Cherry tomato jam, or mermelada de tomates cherry, is quartered cherry tomatoes sautéed briefly in a little oil and simmered with brown sugar, lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of garlic, salt, and pepper for about 25 minutes until caramelized. It takes 10 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking, and makes 4 servings.
Still an uncommon preserve, it is quickly winning fans for its sweet and savory flavor and goes beautifully with fresh bread, crackers, or warm brie.
How to Make Tomato Jam?
You can use any tomato, but cherry tomatoes are recommended for their lower water content and natural sweetness. The tomatoes are cooked down with sugar and a few spices until thick and glossy, then stored in a sterilized jar in the fridge.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of cherry tomato jam contains approximately 220 kcal, 1 g of protein, 0.5 g of total fat (0 g of saturated fat), 0 mg of cholesterol, 55 g of carbohydrates, 53 g of sugars, and 40 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Cherry Tomato Jam Recipe
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 500 g of cherry tomatoes
- 200 g (1 cup) of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of oil
- ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- Garlic powder
- Fine salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Measure and set out all the ingredients before you start. Wash the cherry tomatoes well, cut them into quarters, and place them in a large pot with the oil. Heat over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Add the sugar and stir gently until dissolved. Add the ginger, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a pinch of garlic powder, salt, and pepper, stir again, and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes caramelize. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the jam to a sterilized glass jar and keep it refrigerated. Serve with fresh bread, toast, crackers, or a piece of warm brie.
Additional Tips
The spices are optional
Ginger, cinnamon, garlic, salt, and pepper are used in small amounts to add depth and contrast. Leave them out for a simpler jam focused on tomato and lemon.
Other tomatoes work
Ripe plum or Roma tomatoes have firm flesh and less water. Kumato tomatoes give a sweeter, more complex jam.
Let it set as it cools
The jam thickens as it cools, so do not overcook it trying to make it thick in the pot.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry tomatoes | Plum or Roma tomatoes | 500 g, peeled | Firm flesh, little water |
| Cherry tomatoes | Kumato tomatoes | 500 g | Sweeter, more complex |
| Brown sugar | White sugar | 200 g | Lighter color, less caramel |
| Ground ginger | Fresh grated ginger | 1 teaspoon | Brighter heat |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I store cherry tomato jam?
Let it cool to room temperature and keep it in a sterilized, tightly closed glass jar in the fridge. Always use a clean spoon so the rest of the jar stays fresh.
2. How long does tomato jam cook?
About 25 minutes over medium heat after adding the sugar, stirring now and then until the tomatoes look caramelized. Before that, the quartered tomatoes are sautéed for a couple of minutes with a teaspoon of oil.
3. Can I leave out the ginger, cinnamon, and garlic?
Yes, they are optional and used in small amounts for depth and contrast. Without them the jam is simpler and focused on tomato and lemon.
4. What do I eat cherry tomato jam with?
It goes well with fresh bread, toast, and crackers, and with a piece of warm brie, where its sweetness and acidity contrast with the creamy cheese.
Did You Know?
The cherry tomato, also called cocktail or grape tomato, is a small variety of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). It is usually red, but there are also orange, yellow, and green varieties.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
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- Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe
- Chilean Homemade Plum Jam Recipe
- Chilean Peach Jam Recipe
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