Cherry Tomato Jam (Savory)
This is the best tomato jam recipe. It’s an easy recipe to make with simple ingredients and is the perfect plant based sandwich or toast spread. The balsamic vinegar and buttery flavor add a fun savory twist to this tomato jam spread that is great for adding to grilled cheese, serving atop a crostini as a party appetizer or on some simple grilled bread as part of a great breakfast. Any way you serve it, you won’t be able to stop eating it.
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Tomatoes tend to overwhelm me. I’ll be honest. There’s so many types, and all those seeds and the skin and fuss? Ugh, no thanks.
But the tiny ones? Those little cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes that are almost as sweet as candy but with a little tartness, I’m all about those!
They’re easy to grow (so T tells me), easy to use, and are packed with so much flavor. They are just the perfect tomatoes to use when making this easy and delicious balsamic tomato jam.
This simple recipe is my favorite way to use up any cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes I may have sitting in the refrigerator or growing in the garden during the summer months. It’s an amazing addition and the perfect accompaniment for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! There are SO many different uses for this savory jam.
So the next time you have a surplus of those little flavor gems, in your fridge or garden, make this savory tomato jam. Trust me when I say you will not be disappointed.
Bonus: It can even be frozen for later! Which is great for end of tomato season if you’re growing them yourself!
Why This is the Best Tomato Jam Recipe
- It’s so quick and easy to make. Just cut all the cherry or grape tomatoes in half and pop ‘em in the pot to cook!
- Versatile! Use this jam for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Use it for everything from a simple tomato jam grilled cheese to a great twist on traditional pizza sauce to a savory healthy breakfast spread on grilled rustic bread.
- The flavor in this cherry and sun-dried tomato spread is AMAZING. You will not be able to stop finding ways to use this wonderful recipe!
Tomato Jam Ingredients
You only need 7 simple ingredients to make our favorite cherry tomato jam:
- Vegan butter – This is optional but highly recommended. It adds a tomato garlic butter velvety vibe to the whole jam that you are just going to love!
- Ripe cherry tomatoes – halved
- Sun-dried tomatoes – I love adding some sun-dried tomatoes to our cherry tomato jam because they add an even bigger burst of flavor!
- Balsamic vinegar
- SPICES: garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper
Substitution Options for This Savory Jam
If you don’t have or can’t tolerate one of the above ingredients, here are our best substitution tips. Remember though, substituting any of the ingredients may lead to a varied degree of difference in the final product. Let us know in the comments if you try any subs and how they work out for you!
For the vegan butter: Feel free to replace the vegan butter with extra virgin olive oil or skip it entirely for an oil-free version.
Substitute for cherry tomatoes: Feel free to use grape tomatoes, or even smaller plum tomatoes, Roma tomatoes ,or Campari tomatoes. The type of tomato you choose is really important. Try smaller ripe tomatoes. You don’t want larger tomatoes that may be mealy and won’t have the same intensity of flavor.
For the sun-dried tomatoes: You could technically skip these if you want and use all fresh tomatoes. The flavor will be less intense, and you’ll need to cook the jam a little longer to achieve the desired consistency.
For the balsamic vinegar: You can use red wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar mixed with a little maple syrup or agave in lieu of balsamic vinegar. You could also add just a splash of dry red wine like a Sangiovese.
For the seasonings: Shake it up with your favorite seasonings! Add some simple onion powder, cayenne for heat, smoked paprika or chipotle for a smoky flavor, fresh or dried Italian herbs like oregano and basil, or try adding some of our chili seasoning for a fun twist!
Spicy Tomato Jam Recipe
For a spicy variation on this tomato jam, add a hot pepper like a true ripe jalapeno or smoky chipotle pepper before blending. If you don’t have the fresh peppers, you could also use canned chipotles, chipotle powder or cayenne and some red pepper flakes.
How to Make Tomato Jam (Easy)
Step 1: Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Then, add the remainder of the ingredients and stir.
Step 2: Allow the mixture to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Then, use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the tomatoes together.
Step 3: Finally, the heat to medium low, stir again, and cook uncovered for anywhere from 10-20 minutes. The amount of time you need to cook depends on how much water is in the tomatoes you use.
