What kind of tomatoes are best for canning?

Paste and plum tomatoes (Roma, San Marzano, Amish Paste) are best for canning. They have more flesh, fewer seeds, and lower moisture than slicing types, producing thicker sauce and more jars per pound.

Can you can beefsteak or slicing tomatoes?

Yes, but they produce watery sauce that requires long cooking to reduce. Slicing tomatoes are safe to can with proper acid addition but yield fewer jars per pound and need more processing time.

Do you have to add lemon juice when canning tomatoes?

Yes — the USDA recommends adding 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice per quart jar (1 tablespoon per pint) to guarantee safe acidity. Tomato pH varies by variety, soil, and weather, making added acid essential.

How many pounds of tomatoes per quart jar?

Plan on 3 pounds of tomatoes per quart of whole or crushed tomatoes, and 2.5 pounds per quart of tomato sauce or puree. Paste tomatoes yield slightly more per pound than slicing varieties.

How long do home-canned tomatoes last?

Properly processed home-canned tomatoes keep best quality for 12–18 months, stored in a cool, dark location. They remain safe past 18 months but flavor and texture decline. Use within 2 years.

What is the difference between Roma and San Marzano tomatoes?

San Marzano is an Italian heirloom with sweeter flavor, fewer seeds, and slightly higher Brix than standard Roma. Roma is more widely adapted to US growing conditions and produces more reliably in hot, humid summers.

Best Tomatoes for Canning

The best tomatoes for canning are paste and plum types — Roma, San Marzano, Amish Paste, and Opalka produce thick, low-water flesh that reduces into sauce faster, fills more jars per pound, and has consistently high acid levels. Slicing tomatoes can work, but they require more cooking time and yield fewer jars.

Home canning is one of the most rewarding ways to preserve a summer tomato harvest. But variety selection makes a measurable difference in both safety and efficiency. Paste tomatoes are the practical choice for the same reason professional canneries use them: more solids, less water, consistent acid levels, and better flavor after processing.

What makes a tomato good for canning

Paste tomatoes have a flesh-to-juice ratio of roughly 70:30, versus 50:50 or less for slicing types. This matters for two reasons: processing safety and time efficiency.

Safety: The USDA requires a pH of 4.6 or below for safe water-bath canning. Most tomato varieties hover near this threshold. Paste types tend to have slightly higher acid levels due to their concentrated flesh. Adding lemon juice or citric acid (required by USDA for all home-canned tomatoes) creates a reliable safety buffer.

Efficiency: Lower water content means less time reducing sauce to the right consistency. A Roma tomato needs 30–45 minutes of cooking to reach sauce thickness. A beefsteak tomato may need 90+ minutes. Fewer seeds mean less straining and less waste.

Traits that define a good canning tomato:

Brix reading of 5+ (measure of sugars and solids)
Flesh-to-seed ratio favoring flesh
Low moisture content (paste out of the core, not juice)
Firm texture that holds up to blanching
Red or deeply colored flesh (correlates with pectin and acid levels)

The 8 best tomatoes for canning

1. Roma (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Roma is the most widely grown canning tomato in the US and the standard benchmark for paste-type performance. It is available as seed and transplants at virtually every garden center, adapts well to most US zones, and produces heavily even in hot, humid summers.

Average fruit: 3–4 ounces. Flesh: firm, meaty, few seeds. Brix: 5–6. Days to maturity: 75–80 days.

Drawback: Roma is susceptible to blossom end rot in inconsistent moisture conditions — more so than other paste varieties. See our blossom end rot guide for prevention.

2. San Marzano

The Italian standard for canning, San Marzano has sweeter, more complex flavor and fewer seeds than Roma. It is harder to find as transplants and performs best in Zones 5–8; it struggles in high heat and humidity.

Average fruit: 4–5 ounces. Flesh: dense, sweet, low acid relative to Roma. Brix: 6–7. Days to maturity: 80 days.

Note: True San Marzano is an heirloom. Many seed packets labeled “San Marzano” are hybrid approximations. Look for packets labeled “Heirloom San Marzano” or from seed suppliers that specify Italian heritage.

3. Amish Paste

Amish Paste is the standout performer for home canners who prioritize yield and flavor. Fruits average 8–12 ounces — 3 times the size of Roma — with very few seeds and extremely dense flesh. One plant can produce 15–20 pounds of fruit.

Average fruit: 8–12 ounces. Flesh: Very dense, almost seed-free, rich flavor. Brix: 6–7. Days to maturity: 83 days.

Tradeoff: Harder to find as transplants; usually must be started from seed indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost date.

4. Opalka

Opalka is a Polish heirloom prized by US canners for its elongated fruit and exceptional flesh depth. Fruits are 5–6 inches long and nearly seed-free. Flavor after canning is distinctly savory and complex.

Average fruit: 4–6 ounces. Flesh: Extremely thick, few seeds, dry paste. Brix: 6. Days to maturity: 80–85 days.

Availability: Seed only; not typically available as transplants. Excellent in Zones 5–8; struggles in extreme heat.

