Enjoy some wonderful tropical flavors on your toast with this easy mango jam. It is quick to make, has a wonderful sweet flavor and is the perfect way to enjoy mango season that bit longer.
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Mango has long been one of my favorite fruits, and one I am always excited to see come in to season. Thankfully now that more varieties are available, it seems, there are more seasons since they peak at different times. Different varieties also have different qualities, such as sweetness, texture and flavor.
While I love eating chunks of the fruit just as it is, I have made a number of recipes incorporating mango as well, with favorites including my coconut mango scones, no bake mango cheesecake parfait and mango margarita.
Is mango good for making jam?
You can make jam with pretty much any fruit, but some fruits need more help than others to set. Sugar definitely plays its part in helping the jam set, but the other part is pectin. You can add it in the process, but personally I usually rely on naturally-occuring pectin.
Mango is relatively low in pectin so needs a little help. Thankfully, mango also pairs well with citrus which is a great way to increase the pectin level. You could use other citrus, but I think lime goes particularly well and so I have used some lime juice and zest in this.
Tips for making this jam
This is pretty quick and easy to make, but a few tips:
- Choose mangoes that are ripe but not overly ripe, and ideally a variety that has less stringiness.
- If the mangoes are stringy, try to remove the larger strings. Ideally, you don't want any stringiness at all, so you may want to blend and strain the jam after making.
- Cut the mango into a small dice as despite what you might think, the fruit doesn't break down all that much as it cooks.
How long does it keep?
As with any jam, the answer is partly down to the ingredients and partly how you keep it. Sugar acts as a preservative, as well as adding to the flavor, so lower sugar or chia jams generally don't keep as well as more traditional jams with higher sugar.
That said, I prefer lower sugar if possible, and this is on the lower side compared to some jams. So how long it keeps is more down to how you can it and keep it. I prefer to keep open jams in the fridge to last longer and they will keep a week or two at least like this.
If canned properly, an unopened jar of jam should keep a number of months, which helps you enjoy that lovely flavor longer.
This mango jam is a delicious change from your more typical jam flavors - sweet, bright and tropical. While it works wonderfully with bread, I can also see it being great as a glaze for meat. However you use it, you'll be sure to enjoy this easy spread.
Try these other jams and spreads:
- Strawberry raspberry jam
- Lemon curd
- Pear jam
- Strawberry peach jam
- Papaya jam
- Plus get more breakfast recipes ideas in the archives.
Mango jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced mango around 1 ½ - 2 mangoes
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ lime zest ie from ½ lime
Instructions
- Dice the mango relatively small and put in a small saucepan with the other ingredients. Stir, bring to a boil and allow to simmer around 20-30 minutes until it thickens (you can test a small amount on a cold plate and check if it sets).
- Can and store - use proper canning practices, sterilizing the jar, if you plan to keep for any length of time. If using immediately, you can use a clean but non-sterile jar/closed container and store in the fridge for around a week.
Notes
Nutrition
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Gambhir says
Hi Caroline,
Can you try grated mango, I mean add raw mango and sugar adjusted to taste it gives different texture, I hope you might like it.
Thanks and regards
Caroline says
Indeed it can give a different texture, though often it will cook down and not be so different in the end. Though if the mango is under-ripe it will be a bit different and would need more sugar.
Edward says
I used some almost ripe mangoes and some just starting to ripen which had enough pectin to set very well. So the jam had some small chunks as well as soft jelly which made it more interesting. Very tasty.
Caroline says
So glad you enjoyed it! Indeed, I like jams with some texture, too.
Roz says
Beautiful flavour, tastes like fruit rather than sugar! The lime enhances the tropical flavour. Next time I woud add a little commercial pectin to help the jam set.
Caroline says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and indeed it is all about the fruit!
Emily B says
This cooked down in 15 minutes for me and only made 1.5 cups, but is absolutely delicious. I think next time I'd double it!
Caroline's Cooking says
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes it is a lower batch jam, as I mention, since it's on the lower end sugar-wise and since I wouldn't generally can it as a result. But you absolutely can make a larger batch, it will just generally take a little longer to cook down.
Micha says
This sounds easy and delicious. Can you use frozen mangoes or do they have to be fresh? Would you recommend a hint of vanilla?
Caroline says
So you could use frozen mangoes, but I generally find frozen ones don't tend to have quite as good a flavor as ripe, fresh mangoes. Though if you can't get nicely ripe fresh ones, then they would make a good alternative. A little vanilla could work, but I would take care not to add too much -a little can enhance flavor but I'd say you don't really want to have the vanilla flavor come through too much, if at all.
Bob Hicks says
I made this about 3 or 4 years ago. Stayed in the pantry forever. I finally started giving it away to family and friends. I never used any lime juice or zest but I might try it this year. Everybody loved it. Only problem, I forgot to save myself some. Hardest part is peeling the buggers. Got a cheap electric peeler on Amazon and it works like a charm. Another delicious recipe is mango pie. Only nobody liked it but me. I had to do what was right and eat the whole thing.
Caroline's Cooking says
Glad to hear you and others enjoyed the jam! And indeed, if no one will help eat a pie only right to eat more yourself 🙂
Sumo says
So yummy 😋 and unbelievably refreshing!
