Green Tomato Pickles

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/10/23
Green tomato pickles

The Spruce

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
247 Calories
0g Fat
59g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 247
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 7166mg 312%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 21%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 1g
Calcium 71mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These pickles are an excellent way to use up an abundance of late summer green tomatoes. It's a cross between pickles and relish, so you can top them on a burger or hot dog.

Ingredients

  • 4 quarts green tomatoes (sliced and loosely packed)
  • 1 quart onion (sliced and loosely packed)
  • 1 cup pickling salt (divided)
  • 2 pounds light brown sugar
  • 6 cups vinegar (5% acidity)
  • 2 small red chile peppers
  • 1/3 cup mustard seeds
  • 1/4 cup celery seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon whole allspice
  • 2 teaspoons whole cloves

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Green tomato pickles ingredients
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  2. Place sliced tomatoes and sliced onion in separate bowls. Sprinkle 3/4 cup salt over tomatoes and 1/4 cup salt over onion. Stir both mixtures.

    Place green tomatoes and onions in bowls or dishes and add salt
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  3. Cover both bowls and let stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours.

    Cover onions and tomatoes and let stand
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  4. Place the tomatoes in a cheesecloth bag and squeeze gently to remove excess juice.

    Place tomatoes in cheesecloth and drain
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  5. Repeat this procedure for the onion. Discard the salt liquid.

    Place onions in cheesecloth and drain
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  6. Combine tomatoes, onion, brown sugar, vinegar, chile peppers, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and pepper in a large kettle.

    Combine tomatoes, onion, sugar, vinegar, chile peppers, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and pepper
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  7. Tie allspice and cloves in a small cheesecloth bag; add to tomato-onion mixture.

    Tie allspice and cloves in a small cheesecloth bag
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  8. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

  9. Pack tomato mixture and liquid into hot sterilized pint jars (with 1 piece of the chile pepper in each jar—cut if necessary), leaving 1/2-inch headspace; wipe jar rims.

    Pack onion and tomatoes mixture to sterilized jars
    The Spruce

  10. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on ring bands. Process in a boiling water bath 10 minutes.

    Process jars in water bath
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  11. Store in a cool dark place. Once opened, store pickles in the refrigerator. Makes four 1-pint jars.

    Finished pickled green tomatoes
    The Spruce

  12. Enjoy!

Tip

  • Make sure that the tomatoes you select are absolutely green.