Tomato Chilli Jam is a sweet and savory jam made with fresh tomatoes and warming spices. It’s a super easy recipe and a great way to use up those plentiful, juicy summer tomatoes. Tomato jam can be canned and makes a delicious freezer jam to enjoy year round. You have to try this versatile, all-purpose condiment with a big wow-factor!
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Tomato and chilli jam is one of the finest homemade preserves recipes I’ve ever had the pleasure of making – and eating. I was first introduced to this savory jam when friends brought some over for dinner. I was immediately in love with it and set out to develop my own recipe featuring warming spices with just a touch of heat.
We grow far too many vegetables every summer and this recipe is one of my favorite ways of using up those mountains of late summer tomatoes. I adore making this recipe in addition to this beautiful Burrata Caprese or some Avocado Toast with Tomato. And, jars of homemade jam are wonderful for holiday gifting! Make a couple of large batches to give away and your friends and family will thank you. It's not likely you'll find this unique culinary delight at the grocery store!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- So easy – this is an easy one-pot recipe. Simply chop tomatoes and simmer them to perfection.
- Simple ingredients – made with fresh tomatoes and pantry staples you probably already have on hand
- No pectin jam – tomato seeds contain all the pectin you need for a rich, thick small batch jam recipe
- Special diet friendly – this recipe is paleo, low-FODMAP, and low-carb if using an alternative sweetener. I also include a variation for Whole30 (see Variations, below).
What is tomato jam (tomato marmalade)?
It is a sweet and savory jam made with tomatoes, sweetener, vinegar and spices. Everything is combined in a saucepan and simmered until thick and luxurious. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used on sandwiches, eggs, meat and poultry. Serve as a condiment on the dinner table like this Cranberry Jam that we use in place of cranberry sauce during the holidays. Tomato Christmas jam, anyone?
Ingredients
- Tomatoes – use any tomatoes you wish! Slicing tomatoes, roma, cherry tomatoes and even green tomatoes are perfect.
- Sweetener – use your favorite alternative sweetener, or white or brown sugar. Erythritol can seize up after cooling a recipe that's had a long cooking time. Consider skipping the first 30 minutes of cooking the jam covered or use another sweetener such as allulose or stevia. If you’re going to water-bath can your jam, I would recommend using regular white sugar or brown sugar. I’m not convinced that alternative sweeteners are the best ingredient for water-bath canning this recipe. But, they hold up just fine in freezer jams.
- Vinegar – I use apple cider vinegar, but you can also use red or white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
- Ginger – is slightly sweet, warm and spicy
- Cumin – adds an earthy, smoky flavor
- Cinnamon – has a sweet, spicy and slightly citrusy flavor that pairs so well with tomato
- Clove – lends a subtle, aromatic warmth and richness
- Chili powder – I adore using Kashmiri chili powder. It has amazing color and flavor and I usually have a lot around for making Homemade Tikka Masala. You can also use regular chili powder, chipotle or red pepper flakes. If you have fresh hot chilies or want to use a can of green chilies, feel free to use them in place of chili powder.
- Salt and pepper – these bring the flavors together
Instructions
Chop the tomatoes into ½-inch pieces and add to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until it reaches a slow simmer, about 5 minutes
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring often. Cooking covered allows the tomato skins to soften. Skip this step if using erythritol (see Expert tips).
- Remove the lid and cook over low heat until the jam is thick and sticky, about another 30 minutes. Be sure to stir very often during this stage so your jam doesn’t burn as it thickens.
- Let cool and store in jars in the refrigerator or freezer. The jam will thicken as it cools.
Expert tips
- Cooking time will vary depending on the BTUs of your stove and how much moisture is in your tomatoes
- If using mason jars to freeze, be sure to leave at least ½-inch of headspace in the jars to allow for expansion in the freezer
- For a smooth jam (rather than slightly chunky), you can blend or puree the tomatoes before cooking
- Peeling tomatoes is optional. Even though you don’t need to peel the tomatoes for this recipe, you certainly can remove the skins to make the jam smoother. See my easy instructions on how to peel tomatoes in my Pisto Manchego recipe, another fabulous way to use your bountiful summer harvest.
- Use erythritol with caution. Recipes that have a long cooking time can cause erythritol to seize up and crystalize after cooling, leaving a gritty or crunchy texture. If you want to use it, skip cooking the tomatoes covered. I've found that the additional 30 minute cooking time can cause the jam to be crunchy, like the erythritol never dissolved. You can use allulose, which is less sweet, so you'll need to add another ¼ - ⅓ cup for the same amount of sweetness. Also consider using stevia, xylitol or a liquid sweetener if not using regular sugar.
How to serve
- On toast – with whipped ricotta, chevre or use as you would any jam and top Cheddar Biscuits or toasted Parmesan Oregano Mug Bread.
- Sandwiches and burgers – add robust flavor to Egg Salad, turkey, pulled pork or grilled cheese sandwiches. Try using it like ketchup on a burger or hot dog.
