The Wimpy Vegetarian

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Spicy Red Pepper Jam

40 Comments

Red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and onions all come together in this spicy jam.

red pepper jam

Transforming summer vegetables into jam is great fun, and this is one I make every year. It's actually almost equal parts sweet red peppers and tomatoes, so technically I suppose it's a spicy red pepper-tomato jam. But whenever I make it, I'm more aware of the peppers and the heat from the garlic, so I tend to omit mention of tomatoes in the title. It feels misleading.

I actually got the recipe from a chef at an event I was running for the Marin Agricultural Land Trust. As part of the meal served that day, he and his restaurant staff at Nick's Cove whipped up some little goat burgers topped with this jam. Even though the event was centered on goats, with the rancher in attendance, the buzz that afternoon was all about this jam.

red pepper jam

There's a bit of prep work that can't be omitted or shortcut, I'll be honest. But squirrel away the time to do it and then just let it bubble on the stove until thickened. That one hour of prep time will reap the rewards of enough of this special jam to last a month.

I should also mention,  it packs heat from lots of garlic. If you want to cut back on that, go ahead. There's a lot of vinegar too, to balance the sugar. If you don't have sherry vinegar, which the recipe calls for, I've made it with apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar too, and haven't noticed any real difference.

red pepper jam
Print Recipe
3.68 from 31 votes

Spicy Red Pepper Jam

Red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and onions all come together in this spicy red pepper jam.
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr 45 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: red pepper jam
Servings: 24 tablespoons
Calories: 37kcal
Author: The Wimpy Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers finely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 3 large tomatoes 2 cups when grated
  • 5 cloves garlic minced (1 solidly packed tablespoon when minced)
  • 1/2 yellow onion finely chopped (2/3 cup when chopped)
  • 1 cup sherry vinegar
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 t freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/8 -1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Put a very wide-mouthed pot on the stove. I used a Le Creuset large casserole pot that's about 12" in diameter. This is important, otherwise the mixture won't boil down very well.
  • Cut the tomatoes in half and grate them on a rough grater to remove the skins. You should get about 2 cups grated tomatoes when done. Throw them the pot with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to an active simmer and cook until thick and syrupy (about 45 minutes).
  • The jam will thicken as it cools. Store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Notes

This is a spicy jam designed to be spread on soft cheese and crackers, or use it to top off turkey burgers or sausage.
Recipe makes 1 1/2 cups. Calories were calculated using the VeryWell Fit nutrition calculator for 24 servings (1 tablespoon each).

Nutrition

Calories: 37kcal

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Comments

  2. Stacy says

    This is my kind of jam, Susan! I can see what all the buzz was about. Never mind the cheese and crackers, just hand me the bowl and a spoon, please.

    Reply

  6. cheri says

    Hi Sue, this jam looks wonderful, love the color. The crackers look like they are the rain coast crackers. Wondering if you made those yourself?

    Reply

  14. Shaina says

    Red pepper jam is my jam. Sorry, had to do it. I absolutely love it…exactly how you served it in your picture. Crackers, cheese (goat is my preferred) and red pepper jam on top. YUM!

    Reply

  32. Mary @ Fit and Fed says

    Looks really good! And so do those rustic seeded crackers in your pictures! I like that it’s all stovetop with no actual canning. The one part of the recipe that intimidates me is grating the tomatoes, I’m wondering what that would actually be like in practice and whether the skin would just come off (and what would happen to the rest of the tomato, I can’t imagine it actually becoming grated). Well I guess there’s one way to find out, by giving it a try!

    Reply

  34. Missi says

    Yummy yummy….I did not have good fresh tomatoes, so I substituted canned tomatoes and blended slightly. I also substituted white wine vinegar. Turned out beautifully

    Reply

    • The Wimpy Vegetarian says

      It’s hands down my favorite jam I make all year. I make enough to last us all fall, winter and spring. The crackers are Trader Joe’s. They have seeds and dried fruit in them – they’re addictive!

      Reply

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