Canning Salsa
Grab some chips, because canning salsa is a breeze with this step-by-step photo tutorial and beginner-friendly, professionally tested, and absolutely delicious salsa recipe!
🔍 Recipe At-A-Glance: Canning Salsa
- ⏰ Prep Time: 50 minutes
- 🕰️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Tangy, spicy, perfect for dipping!
- 🥄 Good For: Tucking into lentil tacos, mixing into taco chili, topping steak fajita bowls, adding flavor to sheet pan quesadillas, and of course, dipping!
- 👷🏻♀️ Safety: Professionally tested recipe directly from Ball Canning that is safe for home canners.
- 🧡 Difficulty: Designed for beginning canners, so it's easy as can be!
"I have been making salsa for years. This is my new go-to recipe. It was delicious! I used 13 large sized Serrano peppers which gave it a great spicy taste. Thank you so much!
- SHIRLEY -
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- 🔍 Recipe At-A-Glance: Canning Salsa
- 🧡 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🍅 The Ingredients You Need
- 🥄 Canning Tools You Need
- 🔁 Variations & Substitutions
- 🌶️ How to Can Salsa
- 🫙 Canned Salsa Storage Info
- 🙋🏻♀️ Canning Salsa FAQs
- 👩🏻🍳 My Expert Tips & Tricks
- 🥫Have even more tomatoes to can? I got you.
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
🧡 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Hi friend: Canning has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and this zesty salsa recipe directly from Ball Canning has been a part of that for almost that long! I love this salsa for dipping all the things: like my simple chicken quesadillas recipe, my sheet pan steak fajitas or my kid's favorite-my taco pinwheels.
Here's why you'll love this recipe:
- Customizable heat: Hot or mild, you get to choose your own adventure!
- Tangy, spicy flavor: Great salsa flavor with a tangy zip thanks to added vinegar (that also doubles as keeping the salsa safe for home canning).
- Super easy even for beginners: I'll walk you through step-by-step how to can this salsa.
- A recipe you can trust: This professionally-tested recipe is reprinted with permission from Ball Canning so you can feel good that it's safe for your fam.
🍅 The Ingredients You Need
- Tomatoes: Traditionally, Roma or paste tomatoes are your best bet because of their low amount of seeds and thick flesh, but I have a different philosophy-the best tomatoes to use for canning salsa are the tomatoes you have!
- Green Bell Peppers: These beauties add flavor without any heat.
- Spicy Peppers (or not): This is where you can get creative! I like to use jalapenos for a small, but still kid-friendly kick. But you can go as spicy as you like! Want absolutely no heat? Just sub in more green bell peppers.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: The key ingredient to acidifying this recipe and making it safe for home canning. It also adds an awesome tang!
- Cilantro: If you're one of those folks who has the cilantro/soap gene, feel free to leave this out.
Make sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, along with quantities and my expert tips and tricks.
🥄 Canning Tools You Need
If this is your first time waterbath canning, you'll also need a few specialty tools. I highly recommend reading through my Canning 101 article to get a full overview, but for now, here are the tools you'll need for canning this specific salsa recipe:
- Pint canning jars, lids, and rings
- Large canner (or large stock pot with lid)
- Canning trivet or rack that can fit in the canner/stock pot
- Jar grabber
- Wide mouth funnel
- Headspace checker or clear plastic ruler
- Or buy almost all of this stuff in a canning starter kit!
🔁 Variations & Substitutions
- Change the spice level: you can safely change the ratio of hot to sweet peppers as long as you keep the same total volume of peppers
- Swap (some) of the vinegar: you can safely swap out half of the vinegar for an equal amount of bottled (not fresh squeezed!) lemon or lime juice
- Add dried herbs and spices: you can safely add dried herbs and spices (I like cumin!) to this recipe, you cannot add more fresh herbs safely
- Make a smoother or blended salsa: home canned salsa recipes will be on the chunkier side because the density of the food is important when it comes to canning safety. So while I can't recommend you blend this salsa before canning, you can blend this salsa right before eating-most immersion blenders fit perfectly in wide-mouth canning jars!
🌶️ How to Can Salsa
Step 1: Prep your jars by washing them and then placing them in water in your canner pot and turning it on. Wash your lids and rings in warm, soapy water. Learn more about this process in canning 101.
Step 2: Blanch and peel your tomatoes. We cover how to do this extensively in our post on canning diced tomatoes. Dice the peeled tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic.
