Tomato Relish

Consider this tomato relish your new go-to recipe for “I have so many tomatoes I don’t know what to do with them!” It’s tangy, sweet, slightly spicy, and PACKED with fresh flavor. Basically, it’s everything store-bought relish wants to be. I kept the recipe super simple (no resting time or canning here!), which means it’s quick and easy to make a batch whenever you have an abundance of ripe tomatoes. Jar it up and give as a gift, or save it for yourself to top burgers, sandwiches, and more!

Making a cheese board and need something to cut through the creaminess? Add some sweet tomato relish. Got some leftover pulled pork in the fridge? Or how about a grilled cheese sandwich? You guessed it, add some of this relish! Juicy red tomatoes, tangy limes, sweet 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. It all comes together effortlessly in one pot on the stove.SO easy.

Ingredients you will 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 whatever type of fresh tomatoes you have on hand.
Limes: Adds a spicy touch to balance the sweetness.
Ginger: Use grated fresh ginger for a subtle, spicy kick.
Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps thicken the relish.
Spices: Red pepper flakes, cumin, and ground cloves add a little heat and tang. If you don’t have ground cloves, you can leave them out or substitute a pumpkin spice blend (trust me, it works!).
Red onion: Infuses the relish with a sweet onion flavor and adds texture.

What is the difference between chutney and relish?

Both are made from chopped vegetables and/or fruit, an acid (often vinegar, but in this case, lime juice), and spices. So they are very similar in many ways. The biggest difference between chutney and relish is the consistency. Chutneys, like our Mango Pineapple Chutney, are generally thicker and more spreadable because they are cooked for longer. Relish is cooked for less time and has a thicker, sweeter and sour taste, with the fruit/vegetables retaining more of their texture. Both are DELICIOUS and worth making at home!

Tips and Notes

Any tomato will work in this tomato relish recipe. I used 12 Roma tomatoes and a handful of grape tomatoes that I had leftover from making roasted asparagus and tomatoes. Cherry and grape tomatoes have a super concentrated and delicious flavor, and the seeds are tiny and tender. Roma tomatoes are super easy to seed and are quite “meaty,” so they’re a great way to bulk up the relish. Use what you have!
Cooking time can 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 is the same consistency as store-bought pickle relish and has a more intense color and aroma, it’s ready!
Don’t worry about peeling the tomatoes, but I recommend removing the seeds from larger varieties. They can be quite bitter and make the texture of the tomato sauce less than ideal.

How to Use Tomato Relish

This tomato relish recipe would make a great Christmas gift, so make as many as you like! I love homemade gifts, especially if my friends and family grew the tomatoes themselves or bought them at the local farmers market! These kinds of gifts are the most thoughtful and delicious from start to finish. This recipe makes about 6 8-ounce mini jars, filled with about 3/4 cup of relish per jar (you’ll want to leave a little space at the top of each sterilized mason jar, filling it just to the designated “fill line”).

Here are some other ways I like to use tomato relish:

Accompanied by cheeses and fresh bread for an extra special charcuterie platter.
To brighten up a homemade burger.
Garnish the deviled eggs to make them a little more interesting.
Smothered on warm, toasted beer bread.

Storage instructions

Store your tomato relish in an airtight container in the refrigerator 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 to allow for expansion. When you’re ready to use the relish, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and enjoy!

To print

This tomato relish is tangy, sweet, slightly spicy and full of fresh flavors – everything a store-bought relish wants to be!

Course condiment

Kitchen American

Total cost ($4.86 per recipe / $0.81 per serving)

Preparation time ten minutes minutes

Cooking time 30 minutes minutes

Total time 40 minutes minutes

Portions 6 8 oz jars (approximately 1 cup per jar)

Calories 159kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

5 cups tomatoes, roughly chopped and seeded* $2.52
2 limes $0.50
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger, about 2 inches fresh ginger $0.15
1 cup sugar $0.84
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes $0.12
½ teaspoon cumin powder $0.04
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves** $0.08
½ Red onion $0.61

Instructions

Grate the zest and juice of the limes, dice the onion and gather the chopped tomatoes, grated ginger, spices and seasonings.
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan or skillet and stir to combine.
Let simmer over medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes, as the tomatoes and onions begin to cook. The sugar will dissolve and everything will become nice and juicy.
Let simmer and stir until the relish deepens in color and the juices have reduced by a quarter. When the relish becomes thicker (but still juicy, like any store-bought relish), it is ready. Mine took about 30 minutes.

Learn how we calculate recipe costs here.

Remarks

*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 cloves on hand, you can leave them out or substitute a pumpkin spice blend. I know it sounds weird, but pumpkin spice contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves… all of which complement this relish perfectly!

Nutrition

How to Make Tomato Relish – Step by Step Photos

Grate the zest and juice of 2 limes (this will yield about 3 tablespoons of juice) and finely chop ½ red onion. Gather 5 cups roughly chopped and seeded tomatoes*, 1 tablespoon grated and peeled fresh ginger, 1 cup sugar, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves**.

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and mix until well combined.

Over medium heat, simmer the relish mixture until the tomatoes and onions begin to cook. Stir the relish every few minutes to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The sugar will dissolve and the mixture will become juicy as it cooks.

Simmer until the tomato relish is reduced by a quarter and turns a rich red colour. Once the relish thickens but is still juicy, it’s ready! Mine took about 30 minutes to get to this stage. Turn off the heat and use the relish straight away while it’s hot or let it cool and store in sterilised jars for later!

Say goodbye to store-bought tomato relish and hello to homemade deliciousness!

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