Just 2 ingredients and 30 minutes turns tomatoes into a lip-smacking jam!
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Just 2 ingredients and 30 minutes are all it takes to turn some fresh tomatoes into a lip-smacking jam!

If you’d ever been intimidated by making jam at home, this recipe is here to take away your fears. It is so simple and pretty much foolproof that anyone could do it. And the result is truly amazing, especially given that there are just a handful of ingredients that go into it.

There is also very little work involved. Once you chop the tomatoes, it’s just a matter of stirring the jam every few minutes while you go about your work.

For this recipe, we are going to use the whole tomato, that is, along with the peel and seeds. I love the difference of textures that these provide to the jam. The peel goes kind of rubbery and candy-like and the seeds have a soft burst – and these definitely add to the eating experience. But, for those who prefer it do be completely smooth, you can remove the peel and get rid of the seeds too (more on that below).

When my mother made it a couple weeks ago, I had to ask her for the recipe, and was pretty surprised at how simple it was! This recipe comes from my grandmother, so you know it has to be good!

Here’s What You Need to Make Tomato Jam at Home

As the title says, you only need 2 ingredients to make this jam: tomatoes and sugar. Adding some cashews and raisins that are fried or roasted will add an extra bit of flavour and texture to the jam, but they are not an essentiality to this recipe.

  • 1.25kg tomatoes,
  • 450g sugar
  • Optional ingredients:
    – 1/8 cup cashews,
    – 1/8 cup raisins,
    – 1-2 tbsp oil/ghee/butter

When picking tomatoes for making this jam, make sure they are really ripe and nice and red all around. This is very important!

Also, I know it seems like a LOT of tomatoes, but it really reduces during the cooking process. We got two of these small jars for this recipe. Feel free to halve the recipe if you like.

How to make Homemade Tomato Jam?

This recipe goes from raw tomatoes to jam in under 30 minutes! Here’s how you do it:

  1. Chop the tomatoes.
  2. Boil the tomatoes.
  3. Add sugar. Cook until it reaches a semi-jammy consistency.
  4. Garnish.
  5. Serve!

As I said, there’s very little actual work involved in this recipe. For those who want a smoother jam, you will need to add a couple steps to the beginning of the process.

To remove the peel only: Make x-shaped slits at the bottom of each tomato and blanch them in boiling water for a minute. Remove and add it to cold water, then simply peel them off before chopping (or you could even crush them with your hands).

To remove the peel and seeds: Blend the tomatoes in a food processor or grinder and strain the pulp to get rid of the chunky bits. Keep in mind that doing this will result in a lesser yield of tomato jam at the end.

How to Serve Homemade Tomato Jam

This tomato jam is typically made to go alongside biryani in my hometown of Kayalpatnam. The sweetness pairs perfectly with a spicy meal! I had it spread on a cracker and it was delicious, and I bet it would be the same on a piece of toast. Anything you spread jam on, you can spread this on as well!

How to STore Homemade Tomato Jam

You can leave it out in room temperature if it is just for a day or two, but I recommend storing it in the fridge if you want to keep it for longer. Since we’re not sterilizing jars or adding another preservatives, its best to use this jam up within a week or two.

Check out this short video on how to make this super easy tomato jam:

Here’s the detailed step-by-step guide to making homemade tomato jam:

2-Ingredient Tomato Jam Recipe

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 20-30 min

Serves: 4

Step 1: Chop tomatoes and start cooking.

  • 1.25kg ripe tomatoes
  1. Cut the tomatoes up into medium-sized chunks. It doesn’t have to be perfect but make them similar in size.
  2. Place the sliced tomatoes on a pan over medium heat and bring them up to a boil. Then let them simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Step 2: Add sugar.

  • 450g sugar
  1. Add the sugar and let it all melt. The mixture will become watery again.
  2. Once again, let it simmer, mixing regularly, until the liquid reduces and reaches a jam-like consistency.
    Note: The jam will thicken slightly as it cools.

Step 3: Garnish (optional but recommended).

  • 1/8 cup cashews,
  • 1/8 cup raisins,
  • 1-2 tbsp oil/butter/ghee
  1. Heat the oil or butter up in a small pan and add the cashews. Fry them until they gain some colour and remove.
  2. Repeat the same process with the raisins.
  3. Mix both into the jam, and it’s done!

Notes

– See above or click here for notes on how to get rid of the peel and seeds (if you want a completely smooth jam).
– Recipe can be scaled according to your preference.

More recipes for dips, sauces, jams, and other condiments:

Have you made this recipe? I would love to hear your feedback in the comments below! I would also love to hear your thoughts, questions, or doubts.

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