Step 3: Combine tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, vinegar, cilantro, and salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
Step 4: Ladle into prepared jars, remove air bubbles, wipe the rims of the jars, and then fit with lids and rings.
Step 5: Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes (adjusting time for altitude). Turn off the canner, remove the lid, and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Transfer the jars to a spot to cool and seal. Check seals after 12-24 hours.
🫙 Canned Salsa Storage Info
- Check the seal: You can check if you got a good seal by pressing in the middle of your canning lid after the salsa jars have completely cooled. If it doesn't flex, your jar is shelf-stable and ready to store.
- It's preserved indefinitely: If you got a good seal, your salsa will last with peak quality in a cool, dark spot for at least 18 months. After that, you might start to see some degradation of color, flavor, or texture, but as long as the lid is still sealed properly, it is perfectly safe to eat indefinitely.
🙋🏻♀️ Canning Salsa FAQs
Cooking tomato salsa before canning helps improve the quality of the final product in a few ways. It melds the flavors of tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and other aromatics together to create a more refined flavor. It helps to reduce and thicken the salsa, making for a more intensified flavor and less liquidy texture. It helps break down the structure of the tomatoes so you get less separation between the juice and solids during canning.
When canning tomatoes, you must add acidity to make it safe for home waterbath canning. This recipe used apple cider vinegar to increase acidity instead of lemon juice.s
👩🏻🍳 My Expert Tips & Tricks
- Want a smoother texture? Blend this recipe just before using if you prefer a smoother texture. Safe canning requires the proper food density, and pre-blended salsa can be too dense to process safely at home. Leave it chunky to keep your family safe.
- Add the acidity: Tomatoes need to have the correct amount of acid added to be safe for water bath canning, so make sure to follow a tested recipe (like this one!) whenever canning salsa.
- To peel or not to peel? You don't have to peel tomatoes before making this salsa, but I do recommend it. Depending on the tomato variety, sometimes the skins can become very tough during the canning process. Our method for peeling tomatoes outlined in our canning diced tomatoes post makes quick work of it!
- Freeze it: You can freeze this recipe instead of canning it, although you will see slight reduction in the quality of texture. Make sure to use canning jars marked safe for freezing and only fill up to the line identified on the jar.
🥫Have even more tomatoes to can? I got you.
If you tried this Canning Salsa recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Canning Salsa Recipe & Tutorial
Ingredients
- 10 cups chopped cored peeled tomatoes about 25 medium
- 5 cups chopped seeded green bell peppers about 4 large
- 5 cups chopped onions about 6 to 8 medium
- 2 ½ cups chopped seeded chili peppers such as hot banana, Hungarian wax, serrano or jalapeño about 13 medium
- 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce optional
Instructions
- Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands
- Combine tomatoes, green peppers, onions, chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, salt and hot pepper sauce, if using, in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
- Process both pint and half pint jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
Video
Notes
- Change the spice level: you can safely change the ratio of hot to sweet peppers as long as you keep the same total volume of peppers
- Swap (some) of the vinegar: you can safely swap out half of the vinegar for an equal amount of bottled (not fresh squeezed!) lemon or lime juice
- Add dried herbs and spices: you can safely add dried herbs and spices (I like cumin!) to this recipe, you cannot add more fresh herbs safely
- Make a smoother or blended salsa: home canned salsa recipes will be on the chunkier side because the density of the food is important when it comes to canning safety. So while I can't recommend you blend this salsa before canning, you can blend this salsa right before eating-most immersion blenders fit perfectly in wide-mouth canning jars!
- More than 6? Depending on the juiciest of your tomatoes, you may end up with more than 6 pint jars. No worries! Follow the ratios in the recipe, and it'll be completely safe-even if your batch made 8-9 jars.
Nutrition
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Want to pressure can salsa in pint jars any change to your recipe or cook time ? Thanks in advance
DonC
Hi Don! If you'd like to pressure can your salsa, you'll need to find a recipe specifically for pressure canning. This recipe was developed and tested only for water bath canning, so we can't recommend it for pressure canning. Good luck with your search!
I have made this recipe four times now and for some reason it taste like there is sugar in it, tastes sweet. I don’t understand unless I have really sweet tomatoes? Also it’s pretty runny. We have tried using a sieve to get rid of some of the excess juice. Any other suggestions?
Hi Barb! Our best guess would be you got a batch of sweeter, juicer tomatoes this year! Our batches vary slightly year-to-year depending on what the tomato crop did that season.
How long after canning can you pop open a jar?
