By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
155 cal · 50 min
Tomato Relish
Recipe GLPRd462fef67653ba
A bright, tangy condiment made by simmering fresh tomatoes with cider vinegar, sugar, and warm spices. This classic relish captures the essence of ripe tomatoes with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, studded with mustard seeds and peppercorns. Serve alongside grilled meats, as a topping for sandwiches, or as a flavorful accompaniment to grain bowls and vegetables.
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Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
10 black peppercorns
6 whole fresh basil leaves
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score an X on the bottom of each tomato with a knife. Carefully place tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the skin begins to loosen. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath to cool slightly.
Once cooled enough to handle, peel away the loosened skin from each tomato. Coarsely chop the peeled tomatoes, discarding the cores, and measure out 1 1/2 pounds of chopped tomato.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the sugar, water, cider vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the boiling mixture and stir well to combine. Return to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the relish thickens and the tomatoes break down into a chunky sauce.
Add the basil leaves and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the basil to infuse the relish with its flavor.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. The relish will continue to thicken as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or serve immediately at room temperature as a condiment.
Comments
Every ingredient is a staple at any Charlotte grocery chain—tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns are standard pantry items, and fresh basil appears year-round at Harris Teeter and Food Lion. At roughly $6 to $8 total for four servings, the cost is driven almost entirely by tomatoes, and summer yields the cheapest fresh ones; out of season, canned crushed tomatoes work just as well and drop the per-serving cost to under $1. The stated 50 minutes is honest for simmering, though you'll want another 10 minutes for prepping tomatoes if using fresh. This reheats perfectly and stores well refrigerated for weeks, making it genuinely useful for weeknight sandwiches, grilled meats, or cheese boards rather than a single-use condiment.
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