CANNING: Roasted Tomato Salsa Ranchera
- Salsa Ranchera Serving Ideas
- Salsa Ranchera Ingredients
- Kitchen Equipment Needed for Canning Salsa Ranchera
- How to Can Roasted Tomato Salsa Ranchera
- Storing your Salsa Ranchera
- Roasted Tomato Salsa Ranchera
Roasting the vegetables for this simple salsa ranchera canning recipe concentrates the flavors so you’ll get a vibrant and complex sauce. It’s an easy water-bath canning recipe, with just a handful of basic ingredients but a big, bold taste!
Spicy jalapeno or serrano peppers, red-ripe Roma or other paste tomatoes, sweetly roasted onion, zippy lime juice, and bright green cilantro, accented with earthy ground cumin and just a bit of zesty oregano… it’s a simple flavor profile but it works so well. This is a classic salsa recipe you’ll want to make again and again!
If you want to amp up that oven-roasted flavor even more, you could even grill or smoke your vegetables instead to add a smoky, fire-roasted heat to this salsa. If you try this variation, use foil pans to catch the juices and don’t use any marinades or oil, just a quick char over the coals (and let us know how it came out in the comments below!).
Salsa Ranchera Serving Ideas
It’s a thick, chunky homemade salsa that is great for chips and dipping, but there are tons of other ways to serve it. Mix it with mashed ripe avocado for a quick and easy homemade guacamole, or serve it on the side with your favorite guac and chips.
It’s a perfect sauce for quick huevos rancheros, topping crispy tortillas, beans, and a fried egg. Or spoon it on your favorite tacos, burritos, nachos, tostadas, and more. It’s so good!
Salsa Ranchera Ingredients
Paste tomatoes:
While you can make this salsa with any large tomatoes, you’ll get the best results with paste-type sauce tomatoes like Roma. If you make your salsa with slicing tomatoes, you’ll want to simmer and reduce the chopped tomato mixture somewhat before adding the other ingredients, you will end up with watery salsa.
Because they’re oven roasted, you don’t have to blanch the tomatoes to remove the peels, and the roasting really concentrates the flavor. I save the roasted tomato peels and add them into my freezer stash bag of trimmings for stock. If you make your own bone broth or veggie stock at home, don’t waste these!
Onions:
You can use white, yellow, or even red onions here. For a very mild, sweet salsa, you can use sweet onions, though the onion flavor is already mellowed by roasting, so you’ll get a better flavor with a more aggressive onion.
Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers:
You can use all jalapeno peppers, or substitute some with serrano peppers for a spicier, fruitier salsa flavor. Peppers vary in heat… some jalapenos are very fiery, while others are almost as mild as bell peppers. Taste your peppers, and adjust the heat by including some seeds or more serranos for hotter salsa. Make your salsa more mild by removing all of the seeds and the white membrane that surrounds them, which carry a lot of the capsaicin (the component that makes peppers hot).
Lime Juice:
The original Ball recipe for canning salsa ranchera was tested with fresh lime juice, so it’s safe to use freshly squeezed juice here if you like. Good quality bottled lime juice is also fine, and has a standardized acidity which makes it safer for canning unless otherwise specified, so feel free to use that if you prefer!
Cilantro:
Also known in as fresh coriander in some regions, this green leafy herb has a distinctive flavor and aroma. Some people love it, some loathe it (it’s a genetic tasting factor, and for some people, it tastes strongly of soap).
If you’re in the latter camp, you can leave it out, but don’t add more than specified in this recipe. Adding more fresh herbs to a tested canning recipe can throw off the pH and make it unsafe to can, so stick to the quantities listed.
Garlic:
We’re using fresh garlic cloves here. The original recipe roasts them with the other vegetables, removing them from the oven before the others so that they don’t burn. I like the bite of fresh garlic, plus it’s very easy to over-do it and end up with bitter, burnt garlic if you aren’t watching it closely.
Seasonings:
Salt, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Use Mexican oregano if you can get it!
