Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (2024)

Drinks

Home » Drinks

By Tara Noland on | Updated | 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe

This Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe is really so delicious; it is how tomato juice should taste. This recipe is easy to make with only a few ingredients. If you have an abundance of tomatoes, then here is a great way to use them up. Want to have fun with a Bloody Mary or Caesar Bar? We have all that you need to know.

Want more tomato recipes? Try our Simple Easy Homemade Canned Tomatoes, Roasted Italian Tomatoes, or Homemade Canned Salsa.

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (1)

I love tomato juice and Clamato juice. Do you want your tomato juice spicy, then feel free to use cayenne pepper or hot sauce, even if you are not making a Bloody Mary.

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (2)

Table of Contents

Helpful Items For This Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.

Mesh Strainers, 3 Pack Set

Wide Mouth Quart Mason Jars with Lids and Bands (32 oz.)

Weston Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer, Food Mill

What is in Homemade Tomato Juice?

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (3)

Ingredients

Fresh Tomatoes – Find the biggest, plumpest field tomatoes that you can find. Your own garden tomatoes are great for this too. If you like, you may want to add a large pinch of sugar depending on the sweetness or acidity of your tomatoes.

Water – Plain old tap water works, but you can use filtered if you like.

Per Quart of Juice:

This is what you need to add to each quart jar of juice you will be making.

Kosher salt – You don’t want to use table salt if you are thinking of canning tomatoes. Kosher is perfect for all your needs.

Onion powder – The fresher, the better, of course. I like powder instead of onion salt. This has enough salt in it, in my opinion.

Celery salt – The flavor of the celery salt is perfect with tomato juice. Don’t use too much, though, as you are adding in salt also.

How do you Make Tomato Juice?

If you are a lover of tomato juice like I am, this is such a satisfying experience. Make sure your tomatoes are the absolute best and plump and juicy. Last season was rainy, so the tomatoes were big and juicy perfect to make juice with.

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (4)
Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (5)
Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (6)
Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (7)

Wash and core the tomatoes, and remove any blemishes.

Cut the tomatoes in half and then into small slices or “smiles”.

Add the tomato slices to a large stock pot and add about 1 cup of water (less if the tomatoes are very juicy.)

Bring the pot to a boil and simmer until the tomatoes are softened but not mushy.

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (8)
Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (9)
Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (10)
Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (11)

Put the tomatoes through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and skins.

Discard the skin and seeds.

Measure the amount of liquid you have and then pour the liquid back into the stock pot.

Bring to a boil, adding the amount of Kosher salt, onion powder, and celery salt based on how many quarts of liquid your tomatoes have yielded.

Boil gently, stirring until all the spices are dissolved.

Remove from heat. Pour the tomato mixture into a pitcher to cool if using right away or into sterilized canning quart jars to freeze or can. See the information below.

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (12)

Recipe Pro Tips!

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (13)

How can I Store or Can the Tomato Juice?

If canning tomato juice, pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into sterilized 1-quart jars and add the tomato juice leaving about ½ an inch of air space at the top. You can also add 1/2 tsp. of citric acid per quart too. You can the juice just like you do tomatoes; read here.

Why add lemon juice to tomato juice?

Adding the above lemon juice lowers the ph in the tomato juice so that you can safely water bath for canning. Don’t want to water bath, then read on!

You can freeze the tomato juice by simply pouring the juice into sterilized jars or plastic containers, allowing it to cool, seal the containers, and place in the freezer. Use within 1 year of freezing. This is my preferred method if I am only making a few jars. If you are doing a large quantity, then canning might be a better option.

Drinking tomato juice also has health benefits as it is high in vitamins like B, C, and potassium. It is also an excellent source of antioxidants. Just be careful with the salt or leave it out entirely if you want the full benefits.

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (14)

WANT MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES USING TOMATOES?

Tomatoes are so fantastic in the summertime, and there is always an abundance of them either in your yard, farmers market, or grocery store. Here are some of our favorite recipes and a trick to remove tomato skins too.

Pin it HERE!!

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (19)

Pin it HERE!!

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (20)
Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (21)

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe

Yield: 5-6 Quarts

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

With all the canning recipes and preserving of summer's bounty, don't forget to make tomato juice. It really is amazing, so good for you, and fun to make too. Storing it in the freezer makes it easy also.

Ingredients

  • 20 lbs tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups or less of water

Per Quart of Juice:

  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp celery salt

Instructions

Wash and core the tomatoes, and remove any blemishes.

Cut the tomatoes in half and then into small slices or “smiles”.

Add the tomato slices to a large stock pot and add about 1 cup of water (less if the tomatoes are very juicy.)

Bring the pot to a boil and simmer until the tomatoes are softened but not mushy.

Put the tomatoes through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and skins. You can use a food mill if you are making a large quantity.

Discard the skin and seeds.

Measure the amount of liquid you have and then pour the liquid back into the stock pot.

Bring to a boil, adding the amount of Kosher salt, onion powder, and celery salt based on how many quarts of liquid your tomatoes have yielded.

Boil gently, stirring until all the spices are dissolved.

Remove from heat. Pour the tomato mixture into a pitcher to cool if using right away or into sterilized canning quart jars to freeze or can. See the information below.

Notes

How can I Store or Can the Tomato Juice?

If canning tomato juice, pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into sterilized 1-quart jars and add the tomato juice leaving about ½ an inch of air space at the top. You can also add 1/2 tsp. of citric acid per quart too. You can the juice just like you do tomatoes; read here.

Why add lemon juice to tomato juice?

Adding the above lemon juice lowers the ph in the tomato juice so that you can safely water bath for canning. Don’t want to water bath, then read on!

