An easy, no-pectin red pepper jam recipe, that uses just a few ingredients and can be made in less than an hour! Great for sandwiches, to add to omelettes or as a glaze for chicken or other meat.
Why you’ll love this red pepper jam recipe
It’s harvest season and red peppers are at their lowest prices of the year, so now is a perfect time to make a small batch of Red Pepper Jam!
You are probably more familiar with red pepper jelly, but red pepper jam has all the same great flavour with less fuss, as this one needs no pectin and only needs a few common ingredients. As it is also a small-batch recipe (makes just 2 or 3 small jars), there is no need for canning with a hot water bath. Simply jar and refrigerate.
To make this easy jam, simply chop up the red peppers in a food processor. Soak for a few minutes, drain and then combine it with some sugar, vinegar, salt and red pepper flakes, if you’d like to add a little heat to your jam.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Red Peppers: You’ll need to start with 3 lbs. of sweet red bell peppers. I like to make use of the handy, hanging scales at the market to weigh out 3 lbs. worth. The specified weight is for the whole pepper, before coring and seeding.
White Sugar: I realize it’s always a bit shocking to see how much sugar goes into a jam, but remember that jam is a condiment, so we’re not going to be eating a jar in one sitting :) Sugar performs a critical function in jam-making in terms of setting the jam and prolonging the shelf/refrigeration life of the finished jam. Reducing the sugar significantly will compromise both the flavour and the quality of your finished jam.
White Vinegar: I typically use common white distilled vinegar, though I’ve been meaning to try this with cider vinegar, just to see how it is.
Red Pepper Flakes: I have experimented with adding hot peppers to my jam, in addition to the sweet peppers, to add a little heat to my jam. I’ve found jalapeño work, though it’s hard to control the heat and the green colour muddies the jam colour slightly. In the end, I’ve settled on using red pepper flakes, as it’s easier to control. Adding 1/8 tsp will give you very mild heat. You can increase from there, depending on how hot or not you’d like your jam. You probably don’t want to go much beyond about 1/2 tsp though.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to watch your cooking jam closely after about the first 20 minutes of cooking and stir regularly. As the mixture thickens, it has a tendency to settle to the bottom and subsequently will scorch if not stirred often.
- This jam must be kept refrigerated after making. As it is not canned, it is not shelf-stable.
- You can make a larger batch by doubling the recipe. If you’d like to can/hot water bath for longer storage, I suggest you seek out a smart-canning resource for guidance.
Making Easy Red Pepper Jam … in Pictures!
Core and seed your red peppers and place in a food processor. Pulse several times to finely chop the red peppers, until there are no large pieces in the mixture.
Place the chopped red pepper into a bowl and pour boiling water overtop. (You may want to use a larger bowl than I did ;). Let stand 15 minutes.
Drain the red pepper mixture well and add to a large saucepan.
Add the remaining jam ingredients and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring regularly, until thickened.
10 Ways to Use your Red Pepper Jam
- Mix with cream cheese and use on crackers, bagels, wraps or sandwiches.
- Add some as a condiment on your hamburgers.
- Use it to top crackers and cheese.
- Mix with sour cream and use as a dip.
- Add a little along with the cheese in an omelette.
- Spoon some on a log of goat cheese for a quick and easy appetizer.
- Spread some on an fried egg sandwich, with spinach.
- Use as a glaze for chicken wings, chicken breasts or other meat.
- Add a dollop on cornbread or biscuits.
- Add a spoonful to your stir fry!
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs. sweet red bell peppers, about 6 peppers
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Start 3 cups of water to boil.Core and seed red peppers and cut into large chunks. Place in a food processor. Pulse until no large chunks remain. Remove to a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes, then drain well.
- Add drained red pepper puree to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add sugar, vinegar, salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until mixture boils, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring regularly to start, then watching and stirring more regularly towards the end of cooking to avoid scorching on the bottom, until mixture is thickened, about 40-45 minutes. (Mixture will thicken further in the fridge).
- Prepare three one-cup capacity jars by cleaning well.
- When jam is ready, spoon into prepared jars and allow to cool 15 minutes uncovered. Place lids on jars, just finger tight and place in the refrigerate for 6-8 hours, before using.
Notes
More Jam Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
This has been my go-to recipe for red pepper jam! We initially tried a red pepper jam chicken meal from Hello Fresh and decided to try it on my own from scratch. My 3rd time making it and always turns out perfectly! Love that it can be stored in the fridge and makes my dinner prep so easy for the family. My husband actually requests it quite a bit so that’s a win on its own. Thank you!
I’m so glad you are all enjoying it, Gaea :) Thanks so much!
Can’t wait to try this! I’ve canned red pepper jelly before and this sounds so much easier! We use red pepper jelly on grilled cheese sandwiches with old,old cheese! The sweet and salty combo is sooo good! Thanks Jennifer!
