The Best Spiced Tomato Jam Recipe (Canning or Freezer)
If you haven’t tried tomato jam before, you’re in for a treat! Our delicious tomato jam recipe is thick, sweet, savory, and perfectly spiced. It’s also surprisingly versatile! I love to eat it with homemade sourdough toast and goat cheese, scrambled eggs, potatoes and more.
Tomato jam is quite easy to make, it just takes a little bit of patience… but is well worth the wait! This is also a fun and unique way to preserve fresh tomatoes from the summer garden to enjoy all year long.
What is Tomato Jam?
Tomato jam is a rich, sweet and savory tomato spread that often includes warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and clove. I also like to include red chili flakes or powder in mine. It’s made by cooking down fresh tomatoes until they reach a thick, sticky, chunky consistency – condensing and enhancing the wonderful natural flavors of tomatoes even more.
Tomato jam is absolutely delicious with toast, cheese and crackers, eggs, potatoes, burgers, and more. It reminds me of a chunky, extra-flavorful homemade ketchup (but is WAY easier to make).
Don’t miss the list of ways to use tomato jam at the end of this post!
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The Best Tomatoes to Use
You can make tomato jam with any kind of tomatoes, though it’s traditionally made with paste or plum tomatoes (like Roma or San Marzano). These meaty sauce tomatoes are less juicy than standard slicers or heirlooms, which will make your tomato jam come together into a rich, thick consistency more quickly.
I usually make tomato jam with whatever I have growing in the garden – including a mix of romas, heirlooms, and cherry tomatoes. I simply cook and reduce it longer to help the extra juices evaporate and thicken the jam.
The key is to use ripe tomatoes since they’ll have the best, naturally-sweet flavor.
RELATED: Looking for more ways to preserve tomatoes? Don’t miss our 5-star easy roasted tomato sauce, homemade sun dried tomatoes, DIY tomato powder, or our freezer-friendly roasted tomato basil soup.
Supplies Needed
- Large heavy-bottom saucepan or pot
- Cutting board and knife
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Canning supplies including jars, lids, a canning pot, etc OR freezer storage containers
Ingredients
YIELD: This recipe makes four 8-ounce jars of spiced tomato jam (or about 32 ounces)
- 4 lbs tomatoes (paste or Roma preferred, though you can use any kind)
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 cup bottled lime juice or lemon juice* (I like to use lime)
- 1 to 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated – or 1/3 to 2/3 tsp ground ginger powder (sliding scale for personal preference)
- 2 tsp sea salt, pickling salt or canning salt (not iodized salt)
- 1 tsp red chili flakes or 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice or ground cloves
*EXPERT TIP: If you’re canning your tomato jam, do NOT change the ratio of tomatoes and lime or lemon juice. If you’re not canning, you can substitute the lime or lemon juice with apple cider vinegar if you’d like.
Instructions
1) Prepare Tomatoes
- Wash, core, and roughly chop the tomatoes.
- You don’t need to remove the skins (unless you want to). I never do! The skins add a nice bit of texture and contain significantly more nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber than the inner pulp.
- Without being overly meticulous about it, I do like to remove large pockets of seeds – leaving a lot of the seeds and excess juices behind on the cutting board as I pick up and transfer the chopped tomatoes to a pot. You certainly don’t need to remove ALL the seeds, but I don’t love an overly seedy tomato jam. Plus, your jam will thicken and cook much faster with less juices or “guts” in the mix.
PRO TIP: Cut cherry tomatoes in half and gently squeeze out the seeds/guts before tossing them in the pot.
2) Cook and Reduce
- Add the chopped tomatoes to a large heavy-bottom pot along with the called-for sugar, spices, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a full roiling boil, stirring to ensure the sugar has fully melted, and then reduce to a medium-low heat. It will start out quite loose and juicy!
- Simmer uncovered until the tomato jam is thick and glossy, and the volume in the pot has reduced by at least half. This can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, the size of your pot, and the heat level. (Mine usually takes about 1.5 hours when I use mostly romas, a little longer with slicers/heirlooms.) Keep in mind it will continue to thicken as it cools too.
- Stir regularly while the tomato jam is cooking to prevent scorching, especially towards the end as it gets increasingly thick and sticky. I like to use a silicone spatula that allows me to thoroughly scrape the sides and bottom of the pot.
- Once it reaches your desired consistency, ladle the hot jam into clean canning jars (see canning instructions below) OR allow it to cool some before transferring into storage containers to refrigerate or freeze.
TIP: If you prefer a smoother tomato jam, you can use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to puree a portion of the jam… but I like mine chunky!
Canning Instructions
Since we’re processing the tomato jam for 10 minutes, you don’t need to pre-sterilize your canning jars for this recipe. If you’re new to canning, please read up on the basics here. Or skip to the freezing and refrigerator tips below.
- Once it’s finished cooking, transfer the still-hot tomato jam into clean warm canning jars with the assistance of a canning funnel. Leave 1/4-inch of headroom.
- Use a clean damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars clean before adding clean canning lids. Screw on rings to fingertip-tight only.
- Use a jar lifter to carefully transfer the jars to your pre-heated water bath canning pot, cover with a lid. The jars should be covered by 2 inches of water. Add more boiling water if needed.
- Once the canner returns to a rolling boil, process for 10 minutes. To adjust for altitude, process 15 minutes at 1000-6000 feet above sea level, and 20 minutes at 6000+ feet.
- When the time is up, remove the lid and turn off the heat, but let the jars sit in the canner for another 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. Leave jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours before checking seals. (Do not stack or press on the top of the lids.)
