The best tomato canning recipes are simple, fast and delicious. You can process whole tomatoes, tomato juice or tomato sauce to have on hand for any of your favorites stews, soups or sauces. Or you can prepare these items ahead of time to have fast and wholesome meals at a moment’s notice.
For basic, easy tomato canning recipes like canning whole or crushed tomatoes, check out our Complete Guide to Canning Tomatoes. For my favorite tomato canning recipes, from BBQ sauce to salsa verde, read on!
About These Tomato Canning Recipes
The processing information for each of these tomato canning recipes is based on a water bath canner. You can easily adjust the times for a pressure canner.
You can choose any type of tomato for these tomato canning recipes, though paste tomatoes work best for most sauces. You don’t need specific cherry tomato canning recipes or heirloom tomato canning recipes; simply substitute your favorite tomatoes in the proper amounts.
Best Tomato Canning Recipes #1: Simply the Best Chili Sauce
Tomato canning recipes can be more interesting than just spaghetti sauce. Serve this amazing chili sauce at your next dinner and delight your guests.
Ingredients for 7 pints of sauce:
- 16 cups chopped and cored peeled tomatoes
- 6 chopped onions
- 8 chopped bell peppers (any color)
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 clove chopped garlic
- 1 Tbsp. freshly grated horseradish
- 1 Tbsp. celery salt
- 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground allspice
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground mace or nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 7 pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands, sterilized
Making The Best Chili Sauce:
Remember how I said the best canning tomato canning recipes are the simplest? Mix this delicious chili sauce up and can it in two easy steps.
- Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the sauce is thickened and mounds on a spoon.
- Hot pack into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adding 5 minutes for each 1000 feet of altitude gain above sea level. Cool for 24 hours and check seal.
Best Tomato Canning Recipes #2: Tangy Salsa Verde
Try using green tomatoes in your favorite tomato canning recipes to give them a distinctive flavor.
Image courtesy of freshpreserving.com
Ingredients for 3 pints of sauce:
- 7 cups chopped green tomatoes
- 5-10 jalapeno or habanero peppers, chopped fine
- 2 cups chopped red onion
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 3 pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands, sterilized
Making Tangy Salsa Verde:
Another easy tomato canning recipe, salsa verde is a classic for Mexican dishes. Serve it over chicken breast or on top of enchiladas with queso fresca.
- Combine first five ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add cilantro and spices and cook for five more minutes.
- Hot pack into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adding 5 minutes for each 1000 feet of altitude gain above sea level. Cool for 24 hours and check seal.
Best Tomato Canning Recipes #3: Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes
This simple sauce is on of the most delicious of all the tomato canning recipes. Nothing beats a simple, fresh, homemade spaghetti sauce.
Ingredients for 4 pints of sauce:
- 12-13 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes (paste varieties are best)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 5 cloves chopped garlic
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
- 2 tsp. citric acid
- 2 tsp. salt (optional)
- 4 pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands, sterilized
Making Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes:
There are many tomato canning recipes in the world, but few match this sauce. It is simple and delicious. Whenever you are canning spaghetti sauce be sure to add citric acid to each jar before adding the sauce at a rate of 1/2 tsp per pint to preserve the flavors and reduce the risk of spoiling.
- Saute onions and garlic in the oil till the onions are translucent.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor. Strain to remove skins and seeds.
- Stir in basil and cook mixture over medium heat until the volume is reduce by half.
- Hot pack into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Process in a boiling water canner for 40 minutes, adding 5 minutes for each 1000 feet of altitude gain above sea level. Cool for 24 hours and check seal.
Best Tomato Canning Recipes #4: BBQ Sauce
No list of the best tomato canning recipes would be complete without a good barbecue sauce. This one is sweet, tangy and just a bit spicy.
Ingredients for 3 pints of sauce:
- 20 cups chopped peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 3 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 Tbsp hot pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp celery seeds
- 1 1/2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp ground mace or nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp dried mustard
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands, sterilized
Making Tangy BBQ Sauce:
Of all the good tomato canning recipes around, this BBQ sauce is my favorite. It is fast, simple and delicious.
- Mix the first five ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Strain mixture, extracting all the liquid from the pulp and seeds. Discard the solids.
- Return liquid to heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer till thickened, about 30 minutes.
- Hot pack into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Process in a boiling water canner for 40 minutes, adding 5 minutes for each 1000 feet of altitude gain above sea level. Cool for 24 hours and check seal.
Extended Reading
Find more canning tomato recipes and ideas for using canned tomatoes in The Complete Guide to Canning Tomatoes.
Looking for more of the best tomato canning recipes? Learn how to make and can vegetable soup and ratatouille: