Tomato jam is a sweet and savory spread made by simmering 2 pounds of chopped ripe tomatoes with 1 cup of sugar, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and salt until it turns thick and glossy. It takes 10 minutes of chopping and 60 to 90 minutes of mostly hands-off simmering, and makes about 2 cups.
No pectin, no peeling. The only real skill is knowing when to stop: drag a spoon across the bottom of the pan, and when the trail stays open instead of filling back in, the jam is ready.
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Try the Recipe Converter →Tomato Jam vs Ketchup vs Tomato Chutney
All three start with cooked tomatoes, but they land in different places.
- Tomato jam: sugar-forward and spoonable, with soft bits of tomato and skin, warm spice from cinnamon and cloves, and only a tablespoon of vinegar. It eats like a fruit jam with a savory edge.
- Ketchup: cooked, puréed and strained until smooth, with much more vinegar and often onion. Thinner, tangier, and made to pour rather than spread.
- Tomato chutney: usually built on onions, more vinegar and often dried fruit, so it is sharper and chunkier. It is a relish first and a spread second.
Think spiced fig jam, not burger sauce. Lime and ginger keep it bright. The red pepper flakes leave a gentle warmth at the end, not real heat.
Which Tomatoes Make the Best Jam
Roma tomatoes or cherry tomatoes are the ones to use. Both have more flesh and less water than big slicing tomatoes, so they cook down faster and give a deeper red, more concentrated jam. Cherry tomatoes bring extra sweetness; Romas give a slightly meatier texture.
Juicy beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes still work, but they hold more water, so plan on the long end of the simmer. Taste one raw first. Cooking concentrates flavor, and a bland tomato only becomes a sweeter bland tomato.
Leave the skins on and chop the tomatoes finely. The skins soften over the hour in the pot and add a little texture to the finished spread. If you want it smoother, you can peel the tomatoes first, but you do not need to.
How to Make Tomato Jam on the Stove
Put the chopped tomatoes, sugar, lime juice, cider vinegar, grated ginger, cinnamon, cloves, red pepper flakes, and salt in a large saucepan and stir. A wide, heavy pan is better than a tall narrow one. More surface means faster evaporation and less sugar sitting on one hot spot.
Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn it down to low and let it simmer uncovered for 60 to 90 minutes. At first it looks like thin, pink tomato soup. That is normal.
Stir every few minutes in the first half hour. As it thickens, stir more often, and in the last 15 to 20 minutes scrape the bottom every minute or two. This is when tomato jam burns, because the sugar is concentrated and the jam stops moving on its own.
How to Tell Tomato Jam Is Done
Drag a spoon through the jam across the bottom of the pan. If it leaves a clean trail that stays open for a second or two, it is done. A few other signs show up at the same time:
- The bubbles turn slow, thick and spitting instead of fast and foamy.
- The color deepens from bright red to a glossy brick red.
- The pot has cooked down to roughly 2 cups.
- A spoonful on a plate from the freezer holds its shape after a minute, with no watery ring around it.
Take it off the heat when it looks a little looser than you want. Tomato jam firms up noticeably as it cools and again in the fridge. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, spoon it into clean jars, and refrigerate once fully cool.
Rescuing Runny, Scorched, or Too-Stiff Tomato Jam
- Still runny after a night in the fridge: pour it back into the pan and simmer 10 minutes more, stirring often, then test again with the spoon trail.
- Scorched on the bottom: pour the jam into a clean pot right away and leave the burnt layer behind. Do not scrape it up. If it already tastes bitter, a squeeze of lime helps a little, but a strong burnt taste will not cook out.
- Reduced too far and stiff: warm it over low heat with a tablespoon or two of water until it loosens to a spoonable jam.
- Too sweet or flat: stir in a little more lime juice and a pinch of salt. Both sharpen the tomato flavor.
- Too spicy or not spicy enough: the ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes is mild. Halve it for kids, or double it if you want the jam to have a real kick.
