Hearty Tomato Salsa (with Paste Tomatoes)

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Hearty Tomato Salsa (with Paste Tomatoes)

Hearty tomato salsa made with paste tomatoes, roasted green chiles, onions, and jalapeños. A tested, safe recipe for canning—perfect for large batch preserving.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Canning time20

Total Time1

Course: Salsa

Cuisine: American

Keyword: canning tomato salsa

Servings: Servings, makes 16 to 18 pints

Equipment

Water Bath Canner

Ingredients

7 Quart paste tomatoes peeled, cored, and chopped
4 cups long green chiles roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
5 cups onion chopped
½ cup jalapeño peppers seeded and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 cups bottled lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp ground cumin optional
3 tbsp oregano leaves optional
2 tbsp fresh cilantro optional

Instructions

Prep vegetables: Prepare and chop tomatoes, onions, garlic, and peppers. Roast and peel green chiles.
Cook salsa: Combine all ingredients except optional herbs/spices in a stockpot. Boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add spices and simmer 20 minutes.
Can it: Ladle hot salsa into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids.
Process: Process pint jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (adjust for altitude).
Cool & store: Let cool 12–24 hours. Check seals, label, and store for up to 18 months.

Notes

Altitude Adjustments

Water boils at a lower temperature at higher elevations, so adjust processing time accordingly:

0 to 1,000 feet: 15 minutes

1,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes

Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes

Is This a Safe Salsa Canning Recipe?

Yes—this is a safe, tested salsa canning recipe based on guidelines from the So Easy to Preserve manual by the University of Georgia and the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

You don’t have to can it—this salsa works just fine as a refrigerator or freezer preserve. But if you’re canning it, make sure to follow the ingredient proportions exactly to ensure safety.

Do not reduce the acid in this recipe. The lemon or lime juice is essential for keeping the pH at safe levels for water bath canning. You can choose between bottled lemon or lime juice, but don’t use fresh or reduce the amount.

You may reduce or omit low-acid ingredients, such as onions or peppers, but do not increase them. You can substitute one type of chile or onion for another, as long as you don’t increase the total volume.

You’re free to adjust the salt and dried spices (like cumin, oregano, and cilantro) to your taste—these are for flavor only and don’t affect safety.

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