient that I substitute for canned tomatoes in chili recipes and other spicy dishes. Canning salsa is a terrific way for me to preserve not only the tomatoes from the garden, but also the peppers and onions.
Before you begin, make sure to read our comprehensive guide on securely canning tomatoes.
Salsa For Canning at Home
Over the years, I’ve tried a variety of recipes; this is our best homemade salsa recipe for canning. Please keep in mind that this salsa for canning is not the same as my garden fresh salsa recipe.
My mother taught me the basics of canning, but I don’t recall her ever preparing salsa. Now that I’m a certified Master Food Preserver, it pleases me a little that she now utilizes my recipe when canning salsa. She’ll never eat store-bought salsa again!
Ingredients
- Tomatoes – Tomatoes from the garden are used in this dish. I utilize a variety of best tomatoes, both red and yellow, in my recipes. If I have a surplus of tomatoes, I’ll use Roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, and even cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes are cooked for around 30 minutes with onions, garlic, fresh spicy peppers, lemon juice, and a variety of spices.
- Onions & Garlic – This recipe can be made with yellow, white, or red onions, depending on your preferences and what you have on hand. Garlic? You can leave it out if you don’t like garlic, but who doesn’t like garlic?
- Peppers – This salsa has a wonderful mix of heat and taste thanks to the use of a variety of peppers. For heat, I use jalapeno peppers, but if you have access to another hot pepper variety, go ahead and use it. Adding a mild chile to the mix, such as banana peppers, adds flavor without adding too much heat.
- Lemon juice – Two cups of lemon juice are required in the recipe. This is something I’ve been asked a lot about. No, your salsa will not be extremely sour as a result of this. Yes, you really must include it, as the acidity of the lemon juice aids in the safe canning of this recipe in a water bath.
Spices and seasonings – Add the salt and pepper in the measurements I suggest; if you find that you’d like the salsa a bit saltier, it’s safe to increase the amount. The sugar balances out the acidity of the lemon juice.
Salsa For Canning Full Recipe
Ingredients of Salsa For Canning Recipe
- 14 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped (8-10 pounds of tomatoes)
- 3 large onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup hot peppers, diced and seeds removed (about 6)
- 1 cup mild chiles, diced and seeds removed (about 4 )
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups lemon juice, bottled (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 6 ounce cans of tomato paste (optional, for thickening)
Instructions of Salsa For Canning Recipe
Making The Salsa
- Chop tomatoes, onions, and peppers into a quarter-inch dice by hand or in a food processor.
- Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer salsa for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Salsa For Canning:
- While the salsa is cooking, fill a canning pot with water, set the lid in place, and heat on high heat until boiling.
- Ladle hot relish into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/2″ head space. A canning funnel makes this easy.
- Wipe jar rims to remove any salsa that may have spilled. A clean rim is essential to a good seal.
- Set jar lids in place. Screw bands on finger tight, firmly, but don’t crank the rings on.
- Use a jar lifter to gently submerge jars into boiling water in canning pot. Water should cover the top of the jars by an inch. The water will cool somewhat in reaction to the addition of the jars. Return the water to a low boil and set the timer.
- Process for 15 minutes, 0-1,000 feet altitude; 20 minutes, 1,001-6,000 feet altitude; 25 minutes, above 6,000 feet.
- Allow jars to cool overnight.
- Check for seal: the lids should feel solid and slightly indented. If they flex, they are not shelf stable and should be refrigerated and used first.
- Wash jars, remove rings, and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
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