Fiery Roasted Salsa (for canning!)
By Amanda Paa – Updated February 28, 2025
Garden tomatoes, peppers, and onions roast in the oven for ultimate flavor and spice in this salsa canning recipe. It's very easy to make because you don't have to peel the tomatoes! An excellent way to preserve your tomatoes for all year-round enjoyment.
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Canning may seem intimidating, but honestly, it just takes one or two times to get the hang of it. Grab your favorite summer produce, find a canning recipe that appeals to you, whether it’s Red Wine Fig Jam, or Hot Pepper Jelly preserve the harvest one jar at a time like I did with this Fiery Roasted Salsa.
We’ve been blessed with a great tomato harvest this year in Minnesota. The vendors at the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market are hauling them in by the bushel, waiting a person like me, who’s eyes are obviously bigger than their stomachs as they carry away 15 pounds of the bright red beauties.
I also bought tomatillos to make this canned Salsa Verde!
The first time I made homemade salsa about 3 years ago, I wasn’t wowed. I used a recipe from the Ball Canning Book and although the flavor was okay, it didn’t have the punchy, zest I craved. Additionally, the texture just wasn’t my favorite.
The perfect salsa to me is more restaurant style that’s smooth but not runny, bold heat, and a background roasted, toasted flavor. I reached out to a friend, the preservation queen herself, One Tomato Two Tomato, had just the recipe that matched my requirements.
Tomatoes, chiles, and peppers are broiled until their skin is black which brings out their inherent sweetness and a dose of smokiness.
To put my own spin on her Salsa de Chile recipe, I adapted the dry spices used and threw in a twist – espresso powder. (When adapting certified and tested canned tomato recipes, it’s very important to only adjust spices/herbs for safety because of their finicky ph/acid levels. Read more about that here.)
This ingredient idea sparked from thoughts of mole sauce and really great chili, which all use a bit of chocolate to deepen their flavor, but for safety reasons I didn’t want to add chocolate.
And what gives an additional layer of flavor to chocolate? Espresso powder. I couldn’t resist using it in this canned salsa. And it worked beautifully. It brings out the flavors of the ingredients and they sing in harmony. Of course it’s optional, but I really think it makes this salsa unique.
Note: This is the water bath canner I use.
More Salsa Canning Recipes:
- Canning Salsa Verde, Made With Tomatillos
- Plum Habanero Salsa (canning recipe)
- Roasted Tomato Peach Salsa Canning Recipe
Yield: 6 pints
Ingredients
- 5 lbs tomatoes (1/2 heirloom/regular, 1/2 romas)
- 2 lbs peppers – a mix of red and green bell peppers plus 6 hot peppers like jalapenos or cayenne, in the mix (depending on how hot you like it), to equal the two pounds
- 1 lb white onions, diced
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional, but really adds another layer of flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Turn the broiler of the oven on. Wash & dry tomatoes and peppers. Spread whole tomatoes and peppers on a sheet pan and roast them under the broiler until their skin is blistered. Flip the ingredients and roast on the other side until blistered.
- Core the tomatoes if necessary and remove the stems from the peppers. Leave the seeds and skin (this gives the salsa great flavor!)! Let them cool slightly, until you are able to dice the peppers, and set aside.
- Blend the roasted tomatoes, all the juices from the pan, garlic, and ½ of the diced onions, in a blender until fairly smooth. (Leaving the blistered skins on gives the salsa that great smoky flavor).
- Add blended mixture, diced peppers, remaining diced onions, apple cider vinegar, cumin, chili powder, espresso powder, black pepper, salt, and cilantro to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the salsa is simmering, prepare the hot water bath and heat the pint jars and lids. Ladle hot salsa into clean, hot pint jars, leaving 1/2” headspace.
- Wipe rims and add the lids. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes at a full rolling boil. Remove jars from water and let fully cool on a kitchen towel for 24 hours before touching.
Notes
Recipe adapted from: Adapted from Salsa de Chile por Mis Amigos.
Did you make this?