- See storage tips and the best ways to use tomato jam below!
| Recommended process time for Tomato Jam in a boiling water canner. | Process Time at Altitudes of | ||
| Style and Jar Size | 0 – 1,000 ft | 1,001 – 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
| Hot Pack (half-pints or pints) | 10 mins | 15 | 20 |
Storage and Shelf Life
- Store canned, sealed jars of tomato jam in a cool dark location for up to 18 months – such as a pantry, cellar, or kitchen cabinets. For the best quality, use within one year. Store in the refrigerator after opening.
- In the refrigerator, tomato jam will last for up to 1 month (I recommend using within 2 to 3 weeks).
- Frozen tomato jam will stay good in the freezer for about a year, though it’s best quality if used within 6 months.
- Signs of spoilage include mold growth, off odors or taste. Discard immediately if you suspect it has spoiled.
Freezing Tomato Jam
- To freeze tomato jam, allow it to cool to lukewarm in the pot before transferring it into freezer-safe containers of choice.
- We love these durable, reusable BPA-free freezer containers that come in a variety of sizes. You can also freeze it in wide mouth pint or half-pint glass jars (not regular mouth, as jars with “shoulders” are prone to cracking in the freezer).
- Leave at least a half an inch of head space to allow for expansion as it freezes!
- For the best results, allow the containers of jam to fully cool in the refrigerator overnight before transferring to the freezer.
- Defrost frozen tomato jam in the refrigerator overnight before use.
Ways to Use Tomato Jam
Lately, I’ve been using this spiced tomato jam recipe to preserve tomatoes even more than our homemade tomato sauce or ketchup! I’ve found that it’s incredibly versatile and pairs well with so many things, including:
- Alongside eggs including scrambled eggs, quiche, frittata, and more.
- Spread on toast, bagels, biscuits, sourdough focaccia, or English muffins – plain or paired with cheese, eggs, avocado, and more.
- Much like ketchup, tomato jam is delicious with potatoes too.
- Enjoy tomato jam with cheese and crackers, or included on a charcuterie board spread. It’s especially tasty with soft cheeses like goat cheese, baked brie, ricotta, or cream cheese.
- On sandwiches and burgers. Sweet and savory tomato jam perfectly compliments veggie sandwiches, grilled cheese, BLTs, turkey, chicken, ham, beef, and hotdogs alike.
- Tomato jam can also be mixed into homemade dressings, marinades, barbecue sauce, or brushed over meat as a glaze.
- Stir a spoonful into warm savory risottos, fried rice, orzotto, or stews to add depth.
- A jar of homemade tomato jam also makes a unique and thoughtful gift to share with friends and family around the holidays.
Enjoy!
Well friends, I sure hope you love my spiced tomato jam recipe as much as we do! Please leave a review once you give it a try, and feel free to ask questions in the comments below.
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Best Spiced Tomato Jam (Canning or Freezer)
Equipment
- Large saucepan or pot
- Cutting board and knife
- measuring cups and spoons
- Canning supplies including jars, lids, canning pot, etc OR freezer storage containers
Ingredients
- 4 pounds tomatoes, roughly chopped (Roma or paste tomatoes recommended to a thicker jam + shorter cook time – though you can use any kind including slicers, heirlooms, or cherry tomatoes)
- 1.5 cups light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup bottled lime juice or lemon juice (I prefer lime)
- 1-2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated – or 1/3 to 2/3 tsp ground ginger powder (sliding scale for personal preference)
- 2 tsp sea salt, pickling salt or canning salt (not iodized salt)
- 1 tsp red chili flakes or 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice or ground cloves
Instructions
Prep Tomatoes
- Wash, core, and roughly chop the tomatoes. (You don't need to remove the skins first, unless you want to.)
- Without being overly meticulous about it, I like to remove large pockets of seeds – leaving a lot of the seeds and excess juices behind on the cutting board as I pick up and transfer the chopped tomatoes to a pot. Less juices = the jam will thicken and cook faster.
Cook and Reduce
- Add the chopped tomatoes to a large heavy-bottom pot along with the called-for sugar, spices, and lime juice. Stir to combine
- Bring the mixture to a full roiling boil, stirring to ensure the sugar has fully melted, and then reduce to a medium-low heat.
- Simmer uncovered until the tomato jam is thick and glossy, and the volume in the pot has reduced by at least half. This can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, the size of your pot, and the heat level.
- Stir regularly while the tomato jam is cooking to prevent scorching, especially towards the end as it gets increasingly thick and sticky!
- Optional: if you prefer a smoother tomato jam, use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to puree a portion of the jam (I like mine chunky)
- Ladle the hot jam into clean canning jars (see canning instructions below) OR allow it to cool some before transferring into storage containers to refrigerate or freeze.
Canning Instructions
- Transfer the hot tomato jam into warm, clean canning jars with 1/4-inch of headroom. (Since it will process for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize the jars.)
- Use a clean damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars clean before adding clean canning lids. Screw on rings to finger-tight only.
- Use a jar lifter to carefully transfer the jars to your pre-heated water bath canning pot, cover with a lid. The jars should be covered by 2 inches of water. Add more boiling water if needed
- Once the canner returns to a rolling boil, process for 10 minutes. To adjust for altitude, process 15 minutes at 1000-6000 feet above sea level, and 20 minutes at 6000+ feet.
- Remove the lid and turn off the heat, but let the jars sit in the canner for another 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. Leave jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours before checking seals. (Do not stack or press on the top of the lids.)
Storage and Shelf Life
- Store canned, sealed jars of tomato jam in a cool dark location for up to 18 months – such as a pantry, cellar, or kitchen cabinets. For the best quality, use within one year. Store in the refrigerator after opening.
- In the refrigerator, tomato jam will last for up to 1 month (I recommend using within 2 to 3 weeks)
- Frozen tomato jam will stay good in the freezer for about a year, though it’s best quality if used within 6 months.
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