Old Fashioned Tomato Jam Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 25, 2026 If you’ve never tried an old fashioned tomato jam recipe, you’re in for a surprise. I slowly simmer fresh tomatoes until they become rich, sweet, and perfectly tangy, creating a spread that’s incredibly versatile. It’s one of my favorite ways to elevate burgers, grilled cheese, charcuterie boards, and even scrambled eggs.
I LOVE making jam. There is nothing more satisfying than smearing a sandwich or cracker with a scoop of sweet and/or savory preserves that you made yourself from scratch. Tomato jam is a southern condiment that’s been enjoyed for generations. Not only is it a delicious spread to enjoy, but this recipe is also terrifically easy to prepare. Prep time is only 10 minutes, and you can finish it off either in the freezer or using traditional canning methods. My homemade tomato jam recipe is a classic for whenever we have a bounty (or excess) of summertime tomatoes. It’s a rare savory jam that’s brimming with deep, smoky, and slightly sweet flavors.
PS, if you are looking for more saucy dips, check out my famous cocktail sauce recipe!
Linda – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Oh lordy, I just made this and is it ever good. Pretty much followed the recipe to the letter and it’s seductively yummy. Sampled it on a crostini with a bit of Feta Cheese and “betcha can’t eat just one” rang in my ears. I will have to peruse your website for more tasty tidbits. This is a winner and will be on the table come the July 4th holiday. Thank you!!!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Simple Ingredients – In my humble opinion, this 8-ingredient recipe is the best way to use juicy, ripe tomatoes and make sure that none go to waste.
Great For Gifting – This savory preserves recipe is the perfect DIY gift to package up in a cute jar with a ribbon on top. Make this homemade recipe the old-fashioned way on a stovetop, and have plenty of jars on hand for storing. Your friends will love it… At least mine do.
Versatile Use – I love that you can spread this jam on just about anything, from eggs to toast to grilled cheese. Like my freezer jam recipe, it tastes great with all sorts of dishes, both sweet and savory.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Tomatoes – I use ripened, juicy tomatoes like Roma or Plum tomatoes for the best results. But any garden tomato will work!
- Brown sugar – I like light brown sugar to give this jam just the right amount of sweet, deep flavor.
- Ginger – You’ll need some fresh grated ginger. I find it offers a much zippier flavor than ground ginger.
- Spices – For that extra kick of flavor, I use a combination of spices including ground cumin, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder.
How To Make
Prep the Tomatoes – First, I chop the tomatoes into small pieces and remove any loose seeds. You don’t have to get every last one, but removing the excess helps the jam thicken a little faster. Then I grate the fresh ginger so it melts right into the jam as it cooks.
Find the full recipe with detailed instructions, a video tutorial, and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Simmer – I add the chopped up tomatoes, ginger, and all the remaining ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, I reduce the heat a little for a gentle simmer.
I let the jam cook for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring every so often to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As it cooks, the tomatoes break down, the liquid slowly evaporates, and all those sweet, tangy flavors become richer and more concentrated.
Is It Done? – I know the jam is ready when it’s thick, glossy, and spreads easily on a spoon. If I drag a spoon across the bottom of the pot, the jam should briefly hold the line before slowly flowing back together. Remember, it’ll continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t wait until it’s overly stiff in the pot.
Store – Once the jam reaches the perfect consistency, I remove it from the heat and carefully spoon it into clean jars. You can refrigerate it if you plan to enjoy it soon, freeze it for later, or process the jars using a water-bath canner for longer storage.
I love keeping a jar in the fridge because it’s delicious on biscuits, burgers, grilled cheese, charcuterie boards, or spooned over cream cheese with crackers!
Recipe Variations
- Bacon – Sometimes I add in 1 cup of crumbled cooked bacon before simmering for a smoky and meaty twist.
- Herbs – Toss in some rosemary, thyme, and sage while the sauce is simmering for a more fragrant and herby flavor.
- Spicy – If I’m feeling spicy, Idd in a sprinkling of cayenne pepper or more red pepper flakes to make this jam a tad hotter.
