Pickled Green Tomatoes Recipe

This pickled green tomatoes recipe is a great way to use up the green tomatoes that are hanging around at the end of tomato season. You know, the ones that are not getting ripe because the weather is cooling down.

Pick any tomatoes with color showing to try and ripen indoors. Then go ahead and pull some green tomatoes to make your green tomato pickle recipe. Be sure the tomatoes you use for pickling are fully green. You don’t want any color showing.

For this recipe, you will need unripe, truly green tomatoes. Make sure you’re not using a variety of tomato that appears green when ripe, as some heirloom varieties do.

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I made pickled green tomatoes out of tomatoes from my pear tomato plant. I like the way they look in the jar.

Garlic and dill make this a great green tomato pickle recipe. My oldest son likes to eat the pickled garlic.

This recipe can be processed safely in a Water Bath Canner.

Yield is about 6 pints.

How to Make Pickled Green Tomatoes

Gather Your Canning supplies for Pickled Green Tomatoes:

• water bath canner
• canning jars (pint size)
• canning lids and rings
• jar lifter and canning funnel
• large pot
• bowls
• large spoons
• sharp knife
• crinkle cutter is optional
• towels and dish cloths
• ladle

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds green tomatoes 
• 3 1/2 cups vinegar 
• 3 1/2 cups water 
• 1/4 cup canning salt 
• 6 garlic cloves (one per jar) 
• Dill seeds (2 tsp. per jar) or fresh dill heads (1 head per jar)  

Please note: My source for this recipe is the Ball Blue Book.

Start by preparing jars and getting water in your canner heating. (See Water Bath Canning for full directions.)

Wash tomatoes. Cut into the desired size. In the case of my small pear tomatoes, I simply cut them in half. Full-size tomatoes can be cut in half or quarters, or smaller if you have very large tomatoes.

Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil and keep hot while you pack the jars. This recipe calls for pint-size jars. Don’t use quart size. If you want to go smaller you can. Use 8 oz jars but you’ll still need to process for the same time as pint-size.

Place garlic clove and dill in each jar.

Pack tomato pieces into jars and cover with the vinegar solution, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

Process them according to water bath canning instructions.

You can eat these pickled green tomatoes right away if you like. But the flavor won’t be there right away. If you let your jars sit for 4-5 weeks before opening, this allows the flavors to fully develop.

Wipe rims clean and process according to water bath canning directions.

Process them according to the instructions below. Be sure and adjust this time according to the altitude chart below.

Altitude Adjustments

Altitude Adjustments for Boiling Water Bath Canner

Altitude in Feet – processing time

0-1000 ft – 15 minutes 

1001-3000 ft – 20 minutes 

3001-6000 ft – 25 minutes 

6001-8000 ft – 30 minutes 

8001-10000 ft – 35 minutes 

For more information on why this is important, see this altitude adjustments page.

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Pickled Green Tomatoes

This pickled green tomatoes recipe is a great way to use up the green tomatoes that are hanging around at the end of tomato season.

Print Recipe

Equipment

• Water Bath Canner
• Canning Jars
• Canning Lids and Rings
• Funnel, Jar Lifter, Lid Lifter, Bubble Tool
• Large Pot
• Crinkle Cutter
• Ladle

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Green Tomatoes
• 3 ½ cups Vinegar standard 5% acidity
• 3 ½ cups Water
• ¼ cup Canning Salt
• 6 cloves Garlic
• Dill 2 teaspoons seeds per jar or 1 head per jar

Instructions

• Start by preparing jars and getting water in the canner heating.You want the canner hot, but not boiling, when the jars are ready to be processed.

  See full water bath canning instructions here.  
• Wash tomatoes and cut into desired sizes.
• Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
• Place garlic clove and dill into each jar,
• Pack tomato pieces into pint jars.
• Cover with vinegar solution, leaving 1/4” headspace.
• Remove air bubbles, wipe the rim clean, and place on seal and ring. Place jar in the warm canner. Proceed to fill all jars. Process according to the chart below.

Notes

Processing with a Water Bath Canner

Place the jar in the warm canner. Proceed to fill all jars placing them in the canner.

When all the jars are filled, bring the water in the canner to a boil.  When a boil is reached that is when you’ll start your timing.   Process for the length of time on the chart below.  Adjust for your altitude. 

After your time is over, turn the heat off remove the lid and allow the canner to rest for about 5 minutes. Then bring your jars up out of the water.  Allow them to rest for another 5 minutes. Then remove the jars and place them a few inches apart on a thick towel to cool completely.  Leave them alone for about 12 hours.  

When they are cooled remove the metal bands, check the seals, label the jars and store them away! 

Processing Times for Water Bath Canner (Hot Pack) 

Altitude – Pints  

0-1,000 ft – 15 minutes

1,001-3,000 ft – 20 minutes

3,001-6,000 ft – 25 minutes

6,001-8,000 ft – 30 minutes

8,001-10,000 ft – 35 minutes 

Adapted from: Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

Last Updated: 7/15/2021

Servings: 6 pints

Author: Sharon Peterson

What do you eat with pickled green tomatoes? How do you use them?

You just eat them as a condiment, just like pickles. Or if you can, chop them up and add them to sandwich spread. We mix tuna, finely chopped pickles, and some miracle whip, grated cheese, a little salt and pepper and serve it on toast. You can also chop them and add to an egg casserole or omelette.

Related Pages

Water Bath Canning

Water bath canning is where most newbies begin on their food preservation journey – with good reason! Water bath canning is fun and easy.

Pickle Recipes

Pickling…not just for cucumbers!

Pickled Eggs Recipes

This pickled egg recipe isn’t a canning recipe, but rather an easy refrigerator pickled egg using vinegar plus dill, beets, or spices!

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Page last updated: 5/12/2021