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September 11, 2013
Ashley
June 24, 2025
Just made this and wow! Best homemade salsa I’ve ever tried to make! I did change the 1 cup apple cider vinegar to 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar and 1/2 cup bottled lime juice and I think it’s perfect! Thank you so much
Ashley
June 24, 2025
Question! I like my salsa a little thick, could I de seed the tomatoes to reduce the water content or just cook it out on the stove? I figure if I de seed them I’d need more tomatoes to make up for the lost amount so the vinegar doesn’t overpower the flavors? Or would it even make that much difference de seeding?
Amanda Paa
June 24, 2025
Hi! I’d recommend cooking the salsa down longer on the stovetop than instructed to thicken it closer to your liking, and have more of the water evaporate.
Ashley
June 24, 2025
Thank you!
Cindy Summers
June 4, 2025
Can I use cherry tomatoes for this recipe? Thanks
Amanda Paa
June 4, 2025
Hello! Cherry tomatoes would have a lot of seeds and skin, the result wouldn’t be great. Although not for canning, you could make my Fresh Cherry Tomato Salsa, or Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Preserved in Olive Oil (these freeze well).
Ashley
January 8, 2025
How long will this stay fresh for if canned?
Amanda Paa
January 8, 2025
18 to 24 months if kept in a cool, dark spot.
Vickie
October 28, 2024
The best! I only used seeds from one jalapeño. I can’t imagine using seeds from all six! This is my new favorite!
KELLY
October 12, 2024
SO DELICIOUS!!! MADE AS IS AND ITS PERFECTION.
Becky
September 27, 2024
I’m very excited to try this recipe and I appreciate that you use weight for the tomatoes peppers and onions. Just wondering if I can safely increase the garlic, or will that change the pH balance?
Amanda Paa
September 27, 2024
Hi! More garlic will raise the ph and lower the acidity so it’s not recommended to alter than in a safety tested canning recipe.
Rebecca
September 24, 2024
More a question: I am allergic to bell peppers. Can I make this recipe without the bell peppers or would this make it to watery?
Gina
September 14, 2024
The best salsa recipe I’ve found. I use a cup of lime juice instead of the apple cider vinegar.
Mekayla
September 12, 2024
Hi Amanda, I’ve been looking for a new salsa recipe to mix things up and I think this one will be perfect! I am wondering – do you think I could add some corn to the recipe without altering the acidity too much? If so, would I need to add some extra vinegar or maybe lime juice to balance things? Thanks!
Amanda Paa
September 12, 2024
Hello! I think corn would be risky to add, unfortunately!
Sharese
September 12, 2024
I am very excited to try this recipe! Just wondering if instead of doing half heirloom/regular tomatoes and half roma can I use all roma?
Amanda Paa
September 12, 2024
Hello! You could do that, although the consistency will be thicker because romas have less water content. Heirlooms typically have more flavor, too.
Shelly
September 9, 2024
Also used half cherry tomatoes and half roma/early girl and thickness is perfect. I did use 1/2 cup lemon juice and half cup cider which gave a wonderful balance not overpowering. And, as long as you are swapping lj for cider, acidity stays right on track. Fabulous recipe!
Shelly
September 9, 2024
Love the balance of flavors in this recipe. My favorite one so far!!
Amanda Paa
September 9, 2024
yay, so glad to hear that!
Debbi
September 3, 2024
I made this and it is delicious. I did not add any espresso. Thank you so much.
Amanda Paa
September 4, 2024
So glad you enjoyed it, Debbi!
Kathy
August 31, 2024
Is there an adjustment required to processing time for higher altitude? I’m at 3500ft, thanks
Amanda Paa
August 31, 2024
Hello! Per Ball canning, you will increase processing time by 10 minutes at that altitude.
Jennifer
August 14, 2024
I cant wait to try this recipe. Can I add a bit of lime to this recipe without affecting the PH and making it unsafe?
Amanda Paa
August 15, 2024
Hi! Yes, you can add some lime, it will not compromise safety. It adds acidity instead of decreasing it.
Carol
August 16, 2024
So for 20 lbs tomatoes, I’m using 24 jalapeños?
Amanda Paa
August 16, 2024
Hi! I think I’d start at 20, deseeded, just to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. You can taste it and if you want it hotter, add some of the seeds.
