Homemade Tomato Relish will fast become your new favorite condiment! Fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers with delicious pickling spices, it’s so versatile!
Are you wondering what to do with all of those tomatoes in the garden? I have the easiest and most delicious recipe for you today – Homemade Tomato Relish! This is a recipe that has been in my family for years. It is actually my Great Grandma’s Recipe, but wait… I’m getting ahead of myself!
Editors Note: I would like to welcome Debra from bowl-me-over.com who is sharing a recipe from her Great Grandma. I am so excited to try this recipe! It looks mouth-watering just by looking at the images. Can’t wait to taste it.
My name is Deb and my blog is Bowl Me Over. On my blog I share delicious recipes that often end up in a bowl, hence the name Bowl Me Over! Thank you Rini for sharing this recipe with your readers.
Why I love this recipe
When my Grandmother passed away, my Aunt was kind enough to give me her old cookbooks and notes. What might look like tatters and notes to some, was a treasure trove of memories to me!
As I was going through this recipe, I originally thought it was my Grandma’s, but I didn’t recognize the handwriting. After searching through more records, I realized this is my Great Grandma’s recipe. This recipe has been in our family for over 100 years!
When I saw it, I thought this would be a great recipe to share with Healing Tomato, don’t you agree? Delicious tomatoes, onions, and peppers that are a POP of flavor! This recipes uses everyday ingredients that will give you an over-the-top new condiment! Tomato Relish will quickly become a new favorite!
And trust me, you’ll want to double the recipe!
I know this because the first time I made it, we ate it all. So then I had to make it again and we ate it. In fact, I made it three times before I got a chance to photograph it, it’s that good!
What to do with tomato relish?
- Toss it in macaroni salad for an extra added zing!
- Layer it on a toasted bagel with cream cheese, delish!
- Use it as a light salad dressing – it has great flavor!
- Exchange tomato relish for pickles in potato salad – yum!
- Finish off a grilled veggie patty – everyone will be saying WOW that’s good!
- Better yet – enjoy with my Slow Cooker Mushroom Burger!
- Topping grilled vegetables will give them extra flavor.
- Slather on Toast Points or use it as a dip for chips.
- Make an olive and tomato relish mixture for a delicious snack.
- Top it on chili tacos, cowboy queso, or in a tabouli salad.
What will you use this delicious Homemade Tomato Relish on?
Whatever you use ketchup or salsa on you can now replace it with this amazing recipe!
Ingredients
Here is what you will need –
- Tomatoes (cherry tomatoes, Campari tomatoes, or plum tomatoes)
- Onion
- Fresno chili pepper (sub with red peppers)
- Seasonings and spices: celery seed, salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Optional: Chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), balsamic vinegar, and mustard powder or mustard seeds.
Instructions
- Dice the tomatoes into small pieces.
- Chop the onions and pepper finely.
- In a mixing bowl, add the tomatoes, and chopped onion
- Mix in together with the spices and stir the mixture.
- Transfer to a glass jar, wipe the rim, and screw the lid on tightly. Let stand overnight and it’s ready to use.
Having said that I waited about an hour before trying it – so there’s that!? It has a nice tangy flavor when it has had the chance to marinate until the next day. I’ve kept it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and served it at room temperature.
Tomato chutneys are more viscous and made with strong spices. They are also blended in a blender and may even heated in a large saucepan. Relish is made with simple ingredients and is not heated at all.
Yes, you can substitute the red tomatoes with green tomatoes. Adjust the sugar amounts based on the tartness of your green tomato.
Tomato relish is a mixture of tomatoes, onions, and spices, flavored with vinegar. Its tart taste is what makes this a relish.
Sharing is caring
Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this recipe. If you enjoyed this, please give it 5 stars and share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Flipboard, and Instagram.
These jars have a tight lid and will preserve any food in it for a long time. Has a nice label that can be reused.
Homemade Tomato Relish
Ingredients
- 1 cup tomatoes finely diced
- 1/2 cup yellow onions finely diced
- 1/2 Fresno chili pepper or jalapeño pepper finely diced, seeds removed
- 1/2 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Finely dice the tomatoes and onion.
- Slice the chili pepper in half, remove the ribs and seeds. Finely dice.
- Mix together all of the ingredients. Pour into a small jar and seal. Let stand for at least an hour. Refrigerate any unused portions.
- Keeps in the refrigerator up to two weeks.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Homemade Tomato Relish!
