My Salsa Recipe

Over the long weekend, my husband and I decided it was time to make salsa again. Usually, we make a couple batches during the summer and put it in the freezer to last us all year. This time we decided we were adult enough to try to can it. I remember helping my mom can applesauce and pickles and maybe peaches when I was growing up. It wasn’t our routine every summer though, so I had to call her up to be reminded of the basics. Let me just say that my enormous stainless steel soap pot came in very handy for the water bath!

Hubby and I have very different tastes when it comes to salsa. He likes his pureed and sweet, and I like mine chunky with more garlic and cilantro. So we each made our own batches. You can see in the picture that mine is on the left and his is on the right:

Our salsa!
Our salsa!

Are you ready for the recipe already? This is my version:

Amy’s Not-So-Secret Salsa Recipe

makes about 10 pints

16 c. chopped tomatoes
5 large onions, chopped
3 large green peppers, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 jalapeno peppers, chopped (this will be mild to medium – add more if you want it hotter)
1 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. salt
2-3 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

Boil at least 30 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached. At this point, you can freeze or can it. Just be sure to leave some out so you can eat it right away!!

Notes: The original recipe calls for 2 – 12 oz. cans of tomato paste to help thicken it up. I prefer to seed & drain my tomatoes to keep it from getting too watery. If you like your salsa pureed, you can use a food processor, and then drain the juice off the tomatoes. I like to chop by hand so there are bigger chunks.

Use fresh produce from your own garden, or shop at your local farmer’s market. We had a ton of jalapenos, but only a few tomatoes and green peppers from our own garden, so I got the majority of what we needed from the farmer’s market where I sell my soaps. Fortunately, I know one of the vendors pretty well and just called her up on Friday and placed my order for some “canning” tomatoes which she sold to me at a discounted price. Ask around – you can probably do the same!

Page with Comments

  1. I love to can. We (mother, daughter,and I) make jams and liqueurs every summer. This winter we are going to pick and can tomatoes like we did when I was little. I think I will give your salsa a try. It never even ocurred to me to make and can salsa. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  2. Yum. My fermented salsa was a big hit! Plus, then I don’t have hall out the canning supplies and I get those yummy healthy bacteria while I’m eating it!

  3. My mom cans stuff she grows in her garden all the time but she’s never taken the time to show me how to do it. Your salsa recipe sounds yummy….I prefer my salsa chunky too and my hubby likes his more saucy!!
    .-= Helene´s last blog post ..10 ways to make a trip to the amusement park fun….or at the very least, interesting =-.

  4. Oh yum! My mom made a bunch of salsa one summer many years ago and it was the best ever. She customized it for all of us, I think she made four different kinds. I was already craving mexican food, salsa, and chips. Thanks a lot! 🙂

  5. LOVE IT!! I just canned salsa for the first time about 2 months ago…. THE BEST SALSA EVER!! don’t know why i ever bought the store kind. love your recipe…might try that one…we used Lime juice (fresh-squeezed when we did ours…gave it a great kick.)
    .-= Tara B.´s last blog post ..Wordless Wednesday – The REAL Sleeping Beauty =-.

  6. just made 12 quarts of this salsa and it is wonderful!!….I did add lime juice

  7. Had my daughter..granddaughter..and her friend over for pool fun and served this salsa recipe that I just made..they just LOVED it….Thanks for the great recipe..sent some home with them!!

  8. Well here it is a year later and Im making this salsa again { june 19 2014] That’s how wonderful it is!! Thank you so much for this receipe..it is awesome!!

  9. @sharyn – That’s fantastic!! My tomatoes are still sitting on the vine just barely pink so far…it’s been unseasonably cool this summer!

Comments are closed.