A simple tutorial on How to Can Tomatoes with a water bath or steam canner, so you can enjoy fresh summer tomatoes all year long.
How to Can Tomatoes for the best flavor upgrade, and easiest pantry staple!
How to Can Tomatoes for the best flavor upgrade, and easiest pantry staple!All you need is tomatoes, lemon juice and salt, and you can preserve your high-quality tomatoes to enjoy all year long! I love canning diced tomatoes in pint jars to use in place of a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, but you could also leave the tomatoes whole. Use a steam canner (which I think is the easiest), or a water-bath canner.
Then you can use the best canned tomatoes in homemade chili, lasagna, pastalaya, slow cooker chicken tikka masala, taco soup, lentil soup, or any recipe that uses them! And if you love canning, try my other canning recipes, like Canned Peaches, Applesauce and Strawberry Jam!
Equipment needed:
- A large steam canner or water-bath canner with racks (for processing the jars)
- 6 quart jars, sterilized
- New lids and rings
How to Can Tomatoes:
Sterilize Canning Jars and Prep Lids: You run jars through a dishwasher cycle on high heat, or wash jars in hot soapy water, and then sterilize jars by placing them in a boiling water canner filled with water and boil for 10 minutes.
Place lids (not rings) in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit until ready to use (this softens the sealing compound).
Blanch Tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add tomatoes and blanch for 1–2 minutes, just until the skins begin to split. Transfer tomatoes immediately to a bowl of ice water to cool quickly. Peel skins off with your hands or a paring knife.
Fill Jars: Chop peeled tomatoes with a knife (or leave whole/halved if you prefer) and pack them into hot, sterilized jars. Leave ½ inch headspace at the top.
To ensure proper acidity and safe preservation:
- Add to each pint jar: 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice (or ¼ teaspoon citric acid).
- Add to each quart jar: 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice (or ½ teaspoon citric acid).
- Optional: Add ½ teaspoon salt per pint (1 teaspoon per quart) for flavor.
Wipe jar rims clean with a damp paper towel. Place lids on and screw bands on until fingertip tight.
Process:
For a Steam Canner: Add water to the base (just below the rack). Place jars on the rack (usually up to 7). Cover with the lid and heat on medium-high until a steady stream of steam escapes.
For a Water-Bath Canner: Place filled jars on the rack inside the canner. Cover jars with at least 1–2 inches of boiling water. Cover with lid and bring back to a gentle, rolling boil. Begin timing once water is boiling.
Processing Times:
- Pints: 40 minutes (sea level–1,000 ft)
- Quarts: 45 minutes (sea level–1,000 ft)
Adjust for Elevation:
- 1,001–3,000 ft: add 5 minutes
- 3,001–6,000 ft: add 10 minutes
- 6,001–8,000 ft: add 15 minutes
- 8,001–10,000 ft: add 20 minutes
Remove and Rest: Carefully remove jars with a jar lifter and place on a towel-lined counter. Do not tilt jars. Let them sit undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check Seals: lids should be concave and not flex when pressed. If a jar did not seal, refrigerate it and use within a week.
Store: Label sealed jars with the date and store in a cool, dark place. Properly sealed jars of canned tomatoes will last for 12–18 months (at best quality), and are often safe eating even longer than that.
How do I know if my canned tomatoes are safe to eat?
Always make sure your mason jars do not show signs of leaking or rusting. Press down on the center of the lid: it should not pop back. If it sits flat it is safe, but if it pops back, it has not.
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Recipe
Canning Tomatoes
Equipment
- Steam Canner , or
Ingredients
- 14 lbs Roma tomatoes* (or other low-moisture tomatoes)
- Lemon juice
- Salt
Instructions
- Sterilize Canning Jars and prep lids: You can run jars through a dishwasher cycle on high heat, or wash jars in hot soapy water, and then sterilize jars by placing them in a boiling water canner filled with water and boil for 10 minutes.Place lids (not rings) in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit until ready to use (this softens the sealing compound).
