Chunky Salsa Recipe for Canning

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large stockpot: This is a very large batch, so use a heavy pot with plenty of room for stirring without overflowing.
• Water-bath canner with a rack: The jars should sit on a rack rather than directly on the bottom of the canner.
• Canning jars, lids, and rings: Use the exact jar size covered by the recipe’s processing validation.
• Blender or food processor: Use this to pulse the onions, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, and lime juice.
• Immersion blender: This makes it easy to break down the tomatoes while still controlling the final texture.
• Canning funnel: A wide-mouth funnel makes it much easier to fill the jars without getting salsa on the rims.
• Jar lifter: Use a canning jar lifter to move hot jars safely.
• Bubble remover and headspace tool: This helps release trapped air and measure the headspace accurately.
• Ladle: Use a heat-safe ladle for transferring the hot salsa into the jars.
• Clean kitchen towels: You will need these for wiping jar rims and protecting the counter while the jars cool.
• Food-safe gloves: Gloves are helpful when chopping or handling jalapeño peppers.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Tomatoes: Use ripe, firm tomatoes that have been peeled, chopped, and drained; paste tomatoes make a thicker salsa, but your favorite garden tomatoes will also work.
• Kosher salt: Salt seasons the tomatoes and brings out their flavor as they simmer.
• Vinegar and lime juice: These provide the acid in the recipe and must be measured accurately without reducing either amount.
• Yellow onions and jalapeño peppers: These give the salsa its savory base and slightly spicy flavor.
• Garlic and cilantro: Fresh garlic adds depth while cilantro gives the salsa its familiar fresh flavor.
• Spices: Cumin and black pepper add warmth and give this Savory Salsa its restaurant-style taste.
• Tomato sauce and tomato paste: These deepen the tomato flavor and give the finished salsa a thick, scoopable texture.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

Canning salsa is different from making a fresh salsa that will be eaten right away. With fresh salsa, you can add another onion, a handful of peppers, or more garlic whenever you want. With canned salsa, those changes can affect acidity, density, and heat penetration.

For a shelf-stable batch, prepare this recipe exactly as it was tested.

• Tomato varieties: Roma and other paste tomatoes give you the thickest texture because they contain less juice and fewer seeds. Early Girl, Better Boy, Big Boy, Jack’s Whopper, and other ripe garden tomatoes can also be used as long as you measure the required amount after peeling, chopping, and draining.
• Jalapeños: Use the type of jalapeños included in the acidity-tested version of the recipe. Do not replace fresh peppers with canned jalapeños unless that version has also been tested.
• Extra heat: Do not increase the measured amount of jalapeños or other peppers. Add hot sauce, fresh jalapeño, cayenne, or red pepper flakes after opening the jar.
• Vinegar and lime juice: Do not reduce, omit, or substitute either acid unless the alternate version has been professionally reviewed and tested.
• Onions, garlic, and cilantro: Do not increase these ingredients before canning. You can stir in more fresh onion, garlic, or cilantro after opening a jar.
• Salt and seasonings: Because this recipe was tested as written, use the listed amounts for canning. Additional salt or seasonings can be added when the jar is opened.
• Sugar: This is a no-sugar-added salsa. The tomatoes provide enough natural sweetness to balance the savory ingredients.
• Corn, beans, or fruit: Do not add corn, black beans, mango, peaches, or pineapple to this recipe. Use a canning recipe specifically developed for those ingredients.

How to Can Chunky Salsa

1. Prepare the tomatoes and canning equipment. Wash the tomatoes and remove any that are bruised, moldy, damaged, overripe, or from frost-damaged vines. Peel, chop, and drain the tomatoes. Wash the jars, lids, and rings, then keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them.
2. Simmer and blend the tomatoes. Place the prepared tomatoes and salt in a large stockpot. Bring the tomatoes to a simmer, stirring frequently. Use an immersion blender to coarsely blend the tomatoes until they reach the chunky consistency you want.
3. Prepare the onion mixture. While the tomatoes are simmering, combine the vinegar, lime juice, onions, jalapeños, garlic, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until everything is finely chopped but not completely pureed. Work in two or three batches if necessary.
4. Combine and simmer the salsa. Add the onion mixture to the tomatoes, then stir in the cumin, black pepper, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Bring the salsa back to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often so the tomatoes do not scorch.
5. Fill the jars. Ladle the hot salsa into hot jars, leaving the headspace specified by the validated process. Remove trapped air bubbles and adjust the headspace if needed. Wipe each rim with a clean, damp towel, center a new lid on the jar, and tighten the ring until fingertip tight.
6. Process and cool. Place the filled jars upright in the water-bath canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 2 inches for a processing time of 30 minutes or longer. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, process for the required time based on your elevation, and then turn off the heat. Remove the canner lid and let the jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a towel-lined counter and leave them undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking the seals.