Linda
August 6, 2024
This is absolutely wonderful and very easy. I made it exactly as suggested without espresso. Thank you for sharing.
Amanda Paa
August 6, 2024
So glad you enjoyed it! Happy canning!
Kari
July 12, 2024
This is a great recipe! I made my first batch! We all like it a lot! I omitted the cilantro in mine. Just the different kind of salsa recipe I was looking for!!
Amanda Paa
July 12, 2024
Awesome, Kari! So glad you all enjoyed it.
Rhonda M
October 18, 2023
5 stars aren’t enough for this recipe!! It was so amazingly delicious!! I’m making my second batch today!! Definitely a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Amanda Paa
October 18, 2023
So great to hear this, thanks for making the recipe!
Sharee
October 9, 2023
This was amazing. 10/10 Stars! I love that it is so close to fresh salsa and not cooked canned salsa. I am definitely going to make some more as I harvest the last of my tomatoes in the next couple of weeks. I am going to try making some Chow-Chow with the green tomatoes before the frost hits. Do you have a good recipe for that or something similar?
Amanda Paa
October 9, 2023
Hi Sharee! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe; I love the fresh taste too. I don’t have any recipes for green tomatoes, but that gives me a good idea to work on some for next year!
Sharee
October 9, 2023
I remember as a child/teenager my mom would make Chow chow. It was a relish type salsa and very good. Every one loved it. I wish I had her recipe. She also canned pickled watermelon rinds. They were good too.
Deanna
August 15, 2024
What do you put chowchow on?
My husband talked about his Mom making it, but he never knew what it went on because he didn’t like it because he was a kid!
Natali Henderson
September 21, 2023
Hi! Can I use red onions or a combo of red/yellow? I don’t have espresso powder but I do have an espresso capsule (Nespresso), do you think that would work? Thanks! Excited to make this!
Amanda Paa
September 21, 2023
Hi Natali! Yes, you could use a combination of red and yellow onions, so issue there. If you don’t have espresso powder, cocoa powder works well too and gives the same flavor effect!
Sara Gumm
September 10, 2023
I’ve read that tomato peels must be removed for canning? Does the vinegar make this not necessary?
Amanda Paa
September 10, 2023
hello! tomato skin does not affect the safety of canning. if a recipe says to remove it, that is because that person does not enjoy the texture of the skin. for this recipe, it is roasted and breaks it down significantly, so you will not notice it much in final product, and the char on the skin adds great flavor.
Denise
September 3, 2023
Made this today…..everyone loved it !!
Amanda Paa
September 3, 2023
Yay, so glad to hear that! Thank you for making the recipe.
Karen
September 2, 2023
Hi there. I have a question. I’d love to make this recipe but would like to use 25 lbs of tomatoes. With the other ingredients do I also use 5 times the amount? Specifically for the vinegar and spices. Thanks :)
Amanda Paa
September 3, 2023
Yes, 5x the amount for every ingredient listed. Enjoy!
Tamber
August 30, 2023
This salsa is fantastic. Roasting the peppers and tomatoes adds such a delicious flavour! This is now my favourite salsa recipe. I completed the recipe as is. Thank you so much for sharing! 😀
Amanda Paa
August 30, 2023
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for making the recipe. ❤️
Crystal
August 26, 2023
I made the recipe as written except switched vinegar with lemon juice/red vinegar. The chili powder is very strong. I can taste that above anything else. I have half of the batch in water bath right now but want to find something to counter balance the flavor. Thought about doing a half batch of vegetable blend to add to it
Any suggestions?
Amanda Paa
August 26, 2023
Hi Crystal! Using lemon juice and red wine vinegar rather than apple cider vinegar will have a different reaction to the other ingredients and change the composition of the whole recipe, thus what you are experiencing with the flavor. I haven’t used a vegetable blend, so I’m not sure how that would turn out.
Linda
August 17, 2023
Great recipe! I did make mine a little too hot! Not the fault of the recipe, probably mine! Thank you! And, thank you for getting b ack to me so quickly when I had questions.
