The Best Homemade Salsa
With over 2,000 5-star reviews you can trust that this is the best salsa recipe ever. It can be served fresh or canned to be shelf stable.
Included in the post is a step-by-step canning guide with tons of tips for proper home canning safety so you can store up jars upon jars of this salsa to last you all year.
Homemade Tomato Salsa Ingredients
For proper canning safety, this list of ingredients needs to be strictly adhered to. If there are variation options, I have listed them below.
- 10 cups peeled, chopped and drained tomatoes: any variety of tomato can be used; it’s important to let the tomatoes drain after chopping and then measure the tomatoes after draining.
- 3 cups chopped onion: white or yellow onions can be used.
- 1 ¾ cups chopped green bell pepper: any variety of bell pepper can be used. Do not increase the amount of bell peppers in the recipe as it can reduce the pH levels and affect canning safety.
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups finely diced jalapeños: leave the seeds and membranes in for more heat. The amount of jalapeños can be decreased (but not increased above the 1 1/4 cup amount).
- 7 cloves garlic, finely minced: the amount of garlic can be reduced, as desired.
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 ½ tablespoons canning or pickling salt: if you don’t have canning or pickling salt and would prefer not to buy it, you can use coarse, kosher salt (or experiment with table salt) but make sure it doesn’t have added iodine or any other additives.
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro: do not increase the amount of cilantro; alternatively, it can be omitted or reduced.
- ⅓ cup sugar: the sugar is optional in this recipe and the amount needed will largely be dependent on the sweetness of the tomatoes and your personal taste preference.
- 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar: Don’t alter the amount of acidity (vinegar). You CAN substitute some of the vinegar for bottled lemon or lime juice (keep in mind this will affect the overall flavor; I’ve had good luck subbing in half bottled lime juice for half of the vinegar). DO NOT USE FRESH LEMON OR LIME JUICE.
- 16 ounces tomato sauce: this ingredient is necessary for safe canning/proper pH and is NOT optional (despite what other recipe reviewers have said).
- 12 ounces tomato paste: this ingredient helps thicken the salsa; however, it is OPTIONAL. You can add a reduced amount of tomato paste or omit it completely.
Reminders for Homemade Salsa:
- Use a tested recipe. Canning is a great way to preserve food and keep it on your shelves, but there are many food safety concerns related to canning and it’s important to use a recipe that’s been tested to ensure the pH levels are safe over time. This recipe has been tested for home canning safety in a proper lab.
- The variety of tomatoes doesn’t necessarily matter for this recipe, but the method does. This recipe calls for draining the peeled, chopped tomatoes and you’ll definitely want to follow this step otherwise your salsa will be watery.
- Peeling tomatoes is essential for this recipe (both from a texture and bacteria standpoint). See my easy method for peeling tomatoes below.
- Canning the salsa can be done with a water bath or steam bath canner. This recipe has not been tested (and is not recommended) for pressure canning.
The Easiest Way to Remove Tomato Peels
The easiest way to remove the peel/skin from tomatoes is as follows:
- Cut the tomatoes in half and place them cut-side down on a baking sheet
- Preheat oven to broil and place an oven rack 8- to 10-inches away from the broiler element.
- Place the pan of tomatoes in the oven and BROIL for 3-4 minutes (watch closely!). You’ll know the tomatoes are ready when they swell and look taut and begin to bubble just a bit.
- When the pan is removed and as they cool, the tomato skins will wrinkle and peel off very easily.
The oven broiling method to remove tomato skins is so much easier and less messy than plunging the tomatoes into a water bath.
Notes About Salsa Flavors
As written, this salsa is not overly spicy. You can increase the heat level by leaving the seeds and membranes in the jalapenos or use peppers with more heat, like serrano or habanero peppers.
IMPORTANT: the flavors of this salsa get better and balance more evenly with time. So if it has an overly strong vinegar taste after canning, let it rest on the shelf for a week or so.
The best batch of this salsa I’ve ever made used half apple cider vinegar and half bottled lime juice. I will make it like that from now on!
For a step-by-step visual on making this salsa, scroll below the recipe for a tutorial. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Made this this morning. It is by far the best homemade salsa I have ever had. Perfect!
