Best Copycat Rotel Recipe (Canned Tomatoes & Chilies)
It’s so easy to make your own Rotel-style tomatoes and chilies at home with fresh ingredients! This simple copycat Rotel recipe uses fresh tomatoes and mild chilies for that familiar flavor you love — perfect for water-bath safe canning or freezing. Created with the ingredients list on the back of a can combined with a safe home canning recipe, you’ll have jars of homemade Rotel ready to add to soups, dips, casseroles, and more all year long.
✩ What readers are saying…
“You nailed it! I like it even better than the store bought variety. Thanks for this. I’m going to use this recipe a lot!” -Mike
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We use a lot of tomato products at our house for soups, stews, casseroles, and more, so I’ve preserved our homegrown tomatoes and garden produce for years in an amazing roasted tomato sauce for freezing, canned salsa, canned pizza sauce, and of course, our favorite addictive tomato chutney.
One year when I had a great harvest of chili peppers, I looked for a homemade Rotel-style tomatoes to add to my canning list because there are always a few recipes that call for this tomatoes-and-chilies product so it would be nice to have some on hand.
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 with tomatoes, chilies, and seasonings just like the store-bought version was surprisingly hard to find. If I did find a recipe online it included things like onions (um, then isn’t it just salsa?), or more disturbingly, sugar – sometimes as much as 1-1/2 cups!
What are the ingredients in Rotel?
A quick look at the ingredient list on a can of Rotel shows no sugar or onions, only:
- Tomatoes
- Chilies
- Salt
- Spices
- Citric acid
- Cilantro – Note: this is the last ingredient making it the smallest amount compared to the others. Since it’s not safe to add fresh ingredients to a tested canning recipe (the one I adapted below), I have used dried coriander (which is cilantro seed) instead to add some of the same flavor profile without the fresh ingredient. If you really want the cilantro (the flavor would be very mild after canning), you can add a chopped tablespoon as long as you remove a tablespoon of chilies to keep the fresh vegetable ratio the same. You can always add cilantro when using to get more flavor.
Safe canning recipe for tomatoes and chilies
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.
When I found the Minnesota Method for canning a tomato mixture I knew I could use it to create a safe canned copycat Rotel recipe. 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 (because that would’ve been too many chilies for Rotel-style tomatoes), 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.
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.
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.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients of the recipe 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 & black pepper: You can use either canning salt or pure sea salt.
- Spices: oregano, coriander (the ground seed of cilantro for flavor)
- Citric Acid: You’ll need this is you’re canning the Rotel (see note above in freezing section about leaving it out of freezer Rotel).
Supplies Needed
- Large stock pot – I use a 12-quart heavy-bottomed stock pot. An 8-quart would work as well.
- 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’d like 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 Copycat Rotel Tomatoes
- Dry Spices: 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.
- Using some hot peppers. 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. Remember, you can’t go OVER the total amount of chilies, but you can play around with the type of chilies you use.
- Quartering tomatoes: 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. However, if you have really firm and large paste tomatoes (like I’ve gotten some years from stores), then you’ll probably want to cut the quartered sections in half.
- Citric acid vs. lemon juice: 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 citric acid as well. However, you can use lemon juice if that is what you have (the option is included in the recipe below).
Let’s Make the Copycat Rotel Recipe
Step 1: Prep ingredients. Gather and prepare all your ingredients, adding them to a large stockpot as you go. (TIP: here’s my super-easy tomato peeling method)
Step 2: Cook. Over medium-high heat, bring the contents of the pot to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. If freezing, cool and pour into containers – continue with steps below if canning.
Step 3: Prep jars. Gather your canning supplies (warm, clean jars, lids, rings, jar lifter, citric acid and 1/4 teaspoon, ladle, funnel). TIP: place everything on a tray next to your stove for easy clean-up! One jar at a time, add citric acid and then an even amount of tomato mixture and juice, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Step 4: Finish filling jars. Wipe the rims with a damp cloth or paper towel and attach the lid and ring. Place the jar in the raised canning rack above the simmering water in the canner. Repeat with each jar and then lower the rack with all the jars into the water.
Step 5: Can jars. Bring to a boil and THEN start timing for 40-50 minutes. Monitor the water – keep it at a low boil, not super-high roiling – and make sure there is always 1-inch water over the jars. Turn off burner and let jars sit for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Cool jars. Remove jars with a jar lifter from the canner to a towel-lined surface to cool. TIP: I use a cutting board or tray so that I can move the jars without disturbing them if I have to.
What to Make with a Can of Rotel
- Chili – add it to this wonderful chili instead of plain tomatoes.
