I canned a batch of crushed tomatoes with just three ingredients and now my pantry is packed with rich, jarred summer flavor that makes simple pasta, chili, and soups suddenly sing.

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I’m obsessed with the bright, honest punch of fresh tomatoes in a jar. I love how those meaty tomatoes taste like summer concentrated, sun, acid, and pulp in every spoonful.

And that tart lift from bottled lemon juice wakes up each batch, cutting through richness and making sauces sing. I crave the raw tomato flavor straight from the spoon, in a bowl of pasta, or spooned into a simmering pot of chili.

No fuss, no pretending. Pure tomato, bottled for winter.

I’ll grab a jar and never apologize for eating it by the spoonful. Worth every sticky, loud bite always.

Ingredients

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Fresh tomatoes: meaty body and natural sweetness, makes sauce thick and homey.
Bottled lemon juice: adds safe acid balance, keeps color bright.
Plus, it’s pantry simple.
Canning salt: seasons without clouding, brings tomato flavors forward.
Basically, it’s home-canning essential.

Ingredient Quantities

Fresh tomatoes, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds per quart jar (ripe, meaty tomatoes are best)

Bottled lemon juice, 2 tablespoons per quart jar (1 tablespoon per pint)

Canning salt or kosher salt, 1 teaspoon per quart jar (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Wash jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water, rinse well and keep jars hot (in a simmering water bath or in a warm oven at about 200 F) so they do not crack when you fill them.

2. Bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil and have an ice bath ready. Score a small X on the bottom of each tomato, drop tomatoes into boiling water 30 to 60 seconds until skins split, then plunge into ice bath; skins should slip off easy.

3. Peel, core and roughly chop or crush the tomatoes with a food mill, blender pulse or by hand in a bowl until you have the texture you like; remove excess liquid if you want thicker crushed tomatoes.

4. Heat the crushed tomatoes to a simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce air and help pack them hot, stirring so they do not scorch. Taste and add a little salt if you like.

5. Put bottled lemon juice in the bottom of each jar to ensure safe acidity: 2 tablespoons per quart jar, 1 tablespoon per pint. Add canning salt if using: 1 teaspoon per quart, 1/2 teaspoon per pint.

6. Ladle the hot crushed tomatoes into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Tap jars on the counter and use a nonmetal spatula or bubble remover to slide down sides and release trapped air.

7. Wipe jar rims with a clean damp cloth, center hot lids on jars and screw bands fingertip tight. Don’t over-tighten or the air needs to escape during processing.

8. Place jars in a boiling water bath canner with at least 1 to 2 inches of water above the jar tops. Bring to a full rolling boil, then start timing: process pints 35 minutes and quarts 45 minutes at sea level. Increase time according to your altitude per local USDA guidelines.

9. When time is up, turn off heat, remove lid, wait 5 minutes then lift jars out with a lifter onto a towel and let them cool undisturbed 12 to 24 hours. You will hear lids pop as they seal.

10. Check seals (lid depressed, no give), remove bands, label and store sealed jars in a cool dark place up to a year. Any unsealed jars refrigerate and use within a few days. If you see bulging lids, bad smells or off color, discard.

Equipment Needed

1. Mason jars with lids and bands (quart and/or pint sizes)
2. Large stock pot or water bath canner to boil jars
3. Jar lifter and canning funnel for safe, neat filling
4. Long-handled stainless ladle
5. Nonmetal spatula or bubble remover to release air
6. Large pot for blanching tomatoes and a slotted spoon
7. Ice bath (big bowl) to shock tomatoes
8. Food mill or blender and a chef knife with cutting board
9. Clean dish towels and a jar rack or cooling surface

FAQ

Fresh tomatoes, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds per quart jar (ripe, meaty tomatoes are best)

Bottled lemon juice, 2 tablespoons per quart jar (1 tablespoon per pint)

Canning salt or kosher salt, 1 teaspoon per quart jar (optional)

Q: Can I use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled? A: No, use bottled lemon juice. Its acidity is standardized and required for safe home canning of tomatoes.

