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
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This salsa is wonderful. My wife, who does not care for tomatoes asked if she can take all of the jard to college with her. Thank you!
So do I measure the 10 cups of tomatoes after I have peeled, cored and drained them?
Yes
Absolutely one of the best salsa recipes i have tried!!!
Your recipe is original one? My kids love it so much, and I intend to do it again next week! Thank you, Mel!
I’m not a fan of bell pepper; will leaving it out throw off the pH?
It should be fine since it won’t decrease the acidity – but the flavor will definitely be different.
Thank you; I appreciate it!
Explain, please, about tomato peels. My tomatoes are quartered or smaller, still with peels. What are the safety consequences? Also, BTW, thanks for the update on steam canners. I’ve used one for years (and for you canning newcomers, they’re cheap at Goodwill, etc.), with the reluctant, hard-won approval of a food science pro, only on condition of his anonomity (because of that research issue). Glad to know approval is now official!
You’d have to talk to a food safety or canning expert to really know the implications of using tomatoes with the skins on. I’ve heard it can decrease the pH and compromise canning safety but other sources will tell you it’s fine (keep in mind keeping the skins on can affect flavor, too).
How can i do this without a canner?
You can make it and keep it in the refrigerator for a week or so (or freeze it). Without a canner, there isn’t a way to make it safe to keep at room temperature on the shelf.
Since your only cooking this for 10 mins, is the onions and peppers still hard? Can I cook for longer if need be
Yeah it depends on how you really want it. You can cook the onions and peppers to your liking. But they really aren’t that hard cuz they do get cooked for a few minutes and then they sit in liquid till you eat it. Just depends on how you want your salsa to taste. I’d also say if you cook them to much they will get soggy and gross.
Yes, you can cook longer if you’d like.
Best salsa ever!
This was my first time making any salsa. 38 pounds of slicing tomatoes from the garden translated to 25 cups of tomatoes, in turn 23 pints of salsa. I used all lemon juice, no vinegar, no sugar. Excellent flavor! Looking forward to enjoying it. It will be hard to give any jars away. 🙂
Really, really good! I have made several batches this season, and am on my last two pot batch tonight, Hubby loves it! I added smoked paprika as well. All veggies from my garden but the organic garlic that was grown locally, yum, yum yum! Very tasty as a raw salsa too, having a hard time not eating it as I cook it down.
Hello may I ask how much smoked paprika you added?
Thank you so much!
Cheryl
Would you know how long it keeps in fridge when opened? I made this recipe yesterday and it is sooooo goood i had to restrain myself. I made the recipe before cooking supper, go figure! haha. Definitely a keeper, I will also teach my daughters to make it so it stays in the family! It was my first time canning with a bath, and it was a success. Thank you for your guide, sincerely.
About a week or so!
Love this recipe and the great visuals, I made it as stated above. It is delicious, my Dad loves it too, we can together and we can’t seem to stop eating this salsa. I tend to like it spicier so would add more jalapenos to part of the recipe next time, I might experiment with part bottled lemon juice (safer for canning as pH is consistent) and part vinegar. The flavors are wonderful. Thank you for the great recipe.
This recipe makes excellent salsa!!!. Some might find it a bit spicy but I love it!
I’ve come across salsa recipes that call for “fire roasted tomatoes”, which are tomatoes that are cooked exactly like you say in the oven, except they are left until blackened, which infuses them with a smoky flavor. The peels, like in your recipe, are removed afterwards. Have you ever made this recipe with fire roasted tomatoes?
I haven’t but it sounds like it would add interesting flavor.
Fire roasted tomatoes are actually a little sweeter in taste than standard tomatoes, due to enhancement of the natural sugars in the tomatoes during the “fire roasting” process. I use a year round salsa recipe out of the Ball canning and preserving cookbook, that calls for “store bought canned” tomatoes, hence “year round”. I use canned fire roasted tomatoes to add a different flavor, along with canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to give the salsa a slight smokey spice bite. Chipotle peppers are actually ,”smoked” jalapeno peppers. My salsa variation gives a nice flavor twist, I like it anyways.
Hi, I came across your recipe and am eager to try it, but have never done any canning before, so I dont have a canner. I’ve tried doing a little research, and am a little overwhelmed, so I thought I would ask the source. Is this recipe safe to can in a water bath method, just covering it with boiling water for the recommended time in a big pot? Forgive me if that is a stupid question! Thanks so much, I cant wait to try it!!
