Easy Tomato Jam
Tomatoes cooked down until sticky sweet, this Easy Tomato Jam is simple to make. Tangy, sticky and perfect for entertaining. All you need is a little time, patience and some will-power….so you don’t eat the whole batch all by yourself.
It’s raining tomatoes. At least in my area it is. I found this amazing, secret farm stand just around the corner from my house about a month or two ago…..just in time for the end of summer.
And I’ve lived here for two years now, this is the first I ever stumbled upon it. I really need to open my eyes when I drive around, I’m missing out on all kinds of things…like a cheese shop that I keep driving by and everyone says is fabulous.
But I have yet to venture inside because I’m afraid I may never leave. I mean, it’s a cheese shop. The only thing better than a cheese shop would be a butter shop and I haven’t come across one of those yet.
Back to the farm stand….they sell a bazillion tomatoes and every time I show up they have bushels of them for $5. Yes, $5. FIVE DOLLARS! It’s crazy, so I’ve been whipping up sauce, all kinds of sauce…Bolognese Sauce, Stovetop Marinara, you name it.
I shipped some off to Penn State this weekend….it was a Vodka sauce and now that I think about it, I should have shot some photos and posted the recipe for you. I’ll add it to the ever-growing list of things I want to share with all of you…my lovely internet friends.
Because you ARE my friends….you keep coming back here to eat with me and listen (um….watch…read?) to me yammer on about crazy stuff that’s going on in my present, past and possible future. See….I’m off track again.
Since my freezer is adequately stocked for winter like we’re a family squirrels (except tomatoes instead of nuts…because we’re already nuts) I had to do something with the 30 bushels of tomatoes sitting around.
I whipped up a tomato and goat cheese crostata and paired it with a fresh bloody mary, then I imagined myself eating a crisp, buttery cracker topped with goat cheese and tomato jam. The problem, I didn’t have tomato jam so I played around with a recipe I had printed out a while ago with every intention of making it…canning it…and squirreling it away for winter. Let me tell you this….there’s no need to can it.
What is Tomato Jam? (Or tomato marmalade for that matter.)
Tomato jam is a sweet spread made with fresh tomatoes, sugar and a bit of spices. It’s cooked down to a jammy consistency and is perfect on top of that avocado toast everyone is posting on Instagram lately.
How do you make a Sweet Tomato Jam recipe?
Much different than a Savory Tomato Jam, which reminds me of a tomato sauce that’s overly thick, this sweet tomato jam is earthy and tangy and sticky and sweet.
You simply stir together the tomatoes, sugar and spices then cook down for a bit until it’s thick, sticky and….well, sweet. You can do this with regular tomatoes or make a cherry tomato jam recipe just the same way with those cute as a button cherry or grape tomatoes.
Why, you ask? Because it’s so good (and doesn’t make that much to begin with) you will eat all of this Easy Tomato Jam before it has a chance to go bad. And it’s so simple, with easy to find ingredients….it has a little kick to it from cayenne pepper and a beautiful spice from fresh ginger.
It goes swimmingly with the goat cheese I mentioned a little while ago and it would be amazing on some avocado toast for a quick, healthy breakfast. You really should make this very soon….really….go…go now.
If you’re not really in the tomato mood then you should DEF try this Easy Orange Marmalade recipe, it’s like the best ever with a little hint of vanilla OR whip up this super simple Strawberry jam, it’s so amazing and so incredibly easy. The the best ever refrigerator jam. And this FIG Jam is always a hit….great to save for the winter months as an epic freezer jam.
And I just used up the rest of the summer blueberries for this EASY Blueberry Jam that’s going in the freezer until winter. Cause I’m a planner like that….for now.
Get the Recipe: Easy Tomato Jam
Ingredients
- 2 pounds very good ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped, ( I used roma tomatoes)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated or minced ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a heavy bottom saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of jam. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
348 Comments on “Easy Tomato Jam”
I got up this morning and on the counter saw my already very ripe tomatoes. Found this recipe and thought why not? I subbed Chinese 5 spice for all spices but the cayenne.
It tastes absolutely amazing.
The 5 spice is a great addition! Thank you for sharing!
Out of this world good!!!! Put it on top of a bread round with goat cheese and a lemon basil pesto. YUMMY!
sounds delicious! Thank you for your comment!
Fantastic
Thank you!
Can this tomato jam be frozen?
Yes, it freezes very well!
I had an abundance of yellow Roma tomatoes this year. I’ve never had tomato jam, but I wasn’t going to waste these tomatoes!
Sacrilege! Ha!
Anyway I followed your recipe and I am blown away by how delicious it is. I’ve never met a tomato that I didn’t like, I’m still at 100% with this great recipe. I know you used red romas, but I’m telling you, yellow is amazing in the recipe. On toast with fried Halloumi cheese, is just heaven.
Ohhhh, halloumi cheese would be fantastic! thank you for the suggestion!
Can you freeze this tomato jam ? If so how long ?
It’s delicious, thanks for sharing.
Yes! I have frozen it with great results!
Do you see your tomatoes?
I’m confused by your question.
Can you use a crockpot ?
I haven’t test it in a crockpot so I can’t say for sure.
By looking at your photos, it looks like there are chilli flakes in there? If yes, how much do you suggest and do you remove the cayenne pepper? Also, in reading the comments, someone mentioned they did not use the suggested cumin, but I don’t see cumin on your recipe. Have you changed your recipe over time? LOL! It’s my first time and I hope to learn from other peoples adjustments and your own. Thanks!
Hi! Yes, the original recipe I made had chili flakes in it. I usually add just 1/4 teaspoon depending on how spicy I want it to be. And I did used to use cumin, just a little bit goes a long way if you want to add it. It gives it a nice tex-mix flavor.
question: you say to core you remove the seeds as well as the stem area? That seems a bit labor intensive. Is there an easy way to do that? We eat sliced tomatoes, etc with the seeds, why not just keep them in?
I remove the seeds and insides because the excess water makes it difficult for it to become jam.
I have a question. We love this recipe but it won’t freeze solid. I’ve tried putting it in a container, a sealed bag from my machine, a plastic freezer bag, but it won’t freeze solid.
I’m not sure why it wouldn’t freeze completely solid. Let me research a bit and get back to you.
Easy and just delicious. Great with goat cheese (or cream cheese) and crackers; also a good accompaniment to beef roast or pork.
Thank you so much for your comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Should the tomatoes be peeled?
This recipe is the closest looking to what I remember my mother making. Can’t wait to try it!
Nevermind. I found the answer among the numerous comments and questions.
Thank you!
Nope, no peeling necessary!
So glad it does not have onions in it, like tomato relish – not good for me. Am looking forward to trying it.
I hope you love it!
Can this be stored in jars without refrigeration?
Hi! I only store it in the refrigerator. The recipe hasn’t been tested for canning so I can’t be sure it’s safe at room temperature.