Tomato Jam

Tomato jam is a savory and sweet addition to any recipe. As a dip, burger topping whisked into a vinaigrette, or as a relish, you will be hooked the minute you take your first bite of this yummy tomato jam recipe.

With summer coming, I have a ton of tomatoes from my garden. Instead of making the usual vegan marinara sauce, I decided to make some tomato jam. The first time I ate tomato jam at one of my favorite vegan restaurants in San Diego, I thought I died and went to heaven. Since I love tomatoes, and I adore jam, I made a homemade sweet and savory tomato jam recipe for a topping for quinoa burgers. 

Sometimes, people shrug at the thought of making jam. Not all jams require boiling jars and canning. My savory jam, for instance, is made quickly and without any hassle. It requires very few ingredients. 

But, you may ask what can I use this jam for? Once you try tomato jam, you will smear it on everything! 

Serving Suggestions

• Dollop on top of tofu scramble
• Vegetable Panini w/ Vegan Pesto 
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger
• Great condiment for any vegan burger
• Mix it with my vegan cream cheese and use it as a dip.
• Top tomato jam on vegan meatloaf
• Add to the top of vegan chili with a little vegan sour cream
• Or smear it on your favorite toast for breakfast
• Add as a topping to a chickpea omelette
• Smear on the bun for a beet burger
• Use as a condiment for a tofu burger
• Whisk into your favorite vinaigrette
• Garnish for vegan crab cakes
• Use on pizza instead of pizza sauce
• Add avocado for a relish
• Or smear on a vegan BLT

Most people think of jam as a sweet treat, but tomato jam is the perfect mix of sweet and savory, which I love! 

Tomato Jam Ingredients

• Fresh Roma Tomatoes: I like Roma tomatoes because they have thicker skin and less liquid inside. Yet, they are sweet with high acid content. I believe the marriage between sweet and savory comes together with Roma tomatoes.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar provides acidity to the jam.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup gives the jam a sweet taste without using refined sugar.
• Coriander: When ground, coriander seeds' roasted, nutty aromas come to the fore, though at the expense of all that lovely citrus.
• Cumin: Rich and hearty, earthy and warm, with an edge of citrus, Cumin adds instant depth to any dish.
• Lemon Juice: I prefer fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. Lemon juice balances the sweetness of the sugar in the mixture, and the juice has natural pectin that also sets the jams and jellies.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger is best when making this recipe. It provides a depth of flavor.

Tomato Jam Ingredient Substitutions

• Although tomatoes are perfect this time of year, canned tomatoes can always be used in a pinch. So, don't worry if you don't have a ton of tomatoes on hand because I provide an alternative to fresh tomatoes. I like Pomi Chopped Tomatoes.
• Though your standard white vinegar is considered neutral in flavor, it is highly acidic and has a pronounced sharp bite. Use it as an equal swap for apple cider vinegar, but consider adding a splash of fruit juice or a pinch of sugar to balance out the flavor. On its own, distilled white vinegar can be a bit harsh.
• Agave nectar or date syrup substitutes maple syrup in recipes.
• Substitute cumin or garam masala for coriander.
• Ground coriander or garam masala are excellent substitutes for cumin.
• Use bottled lemon juice in a pinch.
• If you don't have fresh or ground ginger, use a 1:1 ratio of ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground mace, or ground nutmeg to the amount of ground ginger called for.

How to Make Tomato Jam

1. To use fresh tomatoes, they first need to be boiled for a mere 30 seconds.
2. Then toss them in ice water to make the skins easy to remove.
3. After that, dice the tomatoes.
4. If using canned tomatoes, boiling isn't necessary. 
5. The trick to sweet and savory tomato jam is cooking it low and slow.
6. Once the tomatoes are diced, add all the spices and maple syrup.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
8. Next, cook on simmer for 1 hour, stirring every so often.
9. As the jam simmers, the liquid dissipates, and the tomato mixture turns to jam. 
10. Once the jam is thick and jammy, allow it to cool to room temperature and then place it in a jar to refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Be patient; it takes a while for the jam to thicken. Slow and low is the key to a successful jam recipe.
• Roma tomatoes are tomato perfect for pastes, cooking, and canning. Meaty fruit with few seeds. Unlike other tomatoes, this type is denser with grainier flesh. They're not soft, and Romas have high pectin content without much juice.
• Homemade jam can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Once it has been opened, store it in the fridge and use it within 2-3 weeks.

You'll be hooked as soon as you try this sweet and savory tomato jam recipe! 

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📖 Recipe

Tomato Jam

Kathy Carmichael

Tomato jam is a savory and sweet addition to any recipes. As a dip, burger topping, whisked into a vinaigrette, or as a relish, you will be hooked the minute you take your first bite.

4.58 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 42 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 pounds Roma tomatoes boiled, skins removed and diced (or 1 26.46 container of Pomi chopped tomatoes or your favorite canned tomatoes)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup maple syrup
• ▢ 2 teaspoon coriander
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cumin
• ▢ 1 inch fresh ginger grated
• ▢ ½ lemon juiced

Instructions

 

• Add whole tomatoes to a pot and cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt.
• Bring water to a boil, and boil for 30 seconds.
• Immediately drain the tomatoes and place them in an ice bath (cover in ice water) until tomatoes are cool enough to touch, and then remove the skins of each tomato.
• Then, diced the tomatoes.
• If using canned tomatoes, skip the above steps.
• Place diced tomatoes in a medium saucepan and add all the other ingredients.
• Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
• Cook for 1 hour, stirring every once in a while until all liquid dissipates and the tomato mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
• Transfer into a jar or container of choice, cover, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Tomato jam will last 5 days refrigerated.

Notes

• Be patient; it takes a while for the jam to thicken. Slow and low is the key to a successful jam recipe.
• Roma tomatoes are tomato perfect for pastes, cooking, and canning. Meaty fruit with few seeds. Unlike other tomatoes, this type is denser with grainier flesh. They're not soft, and Romas have high pectin content without much juice.
• Homemade jam can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Once it has been opened, store it in the fridge and use it within 2-3 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 42kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 951IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg

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Kathy Carmichael

Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/