You can freeze the tomato juice by simply pouring the juice into sterilized jars or plastic containers, allowing it to cool, seal the containers, and place in the freezer. Use within 1 year of freezing. This is my preferred method is only making a few jars. If you are doing a large quantity, then canning might be a better option.

Plus, see more tips and tricks in the post.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 82Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 101mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 4g

Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

Reader Interactions

Let us know what you think!

We’d love to know what you and your family think! Make sure to leave a review below and follow us on your favorite social network!

    Leave A Reply!

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Comments & Reviews

  1. Julia Shinabargar says

    Going to try the recipe for tomato juice.

    Reply

Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put lemon juice in homemade tomato juice? ›

Adding the recommended amount of bottled lemon juice or citric acid lowers the pH of all tested varieties enough to allow for the safe process of water bath canning.

How can I make tomato juice taste better? ›

I like to get my tomato juice from V-8 juice. To my V-8 juice I add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice, hot sauce (like Tabasco or similar), a little Worcestershire Sauce, and salt to taste. Stir it up, and yum-yum.

How long do you process tomatoes in their own juice? ›

Tomatoes
  1. Raw pack or hot pack in jars with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to each quart (1 tablespoon per pint jar). One teaspoon of salt can be added to each jar, if desired. ...
  2. Secure lids and process in a water bath canner for 85 minutes (Altitudes above 1,000 ft require an increase in processing time).
Oct 27, 2023

How it's made tomato juice? ›

Method
  1. Cook the tomatoes, vegetables, and seasonings: Put all of the ingredients into a large non-reactive pot (use stainless steel, not aluminum). Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until mixture is completely soupy, about 25 minutes.
  2. Strain: Force the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, chinoise, or food mill.

What happens if you forgot to put lemon juice in canned tomatoes? ›

Tomatoes by their nature are high in acid!! They will be fine. clarification from a canning company.

Which is more acidic tomato juice or lemon juice? ›

Lemon juice is 100 times as acidic as tomato juice. Remember, each step in the pH scale represents a change in concentration by a factor of 10. Since tomato juice has a pH of 4.0, and lemon juice has a pH of 2.0, the concentration would change by 10 times 10.

What thickens tomato juice? ›

Add Cream. Adding heavy cream will change the flavor of a tomato sauce, but it will also thicken it. Drizzle in the cream and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has your desired consistency.

What enhances the flavor of tomatoes? ›

Seasoning Tomatoes With Cream of Tartar

Yes, there are other ways to make your tomatoes taste even better and increase the acidity. There is lemon, vinegar, or my personal favorite, balsamic. Just imagine a tomato bruschetta with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top.

What is the best tomato for making juice? ›

You can use a variety of plums, beefsteaks, brandywine, and Campari tomatoes when making tomato juice. Campari is one of the juiciest tomatoes with a sweet, high sugar content but a low level of acidity.

Why does homemade tomato juice separate? ›

A: Like many fruits, including apples, tomatoes have natural pectin that helps the cell walls stick together. But when you cut or crush the tomatoes, you release an enzyme that attacks the pectin, making the cells separate. To stop that, you have to “turn off” the enzyme by exposing it to heat.

Do you need to peel tomatoes for juice? ›

Wash tomatoes thoroughly. Cut out the stem and any defects or blemishes, but there's absolutely no need to peel them! Cut tomatoes into chunks for quicker cooking, then dump into a kettle. Use your hand (or a potato masher) to squish a few tomatoes in the bottom of the kettle.

Can you can tomato juice without a water bath? ›

Tomato juice can be processed in either a water bath canner or a pressure canner, but the biggest concern related to canning tomato products is the acidification process. Regardless of the canning process, it is recommended to acidify tomato juice when canning.

Why do you put lemon in tomato juice? ›

Drinking tomato juice with lemons can help prevent illnesses and colds. Hydration: Both tomatoes and lemons are high in water content, which makes...

How healthy is homemade tomato juice? ›

Tomato juice is rich in nutrients like vitamin C, B vitamins, and potassium. It's also an excellent source of antioxidants, such as lycopene, which may reduce inflammation and your risk of heart disease and some cancers. Be sure to buy 100% tomato juice without added salt or sugar — or make your own at home.

Do you need lemon juice to can tomato juice? ›

The short answer to the question is “Yes, to ensure safety, acid in the form of lemon juice, citric acid or vinegar must be added to tomatoes that will be processed by a pressure canning option”.

Can you can tomato juice without lemon juice? ›

Since no vinegar is added to plain tomatoes, including this juice, citric acid is needed to ensure the pH is safe and no bacteria will grow. Note: Bottled lemon juice includes citric acid, so it can be a good substitute.

Do you have to put lemon juice in tomatoes? ›

The short answer to the question is “Yes, to ensure safety, acid in the form of lemon juice, citric acid or vinegar must be added to tomatoes that will be processed by a pressure canning option”.

What happens if you forget to add lemon juice to jam? ›

If your recipe called for lemon juice and you forgot to put it in, your mixture will not be acid enough for safe canning. You have to open the jars and put the mixture into a sauce pan. (If you made the jam or jelly recently and you carefully remove the lids without damaging them, you can re-use the same lids.)

What does lemon juice do to tomato sauce? ›

But say the tomato's acidity is muted, its flavor a tad too close to cloying. A shot of red wine vinegar might do the trick here, but that adds its own flavor; a small splash of humble lemon can brighten the sauce exponentially without stealing the spotlight.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Otha Schamberger

Last Updated:

Views: 6516

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Otha Schamberger

Birthday: 1999-08-15

Address: Suite 490 606 Hammes Ferry, Carterhaven, IL 62290

Phone: +8557035444877

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: Fishing, Flying, Jewelry making, Digital arts, Sand art, Parkour, tabletop games

Introduction: My name is Otha Schamberger, I am a vast, good, healthy, cheerful, energetic, gorgeous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.