- Blanch tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to boil.Add tomatoes and blanch for 1–2 minutes. Transfer tomatoes immediately to a bowl of ice water to cool quickly. Peel skins off with your hands or a paring knife.14 lbs Roma tomatoes* (or other low-moisture tomatoes)
- Fill Jars: Chop peeled tomatoes (or leave whole/halved if you prefer) and pack them into hot, sterilized jars. Leave ½ inch head space at the top.For pint jars add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice (or ¼ teaspoon citric acid) and ½ teaspoon salt. For quart jars: 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice (or ½ teaspoon citric acid). and 1 teaspoon salt.Lemon juice, Salt
- Apply lids: Run a small spatula along the inside edges of the jars to remove an air bubbles. Wipe jar rims clean, place lids on and screw bands on (not too tight).
Process Jars:
- For a Steam Canner:Add water to the base (just below the rack). Place jars on the rack (usually upto 7). Cover with the lid and heat on medium-high until a steady stream ofsteam escapes.
- For a Water-Bath Canner:Place filled jars on the rack inside the canner. Cover jars with at least 1–2inches of boiling water. Cover with lid and bring back to a gentle,rolling boil. Begin timing once water is boiling.
- Processing Times:Pints: 40 minutes (sea level–1,000 ft) Quarts: 45 minutes (sea level–1,000 ft)Adjust for Elevation:1,001–3,000 ft: add 5 minutes 3,001–6,000 ft: add 10 minutes 6,001–8,000 ft: add 15 minutes 8,001–10,000 ft: add 20 minutes
- Remove and Rest: Carefully remove jars with a jar lifter and place on a towel-lined counter. Do not tilt jars. Let them sit undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals: lids should be concave and not flex when pressed. If a jar did not seal, refrigerate it and use within a week.
- Store: Label sealed jars with the date and store in a cool, dark place. Properly sealed jars of canned tomatoes will last for 12–18months (at best quality), and are often safe eating after even longer than that.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe July 2013. Updated May 2020 and September 2025 with new photos and clearer instructions.
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THANK YOU! For years I’ve been too scared to try canning my tomatoes. Today I decided to give it a go. Your directions were clear and made it feel doable—my food scientist neighbor even approved the method!
I know this is an older thread but I do have a question or thought. You stated, “Gently pour boiling water in the jars with the tomatoes, leaving ½ in. headspace at the top of the jars.”
We have Big Boy tomatoes and they can be juicy. If I strain them and save the juice, would I be able to substitute the juice in place of water if I boil the juice as if it were water?
Thank you!
Yes, you can absolutely use the strained tomato juice instead of boiling water—as long as you bring that juice to a full boil first. Just make sure you’re still adding the required bottled lemon juice to each jar to ensure proper acidity for safe canning.
Gathered a box of tomatoes today and I’m using your recipe to can them.
I haven’t canned anything for a few years so I’m excited and ready to go again.
I’ll let you know how it comes out…😋
Hi Lauren sorry to be a bimbo but haven’t done much canning (a bit frightened of it) when you say submerge you mean totally over the top of the lids?
Yes! Good luck!
Books I’ve read on canning say 1” of water should be over the jars being processed.
Can this recipe be adapted to add more herbs? I’m brand new to canning so I want to make sure it’s safe. We use a lot of canned tomatoes and luckily we have a large amount growing this year. I’d like to add garlic or herbs for a bit more flavor. I could use fresh or dried herbs if that matters.
I imagine it would be fine, however, I’ve never tried it. I would consult a Safe-Canning Website.
I have added green peppers,onions, garlic and, basil. No problem been doing it for years.
What kind of salt to add to Tomatoes as I can them with the lemon juice
I think most any type of salt will work just fine.
Can you use fresh lemon juice?
yes 🙂
No, bottled leomon juice only is recommended. The acid content is more reliable than fresh.
I would like to try again as I do use alot of canned tomatoes but don’t want to have them go to waste if the canned tomotoes don’t turn out should I perhaps try with the citric acid instead of the lemon juice as the recipe only calls for lemon juice and I deskinned the tomatoes using the hot water bath method.
water and salt only added if I recall from the receipe and than boiled the jars for the proper times, and let them set in which they all did all the jars sealed with no issues
Hi Ann, I’m a little confused by your question–I may be wisest for you to refer to an official safe canning/preserving guide.