Green Tomato Salsa Verde

Green Tomato Salsa Verde is a delicious way to use up green tomatoes at the end of the gardening season. 

Salsa verde is a delicious homemade salsa that uses either tomatillos, or in this case, green tomatoes to give a “verde” or green base.  It has a unique flavor that’s a refreshing change from classic red tomato-based salsas.

Green tomatoes are perfect for canning, as they’re slightly more acidic than regular fully ripe tomatoes, and they have a firmer texture.  That means they’re acidic enough to be safe for canning, and robust enough to handle preservation.

This tested recipe from Ball Canning combines green tomatoes with red onions (for a splash of color), along with fresh cilantro, hot peppers, lime juice and spices for a well rounded salsa that’s perfect for dipping chips, topping tacos or serving with enchiladas.

It also works well as a condiment in place of relish on hot dogs or hamburgers or added to marinades with stewed meats or roast pork.

Ingredients for Green Tomato Salsa Verde

This tested canning recipe is adapted from The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, a classic guide that’s been a staple in canning kitchens for generations.

Salsa Verde is a versatile condiment that you’ll want plenty on hand year-round. It’s also a great way to use excess green tomatoes from your garden.

To make a batch of 6 half-pint (8 oz) jars or 3 pint jars, you’ll need the following:

•  7 cups green tomatoes, chopped
•  5-10 jalapeno, habanero, or Scotch bonnet peppers, finely chopped
•  2 cups red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
•  ½ cup lime juice
•  ½ cup cilantro, loosely packed
•  2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

The peppers you choose to use in this recipe will determine how spicy or “hot” your salsa will be. The volume or amount of peppers you use is also at your discretion. If you are unfamiliar with peppers’ spice levels (Scoville scale or Scoville Heat Units (SHU)), start with a few jalapenos with all the seeds removed and decide if you want to add more.

It is essential to wear gloves when working with hot peppers. Peppers contain capsaicin, primarily in the seeds, and the white pulp at the stem end of the pepper, which has most of the seeds. The hotter the pepper, the higher the levels of capsaicin.

Direct contact with enough capsaicin on the skin will create an excruciating burning sensation and can even produce blisters like a burn. Capsaicin is not water soluble, so washing it off your skin with soap and water is ineffective. The capsaicin can stay on your skin for hours or days, and if you touch sensitive areas of your body, such as your eyes, the burning sensation will also transfer, and it can be very painful.

No matter how “tough-skinned” you think your hands might be, ALWAYS wear gloves when handling hot peppers, especially in large quantities, as these recipes call for. 

I recommend using food-grade powder-free nitrile gloves because they fit tightly to your fingers, making handling a knife and scooping out seeds easier. Clear plastic disposable food prep gloves are another alternative, or even latex dishwashing/cleaning gloves will work.

The size you chop your tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro is a matter of personal preference. If you prefer your salsa to be very chunky, you will not chop the items as small as you would if you prefer a smooth, almost saucy type of salsa. The directions will tell you to chop the food, and you can determine how finely you want to chop.

 How to Make Green Tomato Salsa Verde

Wash the tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro with clean water and set aside to drain.

To blanch your tomatoes, prepare a saucepan with water and heat until boiling. The water level in the pan must be enough to cover 1 or 2 tomatoes. 

Place 1 or 2 tomatoes in the boiling water with a slotted spoon. After 30 to 60 seconds, use the slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately place them in a bowl of cold water. You may add a few ice cubes to your water bowl to keep the water cold. 

Place another 1 or 2 tomatoes in the boiling water with a slotted spoon, and again blanch for 30 to 60 seconds. Ensure the heat under your saucepan is high enough to keep the water boiling.

Transfer the blanched tomatoes in the cold water to a drainer or towel on the counter. Transfer the tomatoes in the boiling water to the cold water bowl using the slotted spoon.

Continue this process until all your tomatoes have been blanched. You may need to pause occasionally to allow the water on the stove to return to boiling and may need to add water if some has evaporated off. Refresh the cold water in the bowl occasionally or add ice cubes to maintain cold water.

The purpose of blanching the tomatoes is to make the tomatoes much easier to peel. 

With a paring knife, cut around the top stem of the tomato, removing the white core along with the stem. 

Remove the skin from the tomato. It should be relatively loose and slide off easily if the entire tomato was covered by boiling water when blanching.

Chop the tomatoes, measure out 7 cups of chopped green tomatoes, and place them in a large saucepan or stock pot.

Wearing gloves, slice the tops of the peppers off and cut the pepper in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and ribs inside the peppers. The seeds are the spiciest part of the pepper, so you may leave some or all of the seeds in the peppers if you want a spicier salsa. Discard unwanted seeds and ribs.

Chop the peppers and add them to the tomatoes in the saucepan.

Peel the onion and chop, measure 2 cups, and add the onions to the tomatoes and peppers.

Peel 2 garlic cloves, chop, and add to the tomato mixture. 

Lightly pack ½ cup of cilantro, removing thicker stems, then mince or chop finely and set aside for now.

Add ½ cup bottled lime juice to the saucepan containing tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic. Place over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.

Add the chopped cilantro, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper to the boiling tomato mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Gently boil the salsa for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Spoon or ladle the hot salsa verde into your prepared jars or containers. Continue to the “Canning Green Tomato Salsa Verde” section for hot water bath canning.  

I recommend canning the salsa using a hot water bath canner, but if you choose not to preserve it, store it once it has cooled in the refrigerator and use it within 3 weeks, or store it in the freezer and use it within 6 months.

Canning Green Tomato Salsa Verde

Prepare a water bath canner and jars before cooking the salsa verde.  If you’re unfamiliar with water bath canning, please read my beginner’s guide to water bath canning before you get started.

