Spicy Tomato Jam
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Spicy tomato jam is thick, sweet, spicy, and absolutely delicious. Spread this spicy jam, or marmalade, on sandwiches or burgers, or serve it as a dip. It's also perfect for canning or tomato freezer jam!
If you like making your own condiments, also try our bacon jam and fig jam with whiskey and vanilla.
Table of contents
Every good tomato jam recipe starts with ripe tomatoes, sugar, an acid to balance the flavors, and signature spices. This spicy tomato jam has all those components and more.
Instead of boiling the tomatoes, we roast them in the oven until their flavor condenses and they become impossibly rich and intensely flavored. Then we blend them and season them with flavors like garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and chilis.
The result is gooey, sticky, spicy tomato jam that you'll want to eat by the spoonful.
What does spicy tomato jam taste like?
This tomato jam is a little like chutney. It has a wonderfully sweet profile, but plenty of savoriness to balance the sugar. There's a good amount of heat in here but definitely not overkill; The sweetness mellows the spiciness quite a bit.
Ingredients needed
Tomatoes ā we often opt for Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes, but any variety will work. Choose whichever tomatoes look the ripest.
Olive oil ā for flavor and to help roast the tomatoes.
Chili peppers ā we use red pepper flakes, but bird's eye chili or Thai red chili also work well.
Garlic and fresh ginger ā add the most incredible flavor to this sweet and savory jam.
Soy sauce ā might seem like an odd ingredient but it adds the perfect salty, umami flavor.
Sugar ā we love using palm sugar for the malty flavor, but brown sugar works great, too.
White vinegar ā apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar both work well, too. Some recipes use lemon juice, but we've found that a neutral-flavored acid works better to balance the flavors.
Salt ā we always opt for sea salt or Himalayan salt as the flavor is much nicer than table salt.
How to make spicy tomato jam
Making spicy tomato jam is easy! Here's how we do it:
- Start by cutting the tomatoes in half and then roasting them until they are super soft.
- Blend those roasted tomatoes with sugar, vinegar, and spices until they are a nice and smooth mixture.
- Now, pour the jam into a pot and let it simmer while you stir it occasionally for about 10 minutes to thicken it.
That's it! You just made some delicious spicy tomato jam!
The full recipe is in the recipe card below.
How to can spicy tomato jam
Canning this spicy tomato jam means that you can store it in your pantry for up to a year. And once you open it, the jam will last for a month in your fridge.
When canning hot liquids, we prefer the simpler method of pouring the hot jam into hot sterilized jars and then carefully sealing the jars. It's much easier than the boiling water canning method.
The basic rundown is that you sterilize your jars in the oven, sterilize your lids by boiling them, then pour the hot jam into the hot jars and loosely screw on the lids. As the jam cools, the air will be forced out of the jars so it can be safely stored at room temperature for a long time.
See Naomi Cakes' detailed tutorial on how to can hot liquids.
How to serve spicy tomato jam
Not sure what to do with your spicy tomato jam? Here are a few ways you serve it:
- Use it as the best-ever cocktail sauce for shrimp
- Spread it on a cheese sandwich
- Dip your fries into it
- Put some on a charcuterie board <- this!!
- Serve it on top of grilled salmon
- Pile in on a guacamole burger
- Spread it on cheese and crackers as a quick snack or appetizer
- Serve it with Thai fish cakes
Recipe FAQ
How long does this jam last in the fridge?
Homemade jam will keep for about 10 days in the fridge if stored in a sealed container.
Can I freeze spicy tomato jam?
Yes! Tomato jam freezes very well. We recommend that you freeze portion sizes so that you can take what you want out of the freezer and leave the rest frozen. It will last for up to three months if stored in an airtight container in your freezer.
What type of tomatoes should I use?
This recipe works well with all varieties of tomatoes. Choose whichever tomatoes look the ripest!
Is this jam super spicy?
It's definitely spicy, but it won't knock your socks off.
The idea for this recipe came from an adorable little cookbook called Sauces by Louise Pickford. It's one of those cookbooks where the picture on the cover leaves you no choice but to buy the book. This spicy tomato jam recipe is based on her chili jam. Our version has less sugar and is heavier on the spices.
Popular condiment recipes
Spicy Tomato Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb ripe tomatoes (cut in half)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Ā½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes (or 4 bird's eye chilis)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (can be reduced sodium)
- Ā½ cup palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 3 tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt evenly over top. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, or until tomatoes are very soft. Remove from oven and set them aside to cool slightly.2 lb ripe tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Ā½ teaspoon sea salt
- Add the cooled tomatoes and all other ingredients to your blender. Puree until smooth.1 teaspoon chili flakes, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons grated ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Ā½ cup palm sugar, 3 tablespoon white vinegar
- Pour the jam into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with sea salt. Allow the jam to cool slightly before pouring it into jars.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our sauce recipes!