Kitchen Equipment Needed for Canning Salsa Ranchera
sheet pans:
I used a standard half-sheet pan to roast the tomatoes, and a quarter sheet each for the peppers and onions. You can use other baking dishes, just make sure your cookie sheets or pans have a shallow lip to catch the juices from the roasting vegetables, and aren’t so deep that the veggies steam instead of roasting.
large sauce pan or stockpot:
You’ll need a 5 quart or larger pot or dutch oven to simmer your salsa mixture before canning. Make sure the pot is non-reactive stainless steel or enameled, since the salsa mixture is acidic. Don’t use an uncoated aluminum or cast-iron pot.
water bath canner or large stockpot:
You’ll need one large or two smaller stockpots or water-bath canning pots that can hold 8 pint jars, or you’ll need to process this in batches. You can also can part of this batch, and refrigerate the rest of your salsa to use right away.
canning jars and lids:
You’ll need eight pint mason jars and new canning lids with bands, or an equivalent combination of smaller jars. Do not water-bath can salsa in jars larger than a pint (16 oz or half-liter jars). You can safely use a combination of pints and half-pint or smaller jars to can your batch of salsa. The water-bath processing time is the same (20 minutes, adjusted for altitude if needed).
How to Can Roasted Tomato Salsa Ranchera
Prep Veggies:
- Preheat the oven to 425 ℉. You can lightly coat your baking sheets with a bit of pan spray or a very thin coating of oil if they are not nonstick, or line them with parchment, for easier cleanup.
- Wash the tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Peel and chop the garlic and set aside.
- Using a small, sharp paring knife or strawberry huller, core the tomatoes, removing just the stem and any hard white or green fibrous bits. Spread the tomatoes out on a half sheet pan or other shallow baking pan.
- Trim the root end and peels from the onions and cut them into long 1/2″ thick slices or wedges. Spread them out on another baking sheet.
- Spread out the hot peppers on another baking sheet.
Roast vegetables:
- Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
- Check the pans about halfway through, and then periodically, giving them a shake to loosen the vegetables from the pans or turn them with tongs if they’re sticking. You may also want to rotate the pans on your oven racks so that they cook evenly.
- Roast until the veggies are beginning to soften. The tomato peels will begin to split and char, the peppers will be wrinkled and starting to brown, and the onions will soften and become translucent.
- Remove them from the oven and set the pans aside until they are just cool enough to handle. Cover the peppers while they cool with another pan, a bowl, or some foil, so that they will steam as they cool.
Prep jars:
- While the veggies are cooling, fill your canner with enough water to cover the tops of the jars by at least one inch, cover the pot, and bring up to a boil.
- Wash and sanitize your pint or smaller jars, and wash and prepare your lids. Do not boil the lids (unless you are using reusable lids, then follow manufacturer instructions).
Peel, chop, and combine salsa:
- Peel the tomatoes, and using a spatula or knife, roughly chop them. Transfer the chopped tomatoes and their juices to a large, non-reactive pot.
- If your tomatoes are very watery (or especially if you didn’t use paste tomatoes) you will want to simmer them for a bit to reduce while you prepare the other ingredients, or otherwise, just keep them hot.
- Remove the stems, seeds, and any loose or charred skins from the hot peppers. You may want to wear latex or nitrile gloves to prevent the hot peppers from burning your hands. Chop the peppers and add them to the salsa pot.
- Rough chop the cooked onion into medium sized dice, and add this into the mixture as well.
Simmer and season salsa:
- Add the salt, lime juice, chopped garlic, oregano, and cumin to the pot of chopped roasted veggies, and bring the salsa mixture up to a simmer. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
- Wash and chop the cilantro, and stir this into the salsa. Bring back up to a boil before jarring your salsa.
Jar the salsa:
- Using a canning funnel (if possible) fill the jars with the hot salsa mixture, leaving ½” headspace. Work quickly and keep mixture hot while filling jars.
- Using a thin non-metallic spatula, thin wooden spoon, or jar tool, remove air bubbles from the jars and adjust headspace as needed.
- Wipe jar rims. I use a paper towel or clean lint-free towel dipped in hot water, followed with a clean towel dampened with distilled vinegar. Clean jar rims make good seals!