Ways to Use Tomato Jam
A cheese board is the easiest place to start. Tomato jam is very good with sharp cheddar, manchego or aged gouda, and spread over goat cheese or ricotta on toasted crostini. Put it next to a sweeter jar like fig preserves or pear jam and people tend to go back and forth.
Then use it anywhere ketchup or relish would go: burgers, a BLT, grilled cheese, fried eggs. Brushed over a meatloaf or pork chops in the last few minutes of cooking, it turns into a sticky glaze.
If you like savory jars like this one, onion jam and mango chutney sit in the same corner of the fridge. They make a good trio on a party board.
Storing, Freezing, and Canning Tomato Jam
Keep tomato jam in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Use a clean spoon every time.
For longer storage, freeze it in airtight containers or freezer-safe jars, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top for expansion. It keeps well for several months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and stir before using.
This is a fridge and freezer jam, not a canning recipe. Tomatoes sit close to the line where water-bath canning needs a measured amount of added acid, so for shelf-stable jars use a tested tomato jam canning recipe instead.
Tomato Jam Questions
Does tomato jam need pectin?
No. The tomatoes and sugar cook down for 60 to 90 minutes until thick, and the jam sets further as it chills.
Can I use lemon juice instead of lime?
Yes. Use the same 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Lime tastes a little brighter, lemon a little softer.
Can I use less sugar?
You can cut it slightly, but sugar is part of what thickens the jam and helps it keep. With less sugar it will be looser and tarter, and it is best eaten within a week or two.
Can I make tomato jam with canned tomatoes?
Fresh ripe tomatoes give the best flavor and texture, and the recipe is written for them. Drained canned tomatoes will cook into a softer, more sauce-like jam.
Looking for a sweeter jar to make next? Try plum jam or pineapple jam.
Tomato Jam Recipe
This tomato jam recipe is a sweet and savory spread made with ripe Roma or cherry tomatoes, sugar, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. It takes 10 minutes of prep and 60 to 90 minutes of simmering and makes about 2 cups of thick, glossy, spoonable jam with soft bits of tomato skin and gentle warmth. No pectin is needed: the tomatoes simmer uncovered until a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a trail that stays open, and the jam firms more as it chills. Use homemade tomato jam on a cheese board with sharp cheddar or goat cheese, on burgers, BLTs, grilled cheese and eggs, or as a glaze for pork. Lemon can replace the lime. It keeps 3 weeks in the fridge and freezes for months.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped (Roma or cherry tomatoes preferred)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- PREP THE TOMATOES: Wash and finely chop the tomatoes. Leave the skins on—they will soften as the jam cooks and add texture to the finished spread.
- COMBINE INGREDIENTS: In a large saucepan, add the chopped tomatoes, granulated sugar, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, grated ginger, cinnamon, cloves, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir to combine evenly.
- SIMMER THE JAM: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 60 to 90 minutes. Stir occasionally at first, increasing frequency as the mixture thickens to prevent sticking or burning.
- CHECK CONSISTENCY: The jam is done when it becomes thick and glossy. Drag a spoon through the bottom of the pan—if it leaves a clean trail that doesn't immediately fill in, the jam has reached the right consistency.
- COOL AND STORE: Remove the pan from the heat and let the jam cool for 10–15 minutes. Transfer the jam into clean jars. Once fully cooled, seal the jars and refrigerate. The jam will thicken more as it chills.
Notes
Use a wide, heavy pan and stir more often in the last 15 to 20 minutes, scraping the bottom, because this is when the jam scorches. Take it off the heat when it is slightly looser than you want; it thickens as it cools and again in the fridge. If it is still runny the next day, simmer it 10 minutes more. Adjust the red pepper flakes for more or less heat. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or freeze in airtight containers for longer storage. This is a fridge and freezer jam; for shelf-stable jars, use a tested tomato jam canning recipe.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 592Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gSodium 1117mgCarbohydrates 145gFiber 7gSugar 137gProtein 4g
