The Best Canned Salsa Recipe

Now that the tomatoes and peppers are starting to ripen in the garden it is time to share our favorite and best canned salsa recipe. Although we make several different varieties of salsa, this one is by far the most popular.

It is a standard, slightly chunky salsa recipe that is a favorite among our family and friends. We use it to serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer. And we will also open a jar and use it as a condiment for tacos, burritos, nachos and more!

The best part of this recipe is that it is so easy to make. In fact, even the novice cook can master this recipe by following the simple instructions outlined below.

And that includes the canning process. With the use of basic canning equipment, you can have homemade salsa to enjoy all year long.

However, there are a few important steps to follow to make sure that the jars of salsa turn out perfect every time.

Tips For Canning Salsa

1. Use Fresh Ingredients

One of the most important tips when making canned salsa is to use fresh ingredients for best results. For instance, it is important to use tomatoes that are ripe, but not overly ripe and beginning to turn soft.

However if you follow the guidelines in this article: When To Pick Tomatoes, you will have to wait a few days until the tomatoes are fully ripe before using them in this recipe.

And the same holds true for the peppers and onions. If you want that classic crunch of peppers and onions when you take a bite of canned salsa, be sure to use only vegetables that are nice and firm.

2. What Type of Tomatoes Makes The Best Salsa?

Second, you must decide what type of tomatoes that you are going to use to make your salsa. Whenever possible use some variety of paste tomatoes.

They are traditionally oblong and are smaller in diameter than standard slicing tomatoes. However, they have thicker walls and less juice in them which makes them hold up well during the canning process.

These varieties are commonly known as Roma, San Marzano or Amish Paste tomatoes. However you may also find them generically labeled as paste tomatoes at the store or Farmer’s Market.

However if you don’t have enough paste tomatoes to make salsa, you can certainly use slicing or cherry tomatoes as well. Although, be sure to not use more than 25% of low-acid tomato varieties.

The lack of acidity in these types of tomatoes will negatively impact the pH levels for safe canning practices. However, you can use the low acid tomatoes to make salsa but you will need to store it in the refrigerator.

The Best Canned Salsa Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• Paste tomatoes
• Green peppers
• Hot peppers
• Onions
• Garlic cloves peeled
• Cilantro
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in making the best canned salsa is to peel the skin off of the tomatoes

If left on, the skins will shred off during the cooking and preserving process. As a result, you will have strips of skin floating in your salsa making the texture unpleasing to many.

However, peeling tomatoes is a relatively easy process.

Start by filling a large stockpot with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Then submerge the whole tomatoes in the water for approximately 1 minute.

Using a slotted spoon or ladle, immediately remove the tomatoes and place them in an ice water bath. This will stop the cooking process.

Then once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle make a tiny cut in the skin and peel the tomatoes. The peel should come off easily. Discard or use in other recipes as desired.

Remove The Pulp And Seeds

Next you will want to remove the pulp and seeds of your tomatoes and discard.

Simply cut your tomatoes in half, or in quarters for large tomatoes, and squeeze the tomato until the pulp and seeds squirt out.

However, there is no need to make sure every seed has been removed. A few seeds in canned salsa is acceptable.

Dicing The Vegetables

Next comes the task of cutting your vegetables into small pieces.

For the tomatoes, be sure to dice them a little larger than what you want the size to be in your canned salsa.

The tomatoes hold a lot of water and will break down during the cooking and canning process.

However, the same is not true for the peppers and onions. You will want to cut them to the desired size.

Yes, they will soften and break down a bit, but definitely not as much as the tomatoes.

We use our Hamilton Beach Food Processor to make cutting the peppers, onions, and garlic a breeze. This saves us a considerable amount of time when we are making salsa.

The Canning Process

Now that you have your vegetables prepared, it is time to make the best canned salsa that you have ever had.

Start by adding all of the ingredients to a large stockpot and place over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil.

While you are waiting for the salsa to heat up prepare the canning jars and equipment.

Fill clean, pint size mason jars with water and place them upright in a hot water bath canning pot. Then pour enough water in the pot that it comes right to the top rim of the mason jars.

Add undamaged bands in with the jars and then place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a low simmer, but do not let it come to a full boil. Keep the jars in the water until you are ready to fill them with the salsa.

When it comes to the canning lids themselves, you will most likely not have to heat the canning lids themselves. Several years ago a new technology emerged with canning lids called Sure-Tight lids.

It is recommended that these lids are no longer heated before topping the filled canning jars. However, be sure to read the labels carefully to see the instructions for your specific brand.

Hot Water Bath Canning

Once your salsa has boiled for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to a simmer. Once the salsa is ready and the mason jars are hot it is time to start canning!

Using a jar lifter, remove one mason jar and dump the hot water back into the pot. Then place the jar on a thick kitchen towel next to your pot of salsa.

Place a wide mouth funnel on top of the jar and fill it with the simmering salsa. However, be sure to leave a 1/2 inch head space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion during the canning process.

Next, wipe the rim of the jar with a clean washcloth. Then place the lid on the mason jar and finger tighten the band.

Then using the jar lifter place the filled jar back into the pot and repeat the process until all the jars have been filled.

At this point, the water should be 1-2 inches above the top of the jars. If not, be sure to add additional water so that the canned salsa can be safely processed.

Turn the pot to HIGH heat, cover and bring the water to a boil. Once it begins to boil start the timer and let it continue at a rolling boil for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude as required.

Once the time is up, turn off the burner and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Then use the jar lifter to carefully lift the jars out of the hot water and place on a thick towel.

Let the jars cool for 24 hours.

Checking For Sealed Jars

Before storing your canned salsa, you must check to make sure that each jar has properly sealed. Push down on the center of the lid and if there is any movement, the jars are not safe for storing at room temperature.

Place the non-sealed jars in the refrigerator and eat within 1-2 weeks. The remaining sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

Serving Canned Salsa

When you are ready to use a jar of homemade canned salsa we recommend adding in a few fresh ingredients to make it even better!

Dice up a little fresh onion and bell pepper and add it to your salsa along with some cilantro and garlic salt.

The hint of fresh ingredients makes the flavor of your canned salsa the best salsa that you have ever had!

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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