Strawberry Jam
No canning needed! This is the easiest strawberry jam recipe you’ll ever make and the flavour is sweet, fruity, and bright. You only need 3 ingredients!
As much as I want to be that person who cans her own sauces and jams, at this point in my life, it’s just not in the cards. I have the time to make the sauces and jams, but mastering the canning process to preserve them—well, we’ll wait until my little one is no longer a toddler before we tackle that! So that’s why this strawberry jam is the EASY kind of jam that doesn’t need to be canned. Like my Homemade Refrigerator Pickles, you just store it in the fridge! The ingredients are simple, so the strawberry flavour really shines.
Why This Strawberry Jam Is My Favourite
There’s a lot to love about this simple strawberry jam recipe! Here’s what makes it so special.
- Super simple ingredients. You’ll only need strawberries, a lemon or lime, and sugar—that’s it! You don’t even need pectin for this recipe.
- No canning needed. As mentioned before, this jam doesn’t require any complicated canning process. Just make it and store it in the fridge!
- Fresh and bright flavour. Because it’s made without a lot of add-ins, this strawberry jam is bursting with fresh, fruity flavour that takes everything from Vegan Waffles to High-Protein Overnight Oats to the next level.
Notes on Ingredients
As promised, the ingredient list is short and sweet! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Strawberries – You can use fresh or frozen; if you use frozen berries, thaw them first.
- Lemon or lime – You’ll need both the zest and the juice. Zest the fruit before juicing it.
- Sugar – The amount of sugar is usually precise for jams that are canned because it helps with the preserving process, but the beauty of this refrigerator jam is that you can reduce the amount you use significantly—by up to half. Just don’t eliminate it all together because it does contribute to the jammy texture.
How to Make Strawberry Jam
You’ll find the full instructions for this strawberry jam recipe at the bottom of the page. Here’s a quick overview.
- Combine. Add the strawberries, zest and juice, and sugar to a pot set over medium-high heat. Mash it all together a bit.
- Cook. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring and mashing occasionally.
- Refrigerate. Once the jam reaches your desired thickness, taste it and adjust the ingredients as needed. Transfer to clean jars and store in the refrigerator.
Tips and Variations
Here’s how to make sure your strawberry jam turns out perfect—and some ideas to help you put your own spin on it.
- Add some herbs. Cook the strawberry jam with a sprig of fresh thyme, rosemary, or basil. (Don’t use dried!) Remove the herbs before storing. This will infuse your jam with lovely flavour and add a little complexity!
- Or try adding an extract. Almond extract or vanilla extract would be lovely. Alternatively, you can scrape the inside of a vanilla bean into the strawberry mixture, then toss the pod in the pot while the jam simmers. Discard the pod before storing.
- Use ripe, tasty strawberries. If your strawberries aren’t ripe and flavourful on their own, you won’t get a tasty jam. Make sure your berries are sweet and fragrant!
Serving Suggestions
I love smearing slices of toast made from my Japanese Milk Bread with this homemade strawberry jam! It’s also amazing swirled into Homemade Vegan Yogurt, spooned over this 2-Ingredient Blueberry Ice Cream, or slathered onto these Vegan Scones.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: This strawberry jam can be stored in airtight containers or mason jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: You can also freeze this jam for longer storage. Just make sure to leave some room at the top of your container for expansion, and thaw it in the fridge before using.
More Recipes With Strawberries
Enjoy friends! If you make this strawberry jam recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen (if fresh, remove tops. If frozen, thawed), 454 grams
- Juice of one large lime OR lemon, (about 2 tablespoons or 30 grams)
- Zest of one large lime or lemon
- 1 cup sugar, (feel free to use ½ this), 200 grams
Instructions
- Add the strawberries, lime or lemon, zest and sugar into a pot over medium high heat. Stir everything together and mash the entire mixture together.
- Let the mix come to a rolling boil and lower to medium low heat (to an active simmer). Continue to simmer for 30 minutes to reduce, stirring and mashing every few minutes and watching that the bottom isn’t caramelising or burning (lower heat if it is). Test your jam on a cold plate from the freezer – if it sticks and doesn’t immediately slide it’s ready. I cooked mine for an extra 10 minutes at this point.
- Once ready, turn off heat and let cool for a few (3-5) minutes. Taste test to see if you need more or less of anything. Scoop the jam into sterilised and dried mason jars to store. Enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator: This strawberry jam can be stored in airtight containers or mason jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: You can also freeze this jam for longer storage. Just make sure to leave some room at the top of your container for expansion, and thaw it in the fridge before using.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Strawberry Jam question – Sounds yummy. Can it be made in a crockpot?
Hi Shoshana,
You could definitely make it in a crock pot, with some key adjustments. Since a crock pot doesn’t reach the same temperatures as stovetop cooking, use the high setting to get the mixture hot enough to reduce properly. To allow for evaporation and proper thickening, keep the lid off once the mixture starts to bubble, otherwise too much moisture will stay in, and the jam may be too runny (you can always blend it a little at the end if it’s too liquid). On the stovetop, jam thickens quickly, but in a crock pot you’ll need 6-8 hours on low, then about 30 minutes on high with the lid off to reduce the liquid. Alternatively you could do 2-4 hours on high. Make sure you stir occasionally, to prevent sticking (every 30 minutes or so!).