Hi Nicole! No need to wait if you want to dip into your salsa right away! You can also skip the canning process for one jar if you know you're going to use it immediately and can the rest. I hope this helps!
Can you do this salsa recipe in a pressure cooker rather than water bath?
Hi Dawn! This recipe was developed specifically for water bath canning. It's not something you could safely can in a pressure cooker or pressure canner. If you'd like to can a salsa recipe in a pressure canner, you would need to see out a recipe specifically for a pressure canner. I hope this helps!
Has anyone tried putting tomato sauce and or tomato paste in theirs? I have heard it made it thicker . Any thoughts ? Thank you
Hi Donna! If you want to can this recipe safely, we can't recommend any adjustments. The recipe as written is the only way it's been tested for safety. If you want to try to thicken yours with tomato paste, you would have to freeze it instead of can it for long-term storage, or seek out a tested recipe that uses those ingredients.
I just made this recipe and ended up with closer to 10 pints...am I missing something here? The recipe says it makes 6 pints.
Hi Russ! Yields can vary based on the juiciness of your tomatoes, how much you let the salsa cook down, etc. So it's possible to end up with more or less jars than what's listed in the recipe. As long as you followed the recipe, that's not an issue! If you ended up with any partial jars, though, be sure to stash those in the fridge and use them up first!
Do I need to use a stainless steel pot or will any type work, and if so, what is the reason? Thanks.
Hi Ryan! For both cooking the salsa and canning, any type of pot will work. Although we personally wouldn’t recommend cooking tomato-based products in uncoated cast iron due to the acid deteriorating the seasoning of the cast iron. I hope this helps!
Lime Juice has a PH of 2-3 and an acidity of 5 to 6%. Cider Vinegar has a PH of 2-3 and an acidity percent of 5 to 6%.
Help me to understand this pulled from the article.
Can I use lime juice instead of vinegar?
Because vinegar and lime juice do not have the same pH (acid) levels, they are not interchangeable in equal amounts in this recipe.
Hi Ben! This recipe is directly from Ball Canning, and we are not able to recommend any changes to the original ratios or ingredients.
Just off the top, vinegar is a lot cheaper than lime juice so if you were going to take that idea in canning, it might be costly. I think what was left out of the answer is yes, you can use lime juice instead of vinegar if you were planning to leave in your refrigerator and eat in seven days. Hope this helps, in the process of canning now.
Hi Joey! You're right—if you're not planning on canning this recipe, it's fine to swap ingredients or add more or less of something. But for anyone looking to can the finished product, these ingredients in the amounts listed are the only ones that have been tested for canning safety. That's why we can't make any recommendations for changing ingredients or ratios in the recipe. I hope this helps clear things up!
So I have a weird question... I have made this recipe with ripe tomatoes (LOVE IT), but just shut down my summer garden this past weekend and pulled a ton of green tomatoes before our first heavy frost and freezing temps. I've loved having an extended season, but now am looking for things to do with my green tomatoes. So many green tomatoes. Do you think this recipe could be used with green tomatoes instead of the ripe ones, or does their ripeness/color effect their acidity too much? Or maybe the vinegar still keeps the acid levels in check? Thoughts?
Hi, Alaina! Unfortunately, this recipe has not been tested with green tomatoes. They do have a different pH than ripe tomatoes, so we cannot recommend using them for this particular recipe. If you'd like to safely can your green tomatoes, you would need to seek out a recipe specifically tested for that. I hope this helps!
Alaina, you could look for a recipe called "Green tomatoe Mince Meat" You can use it for pies, cookie fillings, tarts. It is a spicy mince with no "meat" in it. Apples, gr.tomatoes, raisens, spices. It is a kind of acquired taste and we usually make it for Thanksgiving or Christmas. We love it.
In paragraph 4 you say remove the lids???? Did you mean remove the jars from the canner?
Hi, Sheryl! In step 4, we ask you to remove the lid (singular), and we're referring to the lid on the water bath canner or pot. You need to remove the lid on your canner/pot and let the jars stand in the water for an additional 5 minutes. After that you can remove the jars and allow them to cool for 12-24 hours before checking the seals. I hope this clarifies that step for you! Please let me know if you have any additional questions =)
How many frozen cherry tomatoes would you use?
Hi, Linda! That depends on the size, really. We would use the same amount that you see in the recipe card—10 cups of chopped, cored, and peeled tomatoes—regardless of what kind of tomatoes they are. Hope this helps!