Q: How long will home canned crushed tomatoes last? A: Stored cool and dark, they keep best for 12 to 18 months. Use within a year for peak flavor, though they can be safe longer if seal is intact.

Q: My jars didnt seal. Is it safe to eat? A: If a jar didnt seal, refrigerate and use within a few days or reprocess within 24 hours using a new lid. Do not eat food from jars that smell off or show mold.

Q: Do I need to add salt? A: Salt is optional and only for flavor. It does not affect safety when bottled lemon juice is used to acidify.

Q: How do I adjust processing time for altitude? A: Increase the time: add 5 minutes for 1,001 to 3,000 ft, add 10 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 ft, add 15 minutes for 6,001 to 8,000 ft. These adjustments help ensure safety.

Q: Can I freeze instead of canning? A: Yes. Freezing crushed tomatoes is easier and preserves fresh flavor. Pack into freezer-safe containers leaving headspace, freeze up to 12 months.

How To Make And Can Crushed Tomatoes At Home Recipe Substitutions and Variations

How to Make and Can Crushed Tomatoes at Home

I love making crushed tomatoes at home. They taste way better than store bought and you control the texture and flavor. This is a simple, forgiving recipe that yields bright, saucy tomatoes ready for soups, sauces and casseroles.

Ingredients
– Fresh tomatoes, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds per quart jar, ripe and meaty are best
– Bottled lemon juice, 2 tablespoons per quart jar, 1 tablespoon per pint
– Canning salt or kosher salt, 1 teaspoon per quart jar, optional

Substitutions

For fresh tomatoes: use roma or plum tomatoes for less water content
For fresh tomatoes: use a mix of ripe beefsteak and roma to balance sweetness and body
For bottled lemon juice: use bottled lime juice at the same amount if you like a slightly brighter flavor
For canning salt: use sea salt at the same measure but do not use iodized table salt if you want a cleaner taste

What you need
– Quart or pint jars with lids and bands, clean and hot
– Large pot for boiling water bath
– Large pot for cooking tomatoes
– Jar lifter, funnel, ladle, and a canning rack
– Slotted spoon and a masher or food mill

Steps
1. Prep jars and lids. Wash jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water. Keep jars hot until ready to fill by placing them in simmering water. Put lids in hot but not boiling water to soften the seal.

2. Blanch and peel tomatoes. Score a small X at the bottom of each tomato. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins start to split. Transfer to ice water. Peel off skins, cut out cores and any tough spots.

3. Crush tomatoes. Coarsely chop or crush by hand, or run through a food mill for a smoother crushed texture. If you like a thicker sauce, simmer the crushed tomatoes in a pot to reduce for 10 to 20 minutes, skimming foam.

4. Add acid and salt. For each quart jar add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice. For each pint add 1 tablespoon. If using salt, add 1 teaspoon per quart or 1/2 teaspoon per pint. Do not skip the bottled lemon juice. It is required for safe water bath canning.

5. Pack jars. Use a ladle and wide mouthed funnel to fill hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace at top. Remove air bubbles with a non metal spatula or bubble remover. Wipe rim clean and center lid. Screw on band until fingertip tight.

6. Process jars. Place jars on a rack in a boiling water bath canner. Water should cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a full rolling boil and process pints for 35 minutes, quarts for 45 minutes. After processing turn off heat and let jars sit in the water for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on a towel undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.

7. Test and store. Lids should be concave and not pop when pressed. Remove bands and test seal. Label jars with date and store in a cool dark place up to one year. Refrigerate any jars that did not seal and use those first.

Tips and small hacks
– Use fully ripe tomatoes for best flavor but if you get slightly underripe ones, mix with ripe ones to keep acidity balanced.
– If you prefer a chunkier crushed tomato, just hand crush and do not boil down as long.
– Save tomato skins and seeds to make a quick vegetable stock later.
– Don’t skip bottled lemon juice. Citrus from your tree varies and is not reliable for canning safety.