Carefully ladle or pour the salsa verde into the hot jars, leaving ½” headspace at the top of the jar.  Use caution and use a canning funnel with a headspace measurement to prevent spills and burns.

Once your jars are filled, wipe the rims of the filled jars with a damp, clean cloth and apply 2-part canning lids. Tighten the canning bands only until finger-tight, and do not over-tighten.

Load the filled jars into your preheated canner and bring the water to a full rolling boil.  Check to ensure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. 

Once boiling, start the timer and process the pint or half-pint jars for 20 minutes. After processing, turn off the heat and allow the jars to set in the canner for 5 minutes.

Use a jar lifter to remove the jars from the canner and set them to cool on a towel on the counter, leaving room between the jars for airflow. Do not disturb the jars as they cool.  Check the seals after 12-24 hours and store unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use.

Store your canned salsa verde in your pantry or other cool, dry place. It will maintain peak quality on the shelf for about 18 months but will still be good to eat after that as long as the jar remains sealed.  Refrigerate after opening. 

Altitude Adjustments

The altitude adjustments for water bath canning green tomato salsa verde are as follows:

• For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation – 20 minutes for pints & half pints
• For 1,001 to 3,000 Feet in Elevation – 25 minutes
• For 3,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation – 30 minutes
• For 6,001 to 8,000 Feet in Elevation – 35 minutes

Green Tomato Salsa Verde Variations

This green tomato salsa verde recipe is very versatile because you can use any variety of pepper you choose, and every kind of pepper will change your salsa’s flavor and spice (heat) level.

For a very mild salsa, use Anaheim or Banana peppers.

Jalapeno and Serrano peppers will provide a little spice, and if you keep the seeds with the peppers when you chop them, that will increase your salsa’s heat level.

Use hot peppers such as Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, Cayenne, Tabasco, or your favorite hot pepper if you love spice.

Roasting the peppers before you chop them brings out a smoky and rich flavor of peppers. You can roast any pepper on a grill, under a broiler, or over an open flame. Turn the pepper as it is roasting so the skin gets “blistered” on all sides. The skin may char a little, but that is okay. Place the peppers under a moist towel as they cool, then use your fingers to remove the skin from the pepper. Remember to wear gloves anytime you are working with hot peppers.

Ways to Use Green Tomato Salsa Verde

Salsa verde is a handy condiment that is delicious either in place of traditional salsa, but also on top of meat dishes in place of pickled relishes or sauces.

Many Mexican food recipes use salsa verde in the recipe, or it can be served alongside many Mexican dishes.

Salsa verde can be used as a relish on hot dogs, brats, or hamburgers. It can also be used as a marinade for chicken breasts or pork loin.

Use salsa verde instead of any red salsa, such as with chips as a dip or quesadillas.

Yield: 6 half-pint (8-ounce) or 3 pint jars

Green Tomato Salsa Verde

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Green Tomato Salsa Verde is a delicious way to use up green tomatoes at the end of the gardening season. 

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Ingredients

• 7 cups green tomatoes, chopped
• 5-10 jalapeno, habanero, or Scotch bonnet peppers, finely chopped
• 2 cups red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ cup lime juice
• ½ cup cilantro, loosely packed
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1. Wash the tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro under cool water. Set aside for water to drain.
2. Heat water in a saucepan to boiling. Ensure there is enough water to cover 1 or 2 tomatoes. Blanch the tomatoes 1 or 2 at a time, immediately transferring the tomatoes from the boiling water to a cold water bath. Continue until all tomatoes are blanched.
3. Remove the stem and core from the tomatoes, and peel off the skin. Discard skin, stems, and cores.
4. Chop the tomatoes, retain the seeds and juices, and measure 7 cups.
5. Wearing gloves, cut off the tops or stems of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs from inside the pepper. Some seeds may be retained for spicier salsa. Chop the peppers and discard the stems and seeds.
6. Peel and chop the red onion and measure 2 cups of chopped onions.
7. Peel and chop 2 cloves of garlic.
8. Measure ½ cup of loosely packed cilantro. Remove large stems if preferred, then chop or mince the cilantro.
9. Place the chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic in a large saucepan or stock pot. Add ½ cup of bottled lime juice and stir to combine.
10. Place the saucepan on the stove and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to boil, stirring frequently.
11. Add the cilantro, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper to the boiling mixture and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium and boil the salsa for 3 minutes, continuing to stir frequently.
12. Spoon or pour the salsa verde into prepared jars, leaving ½" headspace.
13. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth and apply 2-part canning lids.
14. If you choose not to can your salsa, allow it to cool on the counter, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or store it in the freezer and use it within 6 months.
15. Preserve the salsa verde using a hot water bath canning method.  Process pint and half-pint jars for 20 minutes. Allow the jars to sit in the canner with the heat turned off for 5 minutes once processing time is complete.
16. Use a jar-lifter and place the jars on a towel on the counter to cool for 12-24 hours. Check the seals and refrigerate any jars that did not seal for immediate use.
17. Salsa processed and sealed using a canning method can be stored in a cool, dry place, where it will maintain quality for 18 months. Refrigerate once opened.

Notes

Altitude Adjustments

The altitude adjustments for water bath canning green tomato salsa verde are as follows:

• For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation - 20 minutes for pints & half pints
• For 1,001 to 3,000 Feet in Elevation - 25 minutes
• For 3,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation - 30 minutes
• For 6,001 to 8,000 Feet in Elevation - 35 minutes

Green Tomato Canning Recipes

Looking for more ways to preserve green tomatoes in a canning jar?

• Green Tomato Canning Recipes
• Pickled Green Tomatoes
• Old Fashioned Green Tomato Jam