3-Ingredient Strawberry Chia Jam
I love making this strawberry jam on weekends and serving it up with these vegan waffles. But it’s so versatile that I started making bigger batches and storing it in little jars in the fridge so I have it on hand as a topping for all sorts of things!
Spread it on toast, spoon it over pancakes, dish it up on some ice cream, mix it in with yogurt, swirl it into lemonade to make strawberry chia lemonade… you can use this strawberry jam in so many ways. Here’s how it’s done.
Frozen vs. Fresh Strawberries
If you have fresh strawberries on hand, you’re welcome to use them in place of frozen strawberries in this recipe. I chose frozen for several reasons.
- Frozen strawberries are available all year long.
- I always have bags of frozen strawberries in my freezer for smoothies and recipes like this!
- Frozen strawberries are often picked when they’re perfectly ripe and frozen right away as compared to fresh strawberries that are typically picked early so they won’t go bad on the journey to the grocery store and then to your kitchen.
- Frozen strawberries are usually less expensive than fresh strawberries.
- Whenever I buy fresh strawberries, there’s a good chance at least one will get moldy (so frustrating—I despise food waste!)
Ingredient Notes
- Chia seeds: Chia seeds come dry, but when you add them to liquid, they absorb it. Chia seeds can actually absorb 12 times their weight, and become gelatinous, which is why they make an excellent egg replacer in baked good recipes. In this recipe, they help thicken up the sweet strawberry sauce and create that jelly-like jam vibe.
- Granulated Sugar: The granulated sugar adds sweetness to the jam and helps balance the tartness of the strawberries.
- Frozen Strawberries: Using frozen strawberries is a convenient option for making jam, as they are typically picked and frozen at peak ripeness, ensuring optimal flavor and sweetness. Feel free to use fresh if that’s what you have on hand.
How To Make
Sure, store-bought jam will last longer in the fridge. But friends, I promise you, nothing compares to the fresh stuff! The smell as the strawberries soften on the stove is divine. This strawberry chia jam is a delightful way to feel like a homesteading pro without much effort at all.
If you’re a lover of strawberries, I hope you’ll give this a try. Who knows, it just may become a staple in your home as it has in mine!
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- As the strawberries soften, use a fork or potato masher to mash them to your desired level of chunkiness.
- Once done, remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the strawberry chia jam to an airtight glass container, such as a small mason jar, for storage in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can serve the jam immediately over waffles or pancakes.
Serving Suggestions
Strawberry and lemon go hand in hand so why not serve a spoonful of this jam over vegan lemon custard? Or use it as a topping for some creamy banana soft serve or strawberry coconut ice cream.
For your next brunch gathering, use it as a topping for incredible blueberry pancakes or some vegan waffles with a glass of fresh strawberry juice to round it all out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chia seeds are teeny tiny, but they’re packed with nutrients—including vegan essentials like Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and calcium. They are also high in fiber and protein and antioxidants, and many other nutrients to keep your body healthy and happy.
Yes, chia seeds can be used as a natural thickening agent in place of pectin in certain recipes, particularly for making jams and jellies. Chia seeds contain soluble fiber, which forms a gel-like consistency when mixed with liquids, similar to the effect of pectin.
If your jam is runny, add 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds to it and mix well. Let the jam sit for 30 minutes to an hour. You can also heat the jam gently on the stovetop to speed up the thickening process. If it’s still too runny you can add more chia seeds and repeat until desired thickness is achieved.
Strawberry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce bag frozen strawberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Instructions
- In a small pot over medium heat, add all the ingredients and boil gently, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly. As the strawberries soften, using a fork or potato masher, mash them to to achieve your preferred amount of “chunkiness.”
- Remove from heat and store in an air-tight glass container (such as a small mason jar) in the refrigerator, or serve immediately atop waffles or pancakes.
Video
Nutrition
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Leave a Comment
Best jam ever!!! We make this recipe all the time!
Looks and sounds delicious but I stopped eating sugar as well as animals and their secretions so what can you suggest as an alternative to granulated sugar?
Do you use coconut sugar? That could work! I imagine maple syrup or agave nectar could work too. You can even just leave out the sugar altogether, you just may need to adjust the strawberries-to-chia-seed ration a tiny bit—and of course it won’t be as sweet. But strawberries are delicious nonetheless! -Michelle 🙂
I agree N03L! We DON’T do SUGAR either… Could we use STEVIA? or another alternative sweetener?
Hope someone has IDEAS!!! I wanna MAKE THIS! 🙂
Hi Chari! I don’t have enough experience with Stevia to know if it would work well in this, but you can certainly substitute coconut sugar, and maple syrup or agave nectar would probably work fine too (although I haven’t tested it yet). If you try it with stevia, please do report back and let us know how it went! – Michelle
This recipe is amazing! My kids are jam obsessed and this is a great way to reduce the cost of buying it regularly and adding some healthy omega 3’s into their diet. Plus, it’s yum! Thank you, Michelle! 🙂
Dying to hear what you think of this recipe!! I love it. Nothing beats the flavor of strawberries. Yum yum yum.