From Bruschetta to Salsa, Here are 10 Ways to Preserve Tomatoes

If you have a garden full of tomatoes, think outside BLTs and ordinary canned, diced tomatoes. There are many ways to preserve tomatoes to get the most out of your harvest, from spaghetti sauce to salsa. Here are some ideas to get you inspired.

It's never a bad idea to have tomato paste on hand, even though store-bought cans of it are pretty cheap (usually less than $1 each). Nothing beats homemade, though, and this stuff is useful in a myriad of recipes.

Recipe: Practical Self Reliance

Between this canned stewed tomatoes recipe and a chili starter (more on that later), you've got a foolproof base for a hearty pot of chili.

Recipe: Lord Byron's Kitchen

Move over, Heinz. There are plenty of good store-bought ketchups out there, but this recipe for homemade ketchup will help you stock up on the condiment by making it yourself.

Recipe: These Old Cookbooks

Want more Cheapism recipe roundups in your inbox? Sign up for our free newsletters.

Does it get more genius than bruschetta in a jar? Stock up on this stuff and slather it all over a baguette with a drizzle of balsamic for a fuss-free appetizer.

Recipe: Marisa Moore

Pizza delivery is not cheap, but you don't have to grab a frozen pie just to save a buck. Making your own pizza at home can be easy and affordable. Especially if you opt for homemade sauce and can it in bulk. 

Recipe: Hidden Springs Homestead

Like tomato paste, tomato sauce pops up in all sorts of recipes, so it's a great idea to can your own and have it on-hand. 

Recipe: Kiersten Hickman

We firmly believe that every household should have spaghetti noodles and spaghetti sauce in its pantries at all times. To embrace the flavors that only a homemade sauce can provide, can your own spaghetti sauce and stock up on the go-to good stuff.

Recipe: Rosevine Cottage Girls

Crack open the tortilla chips and make a big batch of canned homemade salsa to store for later. You can play around with the spices and add different peppers and flavors for variety. Just make sure you label those jars accordingly or someone who is heat-averse might wind up with a scorching surprise.

Recipe: Modern Meal Makeover

This stuff packs all of the smoky and spicy flavors of chili into a jar with a thick tomato sauce. It's an absolute game-changer when it comes to making chili, and a must if you're canning tomatoes.

Recipe: The Gephardts

Rotel is the gateway to all the best dips. We said what we said. If you use a lot of this stuff, you can try canning it to save money, plus using fresh green chiles will boost the flavor.

Recipe: Lord Byron's Kitchen