Green tomato salsa for canning is exactly what you turn to when frost is coming, and you’ve got more green tomatoes than you know what to do with. This recipe blends green tomatoes with banana peppers, jalapeño, onion, garlic, and cilantro, simmered low and slow until it’s ready for the water bath. You don’t peel a single tomato, and bottled lime juice keeps the acidity right where it needs to be for safe canning. Five pints, one afternoon, and you’ve got salsa in the pantry for the whole year.
Ingredients Needed for Green Tomato Salsa for Canning
Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. For the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Green tomatoes: this is what gives the salsa its bite, and the good news is you don’t have to peel a single one, just wash, core, and dice them up. Look for ones that are still firm and hard on the vine, that firmness is what holds up through the simmer and the canner.
- If you end up with more green tomatoes than this recipe calls for, my southern fried green tomatoes recipe is another great way to use them up.
- Banana peppers: these bring a mild, sweet pepper flavor without adding real heat. Seed them before you chop so you’re not fighting stray seeds while you dice.
- If you end up with extra peppers from the garden, my canning roasted peppers guide is a great way to put them up too.
- Jalapeño peppers: this is where the kick comes from, and you can adjust it up or down depending on how many you use. I’ve swapped these out for poblano peppers plenty of times when I wanted something a little milder and smokier, and it works great.
- Onions: white or yellow both work fine here, just dice them evenly so they cook down at the same rate as everything else.
- Garlic: use real cloves, finely chopped. Skip the pre-minced jarred stuff, it just doesn’t bring the same flavor once it simmers down.
- Cilantro: I love what fresh cilantro adds to this, but if you’re not a cilantro person, you can leave it out and the salsa still holds together fine.
- Vinegar (5% acidity): this is part of what makes the salsa safe to can, so don’t cut back on it no matter how it looks in the pot.
- Bottled lime juice: stick with bottled here instead of fresh. Bottled juice has a consistent, USDA-approved acidity, and that consistency is what keeps this recipe safe for canning.
- Ground cumin and oregano: these are what give the salsa that warm, classic flavor underneath the peppers and lime.
How To Make Green Tomato Salsa for Canning
Once everything’s chopped, this green tomato salsa for canning comes together faster than you’d think. And if water bath canning is still new to you, my water bath canning for beginners guide walks through the basics before you start.
Fill your boiling water bath canner halfway with hot water and place it on the stove. Heat the water to 180 degrees during the last 20 minutes of cooking the salsa. Keep a kettle of hot water ready in case you need to add more to cover the jars later.
Tip: I’ve learned the hard way that shortcutting this simmer time leaves the salsa thin and watery, the full 45 minutes is what actually thickens the salsa and lets the flavors develop.
Water Bath Can the Salsa
- Bring the canner water to a full boil. Ladle the hot salsa into clean, hot pint jars, leaving half an inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metal utensil, wipe the rims clean, and apply the lids finger-tight.
- Lower the jars into the canner, making sure they’re fully submerged, and process for 15 minutes if you’re at or below 1,000 feet elevation, longer if you’re higher up. Once time is up, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them.
- Let the jars cool undisturbed for 24 hours, then check the seals, remove the bands, label, and store.
| Recommended process time for Green Tomato Salsa in a boiling-water canner. | ||||
| Process Time at Elevations of | ||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | 0 – 1,000 ft | 1,001 – 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
| Hot | Half-pint or Pint Jars | 15 min | 20 | 25 |
Ways to Make This Green Tomato Salsa Canning Recipe Your Own
You don’t have to make this exactly the way I do every time. Swap the jalapeños for poblano peppers if you want something a little milder and smokier, it’s a swap I’ve made plenty of times and I love it just as much. And if cilantro isn’t your thing, leave it out entirely, the salsa holds together just fine without it, we just happen to love it in our house. If you want another canning salsa in your pantry rotation, my canning cherry tomato salsa recipe is a great one to add to the lineup.
