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Water Bath Canned Tomato Salsa

Water bath canned tomato salsa with chunky ruby-red pieces, bright vinegar tang, and fresh cilantro stirred in at the end. This preserves a thickened, garden-style salsa by processing sealed jars in boiling water for shelf-stable pantry jars.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tomatoes
  • 8 cup tomatoes, peeled and diced
Onions
  • 2 onions, diced
Jalapenos
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
Vinegar
  • 1 cup vinegar Use vinegar for canning; acidity is standardized for safety.
Fresh cilantro
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt
  • 1 tbsp salt
Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep jars and ingredients
  1. Sterilize canning jars and lids in boiling water to ensure safe canning; keep them hot until you’re ready to fill.
Cook the salsa base
  1. In a large Dutch oven, combine tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, garlic, vinegar, salt, and cumin.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer at 100°C and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally so the salsa stays chunky.
  3. Stir in the fresh cilantro right before jarring, then simmer at 100°C for 1 minute to warm it through without dulling its color.
Jar and water-bath process
  1. Ladle the hot salsa into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, then wipe rims clean and seal with lids.
  2. Process jars in a boiling water bath at 100°C for 15 minutes, keeping the water at a full rolling boil for the entire time.
  3. Let jars cool completely, then check that lids have sealed properly by pressing the center of each lid—it shouldn’t flex.

Notes

Pro tip for safety: use bottled lemon or lime juice or vinegar for canning so the acidity stays standardized. Store sealed jars in a cool pantry for up to 1 year; once opened, refrigerate and use within 5 to 7 days. Freezing is not recommended for this water-bath canned recipe. Dietary swap: for a milder salsa, replace half of the jalapenos with diced bell pepper to reduce heat while keeping the chunky texture.