5. Juliet

Juliet is an AAS winner that produces enormous clusters of 1–2 ounce plum tomatoes and resists cracking better than almost any other variety. It is technically a grape/plum hybrid, not a paste type, but its low moisture and firm flesh make it excellent for whole-pack canning and salsa.

Average fruit: 1–2 ounces. Flesh: firm, crack-resistant, sweet. Brix: 5–6. Days to maturity: 60 days.

Best for: whole-pack canning, salsa, mixed tomato sauce. Exceptional disease resistance makes it reliable in humid US climates.

6. Viva Italia

Viva Italia is a disease-resistant hybrid paste tomato that outperforms Roma in wet years and produces earlier. It was developed specifically for US home garden conditions and carries VFFNA disease resistance (Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt, nematodes, and Alternaria).

Average fruit: 3–4 ounces. Flesh: firm, good flavor. Brix: 5–6. Days to maturity: 72 days.

Best for: gardeners who have had disease problems with Roma or who garden in high-humidity zones.

7. Heinz 1439

Heinz 1439 is a determinate processing tomato bred specifically for canneries, now available to home gardeners. It ripens all at once over 2–3 weeks, which is ideal for batch canning. Very firm flesh, consistent size, and naturally high acid.

Average fruit: 3–5 ounces. Flesh: very firm, high pectin. Brix: 5–6. Days to maturity: 75 days.

Best for: canners who want a concentrated harvest window rather than season-long production.

8. Mortgage Lifter (heirloom beefsteak type)

If you prefer an heirloom beefsteak for canning, Mortgage Lifter produces large, flavorful fruit with reasonable flesh-to-juice ratio. Not as efficient as paste types but popular with canners who want whole-tomato products or crushed tomatoes with beefsteak flavor.

Average fruit: 16–32 ounces. Flesh: dense for a beefsteak, good flavor. Brix: 4–5. Days to maturity: 80 days.

For full growing guidance on this variety, see our Mortgage Lifter guide.

Canning tomato comparison table

Variety	Type	Avg weight	Days	Best use	Disease resistance
Roma	Paste	3–4 oz	75–80	Sauce, paste	VFF
San Marzano	Paste (heirloom)	4–5 oz	80	Sauce, whole pack	None
Amish Paste	Paste (heirloom)	8–12 oz	83	Sauce, paste	None
Opalka	Paste (heirloom)	4–6 oz	80–85	Paste, sauce	None
Juliet	Grape/plum	1–2 oz	60	Whole pack, salsa	VFFN
Viva Italia	Paste (hybrid)	3–4 oz	72	Sauce	VFFNA
Heinz 1439	Paste (hybrid)	3–5 oz	75	Batch sauce	VF
Mortgage Lifter	Beefsteak	16–32 oz	80	Crushed, whole	None

Growing tips for canning varieties

Consistent moisture is the most important cultural factor for paste tomatoes used for canning. Drought stress followed by heavy rain causes blossom end rot and fruit cracking — the two most common problems with paste-type crops.

For in-ground production:

Plant after last frost date (see our how to grow tomatoes guide for zone-specific timing)
Space 24–30 inches apart for indeterminate varieties; 18–24 inches for determinates
Use cages or stakes — paste tomatoes are mostly indeterminate and can reach 5–6 feet
Mulch 2–3 inches around plants to maintain moisture and reduce soil splash

For pruning paste tomatoes to improve fruit quality, see our how to prune tomatoes guide.

How much to grow for canning

Plan on 30 pounds of paste tomatoes per 15–18 pints of crushed tomatoes. This roughly equals 10–12 plants of a productive paste variety like Roma or Amish Paste at peak production.

Production estimates per plant (at full season):

Roma: 10–20 pounds per plant
Amish Paste: 15–25 pounds per plant
San Marzano: 8–15 pounds per plant
Viva Italia: 15–20 pounds per plant

A family that cans 50 pints per year should grow 8–12 Roma plants or 6–8 Amish Paste plants. Add 20% extra as a buffer for losses from disease, pests, and cracking.

USDA-safe canning requirements

Always add bottled lemon juice or citric acid when canning tomatoes. The USDA guidelines require this for all home-canned tomato products processed in a water-bath canner, regardless of variety.

Required acid additions:

Whole or crushed tomatoes: 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart; 1 tablespoon per pint
Tomato juice: same as above
Tomato sauce or paste: 2 tablespoons lemon juice per quart; 1 tablespoon per pint

Use bottled lemon juice, not fresh squeezed. Bottled lemon juice has a standardized, consistent acid level. Fresh lemon juice varies.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation, operated through the University of Georgia, publishes the complete USDA guide to home canning — the authoritative reference for safe processing times and recipes.

Storing your canned tomatoes

Properly processed and sealed jars keep at best quality for 12–18 months stored in a cool, dark location. A basement that stays 55–70°F is ideal. Heat and light degrade both color and flavor.

Check jar seals before storing: press the center of each lid; a properly sealed lid does not flex. Any lid that flexes or jar that shows signs of spoilage should not be consumed. Refrigerate and use within 1 week any jar that did not seal properly.

For garlic and herb-infused canned tomatoes, be aware that adding fresh garlic, herbs, or oil changes the pH and processing requirements — consult the NCHFP guidelines before experimenting with additions.