Seasonal Preserves: 5 Fresh Recipes to Can Summer Tomatoes with an Electric Pressure Cooker

Want to turn garden‑fresh tomatoes into shelf‑stable sauces, salsas, and spreads without spending hours over a stove? With an electric pressure cooker you can safely can summer tomatoes in a fraction of the time while preserving peak flavor. This guide shows exactly how to pressure‑can tomatoes step by step, so you can enjoy the taste of summer all year long.

Why an Electric Pressure Cooker?

If you’ve wrestled with traditional water‑bath canning—boiling jars, juggling water levels, and praying the lids seal—an EPC (electric pressure cooker) cuts the process in half. The cooker creates steam pressure that raises the boiling point from 212 °F (100 °C) to about 240 °F (115 °C). That extra heat destroys botulism‑producing bacteria in low‑acid foods like tomatoes, making the method faster, more reliable, and less intimidating.

1. Classic Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 lb ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Steps

1. Prep the tomatoes – Blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water; skins slip off.
2. Sauté – Use the EPC’s sauté function to heat olive oil, then add onion and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
3. Blend – Transfer tomatoes to a blender, pulse until smooth, and pour back into the pot.
4. Season – Stir in salt, pepper, and basil. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
5. Jar it – Ladle hot sauce into sterilized pint jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids, and process at 10 psi for 35 minutes.

Pro tip: Skip the blender for a chunkier sauce and let the tomatoes cook a bit longer before jarring.

2. Spicy Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

• 10 lb tomatoes, quartered
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt

Steps

1. Combine – Toss all ingredients in a large bowl; let sit 15 minutes for flavors to meld.
2. Cook – Transfer to the EPC, set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
3. Release – Quick pressure release (turn valve to vent) to keep the salsa bright.
4. Jar – Pack hot salsa into sterilized half‑pint jars, ½ inch headspace, and process at 10 psi for 25 minutes.

Great on grilled fish—the heat reminds you that summer still has a bite.

3. Tomato‑Basil Relish

Ingredients

• 8 lb tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fresh basil, torn
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Steps

1. Mix – Combine tomatoes, basil, vinegar, sugar, and salt directly in the EPC.
2. Cook – Pressure cook for 4 minutes, then natural release (~10 minutes) to preserve the basil’s bright green.
3. Jar – Fill sterilized quart jars, leaving ¾ inch headspace, and process at 10 psi for 30 minutes.

Perfect on a toasted baguette with goat cheese; it stays vivid for weeks on the shelf.

4. Sun‑Dried Tomato Paste

Ingredients

• 10 lb tomatoes, roasted until soft
• 2 cloves garlic, roasted
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp sea salt

Steps

1. Roast – Spread tomatoes and garlic on a sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 300 °F for 2 hours until shriveled but not burnt.
2. Blend – Process in a food processor into a thick paste.
3. Pressure can – Spoon hot paste into sterilized 4‑ounce jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Process at 10 psi for 20 minutes.

A pantry staple for quick pasta sauces—just a spoonful upgrades plain noodles to gourmet.

5. Tomato‑Garlic Chutney

Ingredients

• 9 lb tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp cinnamon

Steps

1. Combine – Stir all ingredients in the EPC.
2. Cook – Pressure cook for 6 minutes; the high pressure melds sweet, tangy, and spicy notes.
3. Release – Quick release to prevent excess liquid.
4. Jar – Pack into sterilized pint jars, ½ inch headspace, and process at 10 psi for 30 minutes.

Serve with grilled cheese for an unexpected kick that sparks conversation.

Safety First: A Quick Checklist

• Acidify tomatoes – Add 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice or ¼ cup vinegar per quart before processing (tomatoes are borderline low‑acid).
• Use the right pressure – Follow the recipe’s 10 psi pressure level; too low risks botulism, too high can overcook texture.
• Check seals – After cooling, press the lid center; if it doesn’t flex, the jar is sealed. Store sealed jars in a dark, cool pantry; refrigerate any that didn’t seal.

A Summer Memory

I still recall the first summer I tried pressure canning. My EPC, a brand‑new gift, sat on the counter as the kitchen filled with the scent of simmering tomatoes, basil, and garlic. When the timer chimed, steam burst forth, revealing a ruby‑red sauce that looked like it had been waiting for a sun‑kissed day. That moment proved modern tools can honor old‑world preservation traditions.

Whether you’re a seasoned canner or just discovering the joy of turning garden bounty into pantry treasures, these five recipes give you a clear roadmap to savor summer year‑round. Grab your electric pressure cooker, fire up the burners, and let the tomatoes travel from vine to jar with a little help from technology and a lot of love.