Amanda Paa
August 17, 2023
Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yes, sometimes it can be hard to tell the heat of your peppers. Next time you could try removing the seeds of all or half of the hot peppers!
Linda
August 16, 2023
What about canning this in 1/2 pints? Just 2 of us, and if I can in pints I usually end up pitching some.
Amanda Paa
August 16, 2023
It works great in half pints! You do not need to change anything, processing time is the same.
Linda
August 16, 2023
Thank you!!!
Danielle Craig
August 15, 2023
Would I be able to substitute the 5lbs of heirloom & roma tomatoes for cherry since that is what I have an over abundance of?
Amanda Paa
August 15, 2023
Hi Danielle! Cherry tomatoes will give it a different texture since there will be a lot more seeds and skin, and you’ll want the romas for adding thickness to the finished salsa. You could maybe get away with doing half romas half cherry tomatoes! Otherwise, you could make these pickled cherry tomatoes or slow roasted cherry tomatoes to help use up your abundance.
Peas
August 10, 2023
I feel like this is going to be a really dumb question but I made this salsa last year and it became our new favorite. I just planted my cilantro for fall canning of my own tomatoes but I just got a ton of gorgeous produce from a local organic farm and I have everything for this recipe but the cilantro! I won’t use store bought because it always smells and tastes like the store to me lol. Is there anything else I can use in place of the cilantro?? I know other salsa recipes call for parsley, which I have in abundance, but I’ve never tried using it in any of my canned salsa recipes. Any thoughts??
Amanda Paa
August 10, 2023
Hello! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I think if I were you, I wouldn’t replace the cilantro with parsley; I think it can give too much of a grassy flavor. It will still be delicious without the cilantro! If you open a jar and have some cilantro from your garden on hand, you could always stir some into a bowl when you eat it.
Peas
August 11, 2023
That’s a great idea! Thank you for your reply!!
Lora
July 16, 2023
I have made salsa for years but I sure love this recipe! Your addition of expresso was a game changer! Thank you!!
Amanda Paa
July 16, 2023
Yay! I’m glad you enjoy the depth of flavor!
Tessa
July 14, 2023
This sounds like a great recipe and I am very excited to try it with some of the tomatoes and peppers I picked from my garden. I do have a question, hubby does not like apple cider vinegar, can I sub with lemon juice or lime juice instead?
Thank you!
Amanda Paa
July 15, 2023
Hi Tessa! A few things; the actual flavor of the apple cider vinegar cooks off during the cooking process. You will still taste the acidity, but not persay the actual flavor of ACV. You could use lemon or lime juice instead, but I have not tested that for flavor. It will be safe, as lemon and lime juice are slightly more acidic than vinegar. Be sure to use bottled lime or lemon juice though, because fresh will vary in ph.
Tessa
July 15, 2023
Thank you! We may give the ACV a go before trying the lemon juice. Let you know what we think. I’m excited to try!!
Ryan
February 6, 2023
My wife and I made this with some friends and family yesterday. We tripled the batch, then tripled that! 45lbs of tomatoes, 18lbs of peppers etc. We made a couple of changes. 1, I used 15lbs of red and green bells and 3 lbs of jalapeños to equal our 18lbs of peppers. 2, I added roughly 1/2to 3/4 cup of Mexican oregano. 3rd, we roasted all of the tomatoes on grates over lump charcoal and roasted all of the peppers on wood pellet grill. The total yield was 54 pints! All I can say is wow!!! I wish all 54 pints were in my pantry. It really is the best salsa I have ever eaten. My wife will not eat spicy food and we were worried the 30lbs might no too much. It was perfect. My wife and I are planning on making your Chile verde recipe this weekend. I will be adding Chile de arbol to have of it for a real kick. Thankyou for sharing these recipes, as we are new to the canning world finding this recipe was a home run! Thanks again
Amanda Paa
February 6, 2023
Wow, wow, wow! That is an incredible canning session. So glad you enjoyed the salsa recipe and it is a part of your kitchen!
Rebecca
January 27, 2023
Can I substitute more tomato’s in replace of bell peppers?
Amanda Paa
January 27, 2023
Hi Rebecca, tomatoes cannot be used for the peppers called for, as it would throw off the ph that this recipe has been safely tested for canning.