Questions about Green Tomato Salsa for Canning
No, you don’t have to peel green tomatoes for this recipe at all. Just wash them, core them, and dice them up, the skins soften right into the salsa as it simmers.
Yes, you can mix in some ripe, red tomatoes with the green ones. Just steer clear of overly ripe ones, since they’ll water down the salsa and take away the tart bite that makes this recipe work.
They’re actually two different plants, not the same fruit at different stages. Tomatillos have a papery husk and a bright, tart flavor, while green tomatoes are simply unripe tomatoes with a firmer, meatier bite and a milder flavor. You can’t really swap one for the other without changing both the texture and the tang of your finished salsa.
If a lid doesn’t seal after the full 24 hours of cooling, don’t panic, I just pop that jar in the fridge and use it up first. It’s still perfectly good salsa, it just won’t hold on the pantry shelf the way a properly sealed jar will.
Yes, this recipe is easy to adjust either way. Use fewer jalapeños or swap in poblano peppers for something milder, or add extra jalapeño if you want more heat.
No, don’t double this recipe in one pot. The National Center for Home Food Preservation cautions against doubling any home canning recipe, since it throws off even cooking and raises the risk that part of the batch sits too long before it’s processed, meaning it may not reach a safe temperature all the way through. If you’ve got a larger canner and want to fill it, cook multiple full batches at the same time in separate pots, one recipe per pot, so every batch finishes hot together. Then ladle all the jars from every pot into the canner for one processing load. That way each batch stays exactly as tested and hot-packed, you’re just multiplying pots, not multiplying the recipe or letting jars sit around waiting on a second batch to catch up. (Source: NCHFP)
Favorite Canning Supplies
Showing Hospitality With Green Tomato Salsa for Canning
Having a pantry lined with jars of this green tomato salsa means when someone shows up on my porch without calling first, I’m not scrambling around trying to pull a snack together; I’m just walking to the pantry and grabbing a jar. I love pulling these out for a Taco Bar Night, setting out warm tortillas, seasoned meat, and cheese, and letting this salsa be the thing people keep going back for; honestly, it’s usually the first bowl to empty. Keep it simple, let everyone build their own plate, and you’ve got a whole meal that took almost no last-minute work. Scripture talks about showing hospitality without grumbling, and that’s a lot easier when the work is already sitting sealed in a jar, waiting for the moment you need it. That’s the gift of canning ahead; you’re not just feeding people that night, you’re loving them before you even know they’re coming.
And if you’ve got even more green tomatoes left after this batch, my green tomato casserole is another cozy way to use them up.
Green Tomato Salsa for Canning
Ingredients
- 8 cups green tomatoes, cored and diced
- 2 cups banana peppers, seeds removed and chopped (see pepper variations below)
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (optional, add more for spice)
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped (remove large stems)
- 1 cup vinegar, 5% acidity
- ½ cup bottled lime juice, do not use fresh
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
- 1½ teaspoons salt
Instructions
Prepare the Canner
- Fill your boiling water bath canner halfway with hot water and place it on the stove.
- Heat the water to 180°F during the last 20 minutes of cooking the salsa.
- Keep a kettle of hot water ready in case you need to add more to cover the jars later.
Make the Salsa
- Prep the vegetables:
- No need to peel the green tomatoes—just wash, core, and dice them.8 cups green tomatoes
- Chop the onions, banana peppers, and jalapeños.2 cups banana peppers, 1 cup onions, 2 tablespoons jalapeño peppers
- Cook the salsa:
- In a large stockpot, combine the diced veggies, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and seasonings.6 cloves garlic, ½ cup cilantro, 1 cup vinegar, ½ cup bottled lime juice, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano leaves, 1½ teaspoons salt
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often. Lower the heat if it sticks.
- Blend (optional)
- Use an immersion blender for a smooth salsa. For a chunkier salsa, blend less or skip this step.
Waterbath Can the Salsa
- If the canner water isn’t boiling, turn up the heat until it reaches a full boil.