Debra Clark blogs over at Bowl Me Over where she shares her love of all things in a bowl! Soups, stews, salads, Buddha bowls, ice cream – you name it! All are delicious and full of flavor. Most are quick, easy and healthy too!
You can also connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Version 1
From time to time, I will go through old recipes to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images and sometimes, I give the recipe a complete makeover.
This post was updated on October 24, 2024. I kept this recipe as is from the day it was printed because there is absolutely nothing to change in it. The recipe is perfect as is. However, I changed the format of the recipe to make it visually easy to read.
Click here to see the original post.
The best season isn’t summer, it’s when my garden is overflowing with ripe tomatoes. And it has arrived! I loved making some of them into this delicious relish. Such a great way to enjoy fresh tomatoes!
Thank you
Thanks so much for sharing your grandmothers recipe! This homemade tomato relish is a big hit now in our household. Will be making this going forward in place of other boring condiments. Absolutely love it!
Thank you so much, Jake
This sounds great! Is there something I could substitute for the red wine vinegar?Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice?
Hello Patti, Yes, you can use Apple Cider or Distilled vinegar. Lime juice would work great too.
I was given a jar of homemade tomato relish today. It’s labeled 2015. Is it safe to eat? I read your directions to check before attempting to eat it but if it’s this old should I even try to do that?
Hello Kathy, was it sealed? If the jar is clear glass, can you see any mold on the inside? I think, to be on the safe side, discard it.
How much of each ingredient do you It sounds great
The recipe shows all the ingredients. Let me know if you can’t find it. Thanks
Do you know if you can can this using the water bath method
Yes, you can absolutely use the water bath method. Just don’t ill it up to the top and make sure you keep the top part of the mason jar very clean. It shouldn’t have any oils, water, etc. This will ensure that it will seal properly.
Do the seeds and pulp from tomatoes need to be removed?
Hello Gina, No, you use the whole tomato. Use a plump tomato that is not to ripe. This way, you will have fewer seeds.
This is so good! I had a shallot so I used it in place of the yellow onion. Yum. I am eating it straight from the bowl.
Thank you, Maggy. 🙂
Can I use a mixture of green and red tomatoes for this recipe?
Hello Elaine, Mixed tomatoes would be perfect for this recipe. Try it and let me know how it turned out
Can you double/ triple the batch and then freeze some for later?
Yes, you can easily do that.
I make a tomato relish , that his my mother-in-law’s recipe. I use only tomato, onions, and a mix of bell pepper, banana pepper, and a few jalapeños, salt, sugar, and a mix of apple cider and white vinegars. It is freaking amazing. I’ve never made it with additional spices, I don’t think that my crew would like it. I also cook mine down until my onions are candied. Hmmmm, I think that I just might have to fix tacos for supper tonight!
Hello Debbie. Thank you for your comment. I have made tomato relish in a hundred different ways, so, I understand when you say that you make it differently. That’s the best part of tomatoes. You can cook them a hundred different ways. Next time, I will try it your way. Will let you know how it goes. How were the tacos?
Very delicious, I can see that. According to my taste few basil leaves will be more than welcome. Anyway, five stars from me
I haven’t used basil with this recipe, but I bet it would be delicious, let me know what you think Rosii, enjoy!
Great post Debra! So nice to see you over here on Healing Tomato’s blog 🙂
Thank you Aimee, it was such a pleasure sharing my Great Grandma’s recipe with Healing Tomato. When I found this recipe, I thought for about two seconds and messaged Rini to see if I could share it here first. The BEST choice and it’s so delicious, I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you, Aimee. She is very talented and I love all her recipes.
This looks and sounds delicious….could just use it as a salsa too…..hope I get some fresh tomatoes so I can try this…..I’m sure fresh ones would be better…
Giving it a 5 star even before I make it because I know it will be delicious no matter how you use it…..can’t go wrong with this…..
Also can you put me on your blog mailing list? I see nowhere to sign up…..thanks
Thank you, Kentucky Lady! I am so happy to hear that. Trust me, Debra is very talented and the 5 stars are very well deserved. I am not sure which email you wanted to use, so, you can sign up here when you have a chance. Thank you https://eepurl.com/1Edxj
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe with your readers! I have to say it’s just one of my favorite flavors now and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, thank you again!!
Thank you, Debra. I am so glad you shared your Great Grandma’s recipe on my blog. Its truly a very amazing recipe. 🙂