- Top your favorite protein – serve with Roast Chicken or baked fish, add a dollop to an omelet or boiled eggs, and try it as a glaze for meatballs!
- Condiment for holiday turkey – use as a cranberry sauce substitute with your Holiday Roast Turkey or Smoked Turkey Breast
How to store
Your tomato chilli jam recipe will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed container or freeze for up to 6 months. I like to store them in small mason jars.
If canning, it can be stored for up to a year.
Variations
- Cherry tomato jam – use only cherry tomatoes. These have a very sweet, concentrated flavor and make incredible jam.
- Tomato onion jam – sauté half a medium onion in butter before adding the tomatoes and other ingredients to the pot
- Green tomato jam – have unripened tomatoes on the vine? Use them the same way you would use ripe tomatoes. Keep in mind that green tomatoes can be slightly bitter, so you may need to add a little more sweetener to the recipe.
- Whole30 jam – eliminate the sweetener and use finely chopped dates or date paste as a substitute for sugar. While I haven’t tried this myself, my research shows they can be exchanged 1:1 as a sugar alternative.
FAQ
You can, but only for short periods of time, such as a quick sauté. And, the pan should be washed and seasoned immediately afterward.
Acidic ingredients like tomatoes can strip seasoning on your skillet, erode the surface of the pan, and can lead to a metallic taste in your food. Long simmered tomatoes, like making a tomato jam or sauce, are best made in a non-reactive sauce pan, such as stainless steel.
Marmalade is often referred to as preserves made with citrus, that include the rind or peel, along with the pulp and fruit. The fruit is boiled with sugar and pectin and often contains large chunks of fruit and rind.
Jam includes whole, cut fruit that is cooked down with sugar and pectin. Like marmalade, it also has large pieces of fruit to give it more structure.
Since tomato jam contains peel and large pieces of fruit that are boiled down with sugar, it can be referred to as either a jam or a marmalade.
Yes – all varieties can be enjoyed on a low-FODMAP diet, but fructose concentrations vary. Cherry tomatoes are FODMAP-friendly in small servings of 5 whole tomatoes. Large tomatoes contain less fructose. A serving of ½ a medium tomato (up to about 2.3 ounces) is low in fructose, but becomes moderate in FODMAPs at about 2.6 ounces.
Yes, they are low in carbohydrates and are a great addition to a keto diet. One medium tomato contains about 4 net carbs, making them a nutritious keto-friendly vegetable.
While they are botanically classified as a fruit, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency and the Supreme Court have classified them as a vegetable.
Other recipes using summer produce
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📖 Recipe
Tomato Chilli Jam (Tomato Marmalade)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tomatoes
- ¾ cup sweetener of choice (see Expert tips in Notes)
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (Kashmiri, chipotle or red chili powder)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅙ teaspoon clove powder
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes into ½-inch pieces and add to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until it reaches a slow simmer, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring often. Cooking covered allows the tomato skins to soften. Skip this step if using erythritol (see Notes).
- Remove the lid and cook uncovered over low heat until the jam is thick and sticky, about another 30 minutes. Be sure to stir very often during this stage so your jam doesn’t burn as it thickens.
- Let cool and store in jars in the refrigerator or freezer. The jam will thicken as it cools.
Notes
Expert tips
- Choosing the best sweetener – use your favorite alternative sweetener, or white or brown sugar. Erythritol can seize up and crystalize after cooling in a recipe that's had a long cooking time. Consider skipping the first 30 minutes of cooking the jam covered or use another sweetener such as allulose or stevia. If you’re going to water-bath can your jam, I would recommend using regular white sugar or brown sugar. I’m not convinced that alternative sweeteners are the best ingredient for water-bath canning this recipe. But, they hold up just fine in freezer jams.
- Cooking time will vary – depending on the BTUs of your stove and how much moisture is in your tomatoes
- Be sure to leave at least ½-inch of headspace – in the jars to allow for expansion in the freezer
- For a smooth jam – (rather than slightly chunky), you can blend or puree the tomatoes before cooking
- Peeling tomatoes is optional – even though you don’t need to peel the tomatoes for this recipe, you certainly can remove the skins to make the jam smoother. See my easy instructions on how to peel tomatoes in my Pisto Manchego recipe, another fabulous way to use your bountiful summer harvest.
- Use erythritol with caution – recipes that have a long cooking time can cause erythritol to seize up and crystallize after cooling, leaving a gritty or crunchy texture. If you want to use it, skip the initial cooking of the tomatoes covered. I've found that the additional 30 minute cooking time can cause the jam to be crunchy, like the erythritol never dissolved. You can use allulose, which is less sweet, so you'll need to add another ¼ - ⅓ cup for the same amount of sweetness. Also consider using stevia, xylitol or a liquid sweetener if not using regular sugar.
How to store
Your tomato chilli jam recipe will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed container or freeze for up to 6 months. I like to store them in small mason jars. If canning, it can be stored for up to a year.See post for Variations!
Nutrition
*Net carbs = carbohydrates - fiber
Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
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