Make and can (or freeze) this Rotel copycat recipe at home using fresh tomatoes and mild chilies. Using the ingredients list on a can of Rotel, this recipe truly is like the real thing you can use in all your favorite dishes.
Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
We use a lot of tomato products at our house for soups, stews, salsas, casseroles... the list could go on for awhile.
So for years I've preserved our homegrown tomatoes and chilies in frozen tomato sauce, canned salsa and pizza sauce, and of course, Addictive Tomato Chutney.
I wanted to add a homemade Rotel to my canning list because there are always a few recipes that call for this and I've always thought it would be a good way to use the abundant tomatoes and chili peppers I grow.
Want growing tips to get abundant harvests, too? Check out the Ultimate Tomato Guide and the Ultimate Hot Pepper Guide - both also have lots of recipes to use them, too.
However, the search for a good, safe, canned Rotel copycat (basically a tomato and chilies product) surprisingly took awhile to find.
Most recipes I found online included things like onions (um, then isn't it just salsa?), or more disturbingly, sugar - sometimes as much as 1-1/2 cups!
Commercial Rotel Ingredients
However, a quick look at the ingredient list on a can of Rotel shows no sugar, just:
- Tomatoes
- Chilies
- Salt
- Spices
- Citric acid
- Note: the last ingredient used, cilantro, is the smallest amount and isn't okay to add fresh to the tested canning recipe below since it's low acid. I have used dried coriander (cilantro seed) instead to add some of the same flavor profile without the fresh ingredient. If you really want the cilantro (the flavor will be very mild after canning), you can add a chopped tablespoon as long as you remove a tablespoon of chilies to keep the ratio the same. You can always add cilantro when using to get more flavor.
OK, basically tomatoes and chilies - I should be able to figure something out that would come close to that.
But since chilies are a low-acid ingredient and tomatoes are right on the edge of being safe for water-bath canning (with the addition of citric acid or lemon juice), I needed to find a tested recipe that I could feel good about canning and storing.
Do I have to can this - can I just freeze it?
Yes you can freeze it. Like other tomato products (salsa, chutney, sauces), this freezes just fine. I haven't noticed any difference when I've used it between frozen and canned. It's just more convenient to use canned (no defrosting needed) and it's easier to store.
To Freeze: cool completely after cooking the 10 minutes and transfer to freezer-safe containers (I only use glass mason jars to freeze food now), leaving an inch of headspace for expansion. Label and date. Freeze for up to a year.
Note: A reader asked if you could leave out the citric acid or lemon juice if you didn't can the Rotel and the short answer is yes. However, citric acid is on of the ingredients in the commercial version, so it may taste different without that citrus flavor.
Boiling Water Canning Tutorial
If you're unsure about canning, please check out the written water-bath canning tutorial I wrote here, or the video below - it's really easy and I know you can do it! It's worth investing in the few items you need to safely can at home.
Safely Canning Homemade Rotel Tomatoes & Chilies
When I found the Minnesota Method for canning a tomato mixture I knew I could use it to create a safe for canning Rotel copycat. It is very clear that the ratio of tomatoes to low-acid ingredients has been tested as is and can't be increased, but that it is safe for water bath canning.
However, I didn't want celery or onions - just chilies, so in adapting the recipe I omitted the 1-1/2 cups chopped celery and onions and increased the chilies by only 1/2 cup, so the total ratio of low-acid ingredients to the 12 cups of tomatoes went down from 2 cups to 1 cup.
All this is to assure you that although I did technically increase the amount of chilies, I decreased the total low-acid ingredients overall, so this is actually a better, safer ratio than the original recipe.
Ingredients & Supplies
The ingredients are simple and straightforward, mimicking the Rotel ingredients:
- Tomatoes - you can use any type you have, but paste/roma tomatoes will hold together better and produce a less runny product.
- Mild Chili Peppers - Anaheim and poblano are the two I use - Hatch peppers would also work.
- Salt & Pepper - you can use either canning salt or pure sea salt.