- Place your prepared lids on the jars and secure with rings (check rings for dents and discard any damaged rings).
Canning your salsa ranchera:
- Using jar tongs or a canning jar rack, transfer the hot jars into the boiling water canner and make sure there is at least an inch of water over the jars with room to boil. Top up from a hot kettle of water if needed.
- Process in your boiling water bath for 20 minutes (increase as needed for elevations above 1000 ft). Make sure the water is boiling hard the whole time. Do not start the processing timer until the pot is boiling vigorously.
- When the time is up, turn off the burner under the pot, wait 5 minutes, and then carefully remove the jars with jar tongs (or remove the jar rack, if you used one).
- Place the jars on a towel-covered or wooden surface or wire rack and leave undisturbed until completely cool. If it’s cold or drafty, you may want to cover the jars with a towel so they cool evenly. Do not tighten the bands (unless you are using reusable lids: if so, follow manufacturer instructions).
Storing your Salsa Ranchera
- After jars have cooled completely (12-24 hours) remove the bands and check for seals. Make sure that the button on the lid is depressed and the jars have a good vacuum seal.
- Refrigerate any jars that did not seal and use promptly, or reheat and reprocess with new lids within 24 hours.
- Gently wash jars or wipe with a damp cloth, label, and store in a cool, dark pantry. For best quality, enjoy home-canned goods within 12-18 months.
Do I Have to Can this Salsa?
You can also skip the canning and refrigerate your salsa. Use within 7-10 days, and discard if it shows signs of spoilage. If you are planning to use it fresh, you can adjust the ratios and seasoning to taste. It’s great for parties, or you can scale the quantities back to make a smaller batch.
This is great for big parties, or for meal prep. While the texture of this salsa is best either fresh or canned, you can also freeze your roasted salsa ranchera in freezer-safe containers if you like.
Roasted Tomato Salsa Ranchera
Ingredients
- 6 lbs roma or other paste tomatoes
- 2 medium onions (white, yellow, or red), halved & cut in ½" slices (or one jumbo onion)
- 1 ½ lbs jalapeno or serrano peppers (or equivalent volume of other green peppers… you can reduce but do not increase this amount)
- 8 large garlic cloves
- ⅔ cup lime juice bottled or fresh squeezed
- 4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano leaves (substitute regular dried oregano)
- 1 cup cilantro leaves washed, chopped, and gently packed
Instructions
Prep Veggies:
- Preheat the oven to 425 ℉. You can lightly coat your baking sheets with a bit of pan spray or a very thin coating of oil if they are not nonstick, or line them with parchment, for easier cleanup.
- Wash the tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Peel and chop the garlic and set aside.
- Using a small, sharp paring knife or strawberry huller, core the tomatoes, removing just the stem and any hard white or green fibrous bits. Spread the tomatoes out on a half sheet pan or other shallow baking pan.
- Trim the root end and peels from the onions and cut them into long 1/2″ thick slices or wedges. Spread them out on another baking sheet.
- Spread out the hot peppers on another baking sheet.
Roast vegetables & prep jars:
- Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
- Check the pans about halfway through, and then periodically, giving them a shake to loosen the vegetables from the pans or turn them with tongs if they’re sticking. You may also want to rotate the pans on your oven racks so that they cook evenly.
- Roast until the veggies are beginning to soften. The tomato peels will begin to split and char, the peppers will be wrinkled and starting to brown, and the onions will soften and become translucent.
- Remove them from the oven and set the pans aside until they are just cool enough to handle. Cover the peppers while they cool with another pan, a bowl, or some foil, so that they will steam as they cool.
- While the veggies are cooling, fill your canner with enough water to cover the tops of the jars by at least one inch, cover the pot, and bring up to a boil. Wash and sanitize your pint or smaller jars, and wash and prepare your lids. Do not boil the lids (unless you are using reusable lids, then follow manufacturer instructions).
Peel, chop, and combine salsa:
- Peel the tomatoes, and using a spatula or knife, roughly chop them. Transfer the chopped tomatoes and their juices to a large, non-reactive pot.
