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Tomato Jam

Wondering what to do with all your summer tomatoes? This Tomato Jam is perfect! Sweet and savory it’s great on bread, with cheeses, burgers and sandwiches. 

I LOVE tomatoes. Seriously. Love them. I could eat them every single day. I love tomato salads, I love tomato sauce, salsa and I even love mayo and tomato sandwiches. Basically tomatoes are my favorite.

It’s because of this love of tomatoes, that I decided to plant FIVE tomato plants this year. FIVE. To say that I went a little overboard is an understatement. Now I have got more tomatoes than I know what to do with.

It’s not a bad problem to have though.

Mostly I’ve just been salting them and eating them like candy. But after staring at an overwhelmingly full bowl of perfectly ripe summer tomatoes, I figured it was time to try a new recipe. Something that would use up a bunch of my tomatoes. And while tomato sauce is always an option, I wanted something a little different.

So I set my sights on this sweet and savory Tomato Jam Recipe made with sun ripened cherry tomatoes.

What do you need to make Tomato Jam?

A bowl full of fresh summer tomatoes

You will only need a handful of ingredients to make this recipe.

  • TOMATOES: For this recipe, and because of my abundance of cherry tomatoes, I decided to use cherry tomatoes. They are naturally sweet and work perfectly in this recipe. You could also use whatever tomatoes that you have on hand.
  • BROWN SUGAR: For sweetness and helps thicken the jam.
  • APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: For acidity.
  • GARLIC: Adds to the savoriness of the jam.
  • SALT
  • BASIL: Because basil and tomatoes go so well together!
  • CRUSHED RED PEPPER: To add a little heat!

DES’ PRO TIP: If you choose larger tomatoes, simply dice them first, it will help them cook down.

How to make Tomato Jam:

Tomato Jam is easy to make. You simply combine all of the ingredients together in a heavy bottom pot and cook it down until it reaches a jam consistency. See! Easy peasy!

How to make tomato jam

Since you will be cooking the tomato jam for a long period of time, about 2 hours and there is a lot of sugar, you’ll want to make sure that the jam doesn’t burn. To ensure that your tomato jam doesn’t burn use a dutch oven and stir the jam often.

You will know that the jam has finished cooking when you can run your spoon through it and it doesn’t run.

How long does Tomato Jam last?

Because this is a refrigerator jam and not canned, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 10 days.

So if you find yourself with more tomatoes than you know what to do with, or if you just really love tomatoes like me, make this SavoryTomato Jam  Recipe.

You’ll find that it is great on so many things. You can use it as a spread on sandwiches or burgers. Spoon it over fresh mozzarella and top with chopped basil for a twist on caprese salad, or simply eat it on a cracker.

Summer Tomato Jam on a cracker.

You really can’t go wrong. It’s sweet n’ tangy summer bliss.

FAQ: 

Is tomato jam just ketchup?

They have many of the same ingredients but they do have differences in taste and texture. Tomato jam is likely to have a sharper flavor than ketchup. Tomato jam is also chunkier than ketchup.

Is tomato jam the same as tomato chutney?

Yes! Both terms can be used to describe it.

What is the difference between jam and jelly?

Jelly is made from the juice of the fruit. Jam is made from mashed fruit.

Love tomatoes? Here are more recipes where they are the star:  

Fried Green Tomatoes 

Okra and Tomatoes 

Tomato Artichoke Bake

Ribeye Steaks with Fresh Tomato Tapenade 

Wondering what to do with all your summer tomatoes? This Tomato Jam is perfect! Sweet and savory it's great on bread, with cheeses, burgers and sandwiches. #tomatojam #jam #vegan #vegetarian

More Condiment Recipes: 

Homemade Tartar Sauce 

Blender Hollandaise 

Easy BBQ Sauce 

Note: This recipe was originally posted in  2019. It was updated in 2022.