Hi Markelle, yes you can safely can this salsa using a water bath for the jars.
Thank you! I’m making my first batch right now and cant wait to try it!
Mel, Regarding how many pounds of tomatoes one would need to get 10 cups after removing the peel and the seeds and draining well.
It does depend on the kind of tomato. I just recently bought 20 pounds of Ox Heart paste tomatoes , and I got 15 cups of usable tomatoes for my Salsa.
This salsa is the best! It is just the right blend of ingredients. It does use a lot of tomatoes though. I’m going to plan ahead and plant more in my garden next year just for this recipe.
I’m getting ready to make this salsa. Is it safe to use a different variety of pepper than jalapeños? I have a habanero plant in my garden and I want to use them for extra heat.
Yes, you can change up the jalapenos with habaneros.
Hello just made a batch of salsa, can’t wait to try it, how long after canning, will it be ready to eat?
Anytime!
16 bottles of salsa later, I realised this recipe is amazing!!!! Yum!!!Took a bit to covert it to Ozzie measurements but definitely definitely thinking of making another batch!!!!Thankyou soooo much for sharing this recipe!!
I have never made salsa. This was the first recipe I picked and will be the only one I need. It is surely the best salsa I have ever had
OMG! This IS the best salsa!!! I used Romas to make a tomato sauce for the recipe. I used regular fresh tomatoes from the garden and skinned, chopped, and squeezed juice from them. I followed the recipe exactly except for no sugar. I think the 100% apple cider vinegar is important (not apple cider flavored vinegar). Thanks so much for sharing your excellent salsa recipe.
I know some might consider this a big “no no”, but can one use canned tomatoes in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it, but I believe others in the comments might have.
Yes, you can use “store bought” canned tomatoes. I use a salsa recipe out of the Ball canning and preserving cookbook that is a “year round” salsa recipe calling for commercially canned tomatoes. I feel it’s a very good recipe, making it frequently.
I have doubled and tripled this recipe ! I’ve modified it to use less sugar and vinegar ; more garlic cilantro peppers ( hot) and added 1/2 cup lime juice to make up for less vinegar
It is phenomenal!!
This is an amazing, super fresh tasting recipe. I did not use any sugar in mine and used all Roma tomatoes. I used the recommended amount of tomato paste and anaheim peppers (all I had available) Honestly, it’s a garden in a jar.
Peeling tomatoes after a few minutes under the broiler is brilliant!
When you say tomato sauce, do you mean ketchup? Or passata? Or something else?
Thanks
I’m not sure what passata is, but tomato sauce comes in a can and is a thick blend of pureed tomatoes.
Delicious! The best salsa recipe! I had yet to like a homemade salsa but this recipe is AMAZING!
Can you use red pepper for green pepper in this? Forgot the green peppers at the store
I’m not 100% positive, but I think red bell peppers should sub fine for green.
Any color “sweet pepper” can be used. I use a mix of green, red, orange, and yellow sweet bell peppers in my salsa recipe to add some color. This year I planted a couple “purple” bell pepper plants and will be using them in my next batch of salsa. I also add a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce along with jalapeno peppers to add a slight smokey spice bite.
I added a tea spoon of fine ground hot pepper. now thats the slight hot I like and no tomato paste. I like it wet …Great recipe. the first time I ever made salsa and I am glad I found the perfect recipe.. on top of it all. its just like a recipe of a so called semi friend. that had his own recipe I liked and he wouldnt give it up. well ..he can bite this. now!! I got it. if not better ..ha ha !! you and your grand mother knew your stuff… Thanks !!
This is a fantastic recipe and I love the tip to broil the tomatoes to peel them….it worked great! I ended up using about 35 medium size vine grown tomatoes to make 10 cups of chopped, drained tomatoes. We don’t care for cilantro, so I substituted Italian parsley instead. I also added 1 or 2 tablespoon of lime juice in place of some of the vinegar. Love the flavour of this salsa and will definitely make this recipe again.
I found this on Pinterest a few weeks ago & it has been my go to for this season’s canning! Hubs loves it & I’ve lost track of how many jars we have put up. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hello, I’ve been canning food for 45 years, including many salsas–but I do have to say that this is definitely a keeper and I’ll be using it in the future–thanks! I made a half batch as I was at the tail end of my tomatoes at 9:00 Monday night and had just enough to make half of your recipe. I made the “new” version with less vinegar and with sugar in it–it’s just wonderful! Only changes I made were to use Poblano hot peppers which are milder than Jalapenos and less of them as I wanted a more mild salsa and to sub out 2 tablespoons of lime juice for 2 tablespoons of the cider vinegar. Made for a bright, tasty salsa!
