You’re going to love my easy recipe for old-fashioned Tomato Jam. It’s sweet and spicy with complex yet familiar flavors that can transform even the simplest food into something delicious. This “grown-up ketchup” is the perfect accompaniment for everything from hamburgers and hot dogs to steaks and chicken.
I’m going to tell you something today that I’ll bet you don’t know about me. I love ketchup. Adore it. I eat it like a six-year-old. On french fries, on hash browns, on hamburgers. And, yes, on steak. Especially on steak, much to the chagrin of steak houses all around this area. It’s just not a steak to me without my ketchup.
This Tomato Jam recipe is what I like to call “grown-up ketchup.” It has the usual sweet, spicy, tomato-ey taste of ketchup, but is it ever kicked up a notch or three!
This jam is so good it will make you want to rush over the stove to cook something just so you can have a spoonful of this on the side. No kidding.
Use this as a condiment with anything where you’d normally serve ketchup. It’s great on a burger, especially a turkey burger. It’s fantastic with roast chicken and really wakes up your breakfast hash browns. The flavor is rich and tangy, with a spicy kick from the red chili flakes.
It also makes a great appetizer – spread a cracker or toasted slice of baguette with a little goat cheese and top with a bit of tomato jam – yum!
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 3 Hours (mostly hands-off)
Servings: 32
Primary Ingredient(s): Cherry tomatoes, sugar, lime, spices
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s made from scratch using simple ingredients and no preservatives.
- The sweetness and spice levels can be adjusted to suit your taste.
- It makes a great gift for family and friends and is a great hostess gift for a barbecue or party.
- It tastes wonderful on top of meats like burgers, steaks, and chicken, or on your favorite sandwiches.
- It can even be used at breakfast on top of eggs or hash browns!
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“I just made this with cherry toms from my garden – it was my first ever jam and it was SO easy and tastes really good!”
— Clare
Ingredient Notes
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- Cherry tomatoes — These are the star of the show. Be sure to choose ones that are ripe but firm to the touch and free of blemishes.
- Sugar — You’ll need white, granulated sugar, which acts not only to sweeten and thicken the jam, but also as a natural preservative.
- Lime zest and juice — Adds a fresh acidic kick.
- Fresh ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves — Typical spices for any ketchup, even commercial ones, use these.
- Red pepper flakes — Add a subtle heat to the jam that you can customize to suit yourself.
- Salt — Balances the flavors.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Tomato Jam
You’ll need 2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes for this recipe. You can use any type of tomatoes that are available, but I prefer cherry tomatoes and often mix red and yellow. If cherry tomatoes aren’t available, I’d recommend plum tomatoes (Roma) as an alternative.
👉 PRO TIP: I prefer cherry tomatoes for this recipe because they are juicier and have thinner, more tender skins than grape tomatoes. If you do use grape tomatoes, Romas, or other varieties, you may find that you need to puree the finished jam with an immersion blender or either press it through a sieve to remove any tough skins.
- Begin by cutting the tomatoes in half or into quarters, depending on their size. The goal is to keep the pieces fairly uniform so they’ll cook down evenly.
- Place the tomatoes in a large, heavy-bottomed non-reactive pot such as a Dutch oven. Add the sugar, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and red pepper flakes.
👉 PRO TIP: If you’re wondering what “non-reactive pot” means, it refers to the kind of metal that a pot or pan is made from. Aluminum, cast iron, and copper are reactive metals; stainless steel, ceramic, glass, and enamel-coated cookware are non-reactive. Certain foods, when cooked in reactive pots, can pick up a metallic flavor or change colors. Tomatoes just happen to do that, so you’d want to use a non-reactive pot (such as an enameled Dutch oven) for this recipe.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil (that’s a boil that can’t be stirred down). Once it reaches that point, reduce the heat and keep it at a steady simmer.
👉 PRO TIP: Do not cover the pot while the jam is cooking. The moisture needs to be able to evaporate in order for the jam to thicken.
- Continue cooking for one to two hours, stirring regularly. The tomatoes should soften, and the mixture thicken into a jam-like consistency. Depending on how fast the simmer is, the cooking time could extend to three hours or more.
- Check the texture and stir occasionally until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. It should look thick and glossy.