Tomato Jam

Wondering what to do with all your summer tomatoes? This Tomato Jam is perfect! Sweet and savory it's great on bread, with cheeses, burgers and sandwiches. 
5 from 10 votes
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 5 mins
Course Condiments
Cuisine American
Servings 1 Servings
Calories 112 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds cherry tomatoes about 3 cups halved, halved
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until you can run a spoon through it and no liquid fills the space.
  • Chill and place into a glass jar. Refrigerate and use within 10 days.

Notes

To ensure that your tomato jam doesn't burn use a dutch oven and stir the jam often.
Because this is a refrigerator jam and not canned, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 10 days.
Nutrition facts for estimation purposes only.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcalCarbohydrates: 26.9gProtein: 2.1gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 598mgFiber: 2.7gSugar: 23.6g
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!
Keywords: condiment, jam, tomatoes

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    Rhonda Hayes
    July 26, 2024 at 5:23 am

    5 stars
    This is so delicious! We put it on a toasted baguette with goat cheese and a bit of fresh basil on top. I would like to share that I have indeed canned this recipe and it turned out great! I put it in jelly jars and water bath them. I made it last year and gave it away as Christmas presents. My family has already been asking about it. Also, my daughter used it to make a Tuscan chicken recipe. It’s a lot of work but the reward is worth it.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      July 26, 2024 at 9:54 pm

      I’m SO happy to hear that you enjoyed this, Rhonda! I bet it is fab with goat cheese, I’m going to have to try that too. Also happy to know that you had success canning it :)

  • Reply
    Jen
    August 5, 2023 at 7:57 pm

    Would frozen tomatoes work as well?

    • Reply
      Deseree
      August 12, 2023 at 4:05 pm

      Hi Jen! I’ve never made it with frozen tomatoes before so I can’t say for sure.

  • Reply
    Barb F
    August 2, 2023 at 4:05 pm

    This should have enough sugar and acid to can like any other jam.

  • Reply
    Myrissa Flowers
    December 7, 2021 at 8:28 am

    5 stars
    Would love to try this next year! Could I can it?

    • Reply
      Deseree
      December 7, 2021 at 7:35 pm

      I’m not sure about canning because I don’t any experience with it. I know you need to have precise recipes for safety and I’m not sure this meets the requirements.

  • Reply
    Barbara Jacobs
    August 6, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    5 stars
    Great flaver and consistency. Would it ruin it if I put it through a sieve to get rid of the peel from the cherry tomatoes? We had to pick them out.
    Great on pork chops!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      August 7, 2021 at 2:27 pm

      Barbara, I am glad you liked it and I will definitely have to try it on pork chops! If it was a fine sieve, I don’t think it would mess with it too much.

  • Reply
    Michelle Goth
    August 24, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    5 stars
    I would LOVE to put this on a BLT. WOW!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      August 24, 2019 at 6:35 pm

      That would be AMAZING.

  • Reply
    Catalina
    August 22, 2019 at 5:14 am

    5 stars
    I want to make this jam. It must be so delicious!

  • Reply
    Michelle
    August 22, 2019 at 4:33 am

    5 stars
    I love summer tomatoes too, but my cherry tomato plants didn’t do fabulous this year. My Sungolds are going crazy though! I’m thinking I could make this with those!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      August 22, 2019 at 1:05 pm

      My sungolds are crazy too! I bet you could! You could pretty much use any tomato you have on hand :)

  • Reply
    Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
    August 21, 2019 at 11:54 pm

    5 stars
    This looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!

  • Reply
    Dorothy Reinhold
    August 21, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    I have been looking for something tasty to make with all of these tomatoes. This sounds irresistable!

  • Reply
    Amanda
    August 21, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    I have so many things I wanna try this on !

  • Reply
    Brandy O'Neill
    August 21, 2019 at 3:44 pm

    5 stars
    I was looking for a new recipe for all my tomatoes! This is a must make!

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

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