- Spices: Oregano, Coriander
The supplies you'll need are:
- Large stock pot - I use a 12-quart heavy-bottomed stock pot.
- Water-Bath canner - this stainless steel version with a clear lid was a game-changer for me, plus it has a flat bottom compatible with glass top stoves.
- Canning jars - the recipe calls for pint (16-ounce) jars. You can use them or half-pint (8-ounce) jars OR if you need to replicate the 10-ounce Rotel cans for recipes, you can use 10-ounce canning jars like these.
- Canning Funnel - I recommend a stainless steel funnel when working with hot liquids.
- Stainless Ladle & Jar Lifter - both needed for filling the jars and moving the jars in and out from the hot water.
See more of the essential (and nice-to-have) canning supplies I recommend here.
Tips & Variations For Rotel Copycat Tomatoes
- I think the flavor of the finished recipe is really good as is written, but the dry spices are totally adaptable and safe to change or increase, so adjust to your tastes. I chose oregano and coriander (the dried seeds of cilantro in the US - if in the UK, you'd want the dried form of coriander) because both are used in Tex-Mex cooking. You can play with other dry spices (since they aren't revealed on the Rotel ingredient list) if you'd like.
- Use all mild peppers like Anaheim or poblano to make your Rotel most like the store-bought product. We like things spicy, so I added 1 jalapeño in my 1 cup of chilies. It wasn't very spicy, actually, so now I add 2-3, depending on the size.
- I found that even though quartered tomatoes seemed too big for a Rotel-type product, they cooked down so much in the 10 minutes that when I tried it with chopped tomatoes, it came out more like a chunky sauce, so I'm recommending simply quartering the tomatoes.
- I've been using only citric acid in tomatoes for the last few years as most bottled lemon juice is full of preservatives and the Rotel ingredient list uses it as well. However, you can use lemon juice if that is what you have (the option is included in the recipe below).
I sure hope you enjoy this recipe and that it makes your cheese dips, soups, and stews that much better!
More Easy Canning Recipes To Try
Canned Tomatoes & Chilies: Rotel Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- large stock pot
- water bath canner
- canning jars and lids
Ingredients
- 12 cups cored, peeled, and quartered tomatoes about 32 medium round tomatoes
- 1 cup finely chopped chili peppers- anaheim, poblano, or other mild pepper *
- 1 tablespoon canning salt or pure sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- Citric Acid to add to jars: 1/4 teaspoon for each pint 1/2 teaspoon for quarts OR 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice for pints (2 tablespoons for quarts)
Instructions
- Wash, core, peel and quarter tomatoes. Add to a large stockpot.
- Wash, stem, and seed chilies (leave the seeds to increases spiciness if you'd like). Finely chop by hand or cut into large pieces and finely chop in a food processor.
- Add chilies, salt, pepper, oregano, and coriander to tomatoes in stockpot, bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While tomato mixture is simmering, prepare canner, jars and lids (see note for a tutorial for water-bath canning).
- To clean, hot, pint canning jars, add 1/4 teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice (if using quart jars, add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice).
- Ladle the tomato-chili mixture into each jar, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove bubbles with a spatula, wipe rims, and attach lids.
- Add jars to canner, cover, bring to a boil and process 40 minutes for pints (50 minutes for quarts), adjusting heat as needed to maintain a soft boil. When timer goes off, remove lid, turn off heat and allow jars to sit in canner 5 minutes.
- Remove jars from canner to a towel-lined counter and let cool 12 to 24 hours. Remove rings for storage and check lids to be sure they've sealed (gently pull up with your fingers). Refrigerate any that didn't seal.
Notes
- At step 3, remove from heat and let cool a bit before transferring to freezer-safe containers (if using plastic, cool completely before transferring).
- Label and date containers and freeze for up to a year.
- Note: if freezing, you could leave out the citric acid if you want, but since it is an ingredient in the commercial Rotel, it may affect the flavor.
Nutrition
Do you use Rotel tomatoes? What are some of your favorite recipes that use them?
