Tomato jam is an excellent and versatile condiment to add to your repertoire. You can use it in sandwiches, on “carrot dogs” (as a replacement for ketchup), in your buddah bowls and so on. You could quite possibly use this sauce in place of tomato paste too. It’s really healthy too, containing vegetables, chia seeds, and apple cider vinegar – with no additives unhealthy additions like salt or sugar. As such, this recipe is salt, oil, and sugar free (SOS free).
The main task is reducing the ingredients down on the stovetop. You want to reduce the moisture from the tomatoes so the jam is thick and flavorful. This takes a bit of time and stirring. However, the result is worth it. This recipe yields so much jam you will probably want to freeze some for later.
Basic Tomato Jam with Chia Seeds
Ingredients
- 4 cups tomato diced
- 1/3 cup onion diced
- 2/3 cup apple diced
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor, or dice into chunks.
- Dice or food process the apples and onions.
- Add the tomatoes, apples, and onions to a large pot on the stove, and simmer until most juices evaporate (this could take up to an hour, it depends on the water content in your tomatoes).
- Once liquids are reduced, add the apple cider vinegar and chia seeds and stir well.
- Let cool in a glass bowl or jar, and then refrigerate or freeze once cool.
Notes
The jam will thicken a bit in the fridge as the chia seeds gelatinize. You can also adjust the consistency by adding or reducing the amount of chia seeds you use (for instance, if the jam doesn’t thicken enough for your liking overnight, you can always add some more the next morning). This tomato jam will keep for about 5 days or so in the fridge. As with any tomato-based product, don’t push it too much (tomatoes are unsafe if they turn).
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