- Ladle hot salsa into clean, hot pint jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
- Remove air bubbles by running a non-metal utensil around the inside of the jars.
- Wipe jar rims with a damp paper towel and secure two-piece lids (finger-tight).
- Place jars in the canner, ensuring they are fully submerged (add boiling water if needed).
Process the Jars
- Bring water back to a full boil before starting the timer. See notes for processing time.
- When done, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing.
- Carefully remove jars with a jar lifter (don’t tilt them) and set them on a towel to cool for 24 hours.
Check & Store
- After 24 hours, check seals by pressing the center of each lid (it shouldn’t pop back).If a jar didn’t seal, store it in the fridge and use it first.
- Remove ring bands, wipe jars clean, and label them with item name and date.
- Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
Gina’s Notes and Tips
- If you like mild salsa, use banana peppers, poblano, or Anaheim.
- For spicy salsa, use jalapeño peppers or cayenne peppers.
- If you are brave, make your salsa verde hot, adding a few habanero peppers with your mild peppers.
| Recommended process time for Green Tomato Salsa in a boiling-water canner. | ||||
| Process Time at Elevations of | ||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | 0 – 1,000 ft | 1,001 – 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
| Hot | Half-pint or Pint Jars | 15 min | 20 | 25 |
Can these be water bath canned?
Brian, You have me thinking with your question about water bath canning this recipe. I have always used my pressure canner, but after careful research, I believe a water bath canner would work fine. I always refer to the National Center for Home Food Preservation. They suggest salsa to be hot packed in pint jars and processed for 15 minutes. I am going to try and update this green tomatoes salsa post to using a water bath canner. I think more people are comfortable with a water bath canner than a big pressure cooker. Be sure and visit my How To Water Bath Can for tips.
Can you please tell me how long canned salsa will last with this recipe AFTER opening it?
Elizabeth, you asked a great question, thank you. I have added it to the post for others to read too. According to the University of Minnesota’s Extension Office, it is advisable to refrigerate home-canned salsa once it is opened and consume it within one week. Store bought salsa has preservatives added so it can keep longer in a refrigerator, up to 3 weeks. Home canned salsa does not have preservatives, hence the shorter
Alternatively, for longer storage, you can freeze it for up to one year.
To defrost frozen salsa, remove the container from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can thaw it more quickly by transferring the salsa to a microwave-safe dish and using the defrost setting in short increments, stirring occasionally to ensure even thawing.
Haven’t made any yet,but I intend to soon
However, I am confused by the directions, “cut tomatoes into 3″cubes”. Most of my tomatoes are about 2.5″ in diameter. How do I cut them into 3″ cubes?
Just cut them in half.This is to help break the tomatoes down easily while cooking. The green tomatoes are hard and take longer to soften.
I question the direction to prepare green tomatoes in three inch cubes. I don’t think I have ever seen a tomato, red or green, big enough to get a three inch cube out of!
Also, the sentence “If you prefer a chunkier salsa lesson, your processing time” should read, “If you prefer a chunkier salsa, lessen your processing time.” Sorry, I am an incurable proofreader.
Thank you for the recipe.
Well Lynda, I wish I could hire you to proofread all my posts. My brain thinks my hands are writing what it’s saying. :) I do appreciate your corrections. However, in the day of AI generated content becoming predominant, even in the recipe websites space, it does point out to Google and my readers that I am a human talking to you instead of machine generated content. AI content, text and images, are becoming the norm and people don’t even realize that entire recipe websites are written by computers. (off my soapbox now) I went into the post and tweaked the recipe to make it easier to follow. I have been canning for so many years that I forget the little details are helpful if someone is new to home canning.
Hello, The directions say to add all vegetables and simmer but it says nothing about adding the vinegar, lime juice or spices. I’m assuming that you’re supposed to add everything and then cook it down am I correct?