👉 PRO TIP: Check the progress and stir occasionally until you achieve your desired consistency. I like mine very thick. My cooking time is sometimes closer to four hours because I keep my temperature very low. I’d rather cook it lower and longer so I don’t have to watch it so closely. If you simmer at a higher temperature, you’ll need to watch very carefully to avoid scorching the jam.
- Once cooking is complete, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Spoon the finished jam into clean jars and store in the refrigerator.
- This recipe yields about two pints, and a serving is 2 tablespoons.
This is not a canning recipe.
It is not suitable for water bath processing.
This product is not safe to place in a jar and store on a pantry shelf. It must be refrigerated.
Recipe Tips
- Cooking time will depend on your simmering temperature and desired thickness. It may take 3 hours or more for the mixture to reach the correct consistency.
- Make sure to use a clean, sanitized jar for storage.
- This is not a canning recipe. It’s not shelf-stable and must be stored under refrigeration, not in the pantry.
Variations
- Change the color by using all yellow cherry tomatoes.
- Add a dash of liquid smoke for a smoky tomato jam.
- Stir in a bit of curry powder for a curried tomato jam to use in Indian dishes.
- Use lemon juice and zest instead of lime for a bright citrus flavor.
- For a more Asian flavor, add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil.
Storing and Freezing
- Storing: Store the cooled jam in sealed jars in the fridge. Use within 3 weeks.
- Freezing: You can freeze the cooled jam in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or plastic container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before using.
More Recipes You’ll Like
- One of my go-to sides when tomatoes are in season is Garlic Fried Tomatoes, lightly cooked in a skillet until tender and finished with plenty of garlic to keep things interesting.
- I like to make this Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce for a quick springtime dinner. It’s fast and full of flavor.
- Tomato and Roasted Garlic Soup is the kind of recipe you’ll reach for when the weather turns cool and you want something that tastes like it took all day, even if it didn’t.
- This Home Canned Tomatoes method is USDA-approved for safety. It’s great for preserving that fresh summer tomato flavor to use all year long in soups, sauces, and stews.
- Fried Tomatoes with Cream Gravy
- Air Fryer Taco Burgers
- Tomato and Roasted Garlic Soup
- Roasted Tomato Sandwich
Questions About Tomato Jam
Glad you asked! It’s actually great on a grilled cheese sandwich. Or try it on buttered toast with cream cheese. Some people like to use it as an on-the-side condiment with meat pies, particularly beef. You can also use it as the topping on a meatloaf, or on a meatloaf sandwich. Basically, anywhere you’d use ketchup, you can use tomato jam.
I personally like using cherry tomatoes because they don’t have as much juice as other tomatoes. The juicier the tomatoes, the longer you’ll have to cook your jam to get to a thick, sticky consistency.
In order for the jam to thicken, the moisture needs to evaporate off during cooking. Because slow cookers hold moisture in, I don’t recommend using a slow cooker for this recipe.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
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Tomato Jam
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds cherry tomatoes halved (about 4 pints)
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- Grated zest of 1 lime
- 4 tablespoons lime juice about 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters depending on their size.2 ½ pounds cherry tomatoes
- Combine the tomatoes, sugar, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt and red pepper flakes in a large non-reactive pot.1 ¾ cups sugar, Grated zest of 1 lime, 4 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
- Bring the mixture up to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Do not cover the pot.
- Cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring regularly, until the tomatoes become a soft, sticky, jammy consistency. The cooking time will depend on how high you keep your simmering temperature and may actually take up to 3 or more hours (see notes).
- Check the progress and stir occasionally until you achieve your desired consistency.
- When cooking is complete, remove the pan from the heat.
- Spoon the jam into a jar and store in the refrigerator.
- Makes approximately 4 cups of jam. Serving size = 2 tablespoons.
Notes
- The recipe makes approximately 4 cups of jam. Nutrition values are calculated on a serving size of 2 tablespoons.
- About the cooking time: Check the progress and stir occasionally until you achieve your desired consistency. Depending on the heat, cooking time may take up to four hours.
- Do not cover the pot while the jam cooks. The moisture needs to evaporate in order for the jam to thicken. A slow cooker is not recommended for this recipe.
