How long to water bath tomatoes, tomato juice and sauce

Updated November 2, 2026 · Fernhart Labs · sources at the end

Short answer

At up to 1,000 ft, whole or halved tomatoes packed in water take 40 minutes for pints and 45 for quarts in a boiling-water bath; tomato juice 35 minutes for pints; crushed tomatoes 45 minutes for quarts. Tomatoes packed raw with no liquid, or in tomato juice, take 85 minutes. Above 1,000 ft use the longer time for your altitude in the table below.

Every jar needs added acid: 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint, 2 tablespoons or 1/2 teaspoon per quart, even if you use a pressure canner (USDA guide, page 3-5).

Water-bath times by altitude

Start timing when the water is at a full rolling boil with the lid on, and keep it boiling for the whole time. If the boil stops, bring it back and time the whole process again.

Boiling-water bath times for tomatoes by altitude (USDA 2015)
Food	Pack	Jar	0–1,000 ft	1,001–3,000 ft	3,001–6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft	Headspace	Guide page
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in water)	Hot or raw	Pint	40 min	45 min	50 min	55 min	1/2 in	3-9
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in water)	Hot or raw	Quart	45 min	50 min	55 min	60 min	1/2 in	3-9
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in tomato juice)	Hot or raw	Pint or quart	85 min	90 min	95 min	100 min	1/2 in	3-10
Tomatoes, whole or halved (raw, no added liquid)	Raw	Pint or quart	85 min	90 min	95 min	100 min	1/2 in	3-11
Tomatoes, crushed (no added liquid)	Hot	Pint	35 min	40 min	45 min	50 min	1/2 in	3-7
Tomatoes, crushed (no added liquid)	Hot	Quart	45 min	50 min	55 min	60 min	1/2 in	3-7
Tomato juice	Hot	Pint	35 min	40 min	45 min	50 min	1/2 in	3-5
Tomato juice	Hot	Quart	40 min	45 min	50 min	55 min	1/2 in	3-5
Standard tomato sauce	Hot	Pint	35 min	40 min	45 min	50 min	1/4 in	3-8
Standard tomato sauce	Hot	Quart	40 min	45 min	50 min	55 min	1/4 in	3-8

Times from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2015). Where the guide uses one band for 1,001–6,000 ft, both columns show that time.

Add acid to every jar

The guide's tomato times assume added acid in every jar: 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint, 2 tablespoons or 1/2 teaspoon per quart. Four tablespoons of 5% vinegar per quart also works but changes the taste. Put it in the jars before filling (Guide 3, page 3-5).

Pressure-canner options, weighted gauge

The guide also tests shorter processes in a pressure canner, at lower pressures than vegetables use. Acid is still required. Each row is a separate option: use its time only with its pressure for your altitude.

Tomatoes in a pressure canner, weighted gauge (USDA 2015)
Food	Pack	Jar	Process time	Pressure by altitude	Guide page
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in water)	Hot or raw	Pint or quart	15 min	0–1,000 ft: 5 psi; Above 1,000 ft: 10 psi	3-9
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in water)	Hot or raw	Pint or quart	10 min	0–1,000 ft: 10 psi; Above 1,000 ft: 15 psi	3-9
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in water)	Hot or raw	Pint or quart	1 min	0–1,000 ft: 15 psi; Above 1,000 ft: not tested	3-9
Tomatoes, crushed (no added liquid)	Hot	Pint or quart	20 min	0–1,000 ft: 5 psi; Above 1,000 ft: 10 psi	3-7
Tomatoes, crushed (no added liquid)	Hot	Pint or quart	15 min	0–1,000 ft: 10 psi; Above 1,000 ft: 15 psi	3-7
Tomatoes, crushed (no added liquid)	Hot	Pint or quart	10 min	0–1,000 ft: 15 psi; Above 1,000 ft: not tested	3-7
Tomato juice	Hot	Pint or quart	20 min	0–1,000 ft: 5 psi; Above 1,000 ft: 10 psi	3-5
Tomato juice	Hot	Pint or quart	15 min	0–1,000 ft: 10 psi; Above 1,000 ft: 15 psi	3-5
Tomato juice	Hot	Pint or quart	10 min	0–1,000 ft: 15 psi; Above 1,000 ft: not tested	3-5

From the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2015). Each row is a separate tested option: use its time only with its pressure for your altitude.

