Pickled Cherry Tomatoes are tasty little snacks that pack a punch. They’re perfect for salads and pasta dishes, or for snacking on right out of the jar.
Canning pickled cherry tomatoes is not only a delicious way to preserve your garden harvest, but it’s also incredibly useful for adding a burst of tangy flavor to salads, sandwiches, and more. These little gems are packed with juicy sweetness and a tangy vinegar kick that’s absolutely irresistible!
Not only do pickled cherry tomatoes make a great addition to any dish, but they’re also packed with nutrients. Cherry tomatoes are high in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants, which help to protect your body from harmful free radicals. Pickling them is a great way to enjoy them all year round and reap those health benefits.
Making pickled cherry tomatoes is easy, and you can customize the flavors any way you like.
Ingredients for Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
This recipe is adapted from The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. I’ve adapted it to use white wine vinegar, which has a less intense taste than plain distilled white vinegar (but both are just as acidic). Be sure to check your vinegar bottle to be sure it’s standardized to at least 5% acidity. (You can also substitute other vinegar at 5% acidity, including apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, and red wine vinegar.
The ingredients for canning pickled cherry tomatoes are quite simple. To make a canner batch of four pints, you’ll need the following:
- 2 quarts cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups white wine vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
- 1-quart water
- 1 tsp pickling salt
- 4 cloves garlic (optional)
- 4 sprigs rosemary, thyme or other herbs of your choice
- pickle crisp (optional)
The pickle crisp in this recipe is optional, but it helps keep the cherry tomatoes firm during pickling. It’s natural calcium chloride, which helps firm up the walls of veggies during canning. If using, add 1/8 tsp to each pint jar before pouring over the pickling brine.
Canning Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
Wash your cherry tomatoes under cold water. Clean each tomato thoroughly so that no dirt or grime is left behind.
Next, wash and peel the garlic (if using, garlic is optional). Then, grab a thin metal skewer and prick each tomato. This helps prevent the peels from bursting during the canning process. It won’t necessarily prevent cracking, but it can help the tomatoes preserve their flavor and reduce any unwanted spreading.
In a large saucepan, combine some salt, white vinegar, white wine vinegar, and water. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Pack the cherry tomatoes into hot jars, leaving about a half inch of headspace. Add one clove of garlic and one sprig to each pint jar.
If using pickle crisp, add 1/8 tsp to each pint jar.
Ladle the hot pickling liquid over the cherry tomatoes, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Make sure to remove any air bubbles that may have formed and clean the jar rims. Then, center the lids on the jars and adjust the bands to fingertip tight.
Place the filled jars onto a rack that is elevated over simmering water in your boiling water bath canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by one inch. Then adjust the heat to medium-high, cover the canner, and bring the water to a rolling boil.
Process the pint jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for elevation. Afterward, turn off the heat and remove the cover. Let the jars cool down for a bit in the canner.
Remove the jars from the canner. Don’t retighten the bands if they’re loose. Let the jars cool for 12 hours at room temperature. Then check to make sure the seals are tight, label the jars, and store them right away. If any jars did not seal, put them in the refrigerator and eat as soon as possible.
Altitude Adjustments
Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so jars need to be processed a bit longer as you go up in elevation. Here are the altitude adjustments for canning pickled cherry tomatoes:
- For 0 to 1,000 Feet in Elevation – Process pint jars for 10 minutes, and quart jars for 15 minutes.
- For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation – Process pint jars for 15 minutes, and quart jars for 20 minutes.
- Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation – Process pint jars for 20 minutes, and quart jars for 25 minutes.
Serving Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
These little bursts of tangy sweetness can be served along with just about anything – on a charcuterie board, in a salad, as a snack, you name it. They’re versatile like that. And good news, they’re also heat and eat. No need to add any ingredients!
But if you’re feeling extra fancy, here are a few ideas to kick things up a notch.
You can add some chopped fresh herbs like basil or cilantro to really enhance the flavors. Or toss them with some mozzarella balls and balsamic glaze for a beautiful caprese salad. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try them on top of some grilled bruschetta for a truly elevated appetizer.
Of course, they also taste great on just about any sandwich or wrap. You can chop them up or add them in whole for a burst of flavor. You can add pickled cherry tomatoes to just about any recipe that calls for regular cherry tomatoes, too, like as a homemade pizza topping or in a homemade salsa. They’re wonderful on grilled meats or even kabobs if you’re in the mood for barbecuing.
They can even be used in a Bloody Mary or a similar cocktail – trust us when we say that these pickled cherry tomatoes are an absolute gamechanger. After being canned, they’ll last at least a year in storage (but often longer), so you’ll have plenty of time to experiment and find the recipes that tickle (or pickle?) your fancy the most.
Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
Pickled Cherry Tomatoes are tasty little snacks that pack a punch. They're perfect for salads and pasta dishes, or for snacking on right out of the jar.
Ingredients
- 2 quarts cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups white wine vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
- 1-quart water
- 1 tsp pickling salt
- 4 cloves garlic (optional)
- 4 sprigs rosemary, thyme or other herbs of your choice
- pickle crisp (optional)
Instructions
- If canning, prepare a water bath canner, jars, and rings before beginning. The canner should be pre-heated to just barely simmering, around 180 F.
- Wash your cherry tomatoes under cold water.
- Wash and peel the garlic.
- With a thin metal skewer, carefully prick each tomato to prevent them from bursting.
- In a large saucepan, combine salt, vinegar, and water.
- Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pack the cherry tomatoes into hot jars, leaving a half inch of headspace.
- Add one clove of garlic and one sprig to each pint jar.
- If using pickle crisp, add 1/8 tsp to each jar pint jar.
- Ladle the hot pickling liquid over the cherry tomatoes, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
- Remove any air bubbles that may have formed and clean the jar rims.
- Center the lids on the jars and adjust the bands to fingertip tight.
- Place the filled jars onto a pre-heated water bath canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by one inch.
- Adjust the heat to high, cover the canner, and bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Process pint jars for 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude, see notes).
- Turn off the heat and remove the cover.
- Remove the jars from the canner. Don't retighten the bands if they’re loose.
- Let the jars cool for 12 hours at room temperature.
- Check to make sure the seals are tight, label the jars, and store.
Notes
Altitude Adjustments
Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so jars need to be processed a bit longer as you go up in elevation. Here are the altitude adjustments for canning pickled cherry tomatoes:
- For 0 to 1,000 Feet in Elevation - Process pint jars for 10 minutes, and quart jars for 15 minutes.
- For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation - Process pint jars for 15 minutes, and quart jars for 20 minutes.
- Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation - Process pint jars for 20 minutes, and quart jars for 25 minutes.
Pickling Recipes
Looking for more simple pickling recipes?
- Pickled Corn Salad
- Pickled Three Bean Salad
- Pickled Green Tomatoes
- Pickled Green Beans (Dilly Beans)
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Pickled Fiddleheads
Summer Canning Recipes
Putting up more than just cherry tomatoes this summer?
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