Water-Bath Processing Times by Elevation

Process quart jars for 40 minutes in a boiling-water canner for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. Adjust processing time for higher altitudes:

• 0 to 1,000 feet: 40 minutes
• 1,001 to 3,000 feet: 45 minutes
• 3,001 to 6,000 feet: 50 minutes
• 6,001 to 8,000 feet: 55 minutes
• 8,001 to 10,000 feet: 60 minutes

Start the timer only after the water gets to a full rolling boil. If the water stops boiling at any point during processing, bring it back to a rolling boil and restart the full processing time.

Recipe Tips

• Measure the prepared tomatoes. Measure the tomatoes after they have been peeled, chopped, and drained.
• Choose firm tomatoes. Do not use tomatoes that are moldy, badly bruised, overripe, cracked, diseased, or harvested from frost-damaged vines.
• Use paste tomatoes for thicker salsa. Roma and other paste tomatoes have more flesh and less juice than slicing tomatoes.
• Drain watery tomatoes well. Removing excess tomato liquid helps the salsa thicken without adding starch or changing the recipe.
• Wear gloves when handling peppers. Jalapeño oils can irritate your hands, eyes, and skin.
• Keep the salsa chunky. Coarsely blend the tomatoes and pulse the other vegetables. Avoid turning the mixture into a completely smooth puree.
• Stir frequently. Tomato paste and drained tomatoes can scorch on the bottom of the pot as the salsa thickens.
• Use hot jars for hot salsa. A large temperature difference between the jars and salsa can cause the glass to crack.
• Do not over-tighten the rings. Fingertip tight is enough. Air needs to escape from the jars during processing.
• Keep the jars upright. Tilting the jars can allow salsa to get under the lid and interfere with the seal.
• Expect some variation in yield. The batch usually makes 9 to 12 quarts, depending on the tomato variety, how well the tomatoes are drained, and how long the salsa simmers.
• Do not thicken with starch. Never add flour or cornstarch before canning. If you want an even thicker salsa, drain off a little liquid after opening the jar.
• Check every seal. A properly sealed lid should be concave and should not flex when you press the center after the jar has cooled completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Troubleshooting

• Why is my salsa watery? Some tomato varieties contain more liquid than others. Make sure the tomatoes are thoroughly drained before measuring, and simmer the salsa for the full amount of time. Do not add flour or cornstarch before canning. You can drain off a little liquid after opening the jar if needed.
• Why did my salsa separate in the jar? Some separation is normal, especially when using juicy tomatoes. The solids may rise while liquid settles near the bottom. If the jar sealed properly and there are no signs of spoilage, stir the salsa after opening.
• Why did liquid leak from my jars during processing? This is called siphoning. It can happen when jars are overfilled, air bubbles are not removed, the temperature changes too quickly, or the jars are removed from the canner immediately. Leave the correct headspace and let the jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them.
• Why didn’t my jars seal? Common causes include food on the jar rim, incorrect headspace, damaged jars, faulty lids, over-tightened rings, or processing errors. Refrigerate any unsealed jar and use it promptly. Do not store it at room temperature.
• Why are there bubbles in my canned salsa? Small trapped air bubbles may remain if they were not removed before processing. However, bubbles that continue rising in a stored jar can be a sign of spoilage, especially if the jar is leaking, bulging, discolored, or has an unusual odor. Discard the salsa without tasting it.

Make Ahead and Storage

• Prepare ahead: The tomatoes can be washed, peeled, chopped, and drained the day before. Store them covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the salsa.
• Prepare the vegetables: The onions, garlic, and jalapeños can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated separately.
• Before storing: Let processed jars cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals, remove the rings, wash the outside of each jar, and label it with the contents and date.
• Shelf storage: Store properly processed and sealed jars in a cool, dry, dark place. For the best flavor, color, and texture, use home-canned salsa within one year.
• After opening: Refrigerate the salsa and use it within several days.
• Unsealed jars: Refrigerate any jar that does not seal and use it promptly. Do not place an unsealed jar on the pantry shelf.
• Freezer storage: Cool the salsa completely and freeze it in freezer-safe containers with room for expansion.
• Signs of spoilage: Discard the salsa without tasting it if the lid is loose or bulging, the jar is leaking, liquid spurts when opened, bubbles rise through the salsa, mold is present, the color looks unusual, or the salsa has a foul or unusual odor.

Pairing Ideas

I always serve this Chunky Salsa with a big bowl of tortilla chips, but it is just as good spooned over Crockpot Chicken Tacos, Walking Tacos, Navajo Tacos, or Carne Asada Nachos. It also makes a great topping for Breakfast Quesadillas, scrambled eggs, burrito bowls, grilled chicken, baked potatoes, and taco salad.

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