This recipe has been updated - it was originally published in September of 2012.
Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn't change your price. Click here to read our full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
Dave says
Can I use dried cilantro leaves instead of the coriander?
Jami says
Yes! You can always add any dried spice you want to canned recipes, as it doesn't affect the acid ratios.
Victoria says
I was happy to find this tomatoes with jalapenos recipe that is safe for canning. I followed the directions exactly but I ended up with only 3-1/2 pints instead of 6. What do you think I did wrong?
Jami says
I wonder if the tomatoes I used were more slicing than roma/paste and my rotel was more juicy? I usually get 5-6 pints - it does vary a bit but not usually by 2 1/2 pints.
HH says
The link you mentioned above only has instructions for pressure canning tomatoes and vegetables. Can you please provide a link to where you found that this ratio of tomatoes to peer era can be boiled water canned?
Jami says
Are you talking about the link to the Minnesota Tomato Mixture? It's for water-bath canning - see #1 under canning directions and #9 detailing the time to process in boiling water.
Abbie says
Can I can these in half pint jars? I thought those would be closer to the size of the cans sold in stores. I know canning recipes need to be exact, so I thought I would ask. Thanks so much!
Jami says
You can use a smaller jar, keeping the processing time the same.
I was curious so I looked up the size of Rotel cans - they are 10 ounces, so the 8-oz half pint wouldn't hold enough for a recipe.
They do make 10-oz jars, though - I found some on Amazon (aff. link) if you're interested: https://amzn.to/3E03JHb
It's a good idea to make them that size - I'll add this option to the recipe!
Pam Edwards says
How much does this receipe make?
Jami says
The yield is in the recipe card - 6-7 pints.
Amy says
Hello! My grocery store only has poblano, jalapeno, haberno and serrano peppers. We are getting in Hatch chilis though in mild, medium and hot though. I looked up that Hatch are basically the same as Anaheim, but the difference is where they are grown, so the flavor is slightly different. Could I use the hatch chilis or maybe even the poblanos? Would I have to peel poblanos? Those are the only mild peppers that are available to me besides bell peppers. Thanks!
PS: Would roasting the peppers and tomatoes give an even better flavor, or would that alter the safety of the recipe? Thanks
Jami says
Yes, you can substitute any type of mild pepper for the Anaheim peppers, Amy, no problem!
You can also roast the vegetables before proceeding with the recipe, but keep all the measurements the same and measure before roasting, adding all the liquid that may result from roasting to the recipe.
Rotel doesn't roast the vegetables, so it would be a different result and may be a bit thicker.
Kelly says
Thank you for the recipe!! I use Rotel in almost every dish that calls for diced tomatoes. I've been tweaking other recipes but this one is (almost) solid. 🤷🏻♀️ Rotel also contains Cilantro but no one ever includes it. It's the very last ingredient listed.
Jami says
Yes, I did account for that - fresh cilantro will mess with the ratios of acid to non acid ingredients so you can't just add it and can it without compromising the safety of the recipe, so I added coriander which is dried cilantro seeds that impart a similar flavor.
If you'd like to use fresh, you need to reduce another low-acid ingredient by the same amount of cilantro you add (in this case the peppers).
It wasn't worth it to me since cilantro loses much of it's flavor in canning and the coriander provides that flavor without needing to reduce the peppers.
Hope that makes sense!
Ethel says
I have a lot of jalapenas in my garden. Would it be ok to use all jalapeños if I took out membrane and seeds so it eoildn’t be so hot? Thanks for this recipe.
Jami says
Yes, as long as the total amount of peppers stays the same you can use all of one type. If you don't want it spicy, yes to removing the seeds and membranes!
Deb says
thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. My hubby and I can't get enough of it! I made 15 half pints (froze 3) and I can imagine they will be gone in no time! This was the first time canning anything and you made the process easy! I thank you!
Jami says
Oh, I'm so glad to hear this, Deb!! Congrats on your first canning - here's to many more!