Consider this Tomato Relish your new go-to “I have so many tomatoes, I don’t know what to do with them!” recipe. It’s tangy, sweet, slightly spicy, and PACKED with fresh flavors. Basically, it’s everything store-bought relish wishes it could be. I’ve kept the recipe super simple (no rest time or canning here!), meaning it’s quick and easy to whip up a batch whenever you have an abundance of ripe tomatoes. Jar it up and give it away as gifts, or keep it all to yourself for topping burgers, sandwiches, and more!
Making a cheese board and need something to cut through the creaminess? Add some sweet tomato relish. Got leftover pulled pork in the fridge? Or how about a grilled cheese sandwich? You guessed it, add some of this relish! Juicy red tomatoes, zesty limes, mild red onion, simple seasonings, and sugar create the perfect balance of flavors in this recipe. And don’t worry, you don’t need any fancy equipment to make it. Everything comes together effortlessly in one pan on the stove—so easy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade tomato relish:
- Tomatoes: The base of the relish and what gives it that bright, tangy flavor. Use any type of fresh tomatoes you have on hand.
- Limes: Adds a zesty tang to balance out the sweetness.
- Ginger: Use fresh, grated ginger for a subtle fiery kick.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps thicken the relish.
- Spices: Red pepper flakes, cumin, and ground cloves add a little spice and warmth. If you don’t have ground cloves, you can leave them out or substitute them with a pumpkin spice blend (trust me, it works!).
- Red Onion: Infuses the relish with a mild onion flavor and adds some texture.
Whats The Difference Between Chutney and Relish?
Both are made from chopped veggies and/or fruit, an acid (often vinegar, but in this case, lime juice), and spices. So, in many ways, they’re very similar. The biggest difference between chutney and relish has to be the consistency. Chutneys, like our mango pineapple chutney, are usually thicker and spreadable as they’re cooked for longer. Relish is cooked for less time and has a chunkier, sweet and sour taste, with the fruit/veggies retaining more of their texture. Both are DELICIOUS and worth making at home!
Tips and Notes
- Any tomatoes will work in this tomato relish recipe. I went with 12 Roma tomatoes and a handful of grape tomatoes I had left from making roasted asparagus and tomatoes. Cherry and grape tomatoes have a super concentrated, yummy flavor, and the seeds are tiny and tender. Romas are super easy to seed and are pretty “meaty,” so they’re a great way to bulk up the relish. Use what you’ve got!
- Cooking time may vary depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, so you’ll want to keep an eye on your relish to make sure the sugars don’t burn. Once your relish looks like it’s the same consistency as store-bought pickle relish and deepens in color and aroma, it’s done!
- Don’t worry about peeling the tomatoes, but I do recommend removing the seeds from larger varieties. They can be quite bitter and make the texture of the tomato relish less than ideal.
How To Use Tomato Relish
This recipe for tomato relish would make a great holiday gift, so make as much as you want! I love homemade gifts, especially if my friends and family grew the tomatoes themselves or picked them up at our local farmers’ market! Those kinds of gifts are the most thoughtful and delicious from start to finish. This recipe yields about 6 mini 8oz jars, filled with about ¾ cups of relish per jar (you’ll want to leave a little space at the top of each sterilized mason jar, filling just to the designated “fill line”).
Here are some other ways I like to use tomato relish:
- Paired with cheeses and fresh bread for an extra special charcuterie board.
- To jazz up a homemade burger.
- Topping deviled eggs to make them a little more interesting.
- Smothered on top of toasty warm beer bread.
Storage Instructions
Store your tomato relish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you want it to last longer, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Use a freezer-safe container and leave about an inch of space at the top for expansion. When you’re ready to use the relish, thaw it in the fridge overnight and enjoy!
Tomato Relish
Servings 6 8oz jars (roughly 1 cup per jar)Ingredients
- 5 cups tomatoes, roughly chopped and seeded* ($2.52)
- 2 limes ($0.50)
- 1 Tbsp grated peeled ginger, about 2 inches of fresh ginger ($0.15)
- 1 cup sugar ($0.84)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes ($0.12)
- ½ tsp ground cumin ($0.04)
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves** ($0.08)
- ½ red onion ($0.61)
Instructions
- Zest and juice limes, dice onion, and gather chopped tomatoes, grated ginger, spices, and seasonings.
- Combine all ingredient in a large sauce pan or skillet and stir together.
- Simmer on medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes or so while the tomatoes and onions begin to cook down. The sugar will dissolve and everything will become nice and juicy.
- Simmer and stir until the relish deepens in color and the juice cooks down by 1/4. When the relish becomes a thicker consistency (but still juicy, like any store-bought relish) it is done. Mine took about 30 minutes.
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Notes
Nutrition
how to make Tomato Relish – step by step photos
Zest and juice 2 limes (this will yield roughly 3 Tbsp of juice) and dice ½ a red onion into small pieces. Gather 5 cups of roughly chopped and seeded tomatoes*, 1 Tbsp grated and peeled fresh ginger, 1 cup of sugar, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp ground cumin, and ⅛ tsp ground cloves**.
Add all the ingredients to a large pan and mix until combined.
Over medium heat, simmer the relish mix until the tomatoes and onions start cooking down. Stir the relish every few minutes to stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The sugar will dissolve, and the mixture will become juicy as it cooks.
Continue simmering until the tomato relish cooks down by ¼ and deepens to a rich red color. Once the relish thickens but is still juicy, it’s done! Mine took about 30 minutes to get to this stage. Turn off the heat and either use the relish right away while it’s hot or let it cool down and store it in sterilized jars for later!
Say goodbye to store-bought tomato relish and hello to homemade goodness!
Do you water bathe this relish?
Because it is a high acid food, if you decide to can it, you would need to make sure it is air tight via a boiling water bath and appropriate space inside the jar. (Most jars have a groove that says where the max fill level is.)
Am I able to can this?
Yes, definitely!
Hi Jess! I have zero freezer space, and we’re in peak tomato season. Is it possible to can this yummy looking relish, so I can give it out as part of Xmas baskets for my friends and neighbors?
Many thanks, from Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦
100% yes! I have 5 jars of it canned at the studio right now.
Thanks so much! I truly appreciate it, and all that everyone there does to get this content out to us.
Sounds great. Can you tell me how long it will keep in refrig.?
Can it be frozen, would it become to watery?
Would it be good on bread ,such as bruchetta?
What else could you use it for?
Thanks
Debbie
Hey, Debbie. You can can it so it’s shelf stable, you can freeze it (although the texture might change a bit) and you can definitely refrigerate it. I don’t know the shelf life for longterm refrigeration, but tomatoes are highly acidic which means they can go “off” if not properly stored. I recommend 1 week max if refrigerated– and make sure you sterilize whatever you’re storing it in first (your dishwasher gets hot enough to sterilize a mason jar, for example… boiling the jars before use or rinsing in hydrogen peroxide + water also works!)
100% a great (elevated, even!) bruschetta topping. Fabulous on hot dogs, burgers, or a fancied up cheese board.
Hello what are the water-bath canning times for pints or less. What is the headspace in the jars.
Hey, Sha. Your jars will most likely have a max fill line on them. The timing depends on the size of your cans and altitude:
Pints: 35–45 minutes
Quarts: 40–45 minutes
Altitude: Add 5 minutes for every 1,001–3,000 ft above sea level
nice
Sweet, tangy, and spicy. I’m hoping it will be good on a burger.
Definitely great on a burger! Enjoy!