Pressure-canner options, dial gauge

Tomatoes in a pressure canner, dial gauge (USDA 2015)
Food	Pack	Jar	Process time	Pressure by altitude	Guide page
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in water)	Hot or raw	Pint or quart	15 min	0–2,000 ft: 6 psi; 2,001–4,000 ft: 7 psi; 4,001–6,000 ft: 8 psi; 6,001–8,000 ft: 9 psi	3-9
Tomatoes, whole or halved (packed in water)	Hot or raw	Pint or quart	10 min	0–2,000 ft: 11 psi; 2,001–4,000 ft: 12 psi; 4,001–6,000 ft: 13 psi; 6,001–8,000 ft: 14 psi	3-9
Tomatoes, crushed (no added liquid)	Hot	Pint or quart	20 min	0–2,000 ft: 6 psi; 2,001–4,000 ft: 7 psi; 4,001–6,000 ft: 8 psi; 6,001–8,000 ft: 9 psi	3-7
Tomatoes, crushed (no added liquid)	Hot	Pint or quart	15 min	0–2,000 ft: 11 psi; 2,001–4,000 ft: 12 psi; 4,001–6,000 ft: 13 psi; 6,001–8,000 ft: 14 psi	3-7
Tomato juice	Hot	Pint or quart	20 min	0–2,000 ft: 6 psi; 2,001–4,000 ft: 7 psi; 4,001–6,000 ft: 8 psi; 6,001–8,000 ft: 9 psi	3-5
Tomato juice	Hot	Pint or quart	15 min	0–2,000 ft: 11 psi; 2,001–4,000 ft: 12 psi; 4,001–6,000 ft: 13 psi; 6,001–8,000 ft: 14 psi	3-5

From the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2015). Each row is a separate tested option: use its time only with its pressure for your altitude.

Tomato sauces to can only with the guide's recipe

Spaghetti sauces, salsas and ketchups add low-acid ingredients such as onions and peppers. The guide tests them only as its own recipes, so follow those exactly; no times are given here.

Tomato mixtures: follow the guide's recipe
Food	Process	Guide page
Mango sauce	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	2-17
Tomato and vegetable juice blend	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-6
Spaghetti sauce without meat	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-13
Spaghetti sauce with meat	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-14
Mexican tomato sauce	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-15
Easy hot sauce	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-16
Cayenne pepper sauce	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-17
Tomato ketchup	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-17
Country western ketchup	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-17
Blender ketchup	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-17
Tomato taco sauce	Follow the guide's recipe exactly	3-26

No times are shown for these on purpose: the guide's time holds only with its recipe or steps.

Questions

How long do you water bath tomatoes in quart jars?

Whole or halved tomatoes packed in water: 45 minutes at up to 1,000 ft, 50 at 1,001–3,000 ft, 55 at 3,001–6,000 ft and 60 above 6,000 ft. Packed raw without liquid, or in tomato juice: 85 minutes at up to 1,000 ft.

Do you have to add lemon juice to canned tomatoes?

Yes. The guide's times assume 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice (or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid) per pint and 2 tablespoons (or 1/2 teaspoon) per quart, in a water bath or a pressure canner.

Can you water bath spaghetti sauce?

Not the USDA guide's spaghetti sauces: they contain low-acid vegetables and are tested only in a pressure canner, as the guide's own recipes. Follow the recipe and process exactly.

How long do you water bath tomato sauce?

Standard tomato sauce, with acid added and 1/4 inch of headspace: 35 minutes for pints and 40 for quarts at up to 1,000 ft.

How much headspace for canned tomatoes?

1/2 inch for whole, halved and crushed tomatoes and tomato juice; 1/4 inch for standard tomato sauce.

Jarwise: Canning Timer & Log

Canning app: USDA-tested times for your altitude, canner timer, jar log.

Jarwise has every tested food in the USDA guide. Set your altitude once and it shows the right time and pressure for your canner, with your altitude band highlighted; combinations the guide doesn't test get no time. A step-by-step timer covers venting, processing and cool-down, and a batch log and pantry keep track of your jars, offline and with no account.

Coming to Google Play

Sources

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2015), Guide 3: Tomatoes and tomato products (acidification, page 3-5) Guide 3 (PDF)
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2015), Guide 1: Principles of home canning (pages 1-8, 1-10, 1-13, 1-18 to 1-22) Guide 1 (PDF)
National Center for Home Food Preservation: the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2015 revision (current edition) nchfp.uga.edu

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