Would I be able to leave the onions and garlic out as I am allergic to them. Thanks
Hi, Amanda! Yes, if you leave out the onions and garlic the salsa will still be safe for canning. The flavor will be very different, though!
It would be helpful to include altitude guide. Thank you.
Hi, Joy! We link to a High Altitude Canning Adjustments Guide in our Canning 101 post, but you can find it here: https://www.freshpreserving.com/adjust-high-altitude-canning.html I hope this helps!
Can you use white vinegar instead of cider vinegar?
Hi, Haley! As long as the vinegar you're using is 5% acidity, you can swap it in safely for the cider vinegar. Hope this helps! Enjoy your salsa!
I'm definitely planning on giving this salsa a try! Can I exclude the cilantro without messing things up for food safety? I'm one of those people who thinks it tastes like soap 🙂
Hi, Nicole! Yes, you can leave out the cilantro and still be fine from a food safety standpoint. Let us know how it turns out for you!
I used parsley in mine, as my grocery store must have had a run on people making salsa, as they were completely out of cilantro! The parsley worked out just fine.
YES! This is so good. And a great way to use a ton of veggies from an overrun garden!
Made a batch of this tonight and ended up with 7 pints and some leftover. The leftovers became a side dish with dinner and it was amazing! I used jalapeños for the 2.5 cups of spicy peppers and a mix of green/red bell peppers and poblanos for the 5 cups. My jalapeños are very angry (hot) this year, so it ended up being maybe a medium to hot spicy mix. But so tasty.
I did plop my immersion blender in the batch once it was cooked down, before they went into jars. A few blasts from that made it into the smaller chunks that my husband and I prefer. Sealed up nicely! Can’t wait to eat these throughout the fall and winter - if I can keep them around that long! My brother and brother-in-law both requested jars already…
Thank you for sharing this recipe and explaining all the steps so nicely - that really makes a difference to someone new to canning! So many canning recipes out there assume you’ve been canning for years and know all the things, or are ones that aren’t actually ‘canned’ and not meant for long term storage. So glad I have Wholefully as a resource!! 🙂
Yay! We're so happy this was a hit, Alaina! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and tell us =)
Hi, I’m excited to try this recipe. Can I use regular distilled vinegar instead of the cider vinegar?
Hi, Gabby! As long as the vinegar you’re using is 5% acidity, you can swap it in safely for the cider vinegar. Hope this helps! Enjoy your salsa!
We made this and found that the vinegar flavor was still quite prominent after boiling and thickening, do you have any suggestions to drop the acidity which won’t interfere with the canning process?
Hi, Chris! Sorry, we can’t tweak the recipe to reduce the acidity and still keep it safe for canning. You can always pressure can or freeze salsa if you’d like a less acidic product.
I am going to use quart jars. Is the water bath timing need to be increased for larger jars?
Hi, Steve! Unfortunately, the only processing time we have that's been tested for safety is in the pint jars.
I have an enormous amount of grape tomatoes from my garden and some regular sized ones also. If planning on housing the grape, so I still have to peel them? I have no idea how I’d do that without destroying them and I’d be there forever!! This is my first time so any input is greatly appreciated! 😊
Hi, Colleen! Cherry and grape tomatoes tend to have thinner skins which usually work out fine when canned. But we can’t guarantee there won’t be any tough skins! You'll have a much better chance of having no tough skins with the smaller tomatoes than you would with bigger ones like romas, though. So you can leave them unpeeled and risk a few tough skins, or if you want to peel them we recommend checking out our guide to freezing tomatoes. You'll have to core the little ones, which is still a bit tedious, but once they're frozen the skins will slip right off after a quick rinse in water! I hope this helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask away =)
Hello!
I do not care for green peppers.
Can I leave out the green peppers without messing up this canned recipe?
Is canning salt the type of salt to use?
Thank you ❣️
Hi, Debbie! You can replace the green pepper with a different kind of pepper, as long as you use the same amount. The salt you use can be canning salt, but fine kosher or sea salt is okay, too. Happy canning!
I prefer my salsa pureed over chunky, when would you suggest pureeing in the process?
I also LOVE cilantro (yes, I'm on of "those people") so will put a LOT more than 2 tablespoons in when I make this later this summer. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
BTW, your bread a butter pickles are a big hit with me and the people I've been gifting them to. Glad I made a couple batches!
Hi, Tanya! We're so glad you love this recipe (and the pickles, too). Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and tell us. We really appreciate it! If you'd like to puree your salsa, the best time to do it is right before you add it to the jars for processing. Enjoy!