This tomato chutney is absolutely packed with flavor and is safe for water bath canning. Make a huge batch to enjoy all year round!
This tomato chutney is one of my favorite savory preserves. It is absolutely packed with flavor and is delicious on anything from sausage rolls to sandwiches to eggs and beyond! Think of it like a grown up much MUCH better alternative to ketchup. A little sweet and a lot savory, you will love this preserve.
This recipe contains tomatoes, green onions and bell peppers and plenty of vinegar to bring it up to canning safe acidity levels. As with any canning recipe, be sure to follow safe canning practices as outlined by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
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What is water bath canning?
Canning is simply the process of applying adequate heat to high acid food that is sealed in jars for the allotted time necessary to kill off bacteria and micro-organisms that cause food spoilage. During heating, oxygen is driven out of the jars, causing a vacuum seal to form when the jars cool down. This prevents any outside micro-organisms and oxygen from getting back into the food. When done correctly, canning preserves food safely for at least a year, although probably much, much longer.
You can check out my guide on How to Safely Water Bath Can at Home more resources on safe home preserving.
Safe Canning Resources
If you are new to canning you can find great resources, recipes and tutorials at Ball Canning and the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
More preserving recipes for you to enjoy.
Equipment
For the Tomato Chutney
- Cutting board and sharp knife: You can also use a food processor to speed up the chopping process.
- Large pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Slotted spoon
For water bath canning
- Mason jars: Make sure the jars are clean and that the lids are brand new. You cannot reuse canning lids.
- Large pot with rack OR Electric Canner: If you only can once in a while using a large pot with a canning rack works just fine. As someone who personally does a lot of canning and I absolutely LOVE my Ball FreshTech Electric Canner.
- Jar lifter: You will need a jar lifter to remove the hot jars from the water bath.
- Funnel: I personally love this canning funnel because it also allows you to measure the headspace easily.
- Ladle: This Prepworks Canning Scoop is my favorite.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes: I recommend using Roma tomatoes for this recipe, but if you have a garden and a large crop and kind of tomato will work.
- Green onions
- Bell peppers: I recommend using red or orange bell peppers in this recipe for optimum flavor.
- Red wine vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
- White granulated sugar
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Mustard seeds
- Fresh garlic
- Lime
- Fresh ginger
- Celery seeds
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Made this Tomato Chutney recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Tomato Chutney {for canning}
Ingredients
- 3.75 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2.5 cups red wine vinegar
- 3.5 cups white granulated sugar
- 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 5 tsp salt
- 2.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 2.5 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp mustard seeds
- 2 tsp celery seeds
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 5 lb fresh tomatoes, washed and diced
- 5 bell peppers, washed and diced I recommend using red or orange peppers
- 4 cups green onions, washed and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Wash and prep the vegetables then set aside.
- In a large pot combine vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt sugar, pepper and all spices. Bring to a boil over high heat then add the tomatoes, peppers and green onions. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for around 4 hours stirring occasionally until the chutney has thickened and reduced. Once the chutney has thickened you can remove the pan from the heat.At this point you can either spoon the chutney into jars and place them in the fridge or can them using the instructions below
Water bath canning instructions
- Ladle the chutney into mason jars leaving about ¼th to ⅓rd inch of headspace.Remove air bubbles and wipe the jar rims.Place on new, clean lids and bands and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (adjusting time for altitude).Turn off the heat and allow the jars to rest in the warm water for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a towel on the counter (do not place directly on the counter).Allow the jars to cool undisturbed for about 24 hours until all the lids have sealed.Store sealed jars in a cool dry place for 12-18 months for best quality.*Note* If any of the jars do not seal simply store in the refrigerator and consume within 2 weeks.
How many 8 ounce jars will 1 batch of your tomato jam fill?
Love the idea of tomato chutney! Thank you for a great great recipe.
This looks delicious. Thank you for sharing.
This is so amazing, and I am so excited to make this recipe at home.
Friends made this and gifted me a jar. I love chutney and this is the best I've ever eaten. So glad my friends shared the recipe with me!
So glad you liked it!
Can you decrease the sugar?
Yes, you can decrease the sugar to your taste. Hope you enjoy!
Can you substitute white vinegar for the apple cider vinegar?
Yep! As long as it's at least 5% acidity (most are but if you want to confirm you can check the label) any vinegar will work. Just be sure not to decrease the amount of vinegar to ensure canning safety. Hope you enjoy!
You don’t peel the tomatoes first? If not, this is my new favorite recipe!
Nope! No need to peel! Hope you enjoy 🙂