Make this easy tomato jam that will brighten all your foods from toast to burgers and sandwiches—just 40 minutes of total cooking time and one pot for a deliciously sweet and savory condiment.
If you love a sweet and spiced spread to brighten your morning toast. This jam is just perfect. This small batch recipe will last easily fridge for 4-6 weeks and cheer anything you spread it over.
Taste
I know, tomato jam sounds like ketchup. It does taste similar to ketchup. But it is chunky and spicy than ketchup with umami notes. The uses of this condiment are similar to ketchup. Tomato jam is also easy to make and way better than homemade ketchup. I am so excited to share it.
Why does this recipe work?
- Tomatoes have enough pectin and the jam sets very well with white and brown sugar.
- The use of two sugars makes the jam perfectly sweet and glazy. The mellow flavor of brown sugar makes the jam earthy.
- The spices are a perfect combo that balances with a lemony tartness.
I love cooked tomatoes! The deep savory taste of tomatoes makes everything so good from stews to pizza to casserole to toast. If you have fresh tomatoes in hand, try this tomatoey chicken karahi, or make tomato ketchup or this tomato paste.
Ingredients
The ingredients are pretty simple and pantry-friendly.
Tomato: Use bright red tomatoes that are fully ripe and firm, like roma tomatoes.
Sugars: I used a combination of brown and white sugar. Brown sugar has a deep earthy taste. Skip or reduce white sugar if you want the jam to be less sweet.
Lemon juice: Add more lemon juice if you like a tangy flavor. You can substitute the lemon juice with white vinegar but use half the measure.
Spices: I use chili flakes for heat in the recipe. You may use jalapeno or any other chilies that you like. I used only cumin for flavor, you can use cloves, cinnamon, and similar spices too.
Ginger: Ginger tastes very good in this jam.
Garlic: You can substitute minced garlic with garlic powder. Onion powder would taste good too.
How to make it?
The recipe is simple with very few steps. Check the video for clear visuals.
- Choose firm and fully ripened red tomatoes. Avoid soft or over-ripened tomatoes. Wash them thoroughly.
- Roughly chop them into small chunks.
- Add the brown and white sugars along with all the spices.
- Mix well and bring it to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cook covered for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are soft.
- Once the tomatoes are soft, simmer jam on medium heat for about 10 minutes with frequent stirring until it thickens.
- When you see the pot of the pan while stirring as in the photo, jam is ready. The tomatoes are rich in pectin and will set on their own.
- Transfer hot jam to clean dry jars. Let the jam cool then transfer it to the fridge. Allow 12 hours to set. The tomato jam stays good in the fridge for 4-6 weeks or just freeze it for 6 months.
How to use it?
You can spread it over anything from toast, muffins, pita bread, or crackers. Add it to your burgers or cheese sandwiches. This could be added to a savory sauce as well. Smear it over spicy casserole.
Tips
- Use fully ripened and firm red tomatoes for bright red jam.
- If you find the jam sweeter than you’d like, you can skip the white sugar (It helps set the jam, you'll have to cook a little more to reach that point.) If you are skeptical, add white sugar later when the jam has begun to thicken after tasting.
- You can double this recipe using a large pot that fills just half of it with tomato chunks.
- Cook on low heat in the beginning for the best result as the tomato flavor matures slowly releasing lycopene.
- You can skip the red chili flakes and add 1-2 jalapeño as per your spice preference.
How to store?
This recipe is not tested for canning. The jam stays good in the fridge for 4-6 weeks. This jam stays good for 6 months in the freezer.
Hungry for more? Try these!
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📖 Recipe
Tomato Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg tomatoes , roma or plum
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, optional
- ½-1 teaspoon red chili flakes, adjust as per heat preference
- ½ teaspoons ground cumin
Instructions
- Roughly chop them into small chunks.
- Now, add the brown and white sugars along with all the spices.
- Mix well and bring it to boil. Then reduce heat to low and cook covered for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are soft.
- Once the tomatoes are soft, simmer jam on medium heat for about 10 minutes with frequent stirring until it thickens. When you see the pot of the pan while stirring, jam is ready. (Watch video)
- Transfer hot jam to clean dry jars. Let the jam cool then transfer it to the fridge. Allow 12 hours to set.
Notes
- Storage: The tomato jam stays good in the fridge for 4-6 weeks or just freeze it for 6 months.
- Tomato: Use bright red tomatoes that are fully ripe and firm, like roma tomatoes.
- Sugars: I used a combination of brown and white sugar. Brown sugar has a deep earthy taste. Skip or reduce white sugar if you want the jam to be less sweet.
- Lemon juice: Add more lemon juice if you like a tangy flavor. You can substitute the lemon juice with white vinegar but use half the measure.
- Spices: I use chili flakes for heat in the recipe. You may use jalapeno or any other chilies that you like. I used only cumin for flavor, you can use cloves, cinnamon, and similar spices too.
- Ginger: Ginger tastes very good in this jam.
- Garlic: You can substitute minced garlic with garlic powder. Onion powder would taste good too.
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