Lindsey Baird
October 31, 2022
This was DELICIOUS and I’m not even a big salsa fan! I admittedly did not use the espresso powder just because I wanted to kids to have it, but it’s absolutely excellent.
Taylor
September 29, 2022
Hi,
The weight of the tomatoes and the peppers, is this after they are roasted or prior to roasting?
Amanda Paa
September 29, 2022
hello! the weight is prior to roasting.
Sandra
September 25, 2022
I was searching for a roasted salsa recipe as my tomatoes, sweet peppers, and hot peppers did exceptionally well this year. This recipe is excellent! I did modify it slightly by using 1/2 regular vinegar and half apple cider vinegar, and I also added coriander and smoked paprika (roughly a teaspoon of each). I used a mix of all my tomatoes, and then the ancho poblano, jalapeño, and Serrano peppers we’d also grown. So glad I found this.
Amanda Paa
September 26, 2022
So glad you liked the salsa, Sandra! Sounds like an excellent harvest for you.
Chelsa Johnson
August 27, 2022
2 pounds of peppers PLUS 6 hot peppers? The hot ones are in addition to the 2 pounds previously stated? Or 2 pounds total for all the peppers? Thanks!
Amanda Paa
August 27, 2022
2 pounds total for all peppers!
Corrina
August 23, 2022
I would love to can in quart jars besides pints are we able too with your recipe?
Amanda Paa
August 24, 2022
Hi Corrina! I have done some research on canning salsa in quarts and it seems this isn’t safely approved in a water bath canner because it can be difficult for the larger jars to reach the internal temps needed, in the middle of the jars. This is a good q&a on canning salsa safely.
Cindy
August 23, 2022
I have made some great salsas but this is the best one yet AND it is so easy to make. I added some smoked paprika and based on a comment about red wine vinegar, I used that instead of Apple cider vinegar. I will never go back! This is my fav “forever” salsa! Thank you for this beautiful and rich bodied recipe!
Cindy
Amanda Paa
August 23, 2022
Yay! So glad to hear this is now a favorite in your house. I will add the note about the option to use red wine vinegar, thank you!
Kari
August 11, 2022
I just made this simple salsa. Such an easy recipe to make and super delicious.
Amanda Paa
August 11, 2022
Fabulous, love hearing your success!
Laurie L
January 26, 2022
You mentioned to another commenter that the hot peppers are not roasted . Why not? Are they roasted separately or not roasted at all? P.ease update the recipe to reflect this. Thanks.
Amanda Paa
January 26, 2022
Hi Laurie! Over the years I have updated the recipe with my preference to roast all of the peppers, as the recipe instructs.
Dan McGuckin
October 25, 2021
Excellent salsa. Adding 4 ghost (or reapers) peppers makes it hotter than most store salsas but still tolerable for non pepper heads. This is a staple recipe for me, thanks!
Amanda Paa
October 25, 2021
so glad you liked the recipe, Dan!
Jacqueline
August 5, 2022
Totally agree! I added my Carolina Reapers to this recipe. We like hot & sweet Salsas so we added sugar and this turned out AWESOME!!
Amanda Paa
August 5, 2022
Yay, so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Lauren
October 7, 2021
Best salsa!!! Spices really make it awesome!
Noe Gomez
September 8, 2021
Been roasting tomatoes,peppers,garlic and onions for salsa for about fifty years.would not make it any other way
Sharon A.
September 3, 2021
What is the shelf life of these jars of salsa? They probably won’t last long enough to worry about it but just in case.
Amanda Paa
September 3, 2021
Hello! Shelf life is 12-18 months. But you’re right, I doubt you won’t go through it in that time! ;)
Chrissy
August 29, 2021
Can you use instant espresso coffee instead of espresso powder?
Amanda Paa
August 29, 2021
yes, you certainly can use that instead!
chrissy
August 29, 2021
Hi there, can i substitute regular white vinegar or red wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar? or should i substitute with lemon/lime juice instead?