—Diane
Canning Tools For Homemade Salsa:
*several products below are affiliate links to Amazon
- this over-the-sink colander is perfect for draining the tomatoes
- food processor – I’ve had this machine for over 10 years
- steam canner – this is the only way I can at home (approved by the National Center for Home Food Preservation)
- this simple canning toolset has just about everything needed for filling and handling the jars
The Best Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- 10 cups peeled, chopped and drained tomatoes (see note)
- 3 cups chopped onion
- 1 ¾ cups chopped green bell pepper
- 5 medium jalapeños, finely chopped, membranes and seeds removed (leave in for extra spice) – about 1 to 1 1/4 cups
- 7 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 ½ tablespoons canning or pickling salt (see note)
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ⅓ cup sugar, optional, depending on sweetness of tomatoes
- 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar (see note)
- 16 ounces tomato sauce, NOT optional – necessary for safe canning/proper pH
- 12 ounces tomato paste, optional if you want a thicker salsa
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Fill sterilized pint-size canning jars within 1/2-inch of the top. Wipe the rim of the jar clean and seal with a lid and ring.
- Process in a water or steam bath canner for 15 minutes (add 5 minutes if you live at 1,001 to 3,000 feet; add 10 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 feet; add 15 minutes for 6,001 feet to 8,000 feet).
- Remove the jars carefully from the water or steam bath and let cool to room temperature. Check to make sure the jars have sealed correctly (lightly press the top of the lid; it should be firm – if the center bubbles up and down when you press on it, it hasn’t sealed correctly and will need to be refrigerated or re-processed).
Notes
Tomatoes: peel the tomatoes and let them drain first before measuring. The exact weight of the tomatoes varies GREATLY depending on tomato variety and how much the tomatoes drain. I tend to err on the side of over-draining the tomatoes so the salsa isn’t runny. A *general guideline* is to plan on about 20 pounds Roma/paste tomatoes OR 22 to 25 pounds non-paste tomatoes for a single batch of this recipe (or a combination of different types of tomatoes).
Salt: if you don’t have canning or pickling salt and would prefer not to buy it, you can use coarse, kosher salt (or experiment with table salt) but make sure it doesn’t have added iodine or any other additives.
Peeling the Tomatoes: I don’t like messing with a water bath and bowl of ice water to peel the tomatoes; instead, I cut them in half and place them cut side down on a large baking sheet (really cram them in there in a single layer). I broil them for 3-4 minutes until the skins begin to pucker. Once they come out of the oven, the skins will wrinkle and peel right off and the baking sheet is easily cleaned. For this recipe, I use about three sheet pans of tomatoes (again the exact amount will depend on variety).
Chopping: for easy and fast chopping, I throw the onion, green pepper, jalapeños and garlic in the food processor and process until chopped to the desired size.
PH: as with all canning recipes, this recipe has been developed and tested specifically to make sure the pH level is safe for canning. Don’t alter the amount of acidity (vinegar). You CAN substitute some of the vinegar for bottled lemon or lime juice (this will affect the overall flavor). DO NOT USE FRESH LEMON OR LIME JUICE; it is not acidic enough. Dried spices won’t affect pH, so you can also experiment with those, but the amount of vegetables and tomatoes and acidity need to stay the same.
Canning Method/Jars: this recipe can be water bath or steam bath canned. It is not recommended to pressure can this recipe. Additionally, it is not recommended to make and process this recipe using quart-size jars.
Quantity: this recipe can be doubled or tripled (make sure you have a big pot ready!) or halved.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly (increased all the quantities appropriate for canning safety) from this recipe I found on the awesome GardenWeb site
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My second time making your recipe. The first batch is great. However with this batch vinegar is the first thing you taste. I added a bit more sugar but it did not tone down the vinegar flavor.
I went directly by the recipe, measurements, etc. but did not add the optional tomato paste. I’m still cooking waiting on the cilantro and jalapeno addition.
Will time reduce vinegar taste?
Yes, time definitely mellows the vinegar and balances the flavors.
Really grateful for this recipe – incredibly tasty and the paste added wonderful depth & texture. I did use mostly lime juice (1 cup) with the rest ACV due to taste.
What size of jalapeños should I use?
I usually use small to medium jalapenos
OH MY WORD!!! This was my first time making salsa. I followed the recipe as stated. My daughter helped me and we could not stop eating some once it cooled. I wouldn’t change a thing, she said she’d prefer a little less sugar and adding a little more of the Jalapeno centers. I typically prefer mild salsa and she prefers a spicy medium. This is now a summer favorite to make.
