
Easy-to-make tomato jam is savory and tangy with a hint of spicy sweetness. An ideal way to use a bumper crop of tomatoes, the rustic jam offers a delightful alternative to ketchup on a burger or sauce on chicken, fish, and pork.
If you’re envisioning a peanut butter and tomato jam sandwich and thinking you’ll take a pass, stay with me. (Now I’m actually wondering what that would taste like. 🤣)
This easy-to-make condiment is savory and tangy with a hint of spicy sweetness. It’s altogether different than traditional fruit jams and has the power to take the most basic fare to new heights.
The vibrant jam is an ideal way to use a bumper crop of tomatoes, and among other uses, my family adores the jam as a ketchup alternative.
Tomato jam provides an instant upgrade to turkey and beef burgers. Add blue cheese (or sharp cheddar, gruyere, or smoked Gouda) and bacon for a home run! From speedy weeknight dinners to big backyard barbecues, your burgers will receive rave reviews.
The rustic jam can also be enjoyed as a dip, savory toast spread, or as a sauce on grilled chicken, fish, or pork.
Think of tomato jam as the best combination of salsa, ketchup, and chutney, and feel free to use this tomato jam on any food you typically top with those condiments.
As a bonus, the aroma while simmering is divine. And aside from the fresh tomatoes, the ingredients are pantry staples.
More ways to enjoy tomato jam:
- As the tomato part of a BLT
- On blue cheese or cheddar and bacon burgers (turkey or beef)
- As the tomato topping for bruschetta
- On a charcuterie board to spread on crackers with cheese (from goat cheese to a variety of hard cheeses)
- As a salsa/chutney on chicken, fish, pork, and beyond
- A classic 1970s appetizer would be to serve this jam over a block of softened cream cheese alongside crackers
- An updated variation is to spread a soft cheese with a little tang (like goat) on bruschetta and top with the jam
- And recently, I spread a bit of the jam on quinoa and black bean tortilla chips from Trader Joe’s (they are mild tasting with an underlying hint of nuttiness) and topped with crumbled feta, and it was a delicious pre-dinner nibble. You could absolutely do the same with pita chips or your favorite cracker.
A fun nutrition fact from our dietitian Emily:
Tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C. While this is beneficial on its own, eating Vitamin C-rich foods along with iron-containing foods can aid in the absorption of iron during digestion. For example, enjoying this tomato jam with your burger will increase iron absorption from the meat. This can be helpful to know if you are looking for dietary ways to increase your iron levels, and is especially valuable when cooking with vegetarian sources of iron like spinach!
For those who are curious…
The reason we don’t list nutritional breakdowns next to each recipe is because the numbers can change significantly depending on brands people buy and how exact the measuring is. In saying that, if you email me separately, I can provide you with my best estimations on the nutrients you would like to know more about in this recipe. I’m happy to help!

Tomato Jam
Ingredients
- 2 to 2¼ pounds ripe plum or Roma tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped*
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar**
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar (plus an extra ½ -2 teaspoons at the end; lemon juice is a nice option to finish)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (may use 1 tablespoon for more pronounced ginger flavor; my preference is the subtler flavor of 2 level teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon each smoked paprika, garlic powder and cayenne pepper (use ⅛ teaspoon cayenne for flavor with no heat—¼ teaspoon provides subtle heat)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch Oven and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning. (Tip: I like the width of the base of my Dutch oven. A narrower base will need to cook longer to reduce and vice-versa.)
- Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of jam, about 30-40 minutes, depending on precise level of heat, juiciness of tomatoes, and width of pot. (Helpful hint: A wooden spoon dragged over the bottom of the pot should not fill in with juice.)
- Taste the jam. If it’s too sweet for your liking (we’re going for fancy ketchup here) add an extra dash of the vinegar (or lemon juice) and cook another minute. Start with ½ teaspoon and add to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer the jam to an airtight container or jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The jam freezes well for 3 to 6 months.
- Canning the jam: After packing in clean canning jars, the hot jam may be processed in a hot water bath. Once a rolling boil is achieved, set a timer, and boil 4-ounce jars for 5 minutes and 8- to 16-ounce jars for 10 minutes. (Make altitude adjustments as needed. Click link below for a quick reference.)
Notes
Click here for helpful canning tips at a glance.
Leave a Reply