Tomato Relish

This old fashioned Tomato Relish Recipe is the perfect way to preserve summer tomatoes, transforming them into a vibrant, flavour-packed condiment that will complement so many dishes.

Jump to:

• Why you'll be raving about this recipe
• Ingredient notes
• Preparing to make relish (day 1)
• Making relish (day 2)
• Bottling and storing your Tomato Relish
• Recipe FAQs
• Want more tomato recipes?
• Tomato Relish Recipe

Why you'll be raving about this recipe

This recipe is one of the most popular ones I've shared, and here's why:

• it's highly-rated and reviewed – who can argue with that?
• it's reliable – the recipe is based on the old-fashioned CWA Tomato Relish Recipe (found in Nana Ling's recipe collection) and another old-fashioned country recipe I discovered in a community cookbook
• it's a small batch recipe – the recipe calls for one kilo of tomatoes, and can easily be multiplied for larger batches
• it's easy to follow – the step-by-step instructions will help you make perfect Tomato Relish, even if you've never before attempted to make a relish, chutney or jam
• it'll deliver 3 medium jars of delicious and versatile relish and will pair perfectly with so many things, from sandwiches and burgers to cheese plates, meat pies, egg and bacon pies, potato cakes, big breakfasts and more.

Ingredient notes

This rave-worthy relish is easy to make but you do have to plan in advance as it's made over two days.

TIP: While you can use any type of fresh tomatoes for this recipe, fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes are packed with flavour and will produce a superior relish.

The full ingredient list and quantities can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Preparing to make relish (day 1)

On day 1, you prepare the tomatoes and onions which, sprinkled with salt, need to stand overnight.

TIP: Plan ahead and don't skip this standing period – the salt will draw out the juices and concentrate the flavours!

Step 1: Peeling tomatoes. Whatever tomatoes you use, peel them first (see image 1). This might sound tedious and tricky, especially if you're using cherry tomatoes, but it's not.

Simply cover the tomatoes with boiling water and soak for 2 minutes. Drain off the liquid and wait until they are cool enough to touch. The skins should be split and you should be able to easily peel them off with your hands.

If they're not split, apply a little pressure or scratch at the skin a little and it should peel off easily.

TIP: If using cherry tomatoes, they should just pop out of their skin by applying a little pressure at the base of the tomato – see the video in this post for a demo.

(And now that you're a tomato peeling pro, you can also use this technique when making tomato jam or mock chicken.)

Step 2: Chop tomatoes and onions, sprinkle with salt and stand overnight. Roughly chop tomatoes and onions (or just halve if using cherry tomatoes).

Place the chopped ingredients into a baking tray and sprinkle with the salt (see image 2). Cover with a clean tea towel and leave overnight (at room temperature).

Making relish (day 2)

The next day is when it all happens! It's time to make relish.

TIP: Make sure you have your sterilised jars (with lids) ready to go. There are various ways to sterilise your jars, but if you have a dishwasher just wash them on the hottest cycle and let air dry.

Okay, let's continue on from yesterday.

Step 3: Drain off the liquid and add the vinegar and sugar. The next day, when you're ready to make your relish, drain the liquid from the chopped tomatoes and onion and place these in a saucepan along with the sugar and vinegar (see image 3).

Step 4: Boil the mixture. Heat over medium heat, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off any foam that forms on the top with a spoon (see image 4).

Step 5: Make a slurry and add to the mixture. Combine the curry powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, plain flour (all purpose flour) and additional vinegar in a small bowl to make a slurry (that's a watery mixture). Add to the saucepan and stir well to combine.

Step 6: Simmer until you reach a jam-like consistency. Continue to simmer for about another 20 minutes, stirring from time to time to break up the tomatoes and make sure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan and burn. The mixture should thicken to reach a jam-like consistency.

Bottling and storing your Tomato Relish

Pour the hot mixture into the sterilised jars. Allow to sit for a few minutes and then place the lids on the jars. Allow to cool.

TIP: Canning tool kits are quite affordable and can be found online or in stores (I bought one as an Aldi special buy). These include special tongs and a funnel which will assist greatly when attempting to get the relish from the saucepan to the jars. If you don't have one, you can ladle or spoon the relish into the jars and use a clean tea towel to hold the jar as you place the lid on.

Once cooled, place the jars in the fridge and store for up to 6 months (unopened) or 3 months (once opened).

TIP: There is the option of "canning" this relish so you can store it for longer periods on the shelf in your pantry. However, you'll need to rely on your own knowledge of canning and preserving or read more about the fundamentals of canning as the process is too extensive to cover here.

Recipe FAQs

Want more tomato recipes?

If you still have tomatoes to preserve, check out more popular recipes from the Cooking with Nana Ling tomato collection:

Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

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