Tomato Chilli Jam

Tomato Chilli Jam is a sweet and spicy relish with a medium chilli punch. It is super delicious with cold meats and cheese or add it to sauces and casseroles for an extra kick.

Why should I make Tomato Chilli Jam?

Tomato Chilli Jam is really a very versatile relish that tastes incredible. It’s so easy to make because you whizz up the ingredients in your food processor or blender. Although it’s called a ‘jam’ you don’t need to find the setting point, just keep simmering until it is thick. Once you have made it you will want to make it again and again.

What does Tomato Chilli Jam taste like?

This Chilli Jam tastes sweet and sour with a delicious chilli heat. If you have ever bought Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce you will recognise the flavour profile. Although a lot of Chilli sauces don’t contain tomatoes, they bring a fruity flavour that really enhances the taste.

How hot is Chilli Jam?

This recipe is medium hot. It’s quite difficult to describe the heat level but you can definitely feel the chilli without it taking away all the taste of the jam. The heat level will, of course, depend on the chillies that you use.

Can I make my Chilli Jam milder or hotter?

Yes, you can either add more chillies or use a hotter variety of chilli to make the Chilli Jam more fiery. If you want to make a milder Tomato Chilli Jam then reduce the number of chillies in the recipe. I grew my chillies in the greenhouse but most supermarkets have the heat level on the packaging.

What ingredients do I need to make Tomato Chilli Jam?

Most of the ingredients you will need are easily available in the supermarket or grocery store. You may need to buy Thai Fish Sauce from an Asian grocery store or if you don’t have one nearby you can buy it online.

• Tomatoes
• Chillies
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh root ginger
• Thai fish sauce
• Sugar
• Red wine vinegar

What kind of tomatoes do I need?

I use two kinds of tomatoes in the Tomato Chilli Jam. I use canned plum tomatoes because they have an intense red colour and a good tomato flavour and give a good result.

In addition, I use fresh, ripe tomatoes, preferably a plum type of tomato as they have more flesh and less water. However, if you can’t get plum tomatoes then use ripe vine tomatoes of any kind.I grow tomatoes in my greenhouse and I froze some of my Roma plum tomatoes at the end of the season. I used those for this batch of chutney.

If you can’t get good ripe tomatoes then you can make the Tomato Chilli Jam with only canned tomatoes.

What kind of chillies should I use for the chilli jam?

There are many varieties of chilli and different chillies are available in different parts of the world. I use both red and green chillies in this recipe and they are all of medium heat. If you want to find out about the different heat levels of different varieties then this guide will help you.

What is fresh root ginger?

Ginger root is a rhizome, a thick underground stem that sprouts roots and shoots. Ginger originates from south-east Asia and ginger is part of the same family as turmeric. The ginger roots that we buy are harvested from the plants which then continue to grow. Fresh ginger root is available in most supermarkets as well as greengrocers and markets.

What is Thai Fish Sauce?

Thai Fish Sauce or Nam Pla as it is known in Thailand is made from a mixture of fish and salt that has been allowed to ferment for up to two years. Many fish sauces are made with anchovies but they can also be made from shrimp, krill, or mackerel.

What can I substitute for the fish sauce?

If you don’t have fish sauce then the nearest equivalent for this recipe is Worcestershire Sauce as this also contains anchovies. You can also buy vegetarian and vegan equivalents which are often made with seaweed.

What kind of sugar should I use in the Tomato Chilli Jam?

I use granulated white sugar for this recipe. There is no need to buy preserving sugar, standard cane or British Sugar Beet sugar is perfect for this preserve and is also inexpensive.

I don’t have red wine vinegar can I use another vinegar?

Yes, you can use another type of vinegar. I recommend that you use a milder vinegar such as wine or cider vinegar rather than malt vinegar. Non-brewed condiment that is sometimes sold as vinegar is not suitable for making preserves.

How much chilli jam does this recipe make?

This recipe makes approximately 4 x 380 ml (1lb) jam jars. The quantity may vary depending on how much the jam has reduced.

Can I make a larger batch of the jam?

I do not recommend that you make a larger batch of this Chilli Jam. Because there is high sugar content and this means with a larger quantity, there is a danger that the jam will ‘catch’ on the bottom of the pan and burn.

How should I store Tomato Chilli Jam?

I store my Tomato Chilli Jam in sealed sterilised lidded jars in a cool pantry for up to 9 months. After that time the quality will deteriorate a bit and the colour may fade but the jam will still be okay to eat. Once the jar is opened, store it in the fridge and eat within 3 weeks.

How do I sterilise jam jars?

• Carefully wash and rinse the glass jars and the metal lids
• Put the wet glass jars on a baking tray upside down.
• Put the baking tray and jam jars into the oven at 150C just as you start to make the jam. The water inside the jars will turn to steam which helps to sterilise the jars.
• Put the lids into a large heatproof jug or bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Drain and lay out the lids to dry on kitchen paper.
• When your jam is ready take the jars out of the oven and fill them with hot jam, then put on the lids.
• When the jars have cooled check that the lids are tight and tighten further if needed.

You can also sterilise your jam jars on a hot wash in the dishwasher

Do I need to water bath the jam once it is made?

No, as long as the jars are sterilised and sealed while the jam is hot, you don’t need to water bath this Chilli Jam.

Can I freeze Tomato Chilli Jam?

Yes, you can freeze it. However, unless you want to keep it for longer than 9 months, there is no real need. Cool the Tomato Chilli Jam as quickly as possible and store in sealed containers. Defrost in the fridge and use the defrosted jam within a week.

