Canned Roasted Tomatoes Recipe

By
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith is a food writer and certified botanist who has written five books on foraging and preserving food.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/19/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Canning Roasted Tomatoes

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Canning time: 85 mins
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Canning tomatoes is a great way to preserve this summer fruit to enjoy year-round. Roasting tomatoes before canning intensifies their flavor and prevents the pulp and liquid from separating, as often happens with raw-pack home-canned tomatoes. It's an extra step in the canning process of this delicious garden produce, but the results are worth it.

This recipe is for one pint of home-canned roasted tomatoes, but you can make as many pint jars as you wish simply by increasing the ingredient proportions. A really good tomato to use is the Roma because it has thicker, meatier walls and less water, which means thicker sauce in less cooking time. If you are canning in a water bath, make sure to include the acid, as is not for flavoring; you need the additional acid to safely can the tomatoes without a pressure canner. Directions for canning under pressure also are given.

"The tomatoes were super easy to roast—the skins sliped right off and canning was a breeze. 2 pounds was perfect for a 1-pint jar. Whether you are canning 2 pounds or 20, this is a great way to preserve summer tomatoes to use in recipes throughout the year." —Diana Rattray

home-canned roasted tomatoes/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds tomatoes, stemmed

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, vinegar, or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid

Steps to Make It

Roast the Tomatoes

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    roasted tomatoes ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and heat to broil. Cut the tomatoes in half vertically (from stem end to blossom end).

    tomatoes cut in half on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Arrange the tomato halves cut-side down in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

    Arrange tomato halves cut-side down in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Broil until the tomatoes are wrinkled, starting to char, but not burn, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternatively, oven roast at 450 F for about 30 minutes.

    roasted tomatoes on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins. Don't worry about getting every last bit of skin off.

    tomatoes with with the skin removed on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Squeeze out most of the seed gel, but again, don't worry about getting every last seed out. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, if desired.

    roasted tomatoes on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prepare the Canning Jar

  1. Wash a 1-pint canning jar, lid, and ring in hot soapy water. Alternatively, run it through a dishwashing cycle.

  2. Fill a water bath canner halfway with water. Cover and bring to a boil.

    water bath canner pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Pack the tomatoes into the clean canning jar. Add the lemon juice, sprinkling it in as you pack in the tomatoes.

    roasted tomatoes in a jar

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Press down on the tomatoes with the back of a spoon to release any air bubbles. Leave 1/2-inch headspace between the tomatoes and the rim of the jar.

    roasted tomatoes in a jar

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Cover the jar with the lid.

    lid on a jar with tomatoes

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Screw the ring on snugly, but not all the way.

    jar with tomatoes with a lid on top

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Process the Tomatoes

  1. Place the jar in the boiling water bath, making sure they are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Boil for 85 minutes (adjust canning time if you live at a high altitude), replenishing the water if needed.

    jar with tomatoes in a canner

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Using tongs, or a canning jar grabber, carefully remove the jar from the water bath and set on a clean towel on a flat counter. Listen for the popping sound, which indicates a good vacuum seal. You can remove the ring if you like, or loosen it quite a bit so it doesn't rust in place due to trapped moisture.

    canned roasted tomatoes jar on a towel

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. When the jar has cooled completely, check that it is sealed by pressing the center of lid. If it pops up and down and/or makes a popping sound, it is not sealed; unsealed jars should be placed in the refrigerator immediately and use within one week. When the sealed jars are completely cool, store in a dry, dark, cool place for up to one year. If you see tomatoes floating above a layer of liquid, that's normal. Tomatoes have a lot of water in them and will separate, which is more visible in a glass jar than in a commercial can.

    Roasted Tomatoes in a jar on a towel

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tip

  • You can roast the tomatoes the day before canning if you prefer. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Since these tomatoes are roasted or broiled until charred, and are packed with no additional liquids, they require an 85-minute boiling water bath. NCHFP: Selecting, Preparing, and Canning Tomatoes
  • Make sure the lids have not been previously used and aren't dented or damaged. It's recommended to buy only enough lids to use within 1 year.




Recipe Variations

Home-canned roasted tomatoes are delicious as they are, but they can be amped up if desired.

  • Before roasting, sprinkle the tomatoes with 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried, crushed herbs like rosemary, thyme, and basil.
  • Add 1 tablespoon sugar to each pint jar to offset an aggressive acid taste. 
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar if desired.

How to Store Home-Canned Tomatoes

  • Store canned tomatoes in a clean, dry place, ideally between 50 F and 70 F. As a general rule, home-canned foods should be eaten within 1 year.
  • Always examine home-canned food for signs of spoilage and check the lids for swelling or leakage.


How do I Pressure Can Roasted Tomatoes

Tomatoes are acidic enough so they can be preserved in either a boiling-water bath or pressure canner, but low-acid fruits, vegetables, and meats need pressure canning. Pressure can roasted tomatoes this way:

  1. Start with a clean pressure canner. Place the rack plate on the bottom and fill it with 4-inches of hot water or follow the directions that came with your unit. Place it on the stove over low heat with the lid off while you roast the tomatoes.
  2. Place the filled jar on the canner rack. If the water is below 3 inches, add more hot tap water to come to that level. Place the pressure canner lid on and twist it into place but leave the weight off or valve open.
  3. Turn the heat to high and let the steam escape through the vent for 10 minutes. Then put the weight on and/or close the valve and let the pressure build to 11 pounds. 
  4. Once the gauge reaches 11 pounds, process for 25 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the pressure stable.
  5. When the time is up, remove from the heat and let it cool down until the pressure gauge reaches zero before attempting to open the canner.
  6. Using tongs, remove the jar from the canner and proceed as directed with the cooling and storing directions in steps 2 and 3 under "Process the Tomatoes" in the recipe above.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
41 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
2g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 41
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 12mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 32mg 158%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 542mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)