Enjoy Lola and yes, it is a much easier process than jelly, for sure (and yes to that grilled cheese, too :)
I would like to make this..but can you first tell me what is meant by short term use ? How long can it be kept in the fridge? Thank you so much
Hi Diane, it will keep in the fridge for several months and maybe longer. The “short term” was just a reference to being shorter than if it was canned and shelf-stored.
Thank you so much for your quick response…just one more question..can I put one cup in a mason jar that us really for 1 1/2 cups or does it have to be an exact 1 cup jar ? Thank you so very much
Hi Diane, I find the more air in a jar, the quicker the contents spoil. So if you start with it half empty, it may not last quite as long. It doesn’t have to be 1 cups jars, it should just be any jar (or jars) that you can pretty much fill up.
Had an abundance of yellow, orange and red bell peppers from the garden so tried this recipe. Turned out so well I made 5 more batches and gave them as gifts. I used 3 small red jalepenos in place of the red pepper flakes in each batch and canned in a hot water bath for longer term keeping.
So glad to hear, Vicky! It makes lovely gifts. Thanks so much :)
I am curious how long you processed because I have made red pepper jam a few decades, slightly different recipe, and used the old flip and seal method. I would like to do a bath canning method, but I don’t know where to find how long I should process. I would love your advice!
Can you use green in place of the red pepper
I suppose you could, Delores, though I think the flavour would be quite significantly different and maybe not in a good way.
Hello! I just tried this recipe and it tastes delicious, however it is more of a candied concoction rather than a jam. I’ve bottled it and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours and now it’s hard as a rock. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Again, it’s SO delicious, I just can’t get the consistency right. Thank you!
Hi Maddie, the only thing I can think of is that you boiled it too long or at too high a temperature, so that all the moisture cooked out of it.
What is the purpose of having the pepper chunks sit in boiling water? Can’t you use them as-is?
The chunks don’t sit in the boiling water, the puree does. The soaking then draining process removes some of the bitterness that can come along with red peppers.
Great easy recipe added all the straggler fruit and a cheese cloth with whole cloves…. nice sweet and sassy flavor. Perfect in place of spiced apples with main dishes. Thanks 😊
So glad you enjoyed it, Carolyn :) Thanks so much!
I made this today! got a bag of bell peppers on sale and had to find something to do with them. I scaled it down since I only had a pound of peppers, but it worked perfectly. Added 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with the white, and used cider vinegar. It’s delicious! sweet, slightly spicy, rather vegetal. I think it’s going on an egg sandwich for breakfast in the morning. thanks for sharing the recipe!
Sounds lovely, Lisa :) Enjoy!
I am! I put it on the egg sandwich at breakfast, and a black bean burger for lunch :) Oh, also, the hot water left after I drained the puree tasted so good I dubbed it pepper broth, put it in the fridge, and made soup for supper out of it. lol! Sharing the recipe link around to friends who ask.
Nice! Love the “pepper broth” idea. It never occurred to me to use it. I’ll be saving it next time I make it :)
Thanks for the idea to save the pepper broth. That’s exactly what I was wondering. I imagine pectin would be needed to make jelly from the juice. However, I like the soup idea a lot.
Came out perfect the first time!!! I substituted jalapeno peppers for the red pepper flakes…gonna be soooooo good on…whatever I can find!!!
So glad to hear, Lisa :) Thanks so much!
This jam looks delicious Jennifer! I’m imagining enjoying this with some warm brie and crusty bread for dinner on a Friday night! And love that it’s no fuss!
I love homemade jams Jennifer. And red pepper jam happens to be one of my faves. Perfect for a cheeseboard! Pinned!
Thanks so much Mary Ann and yes, I love to have it in the fridge, too :)
This is my kind of recipe! This jam has such a gorgeous color and it’s so easy- I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for all the great ideas for enjoying it too. So glad you can freeze it; make it now for use during the holidays!
Thanks Tricia and yes, great to have on hand :)
Hi Jennifer, I’m a big fan, can’t wait to try this recipe. One thing as of late your recipes don’t print on only one page anymore. That was one big thing that I loved about printing your recipes.
Is there anyway you can go back to your old format??? Thanks
Hi Gabriela and thanks so much for letting me know! I never print my own recipes, so hadn’t noticed. I’m on it and will hopefully be able to get it back to one page :)
Hi again :) I have switched the print template to the side-by-side version, which should pretty much always fit within one page when printed. Just a quick question, since you use the printing function, do you want the thumbnail image on the print version or do you prefer not to have it ?
Hi Jennifer….this looks wonderful…..do you think once bottled and cooled it could be frozen?
Carol
Hi Carol and yes, it should do just fine if frozen, as well.