Remember to keep an eye on this as it cooks and stir frequently, making sure you scrape the bottom to avoid anything burning.
Savory Tomato Jam Uses
Serve this balsamic tomato jam either hot or cold! There are so many ways to use it. Here are a few of my favorites:
- On grilled crusty bread or sourdough toast for breakfast, lunch, or a snack.
- A pesto / tomato sandwich, like a Vegan Caprese Grilled Cheese
- Great sub for tomato sauce on a gourmet pizza or easy pizza roll-ups
- Right off the spoon! Yes, I’m serious!
- On a charcuterie board or vegan cheese board with our vegan goat cheese and some crostini
- Try this tomato jam for a great twist on vegan burgers or hot dogs
Still got more cherry tomatoes? One of our favorite dinner ideas with cherry tomatoes is this vegan one-pan feta pasta with cherry tomatoes.
How to Store This Cherry Tomato Recipe
In the fridge: Make sure you let the jam cool fully before transferring to an airtight container like a glass mason jar. Stored like this, it should be good for 7-10 days.
In the freezer: We suggest freezing this tomato jam in 2-Tbsp or 1/2-cup Souper Cubes for easy storage / defrosting. Stored properly, it can last for 5-6 months. To defrost, transfer to the fridge until thawed through completely and use within a week.
Make sure you let the finished jam cool fully if you’re freezing it. And if you’re freezing the jam in something glass like mason jars, remember to leave an inch or two of space at the top for the jam to expand. Otherwise, you’ll end up with broken jam jars and a big mess to clean up.
Tomato Jam FAQ
Everything! Seriously, there are SO many uses for tomato jam from a simple breakfast spread, to a party appetizer, as a great addition to vegan grilled cheese, or as the base to an upscale pizza or pasta sauce.
No! Though it can be used as a substitute for ketchup, tomato jam is FAR superior and complex in its flavor. You might just never use ketchup again.
Tomato jam is not quite the same as tomato chutney. Tomato jam tends to be a little sweeter and less chunky than chutney. Though some fruit chutneys can be sweet and a little smoother.
Our tomato jam is just made from fresh and sundried tomatoes, a little vegan butter and balsamic, and a few simple spices.
The best way to allow your tomato jam to thicken is to allow the liquid to evaporate on a low heat simmer until you reach the desired consistency.
More Tomato Recipes
- Vegan One Pan Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
- Healthy Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup
When you make this easy tomato jam recipe, we would just love to know how you used it!
Let us know what you thought by leaving a star rating and review in the comment section below. It helps more people like you find our recipes. Plus, we just love cheering you on!
Balsamic Tomato Jam
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter
- 2 heaping cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Start cooking the tomato jam: Melt the vegan butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Then, add the remainder of the ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook and mash the tomato jam: Cook on medium heat uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Then, use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the tomatoes together.
- Finish cooking the tomato jam: Stir again and turn the heat to medium low. Cook for 10-20 minutes uncovered, stopping to stir the mixture and scrape the bottom often. Cook until the tomato jam is thick and most of the liquid has cooked out.
- To serve and store this tomato jam: Serve this savory jam either hot or cold on grilled toast or a vegan grilled cheese or pizza. It's also the perfect breakfast with grilled slices of bread. Let the jam cool fully before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days or the freezer for up to 4 months.
Notes
- Both grape and cherry tomatoes can be used in this tomato jam recipe
- Dry red wine is a great substitute for the balsamic vinegar
- Feel free to play around with the spices and flavoring ingredients: Add some minced basil if it's summer and you have it fresh, sub fresh or minced garlic for the garlic powder, and try subbing smoked salt for the sea salt. This is a great trecipe to make your own!
- We love to freeze this tomato jam in our Souper Cubes silicone molds. I like the 2 Tbsp portions for defrosting for toast in the morning or the 1/2 cup to freeze a larger batch for weekly sandwich meal prep!
- Vegan butter substitute: Sub extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, or refined coconut oil for the vegan butter in this recipe. To make it oil-free, sub vegetable broth.
Nutrition
Watch our Sun-Dried Tomato Spread web story.
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