Hands down the BEST salsa recipe ever! Two questions: If tomatoes are prepared, drained and stored in the refrigerator the day before canning does this diminish the flavor of the salsa at all? Also, can this recipe be water bath processed in 1/2 pint jars for the same amount of time as pint jars, without sacrificing food safety? Thanks!
Thanks, Linda! Yes, you can process the salsa in 1/2 pint jars and it should be fine. I haven’t tried preparing the tomatoes a day ahead of time, but I think it should work just fine!
I drain the tomatoes over a bowl. Then freeze the tomato water to use in soups and stews. Seems a waste to let it all go down the drain
First time to make salsa. I had looked at several recipes before chosing your recipe. My family LOVED it.
Weeks later I was going to use to use my tomatoes for chili sauce. I decided “no” we’ll probably eat more salsa. Lol
I want to run tomatoes through food processor along with onions. Will I still use 10 cups of pulsed tomatoes?
Thank you
I would measure 10 cups of drained tomatoes and then run them through the food processor – that way you make sure to have the right amount. 🙂
Does changing the cilantro affect the pH? If not, would someone who really loves cilantro want to add more?
Adding more cilantro could change the pH but I’m not sure how much extra you’d have to add to affect that. I think you could add a bit more (maybe up to 1/2 cup) and be fine, but that’s just a guess. Because food safety is really important with canning, it’s probably best to follow the recipe since it’s been tested for pH/safety.
I added much more. Cilantro should not affect PH
What happens if I forgot to add the vinegar and my jars are already processed and cooled?
You’ll probably need to open them back up, add the vinegar and reprocess. The salsa won’t be shelf stable/food safe without the vinegar.
What about some lime juice (instead of lemon) in place of some of the vinegar? Will that mess with the ph?
I believe you can do 1/2 lime juice and 1/2 vinegar without affecting the pH (based on a comment down thread from someone who works at their county extension office).
Do i have to add sauce and paste to the recipe? I don’t want to have to put anything store bought into my salsa. I plan on using Amish paste tomatoes and they usually are pretty thick/no juice tomatoes.
Altering the recipe might affect the canning safety. From my understanding, the tomato sauce is necessary for the pH levels (tomato paste is optional).
I was wondering the same! Wouldn’t sauce just be paste with some water?
Do i have to add sauce and paste to the recipe? I don’t want to have to put anything store bought into my salsa. I plan on using Amish paste tomatoes and they usually are pretty thick/no juice tomatoes.
I’m excited to try this recipe! I was reading through the comments to see what people used for tomato sauce but couldn’t find any mention. Do you use tomato sauce that is flavoured at all? Is it possible to emit the tomato sauce and just use paste?
The tomato sauce isn’t optional but the tomato paste is (all of this is based on canning safety; I can’t recommend using the tomato paste without the tomato sauce because I don’t know how it affects the pH).
Thanks for your answer Mel! Is it just plain tomato sauce or does it have spices in it? I guess I’m confused because the tomato sauces that I usually see are the ones that have italian herbs in them.
I just use plain, unseasoned tomato sauce. 🙂
help…after reading here, and my salsas are cooking, (after canning), my question has to do w/ exact measurements: I had 10 cups of peeled, drained, chopped tomatoes, that came from about 10 lbs…. what did I do wrong?
and how exact must the measurements be?
thanks
Phyllis
You didn’t do anything wrong – so much will depend on the variety of tomatoes. As long as you had 10 cups of chopped tomatoes after draining, it should be fine.
Hi… I just made this delicious SALSA… but, I used 10 lbs of plum tomatoes, (enjoyed the recommended peeling method, so much easier than putting in boiling water), and I ended up with 10 8 oz jars….. it was very labor intensive, and I would do the tomatoes one day in advance, and then can them the next day…..(your recommendation of 20 lbs getting down to 8-9 jars seemed wrong for me, and actually, I would make 5 lbs of tomatoes) I can’t imagine dealing w/ 20 lbs of tomatoes…. maybe I am wrong….
nevertheless, there will be some lucky friends who receive a jar here and there….
so… thanks for this recipe…
I added juice from 1/2 lime and a couple extra tablespoons sugar. I also used a potato masher and after the salsa has cooked for 20 minutes or so, I mashed to break up any large pieces of vegetables. My family loves this salsa, and it’s my second year making salsa and using this recipe!
Someone reposted your recipe and made some major adjustments. The vinegar calls for 2.5 instead of 1 1/4 cup and it says cook the salsa for 3-4 hours instead of 20 minutes. I used the incorrect recipe. It you could get it deleted that would be great som no one will make the mistake I made. I plan to make more salsa using the correct recipe.