- Make sure to use a clean, sanitized jar for storage. This is not a canning recipe. It’s not shelf stable and must be stored under refrigeration rather than in the pantry.
- Store the cooled jam in sealed jars in the fridge. Use within 3 weeks.
- You can freeze the cooled jam in a freezer safe zip-top bag or plastic container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before using.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on March 8, 2011. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
I have always wanted to make Tomato Jam. This looks FABULOUS!
Thanks! It’s really quite easy to make – you should try it.
A tomato jam sounds really good!
This looks really good. I actually don’t like ketchup, it actually inspired me to create a bbq sauce business! My kids and husband think that ketchup is it’s own food group, so I will be trying this.
I’d be right there with your hubby and kids. Ketchup is most definitely its own food group in my house :-)
While I am a mustard person, my daughter adores ketchup – puts it on her eggs even, not sure where I went wrong with her! :D
I’ll have to make this for her.
I hope you’ll try it and she likes it!
I love tomato jam so much but I can never find a recipe that looks as good as the ones I pick up at the farmers’ market. This one though– I’m going to make it as soon as I can.
Sarah – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed at all. This is a really great tomato jam!
Looks delicious!
Hi! Although I’m couch- ridden with the flu, I’m going to try your recipe as soon as I’m back in business! Thanks!
This looks and sounds delicious! I adore tomato jams and chutneys and love making my own, I shall have to give your version a go! Also, some of the most beautiful ‘step by step’ photography I’ve seen in a while – bravo!
My husband also loves ketchup. This looks really delicious and would be great to spice up some chicken.
This looks like a wonderful blend of flavors. Loved the lemon zest in it. We make a chutney with tomatoes , different seasonings and no lemon zest…that looks like this jam , i know this jam will be a great hit in my kitchen too.
Wonderful pictures.
Thanks, Sangeeta, but it’s actually lime zest. Lemon would be good, too, I’m sure.
I have bookmarked this and will be making it this summer for sure. Hubby likes ketchup on just about everything and I would bet he would love this!!
Hope you and he both like it, Jia!
You really awakened my tastebuds with this delicious post Lana. Gorgeous pictures & just the right foodie pick up for me. Love the pictures and all the flavours that you got in the jar! Mmmm
Thanks, Deeba. I was really happy with the most of the photos on this post. I keep working on those photography skills!
you are a woman after my own heart Lana – i’m a ketchup girl myself; BUT i am also a HUGE fan of tomato jams! i’ve made a couple of different versions but both have some sort of sweet-spicy heat to them that just make everything taste better!
I’m so glad to find out I’m not the only grown-up ketchup lover :-)
this looks beautiful! I’ll have to give it a try!
Thanks, Lucy. Give it a try – it’s very easy.
This sounds great! I bet you could also cook it down in the crock pot, I’ve made pear butter like that and it worked well:@)
Oh, great idea about using the crock pot. I think I’ll try that next time!
I’m a closet ketchup addict… Guess what’s on my must-make list?
If you do make it, I’d really like to know what you think of it!
Hi Lana! What a beautiful jam! My husband’s grandfather always wanted me to make tomato jam and I tried a couple of different recipes that he liked OK, but never quite hit that spot in his memory. I bet this recipe would be closer!
He said that the recipe he remembers eating was fairly sweet and he liked to eat it on toast. Do you think this would be a good one on toast?
Hi Jennifer – this jam is quite sweet. I think it would be fabulous on a piece of buttery toasted bread :-)
This would be great in a grilled cheese sandwich. My son has taken a liking to chili sauce lately, and I think he would absolutely love this.
That’s a great idea, Dara! I never thought of it, but this would be so good with grilled cheese. I’m going to try that myself.
Lana, you’re my go-to source when it come really wonderful preserves, and this one is absolutely right up my alley. So timely, too. Our garden’s tomato season is nearing its end, and we must have five pounds of very ripe tomatoes in the kitchen now, waiting for a good use. This is it, and I’m sharing this with my husband, who is our family’s canning czar. Wonderful!!
Hope you enjoy it, Barbara! And you don’t have to use cherry tomatoes, any old variety will work.
Sounds amazing! My brother used to eat ketchup sandwiches (barf), tell me you don’t go that far.
I do love my ketchup, but ketchup sandwiches! Uh, no LOL!