This homemade Sweet and Tangy Tomato Jam recipe is a tasty new way to use that bumper crop of summer tomatoes. This jam is so easy to make and goes with everything. No canning experience required!
When your homegrown tomato plants start bursting with fruit, you can never have enough tomato recipes. We have our go-to’s that we look forward to every summer, but we also try to add at least one new tomato recipe to the mix.
This year’s winner is this homemade Sweet and Tangy Tomato Jam recipe. It’s a total keeper, couldn’t be easier to make, and you’ll find yourself sneaking spoonfuls out of the jar and slathering it on everything you possibly can!
What is tomato jam?
This recipe for Sweet and Savory Tomato Jam is like bottling up all the deliciousness of summer tomatoes in concentrated spoonfuls. The jam’s well-balanced mix of sweet tomatoes, tangy vinegar and savory spices had me hooked after one bite.
How do I use this Sweet and Tangy Tomato Jam recipe?
This tomato jam recipe is soooooooo versatile. Seriously. You can use this jam in loads of ways. Need some inspiration?
Slather it on a sturdy grilled fish or pork tenderloin
A delicious addition to a grilled cheese or fried egg sandwich
Swap ketchup for this jam on your burger for an instant flavor boost
Smear it on baguette slices with a creamy cheese (my personal favorite!)
You can even whisk a bit into a bloody mary to give your brunch beverage a unique flavor kick
OK, I’m going to make this Sweet and Tangy Tomato Jam recipe. How long will it keep?
This recipe makes about 3 cups, a reasonable amount that will last in the fridge for about 3 weeks. Of course, if you’re a hot water bath canner, by all means double the recipe and save a few pints for winter noshing.
That fresh taste of summer couldn’t be more welcome on chilly fall evenings.
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About Anna
Hi, I’m Anna, a former corporate communications nerd turned food fanatic. Turns out I like cooking for others A LOT more than explaining HR policies to them. C’mon over!
I made up a batch, and it turned out great! I wasn't sure if the color would be as vibrant as the photo because my tomatoes, while ripe, weren't that red when I chopped them up, but it was nice and red! I kind of wished I had peeled the tomatoes before chopping though, because of the bits of peel that separate off the chopped pieces.
I make your jam and love it on crostini and then topped with Eggs Benedict! Highly addictive. Had something similar while visiting Chicago and fell in love! Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Heather, I've done it both ways: leaving the skin on and also skinning the tomatoes. Either way is still great, but obviously the skins give the jam a bit of a chewier texture in some bites. Totally up to you.
I want to process the jam in a water bath canner but I am wondering how long for 4oz jars to process and if I should add a packet of pectin per recipe as I would like to double this recipe.
Hi Carol, I've never canned this jam before, so I can't advise you how to proceed. I'd suggest researching similar recipes that have been canned as a guideline. Good luck!
Water bath would be 5 minutes....the altitude I live at requires 10 minutes. To address the pectin, if it is not quite thick as I like it I sprinkle in a pack of KNOX Unflavored Gelatin. Works perfectly. I would not make over a double batch at a time. If you want more jars, I do like enough to do a canner full. Mine will hold 26 ½Pints or 40 ¼Pints I do half and half for gift giving...hope this helps!
Great tip, Colleen, about the Knox. I used cherry tomatoes so my jam was a little more watery than I wanted. This did the trick. Sooo good and so easy.
Ashleysays
This was a HUGE hit in my house! Even my picky kids loved it. I served it over pan seared garlic pork tenderloin slices. My husband is thrilled that there are two small mason jars of this deliciousness left in the fridge. He can't wait to experiment with it!
I made this yesterday. Fantastic! I doubled the recipe, and got 4 half-pint jars. I used a little bit on a grilled chase...amazing!! Lots of cooking, but will probably make more!!
This is my first season trying my hand at canning. I have been trying a lot of tomato recipes since I have picked over 120 lbs of tomatoes and there are a lot left to harvest from five plants.