Awesome Salsa Recipe, and easy to follow. I love cilantro and this recipe highlights that flavor. Thank you.
I’m not a cilantro fan, is it safe to take out?
The cilantro is optional. Many salsa recipes don’t call for it so you can leave it out.
Wonderful salsa recipe! Making it today for the second year in a row. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Yes, you can leave it out.
Could you tell me roughly how many whole tomatoes were used in this recipe?
That being paste/roma tomaotes. I live in the UK and we use different measurements.
Thank you,
George
Hi George, unfortunately I don’t have an exact number because it changes every time I make it based on the size, shape of the paste tomatoes. I’m sorry I’m not more help!
This is the third year I have made a double batch of this salsa to can. My family loves it!
We loved it! Thanks for the great recipe.
This was the best salsa I’ve ever eaten. Big hit at office and with grandkids.
This salsa is so good. Going to make my second batch tomorrow. If I can in quart jars how long would I water bath? We go through a pint every three days.
I haven’t canned quarts, but a couple people in the comments suggested canning quarts for double the time (30 minutes).
This Salsa recipe has the correct name, “The Best Homemade Salsa.” Mine yielded 10 pints with about 1/2 pint left over for us to enjoy right away with our favorite chips. I added more Jalepanos because we like a little kick. Very tasty. I love all the tips on making this and broiling the tomatoes was the key. It does take a while to prepare everything, but it was worth the time. It is delicious. This recipe is a keeper for me.
I just made this salsa! I can’t wait to try it! I have a question — The recipe made 7 full jars and 1 half jar. I could not process the half jar in the water bath canner, is it safe to save that half jar of salsa and eat it once it cools? The salsa mixture was cooked for 15+ minutes before I canned those 7 jars in the water bath. Let me know if that left over portion is safe to eat as is? Thank you for a very-easy-to-follow salsa canning recipe! It was really fun to make!
Yes, you can definitely eat the salsa without water bath canning it – just keep it in the refrigerator. 🙂
This recipe is so delicious, and a perfect way to use tomatoes and peppers from a bountiful harvest.
Can you swap out the onions for another vegetable? I’m am not an onion fan and prefer to use scallions or even shallots when I cook. Can I reduce the amount of onions and increase, by a like amount, green peppers or even more tomatoes? Your input would be awesome. Thanks in advance. #botulismisforheadaches
Hi Connie, I’m honestly not sure – this recipe has been tested with the amounts given in the recipe and changing out ingredients can affect the canning safety.
Mel, My wife and I used this salsa recipe over the weekend. It was our first time canning anything. Thanks for this great recipe. It turned out great. We didn’t leave the seeds in any jalapeños, so next time I will leave them in one to give it some kick and I’m going to use less vinegar and add some lime juice. I love the flavor of lime. Thanks again!!! Oh, you are 2 for 2 with me. I made your lemon blueberry cake with whipped lemon cream frosting for my wife’s birthday. It was a hit.
Made your salsa yesterday. First time and a friend recommended yours. We tried it today and it was delicious But my husband said he’d like it a little hotter. What should I add?
You can add more jalapenos (and keep the seeds and membranes for a spicier salsa).
Can you add a hotter pepper other than jalapenos?
Can you peel and freeze the tomatoes and then thaw and make the salsa at a later date?
Yes, you sure can! (If you freeze the tomatoes unpeeled, when you thaw them, the peels fall right off!)
Mel, thank you for this recipe. This is the best salsa I’ve ever made. In a moment I will be off to our local tomato farm for another 5 gallon bucket of fresh tomatoes because the hubs is needing another batch but bigger and canned in quart jars. Shew, that was a mouth full. 🙂
This was my first attempt at canning salsa and it turned out phenomenal! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and all of the photos. Your tomato skinning tip and the food processor are also golden. I will definitely be making this again (and probably soon, since I just ate half a jar by myself).
Hi there,
I’m growing tomatoes and would love to make some homemade salsa with this recipe and then can it for friends and family. However, I do not have a steam canner that this recipe talks about. Is it necessary? Are there other methods I can use to seal and can this salsa without it?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Lauren, you can use a standard water bath canner for this recipe, too. 🙂
BEST SALSA RECIPE–hands down! After trying many different recipes but unable to find what we were looking for we finally found this gem. Perfect in sweet/heat balance, consistency, and taste. Thank you for sharing! We’ve made batches and batches of this chunky liquid gold the last 3 canning seasons, and eat it all winter. I wish we could control ourselves enough to make it last through the spring and summer as well, but it’s just too good. We’ll be making double what we did last Fall. Fingers crossed!