- Remove the stems, seeds, and any loose or charred skins from the hot peppers. You may want to wear latex or nitrile gloves to prevent the hot peppers from burning your hands. Chop the peppers and add them to the salsa pot.
- Rough chop the cooked onion slices into medium sized dice, and add this into the mixture as well.
Simmer and season salsa:
- Add the salt, lime juice, chopped garlic, oregano, and cumin in a large, non-reactive pot and bring the salsa mixture up to a simmer. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
- Wash and chop the cilantro, and stir this into the salsa. Bring back up to a boil before jarring your salsa. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary with more salt, lime juice, or dried spices.
Jar the salsa:
- Using a canning funnel (if possible) fill the jars with the hot salsa mixture, leaving ½” headspace. Work quickly and keep mixture hot while filling jars.
- Using a thin non-metallic spatula, thin wooden spoon, or jar tool, remove air bubbles from the jars and adjust headspace as needed.
- Wipe jar rims. I use a paper towel or clean lint-free towel dipped in hot water, followed with a clean towel dampened with distilled vinegar. Clean jar rims make good seals!
- Place your prepared lids on the jars and secure with rings (check rings for dents and discard any damaged rings).
Canning your salsa ranchera:
- Using jar tongs or a canning jar rack, transfer the hot jars into the boiling water canner and make sure there is at least an inch of water over the jars with room to boil. Top up from a hot kettle of water if needed.
- Process in your boiling water bath for 20 minutes (increase as needed for elevations above 1000 ft- consult a standard canning chart if required). Make sure the water is boiling hard the whole time. Do not start the processing timer until the pot is boiling vigorously.
- When the time is up, turn off the burner under the pot, wait 5 minutes, and then carefully remove the jars with jar tongs (or remove the jar rack, if you used one). Place them on a towel-covered or wooden surface and leave undisturbed until completely cool (if it’s cold or drafty, you may want to cover the jars with a towel so they cool evenly). Do not tighten the bands (unless you are using reusable lids- follow manufacturer instructions if so).
- After jars have cooled completely (12-24 hours) remove the bands and check for seals.
- Refrigerate any jars that did not seal and use promptly, or reheat and reprocess with new lids within 24 hours.
- Gently wash jars or wipe with a damp cloth, label, and store in a cool, dark pantry. For best quality, enjoy home-canned goods within 12-18 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Try our other simple salsa recipes!
- Roasted Tomato Guajillo Salsa
- Roasted Tomato & Ancho Salsa Roja
- Fiery Habanero Peach Salsa
- Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Festive Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa
- Spicy Habanero Carrot Butter
- Enchilada Roja Sauce (Pressure-Canner or Freezer Recipe)
More related recipes:
- Taqueria-Style Pickled Jalapenos & Carrots (Jalapenos y Zanhorias Encurtidas)
- Canning Chipotle Barbacoa Beef or Venison
- Canning Five-Alarm Venison (or Beef) Chili
- Foolproof Homemade Tortillas
- Venison and Queso Chile Rellenos with Smoky Salsa Roja
- Spicy Jalapeno Pickled Eggs (easy refrigerator pickle recipe)
Check your jalapeño quantity. Fortunately, I stopped when I saw how many one and a half lbs is. I believe you doubled the quantity. Besides being unbelievably hot, the lime juice quantity would be insufficient for safe canning. I used 3/4 lbs. and it is quite hot (and I like hot).
Those quantities are from a double-batch of a tested Ball recipe, and they are what I used when taste-testing this recipe (which I would classify as medium-hot, not even particularly spicy, but tastes and the heat of pepper varieties certainly vary). You can safely reduce the quantity of peppers for a milder salsa or increase the lime juice if you prefer though, just don’t increase the low-acid ingredients or decrease the acidic ones.
Is the oregano for fresh or dried? If dried what would the fresh equivalent be?
Since adding the oregano is a modification from the original recipe, there is no fresh equivalent for the dried oregano if you are canning the salsa. Use dried, or leave it out to be safe, as adding fresh herbs is generally not recommended when modifying a tested water-bath canning recipe. :) Thanks, I’ll clarify that in the recipe card!