Irene, you are so right! Thank you for pointing this out to me. I went in and updated the recipe card. Now, each group of ingredients is under the steps. To make it easy, I suggest reprinting the recipe card. Again, thank you for pointing this out, I appreciate my readers help. One thing to note: keep an eye on the salsa while it’s cooking. I was cooking a big batch on a fish cooker burner outside once and forgot to stir it every so often, which burnt the whole thing. I was so sad.
Hi Gina, made this today and now curious how you are able to get 8 pints out of this batch. I got only 3. So, was this meant for 6-8 half pints? Since we grow a market garden I have a wide selection of peppers and tomatoes. Will doubling this recipe work?
Hi Matt, I rechecked the recipe. The total starting volume is about 12.5 cups of ingredients. After simmering and reducing for 45 minutes, you’ll end up with about 8.5-9.5 cups of cooked salsa, which should fill around 5 pint jars. The yield can vary slightly depending on how much moisture evaporates during cooking. Green tomatoes seem to have more moisture than ripened ones usually so there is more evaporation compared to red ripe tomatoes. I will adjust the recipe card to yield 5 pints. Thanks for your help, I appreciate my readers sharing how their recipe turned out and issues they had.
I doubled this recipe, or so I thought.
had about 15 cups diced green tomato, used 5 jalapeños, 3 gypsy peppers
2 cups onion. and almost doubled vinegar and lemon juice.
come to find out measured ingredients are after everything is cooked down amd combined. I wound up with 6 pints of very acidic salsa with a ph of about 3.1.
I suppose I should have started with the original amount of vinegar and lemon juice and checked the pH after cooking and added accordingly.
Otis, I tripled it one year and put it out on the fish cooker burner to simmer. Bad idea, I scorched the whole pot. I was so upset, but I learned my lesson. It works better in batches on the stove. (our chickens enjoyed the scorched salsa surprisingly so not all was lost. Also, I have found some green tomato varieties to be more acidic than others. Unripe tomatoes generally are more acidic than ripe ones—but how much more depends wildly on the stage of maturity. One study even pinned an unripe tomatoes’ pH at around 3 (on a pH strip, likely rough estimate) vs. a ripe tomato at about 4. If in question, I would suggest pressure canning to be safe.
I am just making this recipe right now. It has simmered for about 35 minutes and I just tasted it…wonderful flavour! I used orange sweet peppers and pickled serrano peppers from last year. I like it hot and this fits the bill. It is quite tangy with the vinegar and lime juice, but I am sure this will mellow as it sits. What a great recipe to use up green tomatoes! Thank you.
Karla, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I started making this when we had an early hard frost years ago.
Can you use pickled banana peppers?
Good morning Hilda, Yes, you can use pickled banana peppers, but keep in mind a few things. Since they’re already preserved in vinegar and salt, the flavor of your salsa will turn out more tangy and salty than if you used fresh peppers. I recommend draining them first and then chopping them just like you would the fresh peppers in the recipe. Be sure to still add the full amounts of vinegar and bottled lime juice listed here for safe canning. That way, your jars will seal properly and stay shelf-stable.
Thank you for the answer to my previous question, one more question, am I correct that you don’t use any sugar in the recipe?
I love not having to peel thr tomatoes. If one does prefer to remove the peel, I read that the easiest way to get the skins off is to roast the tomatoes til the skins wrinkle. I have so many greens, I’d like to try both. I wanted to get your thoughts on this though. Do you think roasting/peeling is a good idea, or could it compromise taste or safety? I read that it adds a toasty flavor which is why I’m interested in making it both ways for variety. I appreciate your advice!
Sue, the green tomatoes do not need peeling, the skin is a different texture and cooks down like the meat of the tomato. However, if you are canning red tomatoes, it’s a good idea to remove skins. It’s not a safty thing but texture, saves you from finding little pieces of skin in your recipes when using the canned tomatoes. Here is my post for oven baking to remove the skins. The Easiest Method For Peeling Tomatoes for Canning I have found no difference in taste vs hot water boil/ice plunge for removing skins.