How to Can Tomatoes

Preserve your summer tomato harvest with this easy, step-by-step canning tutorial. Perfect for beginners, it covers everything from prepping tomatoes to safely sealing jars for long-lasting freshness.

Best Way to Can Tomatoes

I love fresh tomatoes from the garden. But just like everything else, they only last so long. That is where canning comes in. When I have a plethora of garden tomatoes, I love to start canning them. The easiest thing to can in my opinion, are just plain jane tomatoes.

Preserving fresh tomatoes is a simple way to enjoy tomatoes all year long. Whether you can them whole, diced or crushed, properly sealing tomatoes in jars locks in their rich flavor and nutrients while preventing waste from garden harvests. With just a little prep and safe canning methods, you can stock your pantry with vibrant, homemade tomatoes perfect for soups, sauces and family meals anytime.

The Cowboys’ Rating: 10/10

Every time I make a new recipe, I have my family rate the recipe out of 10. By the time, these recipes make the blog, they’ve been tried and tested by some of my hardest tiny critics!

How to Can Tomatoes in Jars

• Fresh Garden Tomatoes – It does not matter what type of tomatoes you are planning to preserve; any and all tomatoes be preserved. I do have to say though that cherry tomatoes are a bit harder to preserve. I would recommend using them for this tomato sauce recipe.
• Lemon Juice – Lemon juice is important for preservation during canning. Not only does it lower the PH balance, but it’s also said to help prevent any bacteria from growing in the cans. I feel better adding it in, just in case.
• Salt – This is completely optional. You do not have to add salt to your jars when canning tomatoes. This is strictly for flavor.
• Canning Jars – I use a combination of both pint jars and quart jars to preserve my tomatoes. I use these canned tomatoes in place of diced tomatoes in so many recipes. One pint jar is the same as using a 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes. I also use these canned tomatoes for spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce and so much more!
• Canning Lids – My favorite canning lids are from Ball. You can find them here.

Tools You’ll Need

• 1 Large Stock Pot
• Water Bath Canner or Steam Canner
• Strainer with Handle
• Tomato knife or paring knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring Spoons
• Canning Supplies
• Pint Jars or Quart Jars
• Canning Lids

When I can tomatoes, I actually do it in my garage or outside. I set up a huge table and cover it with a disposable tablecloth, then I do all of my cutting and prep work on this table. When I am ready to start blanching the tomatoes, I will set up my Camp Chef Stove and cook on my Camp Chef Stove. I like to do this outside because it can be quite a mess. I also feel like using my Champ Chef Stove really make the process go quicker because it heats up quickly. However, you can definitely do this in your kitchen as well!

Canning Fresh Tomatoes

1. Start by washing and preparing your jars.
2. Fill a large pot or water bath canner with water. Bring water to a boil over high heat.
3. While water is heating, fill a large stock pot with cold water and set aside.
4. When the water begins to boil, it’s time to blanche the tomatoes. Submerge a few tomatoes in the boiling water (about 5-6 at a time). When the skin of the tomato splits, immediately remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and place them in the cold water. Repeat this process until all the tomatoes have been blanched and start to split.
5. Once the tomatoes are blanched, take a knife and cut the skins and the center core from the tomatoes.
6. Place the peeled tomatoes in a large bowl and set aside.
7. Cut the tomatoes into desired sized pieces and pack them firmly in prepared jars, pressing gently to fit as many tomatoes as possible. Fill each jar to just below the neck.
8. When the jars have been filled, add 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice to each pint jar. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for quart jars.
9. Once the jars have been filled, wipe the top of the jar with a paper towel to remove any residue that may have gotten on the rim of the jar. Place the lids on and hand-tighten the rings.
10. Place the recommended number of jars in the water bath canner.
11. Once the jars have been placed in the water bath canner, fill the canner with water until the jars are completely covered with at about 1″ of water. (I like to place my finger on the top of the lid and if the water comes to my first knuckle, then it’s enough water.)
12. Cover and bring the water to a boil and boil for 40 minutes for pint jars and 45 minutes for quart jars.
13. When the time is up, use jar tongs (canning tools) to lift each jar out of the boiling water and set aside. Do not touch or move the jars after they have been removed from the water bath for 24 hours.
14. Once the jars have cooled completely, test the seal by pressing gently on the center of each lid. If the lid flexes or pops up and down, the jar has not sealed properly. (These jars can be stored in the fridge).
15. Store jars of canned tomatoes in a cool, dry place.
16. Shelf stable for 12-18 months.

How to Process Tomatoes for Safe Canning

There are a few ways that you can process tomatoes for safe canning. Below I will describe how to process tomatoes and the methods used.

• Water Bath Canning – Water bath canning is a method of preserving foods by processing them in boiling water to make the jars airtight. Once the jars are filled, you will submerge the jars in a pot of water and then bring the water to a rapid boil. You will then rapidly boil the jars for a specific amount of time depending on the recipe. For canned tomatoes, pints should be boiled for 40 minutes and quarts should be boiled for 45 minutes. Once the jars have boiled for the specific amount of time, you then take the jars out of the hot water using canning tools and let them cool completely. As they cool, the lids should pop down, creating a vacuum seal that keeps food safe from bacteria and spoilage.
• Steam Canning – Steam canning is a method of preserving foods that is similar to water bath canning, but instead of submerging the jars in boiling water, you use a shallow amount of water to create steam that surrounds the jars. Once the jars are filled, you will transfer the jars to the steam canner, fill the bottom with water according to steam canner directions, and then place the lid on the canner. The steam surrounds the jars, heating the food to a temperature high enough to kill bacteria and form a vacuum seal. For canned tomatoes, pints should be steamed for 20 minutes and quarts should be steamed for 25 minutes. Once the jars have been processed for the specific amount of time, you then take the jars out of the hot water using canning tools and let them cool completely. You can find the steam canner that I use here on Amazon.
• Pressure Canner – A pressure canner (or cooker) is a sealed cooking pot that uses steam and pressure to process jars. Once the jars are filled, you will transfer the jars to the pressure canner, fill the bottom with water according to the pressure canner directions, and then place the lid on the canner. You will need to lock the lid and carefully follow the directions of the pressure canner to make sure you are safely and correctly processing the jars. For canned tomatoes, pints should be processed for 20 minutes and quarts should be processed for 25 minutes. Once the jars have been processed for the specific amount of time, you then take the jars out of the hot water using canning tools and let them cool completely.

Storage and Shelf Life

Properly canned tomatoes that are sealed and stored in a cool, dark and dry place have a shelf life of about 12-18 months for best quality and flavor. They’re still safe to eat beyond that as long as the seal remains intact and there are no signs of spoilage (bulging lids, leaks, or off smells), but the taste, color and nutrients may start to decline after a year.