- Refined sugar-free – You can swap the brown sugar with honey or agave if you’re looking for a refined sugar-free alternative.
- Low-sodium – Skip the salt altogether for a low-sodium version of this sauce.
Storage Notes
Homemade jam can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Once it has been opened, keep it stored in the fridge and use it within 2-3 weeks. Use this recipe and use a classic canning method for longer storage.
You can also store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many delicious uses for my old fashioned tomato jam! I like to use it as a savory spread on burgers and sandwiches.
I also love to scoop this jam into a ramekin and serve it with my favorite charcuterie board items, or serve it as an appetizer with whipped ricotta cheese and crackers.
You can also add spoonfuls of my homemade tomato jam into creamy soups like tomato basil bisque for a sweet twist, or serve on top of these warm buttermilk drop biscuits!
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, yes. You can use any tomatoes to make jam, however, the yield will change depending on the water content of the tomato! Large heirloom tomatoes might result in less jam since they have more water that will be cooked off. You can use a combination of tomatoes such as cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes or roma tomatoes!
If you need the jam to be thicker, simply keep cooking it! It will start to cook down with more time and become thicker and thicker. Make sure to stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn!
You can tell your jam is done when most of the liquid has been cooked out of it, but not all. You want it to be a dark, jammy consistency. If you can drag a spoon through the middle of the pot and the jam just slowly fills the hole back in, then you are good to go!
More Tomato Recipes
Old Fashioned Tomato Jam Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes roma or plum
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes and remove any loose seeds. Grate the fresh ginger.
- Set out a medium saucepot. Add all the ingredients. Bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 1 – 1 ½ hours, stirring regularly, so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.
- Once the tomato jam looks thick and glossy, turn off the heat. Place in jars and either can, freeze, or refrigerate.
Yes I blanched and removed skins. Any idea?
I love this recipe but will someone please tell me why I can’t get it to freeze solid. It’s in freezer for days but is soft. Someone please tell me why. It’s not my freezers. I checked them both. It just won’t freeze solid!
This is due to high sugar content compared to water content. No biggie!
I processed the jam 15 minutes in a hot water bath method.
I am in love with this recipe! I admit, I can never leave a recipe entirely alone so I did tamper with it just a bit. I used half of a diced onion and a diced jalapeño in addition to the crushed red pepper. Soooooo good on a cracker with cream cheese or on a grilled cheese sandwich. Not all of my people like it but I don’t mind that one bit!!!…as it does cook down to be less than you think when you start.
I am planning to make this – or could only be good!
Some of the tomatoes have been stored in the freezer – has anyone tried this from frozen tomatoes and if so is there anything else I need to do to the recipe?
Made as directed, using my overflow of garden cherry tomatoes. Delicious! The first time I ever made (or tasted) tomato jam, it will not be my last!
I just made a batch, in fact it’s my first time making any kind of jam! Read many different tomato jam recipes and this one seemed the best as far as seasoning and the amount of sugar. Not liking spicy heat I did cut back it on the red pepper, I actually used chipotle pepper. Once it’s cooled I will be able to taste it. I tasted it just before putting it in jars but it was still too hot to actually enjoy it. I’ll leave another review once others have tried it. It was extremely easy to make especially since everything goes into the pot at the same time. However, I did not peel the tomatoes but if I make it again I will remove the skin.
This is absolutely delicious! We use it in place of ketchup. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hello,wow what a simple and easy recipe to follow.
So tasty .
Ended up with over 500mls in a jug
Bottled .
Excellent. I made a sugar free pectin recipe and was disappointed. I found this old fashioned , slow cooking recipe and it was what I was looking for!
Love this recipe! Easy and so delicious. Will plant a couple more tomato plants next year so I can make a larger batch. Thank you!
This is the first time I’ve tried anything like this, but I will definitely be making it again! The ingredients come together to make such a deep flavor!
This is just like the spread that my grandma used to make to smear on sandwiches! So yummy!