Made using fresh juicy strawberries and no pectin, this delicious homemade strawberry jam comes together in under 30 minutes. Make a big batch, freeze and use the entire year (vegan, gluten-free).
You can also try my Mango Jam and Peach Rosemary Jam if you are looking to make your weekday breakfast even better.
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About This Recipe
Made using fresh strawberries, lime juice, sugar, and vanilla extract, this one-pot homemade strawberry jam recipe is super easy to pull together. It has a sweet and tangy taste and you can choose to make it smooth or chunky, just the way you like it.
Homemade strawberry jam is vegan and gluten-free and this recipe yields approximately 2 cups of jam. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you want to make a big batch.
Although strawberry jam is easily available in the market, I prefer to make it at home because
- Hoemmade jam is made using high quality ingredients.
- It is free of preservatives, colors and any other checmicas.
- There is no pectin added to it.
- It is super easy to make.
Ingredients
You need just 4 ingredients (no pectin) to make this homemade strawberry jam – strawberries, lime juice, sugar, and vanilla extract.
Strawberries – While choosing strawberries, see that they are bright and red and don’t have black and mushy marks.
Sugar – I try to use organic sugar in my cooking which is slightly brown in color. But you can choose any sugar that is available to you. Do not reduce the amount as we need it to set the jam.
Lime juice – Make sure you use freshly squeezed lime juice as it gives the best flavor. Lime juice is a natural pectin source that helps to set the strawberry jam and also helps prevent the growth of bacteria.
Vanilla – I have used vanilla extract here, but you can also go for the fresh vanilla bean.
How To Make Homemade Strawberry Jam
Preparation
Start by pureeing the strawberries. I took approximately 1 pound (500 grams) of berries that gave me 2 cups of puree.
Wash the strawberries well to remove any dirt. Chop off the top with the green leaves using a sharp paring knife. Cut the strawberries into quarters and add them to the medium jar of a blender. Blend to make a smooth puree.
Note – If you like chunky jam, then instead of pureeing the strawberries, cut them into small pieces.
Note – I made a small batch but you can easily double or triple the recipe if you want to make a bigger batch.
Add the strawberries puree, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoon lime juice to a medium-size non-stick pan.
Note – Add a little lemon zest for a refreshing burst of flavors.
Cook on medium heat till the jam thickens to the desired consistency, approximately 20-25 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals. If the mixture is spluttering too much, cover the pan with a lid.
To check if it has cooked to the perfect consistency, do a plate test. Take ½ teaspoon of jam on a plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes. If it sets properly, it is ready.
If you have a candy thermometer, check the temperature. It should reach 220 degrees F (100 degrees C) when it’s ready to set.
If not, cook it for another 5-10 minutes. Repeat the test again to check if it’s done. Do not overcook otherwise the jam will harden on cooling.
Once the strawberry jam has cooked to the right consistency, remove the pan from heat and transfer it into a clean glass jar. Refrigerate for up to 2 months and use as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the mixture is not cooked enough, the jam will not set properly. This is the only tricky part of this recipe. To make sure the jam is cooked enough, after 20-25 minutes of cooking, take ½ teaspoon of cooked jam on a plate and refrigerate for 3-4 minutes.
If it sets, you can stop cooking and remove the pan from heat. If it doesn’t set, you need to cook it for a few more minutes and then repeat the testing process until the jam sets on the plate.
To make this NO COOK strawberry freezer jam, pulse 2 cups of chopped strawberries until chopped into very small pieces. Add 4 cups of granulated sugar and mix well.
Heat ¾ cup water and 1 box (1 ¾ Oz. Size) SURE-JELL Premium Fruit Pectin in a pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour the pectin mixture over the strawberries and mix well until sugar dissolves.
Pour the jam into clean glass jars. Close the lid and refrigerate for up to 3 months or freeze for up to a year.
Variations
You can add other fruits and ingredients to this basic recipe and make variations of this jam. I like to add blueberries, peach, Jalapeno, Habanero, rhubarb, etc for a taste change.
You can also add chia seeds to this jam.
Serving Suggestions
This jam is a quintessential, soothing accompaniment that you can pair up with toast or bread and butter. I love slathering it over pancakes and waffles, it tastes marvelously good.
You can fill it inside the cupcakes or use it for layering the cakes.
Top it over plain or vanilla yogurt, ice cream, or even on breakfast parfaits. You can also top it over my slow cooker steel cut oats or instant pot oatmeal.
It also makes for a great holiday gifting option.
Storage Suggestions
Strawberry jam is best stored in clean glass jars. Refrigerate it for upto 2 months. Use a clean spoon or knife to take out the jam from the jar.
You can also freeze the jam. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to a year. Make sure to leave some space at the top of the jar for the expansion. Once ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use it as desired.
If you are good with canning, this recipe can be easily canned. If the canning is done perfectly, you can store it for up to 1 year over the shelf.
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Recipe Card
Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberry puree (approx 1 pound (500 g) of strawberries)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Add the strawberries puree, sugar, vanilla extract, and lime juice to a medium-size non-stick pan.
- Cook on medium heat till the jam thickens to the desired consistency, approximately 20-25 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals while cooking. If the mixture is spluttering too much, cover the pan with a lid.
- To check if the jam has cooked to the perfect consistency, do a plate test. Take ½ teaspoon of jam on a plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes. If it sets properly, it is ready.
- If you have a candy thermometer, check the temperature. It should reach 220 degrees F (100 degrees C) when it’s ready to set.
- If not, cook it for another 5-10 minutes. Repeat the test again to check if it’s done. Do not overcook otherwise the jam will harden on cooling.
- Once it has cooked to the right consistency, remove the pan from heat and transfer the jam into a clean glass jar. Refrigerate for up to 2 months.
Manjula Bharath
wow such an flavorful and delicious jam 🙂 looks superb !!
Food to Fitness
You have a great blog. Every time I come across it I am inspired to cook. Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
Akshaya Kakodkar
Hi Neha..tried the strawberry jam and never knew that it is so easy to make…thanks s ton!!! However, looks like i cooked it for ittle longer than expected because it hardened a bit after freezing. Next time will I will try by keeping it little slimy!!..Thanks again
Neha
Wow. Akshaya. I am glad the recipe worked for you. And thnx for sharing your experience. That helps in improving the recipes on the blog.
Romika
Hey Neha, can you please suggest a recipe for orange jam?
PRANITA DESHPANDE
fantastic food .
Wayne
I’ve made about a dozen batches (8cups each batch) and have never been able to reach the 220*F. But with the 25 minutes of boiling I get a nice set. And wow how tasty.