Nothing captures the flavor of summer like this recipe for Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes. This recipe can be made with either lemon juice or white balsamic vinegar for a bright and sophisticated twist on a classic. And although I love making this recipe when fresh strawberries are in season, you can easily whip up a batch any time of year using frozen berries.
I love combining the flavors of fruit with herbs we might typically think of as savory. Strawberry and basil are a delightfully natural flavor combination. Another favorite is thyme in combination with blueberries in my Easy 20-Minute Thyme Infused Blueberry Sauce. The addition of thyme adds beautiful herbal notes to this sauce, which is delicious served on everything from ice cream to waffles. And it’s absolutely dreamy served over a slice of gluten free lemon cornmeal cake.
As for this Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes, my favorite way to enjoy it is on a perfectly toasted English muffin with a lovely cup of coffee on the side.
Jump to RecipeReady for this jelly?
OK, it’s technically a recipe for jam, but how often do you naturally get to work in a pop culture song reference so easily? But in all seriousness, perhaps this would be an appropriate time for a recap of the nuances between jellies, jams, preserves and a couple other spreadable favorites. Here’s the breakdown in simplest terms:
- Jelly is made from strained fruit juice and has a gelatinous texture
- Jam contains the pulp of mashed fruit. It’s characteristically softer and more spreadable than jelly.
- Preserves contain larger chunks of fruit that have been cut up, not mashed like Jam. The consistency is looser and spoonable.
- Marmalade is usually made from citrus fruits and often contains bits of rind or zest. The consistency is closer to that of jam.
- Fruit Butter is typically lower in sugar than jams and jellies because it relies on a longer cooking time instead of sugar to thicken the mixture. Fruit butter is thicker, smoother and spreads easily.
This recipe for Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 minutes calls for mashing the fruit and utilizes a combination of powdered pectin and sugar to thicken the cooked mixture to a consistency that is slightly gelatinous, but still easily spreadable. Check out this quick process video on my MOstly Bakes YouTube Channel and don’t forget to subscribe: https://youtube.com/shorts/8ZlWLOYJnd0.
Powdered Pectin for the win in this recipe for Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes
Everyone has their favorites and some recipes work better with certain ingredients than others. Although I use liquid pectin for other jelly and jam recipes, I like powdered pectin for this Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes.
Because powdered pectin needs more time to activate, it’s added at the beginning of the cooking process when the fruit is still cool and uncooked. Whereas, liquid pectin is added at the end of the cooking process and only requires a few short minutes to fully activate.
You may be wondering, “Why bother with the powdered pectin at all?” Powdered pectin keeps this recipe for Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes ridiculously simple. Everything goes into the pot at once – with only the sugar added at the end of the cooking cycle. This takes away all the guesswork of determining when the fruit mixture is ready for the liquid pectin to be added.
Another reason I like to keep powdered pectin on hand is how easy it is to use in small batch recipes. Liquid pectin comes in 6-ounce packages, but you may not always need a full packet of pectin if you’re processing a small batch of jam. This recipe for Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes produces two pint-size jars of jam and uses only one pound of fruit. Powdered Pectin is my go-to for small batch recipes such as this.
It also has a longer shelf life than its liquid counterpart. In a tightly sealed container, powdered pectin will last for up to two years. Since I like to make this Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes in small batches throughout the year, I like the ease of having the powdered pectin on hand. However; for either type of pectin, it’s important to adhere to the expiration dates as the product loses it’s ability to properly gel over time.
If you’re interested in learning more about canning in general and the nuances of pectin use, check out this great resource on How and When to use Liquid or Powdered Pectin.
Easy Strawberry Basil Jam in 15 Minutes
Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy2
pint jars10
minutes5
minutesThe last strawberry jam recipe you’ll ever need. Simple, elegant and rich on flavor.
Ingredients
1 pound strawberries, cleaned and hulled (you can use fresh or frozen strawberries that have been thawed)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice or white balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. classic powdered pectin (not the low-sugar kind)
2 tsp. fresh basil, cleaned, patted dry and minced
1 cup white granulated sugar
Directions
- Measure out 1 cup of sugar and set aside.
- Add strawberries to a 5-quart, heavy-bottom sauce pan. Using a hand-held potato masher or the back of a measuring cup, gently mash the berries, leaving some chunkier pieces. Overall, you want pieces of fruit no larger than the size of a nickle.
- Add the lemon juice, salt, powdered pectin and basil to the mashed strawberries and stir to combine.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the fruit mixture to a rolling boil. Once the jam has reached the boil, add the sugar and continue to boil the fruit mixture for approximately 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Remove from heat and transfer to two sterilized pint-size jars. Seal and transfer to the refrigerator to cool and set. Jam will be fully set and ready to eat within 24 hours.
See the notes section below for how to quickly sterilize jam jars using the microwave. - Store unopened jam in the refrigerator for up to one year. An opened jam jar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Notes
- *****THIS TECHNIQUE IS FOR USE WITH GLASS JARS ONLY. NEVER PLACE METAL LIDS, RINGS OR METAL OF ANY KIND IN A MICROWAVE***** How to quickly sterilize glass jam jars using the microwave. Wash your two jam jars using hot, soapy water. Rinse completely, but do not dry them. Place wet jam jars in the microwave on high for 30 – 45 seconds. this creates a steam clean effect and is gentler on your jars and the microwave. Using a clean kitchen towel or oven mitt, remove the hot jars from the microwave and fill promptly. Be careful not to touch the inside of the jars when removing them from the microwave. You want the inside to remain sterile. Fill and process according to the recipe.