If I could suggest–instead of all the calculating and worry about PH in this, or other recipes due to minor changes–I bought an electronic PH liquid meter from Amazon for about $12.99 and you just dip it in the liquid food, pool, or aquarium–and instant PH! Your salsa with my lime juice exchange was a comforting 3.6 PH. I would never just make up a canning recipe and depend on that inexpensive meter to be safe, but it lets me double check on all my tomatoes & water bath canning and the recipes I carefully choose for safety from Pinterest.
Also, I personally only fill & finish two jars at a time and put them in the canner on the rack then do two more till canner is full & I can lower rack into bottom. I highly recommend new canners who need to think about each step and work more slowly, only do one at a time to keep them hot.
Some of the online recipes and comments totally scare me to think what some people are doing, either by direct choice or lack of canning knowledge, that endangers their families’ lives! There was a lot of unexplained illness and death in the old days that I think could be partly due to food storage issues. It’s the opposite of the Lottery–you want to be the 1 in a million to win the lottery, but you DON’T want to be the 1 in a million to win the botulism contaminated canning jar! Canning is one process that you MUST follow the safety rules whether you’re a natural rule follower or a rebel!
First Best Salsa!! Is the 10 cups of tomatoes measured after you drain them? Can you omit the tomatoe sauce and paste without affecting the PH? I did it that way and it’s yummy! Just want to make sure it’s safe since I. Did 17 jars!
The tomato paste is optional but the tomato sauce is important for proper pH levels (and I measure the 10 cups of tomatoes after draining).
Made this salsa and love it. Followed directions exactly except I used 3/4 c vinegar and 1/2 c lime juice.
It’s a keeper for sure. Not too spicey for me as I am not a fan of hot Spicey. At first I thought it might be a tad too sweet but after canning process its perfect. I used Romas there is a hybrid I like to grow that produces much larger tomatoes also I used the paste as I like a thicker salsa. Thank you so much for this recipe. Will be making another batch for sure.
Can I substitute the jalapenos for cyans?
Making my second batch today: Absolutely delicious, thank you for posting it! I also broil my tomatoes to peel the skins, great tip. I love the fact you don’t need to add sugar.
I am canning salsa my plan is to add baby carrots just prior to the water bath. My recipe (BEST EVER) calls for sweet baby carrots but I don’t wana cook them in the salsa I want them as fresh as possible. I hope it works, I’ve been canning for 30 years but have never attempted my salsa… I’ll keep you posted. I just maybe on to something. LOL Also, my home email is not the email I provided that is my biz email.
Home email- denisekestell@icloud.com
Could I sub some lime juice for part of the vinegar? I haven’t made this yet but it seems a little light on cilantro for our taste. Would adding more affect the ph? Thanks!
Adding or subbing in ingredients can affect the pH; I can’t really offer input on how much cilantro you could add and still keep it “safe.” And I believe others have added lime juice for part of the vinegar, but I haven’t tried that myself.
I made it as written only added half the juice and no paste….yum! Thank you this salsa is amazing! I’m making the second batch to can today. We couldn’t stop eating it even before we canned it. Thank you again for sharing.
Was my first time canning salsa. I don’t like runny salsa this has a perfect consistency! right amount of spice that has a Kick but it doesn’t linger with you. Definitely will use this recipe again! The whole family loves it, even the kids! Thanks for all the tips… they all came in handy and I did the recipe exactly how it was. I got 4 pint jars and 3 quart size out of a batch.
I would like to say thank you for posting this salsa recipe. This is the first time I have every comment on a recipe I have come across on the internet. I made a double batch of this salsa yesterday. Followed recipe exact. I tasted the salsa before canning. It yielded 17 pints. Probably could have made 18 if I wouldn’t have eaten any. It was delicious. All the fresh flavors blended together perfectly. My family was overly complimentary of the taste as well. My daughter said it was the best she has every tasted in her life. That is saying a lot since she is a big fan of Mexican food, starting with chips and salsa. My husband couldn’t stop praising me, which I loved! This morning for breakfast, he had to have an omelet with salsa. At this rate I will have to make another batch before the season is over. Again, thank you, it is truly the “Best Homemade Salsa”. I would also like to add one more thing…the tip about putting tomatoes in the oven instead of boiling and ice bath was great. It was fast and easy. I have never heard this method before but I will be peeling my tomatoes that way from now on.
