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The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
When you have lots of fresh tomatoes on hand, turn them into homemade tomato juice that can be frozen or canned. It's a perfect way to preserve tomatoes when they're in season, whether you find them at a reasonable price or because your garden yielded more than you can use right away. With jars of tomato juice ready, you'll be all set when soup season arrives. It can also be thawed for a cold glass of tomato juice or a bloody Mary.
By doubling or tripling the amounts in this recipe, you can keep a frozen stash in your freezer to use for recipes all year round. The basic juice needs any ripe tomatoes you can find and salt and pepper to enhance the flavor. You can add more seasonings to suit your taste as well.
What Tomatoes Make the Best Tomato Juice?
Choose ripe tomatoes, such as red tomatoes on the vine, plum tomatoes, Roma, Beefsteak, or heirloom tomatoes. Or use grape or cherry tomatoes for juice with a sweeter flavor.Â
Tips for Canning Fresh Tomato Juice
Because fresh tomatoes are not high in acidity, you will have to add some bottled lemon juice or citric acid if you plan on canning. Add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid to each quart of tomato juice, or 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid to pint jars. You can add bottled lemon juice or citric acid directly to the jars of tomato juice before processing them in a boiling water bath.
Is Fresh Lemon Juice Okay to Use in Home-Canned Tomato Juice?
According to the USDA, the level of acidity in bottled lemon juice is consistent, while the acidity in fresh-squeezed lemon juice can vary. To be safe, use bottled lemon juice or citric acid.
"This fresh homemade tomato juice is a great way to preserve an abundance of tomatoes. I used a food mill and froze the juice in deli containers. Prep was a breeze, and the instructions were well-written and easy to follow." —Diana Rattray
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Ingredients
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10 pounds tomatoes, washed, cored, and quartered
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Fine salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Paprika, onion powder, celery salt, cayenne, chili powder, or hot sauce for seasoning, optional
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6 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, if canning, or 1 1/2 teaspoons of citric acid
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Add the prepared tomatoes to an 8-quart or larger stockpot and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. Simmer until the tomatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Place a food mill, strainer, or sieve over a large bowl. Add the tomatoes and separate the juice from the fruit's chunks, skins, and seeds.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Return the tomato juice to a pan and place it over medium-high heat.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Add salt and pepper to taste. If using, add paprika, onion powder, celery salt, cayenne, chili powder, or hot sauce. Start with small amounts (about 1/4 teaspoon) and check again once juice is ready, making adjustments as desired.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Bring juice to a boil to marry flavors. After boiling for 5 minutes, turn off heat.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Can the hot juice (instructions below using bottled lemon juice or citric acid) or let it cool if freezing or refrigerating it.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Tips
If you're short on time, there are other options to make tomato juice:
- Juicer: Place the quartered tomatoes in the juicer and process. The juicer will remove the skins and seeds, so you don't have to use a sieve unless you choose to do so. Cook the juice with salt, pepper, and desired spices. Boil as directed.
- Food Processor or Blender: Place the quartered tomatoes in a food processor or blender and process. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the skins and seeds. Cook the juice with salt, pepper, and chosen spices. Boil as directed.
How to Can Tomato Juice
If you want to can the tomato juice, you'll need to add bottled lemon juice (or citric acid) to increase its acidity. Most modern tomato varieties aren't acidic enough on their own, and by adding bottled lemon juice, you're changing the pH of the mixture. This ensures there's no room for harmful bacteria to grow.
- Pour bottled lemon juice (2 tablespoons per 1 quart of tomato juice) directly into clean, hot jars. Add the hot tomato juice, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace for expansion.
- Wipe the tops and threads of the jars clean, and seal them with the lids.
- Place the jars in a water bath canner. Process pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes. If you are left with a jar that is not completely full, put it in the fridge for immediate use or freeze the extra juice for longer storage.
- Once the processing time is up, remove the jars from the canner and allow them to cool on a rack at room temperature overnight.
- In the morning, check the jars for a good seal. If a jar didn't seal properly, remove the lid and check the surface for nicks in the glass. Change the jar if necessary, top it with a new sealing lid, and reprocess the juice within 24 hours. Alternatively, freeze the juice in a freezer container or bag.
- Label the jars with the date and keep them in a dark, cool place. Tomato juice keeps for up to one year when canned properly.
Freeze the Tomato Juice
If you don't want to go through all the work of canning your tomato juice, you can also freeze it. Use bags if you have limited freezer space.
- Once the juice has cooled, pour it into freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace to allow for expansion as it freezes. Label the containers, and store them in the freezer. The tomato juice should keep well for up to one year.
- If you are freezing the juice in glass jars, use wide-mouth jars and leave 1 1/2 inches of headspace.
- To create smaller servings, freeze the juice in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are completely frozen, transfer them into a freezer-safe plastic bag, and store them in the freezer. When ready to use, remove only the cubes you need.
How to Store Fresh Tomato Juice
If not canning or freezing, refrigerate tomato juice in a pitcher or jars and enjoy it within 3 days.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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69 | Calories |
1g | Fat |
15g | Carbs |
3g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 12 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 69 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 1g | 1% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 1% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 69mg | 3% |
Total Carbohydrate 15g | 6% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 16% |
Total Sugars 10g | |
Protein 3g | |
Vitamin C 53mg | 264% |
Calcium 39mg | 3% |
Iron 1mg | 6% |
Potassium 905mg | 19% |
*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. |
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