Amanda Paa
August 29, 2021
Hello! You can use lemon or lime juice to replace the vinegar, but it MUST be BOTTLED lime or lemon juice, where the acidity is controlled and tested, at 5%. Juicing your own lemons or limes to use in canning is not advised because their acidity can vary.
Chrissy
August 30, 2021
Thanks so much! The salsa turned out great!
Liz
August 24, 2021
I have read you can safely replace vinegar with either lemon or lime as long acidity is 5%. Would this work?
Amanda Paa
August 24, 2021
Hello! You can use lemon or lime juice to replace the vinegar, but it MUST be BOTTLED lime or lemon juice, where the acidity is controlled and tested, at 5%. Juicing your own lemons or limes to use in canning is not advised because their acidity can vary.
Mitch J
August 10, 2021
Excellent recipe! The only tweek I do is roast all the onions, garlic, peppers and tomatoes on an open mesquite fire. The smoky flavor of the wood adds even more flavor to the end results. Thanks for sharing!
Jason
August 9, 2021
I was very impressed the first time I made it, but I’m curious, can I safely use tomatillos instead of tomatoes if I roast them and weigh out 5 pounds? I like the amount of peppers used in this recipe but NONE of the canned roasted green salsa recipes I find have enough peppers in them. This one would make an amazing green salsa if I could safely do that…
Amanda Paa
August 10, 2021
hi jason! have you tried this roasted salsa verde canning recipe of mine? it sounds like it might be just what you’re looking for!
Jason
June 17, 2021
Can I use ANY type of vinegar as long as the acidity is 4 percent or more? I want a vinegar with a less strong taste next time. I substituted both pounds of bell peppers with poblanos and Anaheims and Shishitos. The results are delicious but the apple cider vinegar tastes too strong…
Amanda Paa
June 17, 2021
yes, you can use a different type of vinegar!
Lori
October 20, 2020
Do you roast the hot chiles with the tomatoesand green peppers? (Jalapeno, habernero)
Amanda Paa
October 20, 2020
Hi Lori! The hot chiles are not roasted with the others.
Kelly
September 25, 2020
I love this recipe and loved reading through all the comments. I do have a question: I have lots of anaheim green peppers from my garden, could I sub those (or some) instead of bell peppers? Looking to make salsa extra spicy!
Amanda Paa
September 26, 2020
Hi Kelly! Yes, if you want to sub in some anaheim green peppers, that will work just fine! Will depend on how spicy you like, and you can adjust accordingly.
Catarina
July 1, 2020
Hi Amada,
I’m from Texas so when I stumbled across your salsa recipe I was delighted. Made it exactly according to recipe. But the apple cider vinegar really threw the taste for me. It was there in every bite. Next time, I will use same base recipe but substitute fresh lemon juice along with two to three tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Those ingredients were listed on all the jars of my favorite salsas. I LOVED the base recipe, has all the flavors I love. Thanks.
Phyllis
September 10, 2020
Can you use lemon juice instead of lime juice? Do you have to roast the aneheim peppers?
Amanda Paa
September 10, 2020
yes, you can use lemon juice instead of lime. i think the best flavor and texture comes out from roasting the peppers.
Phyllis
September 10, 2020
I used the white vinager and roasted aneheim peppers. Thank you tasted great.
Susan
August 29, 2021
What is the amt in cups after roasting the tomatoes? I roasted and froze my garden fresh tomatoes earlier in the season. Would love to use them. Thank you.
Amanda Paa
August 30, 2021
Hello! You’ll want to use the weight of the tomatoes after they unthaw, to ensure proper ratios for safe canning.
Sarah Benson
August 26, 2018
I have tried many salsa recipes and this one is by far my favorite!!! We blew friends and family away when we shared our precious jars. Thanks for an amazing recipe – I recommend it all the time!
amandapaa
August 27, 2018
Thank you for the comment, Sarah! I’m so glad this recipe has become a favorite for your family. :)
Janet
August 18, 2018
Can I use peppers and tomatoes smoked I stead of roasted in the oven?
amandapaa
August 19, 2018
Hi! I don’t think it would be good to use smoked peppers and tomatoes because their acidity is different than roasted, which would affect the ph and thus, canning safety.
Julia B.