Thanks so much, Brenda! And thank you for taking the time to comment; I appreciate each and every comment people leave (even if I don’t have the time to respond to each one)!
I would like to say thank you for posting this salsa recipe. This is the first time I have every comment on a recipe I have come across on the internet. I made a double batch of this salsa yesterday. Followed recipe exact. I tasted the salsa before canning. It yielded 17 pints. Probably could have made 18 if I wouldn’t have eaten any. It was delicious. All the fresh flavors blended together perfectly. My family was overly complimentary of the taste as well. My daughter said it was the best she has every tasted in her life. That is saying a lot since she is a big fan of Mexican food, starting with chips and salsa. My husband couldn’t stop praising me, which I loved! This morning for breakfast, he had to have an omelet with salsa. At this rate I will have to make another batch before the season is over. Again, thank you, it is truly the “Best Homemade Salsa”.
Looks great!
Could this recipe be frozen instead of canned?
Yes
I love this salsa. I boil all ingredients, pour into pint or quart jars. I do not process in a canner. Boil the lids for 5 minutes, then attach the cover. Turn upside down on a board and cover with a heavy towel. Seals every time!!
How long do you cook this salsa recipe? You don’t use water bath?
Can you use Citric Acid in place of vinegar or lemon juice.? I use citric acid canning my tomatoes and spaghetti sauce.
The recipe hasn’t been tested using citric acid, so I don’t know.
Can i freeze the salsa instead? I would rather can it but I cannot get mason jar lids anywhere
Yes, it can be frozen. The texture is a bit different after thawing but the flavor is delicious.
I LOVE THIS SALSA! My mom and I canned a bunch of this yesterday with tomato’s from our garden and it is the best recipe. Thank you for posting this.
I just made my 4th batch of this salsa tonight. We have a huge vegetable garden and have been making it when enough tomatoes ripen. Absolutely love this recipe. I followed it exactly and have made 36 pint size jars. Have given away about half so I will make another 2 batches when the rest of the tomatoes are ready. Everyone loves it. Thank you so much for sharing this and the perfect instructions you gave!
Made this recipe today. Picked about two full plastic grocery bags of big boy tomatoes from garden which came out to almost exactly 10 cups (maybe 1/4 cup over) after peeling, crushing and draining. I used the traditional boil and ice bath since I hadn’t wanted to turn on oven since it was such a hot day. I altered the recipe only slightly. I ended up not using cilantro since after 3 days it went bad after picking it up from the grocery store. I did add about 2 or 3 Tbsp parsley flakes since I personally love parsley in almost everything I cook. Instead of garlic cloves I used three tsps chopped jar garlic which I always have on hand. I did add the sugar. I used 1 cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup lime juice. I did use the tomato paste as well. I used 5 large jalapenos and took the seeds and membranes out of half each. It gave it about almost MEDIUM HEAT if compared to store brands. Instead I used quart jars and somehow it came out to 7 quarts with about a pint left over I put in fridge to sample. I did the water bath as that is what I have always used. As soon as my father got home from work he took it out to try and my daughter was like mom hasn’t even tried it yet. We all tried it and absolutely loved the taste. Mom don’t eat salsa or spicy so she wasn’t included in the vote. Lol. 3 out of 3 loved it in my house. Bummed I had already promised my brother and my bfs mom a jar. Lol. I already know this salsa wont last through winter. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. Saving for future years.
I am on my second batch and I bought 20 lbs. of tomatoes at the Farmers Market to offset my own tomatoes which I did not have enough of…..I left them out on patio for about 4 days……I have been working on this salsa all day…..I actually ended up with 17 cups of tomatoes in the end…….I adjusted the measurements of everything else accordingly and it is turning out great…..my husband loves it…..so do I……I had given away too much though and have to make more…..this time I am making it a little bit hotter……maybe I won’t get asked for more if I make it hotter…..lol Anyway, just wanted to let you know that this is my only salsa recipe that I will make now……excellent!!!!!
I have never made salsa before (or canned anything) and I’m planning on making this tonight just to eat right away. So I still need to boil and simmer, correct?
Simmering it will intensify and deepen the flavors so I would still recommend doing that even if you aren’t canning it in a water bath.