Vegetarian

The only ingredient not suitable for vegetarians is the Thai Fish Sauce. However, you can buy a vegetarian equivalent.

Gluten Free

There are no wheat products in Tomato Chilli Jam. Some Thai Fish Sauce is GF and some is not, so please check the label before using.

For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.

How should I serve Tomato Chilli Jam?

I like to serve Tomato Chilli Jam in lots of different ways. The first time I made this jam I had to hide the jars from my husband as he put it on everything! Here are some ideas for serving Tomato Chilli Jam:

• Serve on crackers with cheese and cold meats. it is particularly good with mild creamy cheeses such as Brie.
• Spread it on bread for sandwiches and toasted sandwiches with your favourite fillings.
• Top a salmon fillet with a teaspoon of Tomato Chilli Jam before grilling or baking in the oven.
• Tomato Chilli Jam is ideal to include in a stir-fry.
• Add a spoonful to a sauce or casserole for a little chilli heat and sweetness.
• Mix with mayonnaise and greek yogurt and serve as a dip.

More Chilli preserves

Pineapple Chilli Jam is a sweet and spicy relish with a similar combination of flavours to mango chutney. It’s really delicious served with cheese, burgers or curry.

Green Tomato Chilli Jam is a deliciously sweet and hot relish that’s easy to make. It’s the perfect way to use unripe green tomatoes and turn them into a preserve that adds spice to your meals and makes a great gift too!

Runner Bean Chutney with Tomato & Chilli is a sweet and chunky relish with a mild spicy heat. It’s a delicious way to spice up your meals as well as the ideal recipe for a glut of seasonal fruit and vegetables.

More Tomato Recipes

Simple Tomato Chutney Recipe

This Simple Tomato Chutney has a lovely sweet and sour flavour. It has no chilli or spices and is simply packed full of tomato flavour. It's an ideal way to preserve a glut of tomatoes and also makes a great gift.

Check out this recipe

Air Fryer Sun Dried Tomatoes Recipe

Air Fryer Sun Dried Tomatoes are delicious partly dehydrated tomatoes that you can store in olive oil or freeze to use later. It's so easy to make these tomatoes in your air fryer and a great way to preserve a summer abundance of tomatoes.

Check out this recipe

Courgette, Tomato and Basil Soup Recipe

Courgette Tomato and Basil Soup is a delicious blended soup that makes the best of summer courgettes (zucchini) and tomatoes. It's perfect to serve on rainy summer days or freeze it for when you crave a warming bowl full of summer flavours.

Check out this recipe

• Mango Date and Chilli Chutney – Kavey Eats
• The Best Chilli Sauce you will ever taste – Tin & Thyme
• Hot Chilli & Ginger Pickle – Kavey Eats
• Beetroot & Chilli Ketchup – The Veg Space 

PIN FOR LATER

Are we connected?

Stay in touch with everything that’s going on at Farmersgirl Kitchen.

Facebook  Pinterest  Instagram Twitter

Tomato Chilli Jam

Janice Pattie

Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chilli Jam is a tasty preserve which is easy to make,  add it to your buffet table or a spoonful in a sauce will add some pizazz!

3.75 from 27 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe BookmarkSaved!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, preserves

Cuisine Asian, British

Servings 48 portions

Calories 69 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lb) fresh ripe or frozen tomatoes
• 800 g (1.75 lb) canned plum tomatoes
• 4 (4) red chillies with their seeds
• 2 (2) green chillies with their seeds
• 10 (10) garlic cloves
• 110 grams (1 cups) fresh root ginger peeled and roughly chopped
• 80 millilitres (0.3 cups) Thai fish sauce
• 675 grams (3.3 cups) granulated sugar
• 200 millilitres (0.4 pt) red wine vinegar

Instructions

 

• 1 kg fresh ripe or frozen tomatoes
  Chop the whole fresh or frozen tomatoes into small dice and set aside.
  
• Cut off the stems and roughly cut up the chillies. Remove the skin and roughly chop the ginger. Peel the garlic cloves.
  
• 800 g canned plum tomatoes, 4 red chillies with their seeds, 2 green chillies with their seeds, 10 garlic cloves, 110 grams fresh root ginger, 80 millilitres Thai fish sauce
  Put the tinned tomatoes into the food processor with the chillies and their seeds, garlic, ginger and fish sauce and blitz into a fine puree.
  
• 675 grams granulated sugar, 200 millilitres red wine vinegar
  Spoon the puree into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan and add the sugar and wine vinegar. 
  
• Bring to the boil slowly, stirring as you go.  When it comes to the boil, turn down to a simmer and add the diced tomatoes.
  
• Skim off any foam that rises to the surface and cook gently for up to 1 1/2 hours, stirring from time to time, to prevent the mixture catching and burning. Scrape the sides of the pot too, so that everything cooks evenly. The mixture thickens as it cooks – as it reduces and the pectin in the tomatoes takes effect
  
• When the mixture seems thick to the stir of a wooden spoon.
  
• Use a ladle or jug to pour it into warm, sterilised jars and seal.
  

Video

Notes

Store in a larder or cool place, not the fridge, for up to 9 months.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 161mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 245IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg

Don’t Miss My Latest RecipesCLICK TO SUBSCRIBE NOW to join my newsletter list & receive a FREE ‘How To Adapt Recipes For Your Slow Cooker’ printable!

Share by Email

Recipe updated April 2022