The Best Garden Salsa

My tomato crop has been out of this world this year…

I’ve had bigger yields, earlier ripening, and sweeter tomato fruit than any year prior.

Maybe it’s the rye cover crop I planted in the beds last fall… Or maybe it’s sheer luck? But regardless, it’s October and I’m still drowning in tomatoes.

It’s been an exercise in finding how many creative ways to eat and preserve tomatoes… We’ve been making sauce, tomato powder, soup, spaghetti, enchilada sauce, and salsa.

I always hesitate to share homemade salsa recipes since they rely so much on feel to get them just right.

But since this year’s salsa has been some of the best I’ve made, I figured I’d better write it down before I forget.

The one downfall of this homemade garden salsa recipe is that it’s not perfectly exact. (The best recipes rarely are). But I’ll do my best to share the little adjustments I’ve made so you can follow along.

I have been water bath canning this recipe, but you can make less for fresh eating if you don’t want to can it.

If you are a canning newbie, I just revamped my Canning Made Easy course and it’s ready for YOU! I’ll walk you through each step of the process (safety is my #1 priority!), so you can finally learn to can confidently, without the stress. CLICK HERE to have a look at the course and ALL the bonuses that come with it.

The Best Garden Salsa Recipe

Yield: Around 7 pints

(Based on the Ball Blue Book)

Ingredients:

• 11 cups roughly chopped tomatoes (I leave the skin + seeds intact)
• 7-8 cups peppers (see note below) seeded and finely chopped
• 5 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3-4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

Instructions

1. Process all of the tomatoes, peppers, and onions in a food processor until they are finely chopped. (I use the pulse setting. We prefer a smoother texture, but if you like extra-chunky, process less.)
2. Add all ingredients to a large stockpot and bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings if needed.
4. Ladle the hot salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water canner (learn how to water bath can here).

Notes:

• I used a mixture of bell peppers, poblanos, and random mild chili peppers (I forget their name) that I grew in my garden this year. Basically, just whatever I had. If you want hotter salsa, use spicier peppers in whatever ratio you can stand.
• I used San Marzano tomatoes (a paste variety) for this, but any tomato will work
• If you really want to peel/seed the tomatoes, go for it. Personally, I’m allergic to tedious canning processes that force me to handle each tomato one by one…
• The vinegar is important both for flavor and maintaining proper acidity levels for canning (learn more about safely canning tomatoes here).
• If your tomatoes are super acidic, you can add a teaspoon or two of sugar.

The Best Garden Salsa

A delicious garden-fresh salsa recipe with canning instructions.

Yield: Around 7 pints

(Based on the Ball Blue Book)

• Author: Jill Winger

Ingredients

• 11 cups roughly chopped tomatoes (I leave the skin + seeds intact)
• 7–8 cups peppers (see note below) seeded and finely chopped
• 5 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3–4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

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Instructions

1. Process all of the tomatoes, peppers, and onions in a food processor until they are finely chopped. (I use the pulse setting. We prefer a smoother texture, but if you like extra-chunky, process less.)
2. Add all ingredients to a large stockpot and bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings if needed.
4. Ladle the hot salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water canner (learn how to water bath can here).

Notes

• I used a mixture of bell peppers, poblanos, and random mild chili peppers (I forget their name) that I grew in my garden this year. Basically, just whatever I had. If you want hotter salsa, use spicier peppers in whatever ratio you can stand.
• I used San Marzano tomatoes (a paste variety) for this, but any tomato will work
• If you really want to peel/seed the tomatoes, go for it. Personally, I’m allergic to tedious canning processes that force me to handle each tomato one by one…
• The vinegar is important both for flavor and maintaining proper acidity levels for canning (learn more about safely canning tomatoes here).
• If your tomatoes are super acidic, you can add a teaspoon or two of sugar.

Final Thoughts and More Resources for You

This is a super delicious salsa recipe and my family loves it. I already know that we’ll be making it every year from now on, so I’m glad I wrote down my recipe so we can make it in a similar way each year. If you love salsa recipes, make sure you check out my other salsa recipes: Roasted Poblano Salsa (with canning instructions) and Pico de Gallo Recipe (for fresh eating).

If you’re curious how to safely create your own canning recipes, make sure you check out my resources on safe canning:

• How to Can Tomatoes Safely at Home
• Best Resources for Safe Canning
• The Ultimate Guide to Canning Safety

More Tomato Resources:

• Homemade Tomato Paste Recipe
• How to Can Tomato Sauce
• 40+ Ways to Preserve Tomatoes
• How to Save Tomato Seeds
• Ultimate Guide to Growing Tomatoes
• How to Ripen and Save Green Tomatoes
• Creamy Tomato Garlic Soup
• How to Freeze Tomatoes