I doubled the recipe. I peeled and seeded the tomatoes. It takes longer but makes a better product. I do mash the seeds and peels into a sieve to get the juice and seed gelatin into the mixture. I altered the recipe by adding a generous dash of cinnamon.
I ended up using about 8.5 lbs of tomatoes in total. My dutch oven was full to the brim. It took about 4 hours to reduce by 2/3. The result was about 5 pints, which I put in 1/2 pint jars. I water bathed 7 of them, because I ran out of small jars, for 10 minutes. The remaining 1.5 pints I will use right away.
...this may have been asked, but I am in a hurry and on my phone and don't have time to read all the questions... My question is do you peal the tomatoes or remove the seeds...
Hi Angela, the liquid shouldn't make that much of a difference since you're cooking it for so long. If needed, cook it at a higher heat for a while to see if you can get it to thicken up for you. Refrigeration will help it set up, too. Enjoy!
Just made a batch of this fabulous concoction!! Did not have lemon so used orange and lime juice and added allepo peppers (can use chili pepper flakes) for some heat and a spash of balsamic vinegar.
Yummy!!!!
Oh my TOMATOEY GOODNESS!!! I’ve just made this for the first time but have been dreaming of this recipe since I first saw it. I did add a hit of balsamic reduction while it was simmering along. At exactly the three hour mark I removed it from the heat and had a glorious lick-the-spoon moment. It was nice and thick and smelled divine, too! I canned the almost two pints and can’t wait to make more.
This recipe turned out much too sweet for me so I added a tablespoon of red chili paste and now it is spicy tomato jam. It works much better for me now!
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mmmm! I love a good crostini with homemade jam! This one sounds delicious!
I'm with ya. Bread, cheese, jam...does it get better? Have fun in Ohio next week!
I made up a batch, and it turned out great! I wasn't sure if the color would be as vibrant as the photo because my tomatoes, while ripe, weren't that red when I chopped them up, but it was nice and red! I kind of wished I had peeled the tomatoes before chopping though, because of the bits of peel that separate off the chopped pieces.
Hi Annette, thanks for letting us know how the recipe turned out for you. Feel free to peel the tomatoes next time if that's what you prefer.
how many tomatoes is 3 lbs
It totally depends on the size of your tomatoes. Weigh them at the store or on a kitchen scale to know for sure.
Can you substitute sweetener for sugar?
Hi Lindsey, I've never used anything but sugar, so I can't say for sure. Let me know if you try it!
I make your jam and love it on crostini and then topped with Eggs Benedict! Highly addictive. Had something similar while visiting Chicago and fell in love! Thank you for the recipe.
Did you remove the seeds?
Hi Amy, I don't remove the seeds, but if they really bother you, you certainly can. Just an extra step. Enjoy!
Do you remove the skins or leave them on.
Hi Heather, I've done it both ways: leaving the skin on and also skinning the tomatoes. Either way is still great, but obviously the skins give the jam a bit of a chewier texture in some bites. Totally up to you.
I want to process the jam in a water bath canner but I am wondering how long for 4oz jars to process and if I should add a packet of pectin per recipe as I would like to double this recipe.
Hi Carol, I've never canned this jam before, so I can't advise you how to proceed. I'd suggest researching similar recipes that have been canned as a guideline. Good luck!
Water bath would be 5 minutes....the altitude I live at requires 10 minutes. To address the pectin, if it is not quite thick as I like it I sprinkle in a pack of KNOX Unflavored Gelatin. Works perfectly. I would not make over a double batch at a time. If you want more jars, I do like enough to do a canner full. Mine will hold 26 ½Pints or 40 ¼Pints I do half and half for gift giving...hope this helps!
Great tip, Colleen, about the Knox. I used cherry tomatoes so my jam was a little more watery than I wanted. This did the trick. Sooo good and so easy.
This was a HUGE hit in my house! Even my picky kids loved it. I served it over pan seared garlic pork tenderloin slices. My husband is thrilled that there are two small mason jars of this deliciousness left in the fridge. He can't wait to experiment with it!