- Dips like the classic cheese-Rotel dip
- Chicken Chili like this easy, flavorful slow cooker chicken chili.
- Taco soup/enchilada soup
- Mexican/Spanish rice
- Cook pinto or black beans with a can for a ton of flavor.
- Slow cook chicken breasts with a can and shred for tacos, bowls, and more.
I sure hope you enjoy this Rotel recipe and that it makes your cheese dips, soups, and stews that much better!
Reader Raves
“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!” -Deb
“I’ve been canning these for 5 years or so – delicious!” -Kris
“Made this today. I looked for a true Rotel recipe without the onions, etc. Your recipe hit the right spot. It is a fairly easy recipe. It’s lovely in the jar and tastes so good. Thanks for posting it.” -Karen
I hope you love this recipe for Rotel canned tomatoes and chilies – if you make it, be sure to leave a recipe rating so I know how you liked it!
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Best Copycat Rotel Recipe (Canned Tomatoes & Chilies)
Equipment
- large stock pot
- water bath canner
- canning jars and lids
Ingredients
- 12 cups cored, peeled, and quartered tomatoes, about 12 pounds (or 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 (powdered dried cilantro seed)
- Citric Acid to add to jars if canning: 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
More Easy Canning Recipes To Try
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in September of 2012, updated in 2019 and 2025.
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do have to use the salt? My husband is on a low sodium diet
In this case you’re okay leaving it out as the acid from the tomatoes and citric acid or lemon juice makes the recipe safe for canning. The salt is for flavor here (unlike something like pickling).
This sounds so good!! Do you think this recipe can be raw packed without cooking the tomatoes beforehand?
That wouldn’t be safe to can because the timing would be different with raw pack and the recipe is tested with the hot pack.
I just finished making this. But I completely forgot to add the salt to the mixture. Is that going to be a problem?
No, the salt is only for flavor not safety – you’re good to keep these on the shelf! I would probably taste before using, though, and add salt if needed (some recipes might add salt later, which would be fine to not add it to the rotel beforehand).
How many pounds of tomatoes will yield roughly the amount of cups needed for this recipe?
There is roughly 1 pound to 3 medium sized tomatoes – this recipe calls for about 32 so 11 to 12 pounds should do it.
You mentioned that this is a tested recipe. What method or organization tested it? Thank you
Hi Linda! Yes, I linked to the recipe when I explained my adaptations: https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/canning-minnesota-tomato-mixture
Do you remove all the liquidy/seedy parts of the tomatoes or leave them in?
I usually remove a few of them, but only if I’m using slicing tomatoes – if they are all paste tomatoes, there’s not much need. It’s up to you.
I followed the directions, but mine came out very watery. Is there a fix for this or something I should have done differently?
The only thing I can think of is that your tomatoes were more juicy? You can cook it down more, though it will be more of a sauce then.
I have been saving my whole tomatoes and putting them in my freezer until I had enough. Can I use them for this recipe? Thanks!
Hmm, you can do it from a safety aspect (if you know the weight of the tomatoes, so weigh before thawing if you didn’t beforehand). But you won’t get the chunks – it will probably be more like a sauce since the tomatoes break down so much after freezing and you’ll cook it more for canning.
I have an abundance of poblano peppers. Should I char and peel them before using in this recipe or just chop them up?
You can do either! I think charring would bring some nice flavor, though. 🙂
How much citric acid do I need to use if I’m doing 10oz. Jars?
Thanks!
Same as for pints, Lauren – enjoy!
I’m looking forward to making this and trying it in my Brazilian Chicken Stew.
That sounds perfect, Valerie! I hope you enjoy it!
Can’t wait to try this! Would you say this is for the original Rotel or the mild version? I use the mild Rotel alllll the time and would love to make my own. If this recipe is for the original heat level, can I just reduce the amount of peppers and it still be safe??
I’ve only used the Original – I didn’t know there was a mild! But, yes, you can reduce the peppers safely, keeping everything else the same. Or you could use peppers with hardly any heat, like anaheim, or even the same amount of sweet peppers.
Can I use dried cilantro leaves instead of the coriander?
Yes! You can always add any dried spice you want to canned recipes, as it doesn’t affect the acid ratios.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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!
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!
How much does this receipe make?
The yield is in the recipe card – 6-7 pints.
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
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.
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.
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!
Thanks for the explanation. Makes perfect sense!!
Could i use store bought canned peppers instead of fresh?
Hmmm. I don’t really know how they would hold up with double cooking and canning – they may just disintegrate. You can try.
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.
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!
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!
Oh, I’m so glad to hear this, Deb!! Congrats on your first canning – here’s to many more!