Spiced tomato jam is what you get when ripe tomatoes cook down with sugar, lemon and warm spices until they turn sticky and glossy. It tastes like grown up ketchup, sweet and savory with a little heat, and it belongs on cheddar, eggs or a burger. The recipe takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, most of it a slow simmer, and makes about 3 half pints.
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What goes into the pot
- 2 1/2 lb ripe Roma tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Two choices that save you time
Pick Roma tomatoes. Meaty Roma or paste tomatoes cook down much faster than juicy slicing tomatoes. They have less water to lose before the jam turns thick.
Use a wide pot. A wide heavy pot gives the liquid more surface to cook off from, and the heavy base helps keep the sugar from scorching as the jam thickens.
How to make spiced tomato jam
- Combine everything in a wide heavy pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring.
- Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring often and more toward the end, until thick, glossy and jammy. The last stretch is when the sugar can catch on the bottom, so stay close by.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper flakes if you like.
- Cool to room temperature and spoon into clean jars.
- Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 6 months.
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How to tell when it is done
Drag your spoon across the bottom of the pot. When the jam holds a clear trail for a moment before it slowly closes, it is ready. The color goes deeper, the bubbles get slower and heavier, and the surface turns glossy. It thickens a little more as it cools, so take it off the heat while it is still spoonable.
Keep this jam cold
Keep this tomato jam in the refrigerator or freezer, not on the shelf. This recipe is written for the fridge and freezer, so it has no canning step. Refrigerated jars keep up to 2 weeks, and frozen jars keep up to 6 months. If you are freezing it, leave a little room at the top of each jar, because the jam expands as it freezes.
What to eat it with
Spread it on a burger in place of ketchup, spoon it over scrambled or fried eggs, or set it next to a wedge of sharp cheddar with crackers. Grilled cheese is another good place for it. A small spoonful goes a long way, because the flavor is concentrated after the long simmer.
If savory jars are your thing, our balsamic caramelized onion jam simmers low and slow in the same way, and the chipotle brown sugar bacon jam is another one for burgers. For a sweeter spread with heat, try the red pepper jelly , and if you are already thinking about burgers, our smashburger quesadillas are a good place to use a spoonful.
Spiced tomato jam questions
Do I have to peel the tomatoes?
No. The recipe only asks you to core and chop them, so the skins cook down into the jam.
Can I use regular slicing tomatoes?
You can, but they hold more water, so expect the simmer to run longer than it does with Roma or paste tomatoes.
Can I can this jam for the pantry?
No. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How spicy is it?
With 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes it has a mild warmth. Taste it at the end of the simmer and add a pinch more if you want it hotter.
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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team
The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us
Spiced Tomato Jam
Ingredients
Instructions
Combine everything in a wide heavy pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring.
Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring often and more toward the end, until thick, glossy and jammy.
Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper flakes if you like.
Cool to room temperature and spoon into clean jars.
Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 6 months. Keep this tomato jam in the refrigerator or freezer, not on the shelf.
Notes
Meaty Roma or paste tomatoes cook down much faster than juicy slicing tomatoes.