How to Can Diced Tomatoes

Several glass mason jars filled with diced tomatoes with a pile of fresh whole tomatoes in the background.

4.50 from 2 votes

Learn how to can diced tomatoes with this step-by-step guide. Includes water bath and pressure canning instructions, safety tips, and storage advice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Cook Time 40

Servings pints

Calories 65kcal

Author Lisa Bynum

Ingredients

Fresh tomatoes (as many as you have), see notes
Bottled lemon juice, (1 tablespoon per pint or 2 tablespoons per quart)
Pint or quart mason jars with lids and bands

Instructions

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Fill another large bowl or pot with ice water and set it nearby.
To peel the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to cut a small “X” on the bottom of each one. Working in batches, carefully lower the tomatoes into the boiling water—don’t overcrowd the pot.
After a few minutes, the skins will begin to pucker and pull away from the flesh. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes immediately into the ice water. Let them sit for a few minutes, then move them to another bowl. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. You will need to periodically replenish your ice if you have a lot of tomatoes.
Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and discard them.
Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the cores, and squeeze out the seeds and excess juice.
At this point, you can leave the tomatoes halved or chop them into smaller pieces, depending on your preference.
Add bottled lemon juice to each jar—1 tablespoon for pint jars or 2 tablespoons for quart jars.
Pack the tomatoes into the jars, pressing gently to remove air pockets. Leave ½ inch of headspace at the top.
Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth.
Prepare the jar lids according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Carefully lift the lids one at a time and place them on top of your jars. Secure the lids in place with rings. Screw the rings on just tight enough to hold the lid in place.
If water bath canning, place the jars in a pot deep enough to cover them with 1–2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and process for 40 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts. Turn off the heat and let jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before removing.
If pressure canning, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific canner.
Transfer the jars to a towel and let them cool undisturbed for 24 hours. After cooling, remove the bands and check the seals. Properly sealed lids will be concave and won’t flex when pressed.
Store sealed jars in a cool, dry place for up to 18 months. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a few days.

Notes

As a general guide, it takes about 2½–3½ pounds of tomatoes to fill one quart jar and 1¼–1½ pounds per pint jar.
Approximately 9 pounds of ripe tomatoes yields about 3 quart jars or 6 pint jars.
Roma tomatoes are ideal because they contain less water and fewer seeds than slicing tomatoes.
Keep jars hot until you're ready to fill them to prevent thermal shock.
Always start the processing time once the water reaches a full rolling boil.
For best results, use tomatoes at peak ripeness during the height of tomato season.
A quart jar is roughly twice the volume of a pint jar, so you can approximately double the nutrition values.
Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the tomato variety and whether salt is added.

Nutrition