This quick and easy 3 ingredient chia strawberry jam recipe is packed with fruity goodness…all without sugar or pectin! It’s healthy, easy and so delicious spread on toast in the morning with a cup of tea or coffee.
I distinctly remember a time as a very young girl, when I ate an half a jar of my grandmother’s homemade jam all to myself. With a spoon. Berry jam recipes have always been a favorite treat of mine and in some ways my ultimate comfort food.
Of course, I don’t find all the simple carbohydrates in jam recipes very comforting. In fact, eating jam on toast can contain as much sugar as a slice of pie! Plus, without any healthy fats or protein it’s basically a blood sugar disaster waiting to happen.
Thankfully I found a way to enjoy fresh jam without getting line for the blood sugar roller coaster. It’s stacked with healthy fats. It has zero added sugar (not even natural sweeteners). Enter: my chia seed jam recipe.
Why I love this recipe:
- This chia strawberry jam recipe uses chia seeds to thicken the fruit puree to create a texture so similar to jelly without pectin and without sugar.
- It doesn’t have any added sugar and the chia seeds add in healthy fats to mitigate blood sugar spikes from the fruit!
- This recipe is super quick and easy to make. Regular jams can take a while and be complicated with all the different steps. The chia seeds make thickening this jam super fast and simple!
- This jam can be used in so many fun ways! Enjoy it on gluten-free toast, on top of paleo oatmeal or drizzle on dairy-free ice cream for a treat!
Chia Strawberry Jam Recipe Tips:
- When you cook down and mash the berries it’s up to you how thick or pureed you want your jam. If you want more thick chunks of berry just use a fork to mash it roughly. If you prefer a smooth puree, you a stick blender to puree it.
- The chia seeds are a crucial part of this recipe and cannot be substituted.
- You can substitute any other berries in place of strawberries for this recipe. I like to use frozen fruit like blueberries, strawberries and raspberries for this recipe, because freezing causes the cell walls to rupture leading to a much softer fruit. However, you can use fresh fruit, just cook it down well.
- This jam will last about a week in the refrigerator. The lemon juice helps to preserve it longer, but since it’s all natural and doesn’t have added preservatives it won’t last as long as store bought jams.
How to Make this Chia Strawberry Jam Recipe:
First gather your 3 ingredients including berries, chia seeds and lemon.
Add the berries to a saucepan and cover.
Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally for about 14 minutes.
Use a fork to mash into a thick puree then remove from heat.
Add the chia seeds to the fruit puree and stir.
Then add in the lemon juice and stir.
Let it sit for about 15 minutes for it to thicken and gel.
Let cool and store in the refrigerator.
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This quick and easy 3 ingredient chia strawberry jam recipe is packed with fruity goodness...all without sugar or pectin! It's healthy, easy and so delicious
- 2 cups frozen berries
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- juice of half lemon
- Add frozen berries to a small saucepan. Place on medium heat and cover, stirring occasionally for about 14 minutes.
As the berries cook, they will break down. Use a fork to mash into smaller pieces, eventually it will become a thick puree. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the chia seeds, mixing well to evenly distribute the seeds. Add lemon juice and stir well.
- Let stand for at least 15 minutes to gel. Cool and store in the fridge for a few days or freeze. Enjoy on gluten-free toast or on top of paleo oatmeal.
Recipe Video
- When you cook down and mash the berries it's up to you how thick or pureed you want your jam. If you want more thick chunks of berry just use a fork to mash it roughly. If you prefer a smooth puree, you a stick blender to puree it.
- The chia seeds are a crucial part of this recipe and cannot be substituted.
- You can substitute any other berries in place of strawberries for this recipe. I like to use frozen fruit like blueberries, strawberries and raspberries for this recipe, because freezing causes the cell walls to rupture leading to a much softer fruit. However, you can use fresh fruit, just cook it down well.
- This jam will last about a week in the refrigerator. The lemon juice helps to preserve it longer, but since it's all natural and doesn't have added preservatives it won't last as long as store bought jams.
About the Author Ashley Sauvé
Ashley Sauvé is a Certified Nutritionist and Wellness Chef based in Toronto. She is the blogger behind Ashley Sauve Health. Her areas of expertise include: women’s health and hormone balancing diets, eating for autoimmunity, anti-inflammatory diets, gluten-free living, elimination/hypoallergenic diets, weight loss and metabolic balance, eating for energy and immunity and ancestral nutrition.
This recipe was originally published in February of 2017 but has be republished in March of 2019 to include updated photos. Recipe by Ashley Sauve, photography by Hannah Healy.
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Can you use fresh berries and bypass the cooking?
You can use fresh berries, but you’ll still need to cook it down, it’ll just be faster.
I love the idea of this combination. The chia seeds look really nice in the jam too! Yum!
I have a similar recipe that I make using chia seeds. This homemade jam is so much healthier than anything store bought and would make such a wonder gift to give any time of the year.
Nothing beats homemade jam!
I am looking for a healthy jam/jelly recipe to can and give as gifts. Have you ever canned this recipe before?
Might you know the shelf life?
Not sure, but I would guess about a week or so.
Can I make this jam with any fruit or just berries?
This recipe has only been done with berries, so I don’t know how it would turn out with other fruit.
Simply cannot wait to show this to Phillip. He is going to love it. Always going on about jams. Anyways, thanks again!