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
This Tomato Relish is tangy, sweet, slightly spicy, and PACKED with fresh flavors—everything a store-bought relish wishes it could be! Author: Jess – Budget Bytes
Servings 6 8oz jars (roughly 1 cup per jar) Cook 30 minutes minsTotal 40 minutes mins
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.
Notes
* You can use any tomatoes you have on hand to make this relish, just make sure you have 5 cups diced for this recipe. No need to seed smaller varieties like grape or cherry tomatoes. I used about 12 Roma tomatoes and a small handful of cherry tomatoes. ** If you don’t have any clove on hand, you could leave it off or substitute with a pumpkin spice blend. I know it sounds weird, but pumpkin spice includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves… all of which would complement this relish!
Nutrition
Serving: 1
8oz jarCalories: 159
kcalCarbohydrates: 40
gProtein: 1
gFat: 0.4
gSodium: 10
mgFiber: 2
g Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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!