September 17, 2017
This is a terrific recipe! Love the peppery, onion flavor with the nice texture & “secret” spice ingredient of espresso powder. In the past, I’ve made another roasted tomato salsa recipe. This one is so much better! Way easier since there is no need to halve the tomatoes & peppers before roasting nor waiting for them to cool or peel. (Except for the bell peppers.) so the processing time is much shorter. Yay!
Mine turned out to be medium spicy, and has a zippy bite to it. I used 2 very large sweet green bell peppers & subbed in some large medium heat green chile peppers for the remaining bell peppers. I used 2 red jalapeños, 2 green jalapeños, and 3 mild chiles – a green, red & yellow. For a milder heat, I would leave out the red jalapeños & use all bell peppers.
My beau wants me to keep it all this year rather than giving away some of the pints to salsa-loving family members. This is my new “keeper” salsa recipe, for sure!
amandapaa
September 18, 2017
wonderful, i’m so glad you liked the recipe!!
Tamara Brimm
September 17, 2017
Hi there! I just made 4 batches of this salsa! I have 25 pints. Thanks for sharing.
An interesting tip you shared- wiping the rim w vinegar- awesome!
I think we will b set for the winter months! Just love opening jars of summer!
Nicole
September 5, 2017
Can this be made with cherry or grape tomatoes. My plants went crazy.
amandapaa
September 5, 2017
That would work, however you’d have quite a bit of skins in the salsa. If you don’t mind that, I so go for it!
Nicole Fehringer
September 5, 2017
Thank you. I will give it a try.
Melissa
September 4, 2017
This sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to try it out 😊 I do have a question though (I’m new to canning… As in I’ve never canned a thing, but I do have all of the equipment now… I’ve been researching & stocking up, lol)
I love the flavour of caramelized onions… Is it possible to use that instead of raw onions? Or maybe a mixture of both? Not sure if it would affect the PH. I love raw onions, but thought I’d try the caramelized in the 2nd batch (let’s just see how well I do on the 1st batch 😉)
Thanks in advance! I’m so hungry now…
amandapaa
September 5, 2017
The caramelized batch will not have the same PH, thus would not be safe for canning. Even though the onions are raw, they cook so long in the mixture that they don’t have the sharp bite you’re probably thinking of.
Melissa
September 5, 2017
Thank you for the information! Good to know, especially because I’m SO new to canning… There’s a lot of info out there. I personally love raw onions in my salsa, salads, burgers etc. (red onions are my favourite), but my husband is a wee bit picky. I guess that’s means more for me 😊
Thanks again, enjoy the rest of your day!
Lauren
July 31, 2017
This is, hands down, one of the tastiest salsa recipes I’ve canned. Thank you so much! I’ll be making this again! The addition of espresso was brilliant. I added a splash of lime juice to my batch (I figured you can’t go wrong adding more acid). Simply delicious! I ended up with 6.5 pints and ate the half pint while the 6 full pints were in the water bath.
amandapaa
August 1, 2017
Wonderful, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Will be a tasty winter when you open a can!
Lorie
July 19, 2017
What kind of Chile Powder do you use?
amandapaa
July 19, 2017
I use Penzy’s Chili Powder or Simply Organic!
Marina
September 21, 2016
Can I sub more tomatoes for bell pepper poundage? Running low on peppers but have plenty of toms- not sure if that throws the acid out of whack though- thanks.
amandapaa
September 22, 2016
Hi Marina! I am not sure about this, as canning is so specific when it comes to acid. Sorry I can’t help more.
Virginia
September 4, 2016
Oh, this stuff is gooood! I don’t like raw onions so I threw them in the broiler and blended them with the tomatoes. Didn’t have instant espresso but put in some trader joes instant coffee. Nice and spicy hot. Will also make a good enchilada sauce.
Sarah Sperl
August 21, 2016
Just made this salsa with fresh tomatoes and peppers from the garden – absolutely delicious!!!
amandapaa
August 21, 2016
so happy to hear this Sarah, thanks for leaving a note!