Yay! So glad you and your family enjoyed it! Please report back on any other delicious uses that you discover. We're always looking for new ideas.
I made this yesterday. Fantastic! I doubled the recipe, and got 4 half-pint jars. I used a little bit on a grilled chase...amazing!! Lots of cooking, but will probably make more!!
So glad you liked it, Cindy. Thanks for stopping back to let us know!
This is my first season trying my hand at canning. I have been trying a lot of tomato recipes since I have picked over 120 lbs of tomatoes and there are a lot left to harvest from five plants.
I doubled the recipe. I peeled and seeded the tomatoes. It takes longer but makes a better product. I do mash the seeds and peels into a sieve to get the juice and seed gelatin into the mixture. I altered the recipe by adding a generous dash of cinnamon.
I ended up using about 8.5 lbs of tomatoes in total. My dutch oven was full to the brim. It took about 4 hours to reduce by 2/3. The result was about 5 pints, which I put in 1/2 pint jars. I water bathed 7 of them, because I ran out of small jars, for 10 minutes. The remaining 1.5 pints I will use right away.
120 pounds of tomatoes? That's impressive! Glad you gave the recipe a try and for reporting back on your results. Enjoy!
Hi, i love the sound of this tomato jam, can you tell me how long can i keep this for.Thanks for the blog……
Hi Juliana, if you're not using a hot water bath to preserve this jam, I suggest keeping it for up to three weeks in the fridge.
...this may have been asked, but I am in a hurry and on my phone and don't have time to read all the questions... My question is do you peal the tomatoes or remove the seeds...
Hi Meg, it's totally up to you. Either way makes a tasty jam.
This is really sweet, I would cut down the sugar, maybe by 1/2.
Very good, but more sweet than my husband and I prefer so added some balsamic vinegar and more tomatoes.
Glad you made it work for you, Cindy!
I haven't made any yet, but I love balsamic vinegar!! Great idea! Little more tanginess!
Hello! After it's all cooked and cooled, can I pop it in a blender to give it a smoother texture or is that a no-no? Thanks!!
Hi Andrea, Go for it! I'm a chunky jam kind of gal, so that's always my default, but it will still taste delicious with a smoother texture.
Should I have drained the liquid from the chopped tomatoes? I’m having a hard time getting it too thicken. But it tastes delicious!
Hi Angela, the liquid shouldn't make that much of a difference since you're cooking it for so long. If needed, cook it at a higher heat for a while to see if you can get it to thicken up for you. Refrigeration will help it set up, too. Enjoy!
Thanks for your quick reply! I’m trying that now. I think my heat was too low.
Do you crush the coriander seeds or leave whole?
Hi Carole, I don't usually take the time to crush the seeds, but feel free to do so if you prefer. Enjoy!
Just made a batch of this fabulous concoction!! Did not have lemon so used orange and lime juice and added allepo peppers (can use chili pepper flakes) for some heat and a spash of balsamic vinegar.
Yummy!!!!
Love your modifications, Susan!
I’m just now finding this recipe and actually have it cooking now!! It already taste good enough for me..
Hi,
When simmering in the dutch oven, do you leave the cover on or off?
Hi Gerald, I leave the cover off to help the liquid reduce. Enjoy!
Oh my TOMATOEY GOODNESS!!! I’ve just made this for the first time but have been dreaming of this recipe since I first saw it. I did add a hit of balsamic reduction while it was simmering along. At exactly the three hour mark I removed it from the heat and had a glorious lick-the-spoon moment. It was nice and thick and smelled divine, too! I canned the almost two pints and can’t wait to make more.
Would it be possible to make this recipe in the pressure cooker? Sounds delish!
Hi Angela, I've never used the pressure cooker for this recipe but I do hope you try to make it. It's one of our favorites!
I think that the pressure cooker will not allow for evaporation. It will keep all in.
This recipe turned out much too sweet for me so I added a tablespoon of red chili paste and now it is spicy tomato jam. It works much better for me now!