Enjoy your jars of summer in a jar. They make weekday dinners faster and taste like you spent hours.

Pro Tips

1. Keep your jars really hot before you fill them, or they might crack when the hot tomatoes go in, so don’t skip that step. If your jars cool down, pop them back in warm water or the oven for a few minutes, it helps and you wont waste good tomatoes.

2. Use the bottled lemon juice every jar, no guessing, because fresh lemons vary and you need the right acidity for safety. Also if you like thicker crushed tomatoes, drain off some of the watery juice after you crush them then simmer a little longer to concentrate the flavor.

3. Don’t over-tighten the bands before processing, they should be fingertip tight so air can escape during boiling. After you fill, tap jars and slide a nonmetal spatula around the edges to get bubbles out, otherwise jars can leak or not seal right.

4. Adjust processing time for your altitude ands keep the full rolling boil while timing, getting distracted and reducing the heat will mess up the seal. If a jar doesn’t seal, refrigerate and use fast or reprocess with a new lid, dont try to guess if it’s okay.

How To Make And Can Crushed Tomatoes At Home Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I canned a batch of crushed tomatoes with just three ingredients and now my pantry is packed with rich, jarred summer flavor that makes simple pasta, chili, and soups suddenly sing.

Servings

servings

Calories

kcal

Equipment: 1. Mason jars with lids and bands (quart and/or pint sizes)
2. Large stock pot or water bath canner to boil jars
3. Jar lifter and canning funnel for safe, neat filling
4. Long-handled stainless ladle
5. Nonmetal spatula or bubble remover to release air
6. Large pot for blanching tomatoes and a slotted spoon
7. Ice bath (big bowl) to shock tomatoes
8. Food mill or blender and a chef knife with cutting board
9. Clean dish towels and a jar rack or cooling surface

Ingredients

Fresh tomatoes, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds per quart jar (ripe, meaty tomatoes are best)
Bottled lemon juice, 2 tablespoons per quart jar (1 tablespoon per pint)
Canning salt or kosher salt, 1 teaspoon per quart jar (optional)

Directions

Wash jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water, rinse well and keep jars hot (in a simmering water bath or in a warm oven at about 200 F) so they do not crack when you fill them.
Bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil and have an ice bath ready. Score a small X on the bottom of each tomato, drop tomatoes into boiling water 30 to 60 seconds until skins split, then plunge into ice bath; skins should slip off easy.
Peel, core and roughly chop or crush the tomatoes with a food mill, blender pulse or by hand in a bowl until you have the texture you like; remove excess liquid if you want thicker crushed tomatoes.
Heat the crushed tomatoes to a simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce air and help pack them hot, stirring so they do not scorch. Taste and add a little salt if you like.
Put bottled lemon juice in the bottom of each jar to ensure safe acidity: 2 tablespoons per quart jar, 1 tablespoon per pint. Add canning salt if using: 1 teaspoon per quart, 1/2 teaspoon per pint.
Ladle the hot crushed tomatoes into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Tap jars on the counter and use a nonmetal spatula or bubble remover to slide down sides and release trapped air.
Wipe jar rims with a clean damp cloth, center hot lids on jars and screw bands fingertip tight. Don’t over-tighten or the air needs to escape during processing.
Place jars in a boiling water bath canner with at least 1 to 2 inches of water above the jar tops. Bring to a full rolling boil, then start timing: process pints 35 minutes and quarts 45 minutes at sea level. Increase time according to your altitude per local USDA guidelines.
When time is up, turn off heat, remove lid, wait 5 minutes then lift jars out with a lifter onto a towel and let them cool undisturbed 12 to 24 hours. You will hear lids pop as they seal.
Check seals (lid depressed, no give), remove bands, label and store sealed jars in a cool dark place up to a year. Any unsealed jars refrigerate and use within a few days. If you see bulging lids, bad smells or off color, discard.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.