Homemade Garden Salsa Recipe (Perfect for Canning)

A hand holds a jar of homemade salsa; more labeled jars are stacked on wooden shelves in the background.

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Garden Salsa Recipe (Perfect for Canning)

This fresh garden salsa is the perfect way to use ripe tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs straight from the garden. It’s simple to make, easy to customize, and bursting with fresh flavor—perfect for chips, tacos, grilled meats, or preserving the taste of summer.

Prep Time45

Cook Time2

Total Time2 45

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chips and salsa, crowd-pleaser, fresh, from the garden, garden preservation, healthy recipes, holiday, homemade, jalapeño, make-ahead, meal-prep, multi-use, party recipes, party snacks, spicy, summer, using your harvest

Servings: pints

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Angela Judd

Equipment

Boiling-water canner or deep stockpot with rack
Pint or half-pint canning jars with new lids and rings
Ladle
Bubble remover tool or plastic utensil
Jar lifter
Wide-mouth funnel
Clean towels
Large non-reactive pot 8 quart
Colander
Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

8 pounds Ripe paste tomatoes See note
2 cups Mild Green peppers (Anaheim or poblano) Seeded and diced
⅓ to ½ cup Hot peppers (Jalapeño or Serrano) Seeded and diced
2 cups Onions Diced
½ cup Fresh cilantro Chopped
½ cup Lime juice Bottled if canning
½ cup White vinegar 5%
⅓ cup Tomato paste
5 cloves Garlic Minced
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

Prep Tomatoes

Wash tomatoes and remove stem ends.
To peel, bring several inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Immerse tomatoes a few at a time for 30 to 60 seconds until skins split.
Transfer to cold water, slip off skins, and discard.
Remove cores and seeds, then chop. Measure 15 cups of chopped tomatoes and place in a large colander set in the sink. Drain for 30 minutes so your salsa is not runny.

Simmer

Transfer drained tomatoes to an 8-quart nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 1½ hours, stirring often, until thickened to your liking.

Add Remaining Ingredients

Stir in peppers, onions, bottled lime juice, 5% white vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, salt, crushed cumin seeds, and black pepper. Return to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Fill Jars

Prepare clean, hot jars. Ladle hot salsa into jars leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe rims clean. Apply lids and rings until fingertip tight.

Process

Place filled jars on the rack in a boiling-water canner with water covering lids by at least 1 inch. Return to a vigorous boil and process for the time in the table (see notes). When time is up, turn off heat and let jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove to a towel-lined counter. Do not tilt. Let cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.

Store

Remove rings, check seals, wipe jars, label, and store in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use within 1 year. Refrigerate after opening and enjoy within 1 to 2 weeks.

Notes

Tomatoes: I love using Roma or San Marzano tomatoes, but you can use whatever you’d like. Peel, core, seed, and chop them roughly and then measure 15 cups of chopped tomatoes.

Consistency: It isn’t safe to add thickeners to this recipe before canning. For a thicker salsa, drain tomatoes well and simmer until it is to your liking.

Processing Times for Hot-Pack Pints:
0 to 1,000 ft: 15 minutes
1,001 to 6,000 ft: 20 minutes
Above 6,000 ft: 25 minutes
Phoenix metro is just over 1,000 ft, so use 20 minutes.

Nutrition