We have trouble with our salsa being to watery. Are you saying paste makes it thicker?
Yes, tomato paste helps with flavor and slightly thickening the salsa.
Oh my! My sister has been craving for salsa since the beginning of lockdown. We can’t find even a single jar and makes her really frustrated. Luckily found this recipe and since we have lots of tomatoes in stock and the ingredients are available in our kitchen, so I need to keep going and satisfy my sister’s cravings!
Hi Mel,
What do you do with the tomato juice that you drain off? Do you use it for something else? It seems a waste to throw it away.
Thanks.
I usually just toss it – sorry I’m not more help! I know others in the comment thread have used it for other purposes.
I add the drained juice to my compost pile.
I can tomato juice to use for soups
This is the best!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now using different varies of tomatoes from my garden. Since I don’t like green pepper, I substituted red pepper. It’s so good. Friends even think it would go with pasta. I’ve added hatch chili’s for even more heat and depth of flavors. Didn’t know how to can it so I’ve followed your recipe and it’s great every time!
I have used this recipe three times. It is my go too. I love the tip on removing the tomatoes. I usually add chiles versus jalapeños. My husband doesnt like jalapeños so I usually add later to one of the pints.
Could I substitute the green peppers for other peppers? (Serrano, Pablano, or Anaheim)
I think so!
Awesome! I was looking for a recipe for Homemade Salsa and found it on your blog again. Just follow the detailed instructions, everything becomes very easy. I was finally able to make it myself at home. Thanks for your sharing
I made this recipe over the summer with garden tomatoes. It is so good! My husband has used it on nearly everything and I gave some away. Making it again and will continue to make it every time we run out. Thank you for going into such detail!
Made this spring of 2019. Homegrown tomatoes and the other ingredients were store bought. We loved it and gave it out to friends. Everyone agrees that it tastes almost exactly like Pace picante sauce. It’s fabulous just fabulous!
Hi. I made exactly as written and although it was good, figured I could just buy next time and save myself. Your explanation on peeling tomatoes is right on. If someone is having problem, just leave them under broiler longer. I have to be honest. If you are w working person with a family expect this to take a good 5 hrs out of your life. I think, just way too much work for something that was ok. I do want to say, Thank You for recipe, I love to try new things, at least once.
This is a great base recipe, excellent as written, but can also be tweaked to make it more to your liking. I love the idea to broil tomatoes to remove skins, saved me so much time instead of blanching. I did about 7-8 cups tomatoes so I adjusted everything else slightly down. I added a hot pepper and couple dashes of hot sauce at the end, to taste. I never had to can it, 5 kids and hubby finished it off in less than a week. I did not add sugar, vine-ripened tomatoes were all the sweet we needed.
I made the salsa with your recipe and we love it I was wondering if it would hurt to add frozen pineapple to the recipe and still be safe for canning ? Thank you so much for sharing your recipe
Hi Glenda, adding ingredients, like other fruits and vegetables, will change the pH levels and can make the salsa unsafe for canning so I wouldn’t recommend adding pineapple (you could definitely add it after opening a jar!)
I made this recipe and we really liked it. However I felt like the apple cider vinegar was a bit overwhelming. At first that is all you can taste is the apple cider vinegar. I think next time I will use white vinegar, and I’m wondering if you can cut it in half, or would that mess with the PH in the recipe.? And the apple cider vinegar does make it a sweeter taste to the salsa.
When the salsa sits for a week or so, the vinegar flavor mellows and all the overall flavors blend really well. However you could sub in another vinegar, but you can’t cut the vinegar in half or it will affect the canning safety.
I have to be honest. After all the work it took just to get 5 cups of tomatoes for this recipe (I decided to halve it, because the peeling and draining just took so long), I was all ready to not like this salsa. BUT it’s SO good. Even my husband, a self-proclaimed salsa-hater, said it was delicious. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. All of your recipes are fantastic. Thanks again!
Just wondering what kind of onion is best to use…white or yellow. Also what is the best brand of paste to use. Can’t wait to try it!!
You can use either white or yellow onions – I’ve used both with good results. I use the Costco brand of tomato paste.
How many and what size jars should I prepare?
It makes 8-9 pints.