Devon
August 20, 2016
I can’t eat onions. Do you think I can omit them and still can this? It’s my understanding that onions are not acidic so it will still be fine for water bath canning.
amandapaa
August 20, 2016
Hi! Although onions are low in acid, they do still contribute to the overall PH level. Because of this, I would add an additional 1 pound of bell peppers to replace the one pound of onions.
Devon
August 21, 2016
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try it!
Lolee ofa
August 9, 2016
Thanks for the recipe
2 questions
– Instead of canning the prepared salsa, can the product be frozen in portions until needed
– can i eat the salsa immediately after production?
Thsnks
amandapaa
August 9, 2016
Hi! Freezing the salsa would definitely change its texture, so I don’t recommend that. But you can definitely eat it immediately after production, once it is cooled.
Kristine
August 5, 2016
Just a quick question. Is the “t” for tablespoon or teaspoon? Used to seeing T or tsp. Thanks!
amandapaa
August 5, 2016
hello! the t is for teaspoon, capital T for tablespoon.
kayla
October 12, 2015
Do You Core ThE Tomatoes And de-seed The Peppers After Roasting?
Amanda Paa
October 12, 2015
Nope, I leave it as is! You won’t have much core left after the roasting period.
Tracy
September 29, 2015
hey Amanda how many pint jars do you need?
Amanda Paa
September 29, 2015
hi Tracy! you’ll see right underneath the title that it makes 6-7 pints. enjoy!
Kee
August 22, 2015
hi! I have an abundance of heirloom tomatoes in my garden (half Brandywine and half Moskvich). Could I use all heirlooms or do I need romas for some reason? Thanks!
Amanda Paa
August 22, 2015
The reason it calls for half romas is because larger tomatoes have a lot more water, thus affected the “runniness” of the salsa. If you can get your hands on some romas, I would, otherwise I would roast the tomatoes on a separate pan and drain some of the juices from then. Hope that helps!
Kristin
August 14, 2015
This looks great! Do you cut the tomatoes and peppers in half before roasting or leave them whole?
Amanda Paa
August 14, 2015
Hi Kristin! I left them whole, it works great and is faster than cutting them all in half. Enjoy!
Traci
August 12, 2015
you talked about adding lemon juice to make it safe for canning. But I don’t see that in this recipe! Is it still safe to can if it was not added? Sorry new at canning! Thanks!
Amanda Paa
August 12, 2015
Hi Traci! I’m not seeing any mention of lemon juice? In this recipe, the apple cider vinegar is the acid that will make it safe for canning. As long as you added that you are good to go.
Traci
August 12, 2015
Ok Great!!!!! I clicked on the read more here, about the ph balance! Thank you so much for the info!! I am new at canning so I don’t know much! I made this recipe! My husband and I LOVE it!!!! Thanks again for the info!!!
Amanda Paa
August 13, 2015
Oh great – so glad you enjoyed the salsa!
Lee
September 14, 2014
I’ve never canned a single thing in my life (other than nut butter and that doesn’t count!). 1. I need a garden 2. I need to can. ASAP.
Amanda Paa
September 15, 2014
I would love a garden too Lee! But for now I’ll just invade the farmer’s market every weekend :) You should totally try canning, it’s much easier than you’d think. We could even do it together!
Gwen Rice
September 24, 2013
Made this today. . . so so so good! Sweet and spicy and a wonderful way to use all my tomatoes! Thanks so much for the recipe.
amandapaa
September 24, 2013
Gwen, I’m so glad you made the salsa! I love getting feedback and knowing that it worked for others. Canning takes time, but it’s so worth it!
Jacqui
September 17, 2013
Espresso powder in salsa is, in a word, brilliant. Want to taste. Gorgeous and vibrant, too.
amandapaa
September 24, 2013
Jacqui, I will save a jar of this for you! Do you know when you’ll be visiting again?
Kate
September 13, 2013
Hmmm… I’ve never made salsa, but between you and Laurie, I’m getting a huge itch to do so. This looks perfect!
amandapaa
September 13, 2013
Kate, I really think you should. It’s so nice to have around come wintertime! Plus what I like about this recipe is that you don’t have to peel all the tomatoes. You keep the blistered skins on them and puree so you get a wonderful smokiness.