Loved it 🥰
Thanks for sharing ☺️
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear you enjoyed!
Bianca says
Turned out great! The like zest adds an extra zing of flavor, which my family really enjoyed! Thanks for the recipe!
Caroline's Cooking says
I'm so glad you enjoyed, and agree the lime is great in there.
Susanna says
I am sorry, I accidentally posted this question to the clafoutis recipe I was looking at instead of here. So I am asking it again. Does the sugar serves any purpose any purpose other than sweetening? Can I substitute maple syrup instead?
Than you for you patience and your response.
Caroline's Cooking says
It's primarily to sweeten, plus it acts as a preservative to an extent as well, though this being a lower sugar jam that's less the case. But yes, you could swap the sugar to maple syrup (I wouldn't recommend honey as it can be tricky when heated but that's not an issue with maple syrup). Just bear in mind it may alter the flavor a little.
Lian says
Awesome, thank you for sharing! Tried and love it!
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear, I do love the flavor of this jam!
Bill Murray says
Would there be any issue with adding a bit of cinnamon & vanilla?
Caroline's Cooking says
No, I'm sure it should be fine, just I'd suggest not to use too much.
Ash says
Just made this with a bunch of honey mangoes I needed to use up. Didn’t have any limes to zest but had juice and it turned out great! Very easy to make too.
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear you enjoyed and found it easy - and yes, perfect for using up lots of mango!
J says
I made the mango jam n i loved it. Thank you .
Caroline's Cooking says
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Aganetha says
Hi! So I made mango jam but my lines were quite big and it seems it might've put too much zest in. Is there anyway I can now rectify my jam so it doesn't taste so lime-y?
Caroline's Cooking says
It's a little tricky to take an ingredient out once mixed in, but a couple thoughts - one is if the zest is in slightly larger bits you could strain the jam and you may manage to remove the zest so it's no longer in there. This should hopefully reduce the lime flavor. It would mean you get a smoother jam as well, rather than potentially some chunks, but if you're fine with that, it may help. The other option is to add extra mango and extra sugar, so maybe a half quantity of what is in the recipe for each, but don't add any extra lime, and this will dilute the lime-yness. It does mean you have more jam, but hopefully that's not a bad thing!
Nicole says
Can I make this with the Mango juice that I have squeezed out of the peals and from the leftover flesh from the seeds? I have a full 1/2 gallon mason jar full of fresh mango juice that I would like to persevere and can up into Jelly.
Caroline's Cooking says
So I think you probably could, but it may take a little while to cook down. Mango is relatively low in pectin, so takes time to set or needs a bit of help. The lime juice helps, but especially if you are using more the juice than flesh, you might need more. One option is to wash the squeezed out lime and add the skin to the jam as it cooks, then remove towards the end as this should help add some extra pectin. Also, this recipe is on the lower end sugar-wise (which also helps it to thicken) so you might want slightly more with less of the mango flesh since you'd be making more of a jelly than jam.
Irma says
Can you freeze the jam and if so for how long?
Caroline's Cooking says
I haven't frozen it myself but I know you certainly can in theory freeze jams - just make sure there is a bit of space in the jar or container you put it (ie don't fill it full) as it will expand a little during freezing. It should store for up to a year.
K says
can i use lime juice instead of the zest? i dont have a zester and im a college student making this for breakfast.
Caroline's Cooking says
So the zest is more to get a little of the flavor (which is often relatively strong in the zest) without making it too liquid but yes, you could use a little juice instead. Another idea is you could also peel off a piece of the zest - just try to get off as much of the white pith as you can as this can make it bitter - and give it a little twist over the mixture to get some zest out and then add it in as you cook. Then, take it out before using. This may also help get a little more of the flavor. Enjoy!
Caroline says
Hi! Can I use frozen mango chunks for this recipe please?
Thanks.
Have a great evening!
Caroline
Caroline's Cooking says
Yes you could, I'd say it's best to defrost them first so that you don't burn the sugar before the fruit melts, but you could probably just start by heating over a very low heat first to let them soften up before cooking further.
Susan Paolello says
You say to use a sterile jar for canning. Can I put in water bath?
Caroline's Cooking says
Yes, water bath canning also works.
Julie says
Love this! Simple and delicious! I was scared of the lime juice, but it works perfectly. I made a big batch of it, simply adjusted the quantities. I used a mix of monk fruit and erythritol sugar for sweetener since I’m doing a low carb diet. I didn’t put the lime zest cause I forgot, but it tastes wonderful!
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear you enjoyed. And yes, the lime really does work!
Rob Hall says
Made some mango jam last year.Trying to use up the mangos I have growing.Nothing special so I tried your recipe.It turned out delicious.The lime made all the difference.Looks like I will have to make another batch.
Caroline's Cooking says
I'm so glad to hear that!
Elaine Garland says
Bob Hall: I have just finished making a pot of The jam. made it with frozen fruit. Found another half bag of peaches, strawberries and mangos and used that too. Addd more sugar and a small can of crushed pineapple. It is so tart and clean and delicious. Good luck!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks for sharing, sounds good!
Kat says
Absolutely delicious recipe, thank you! I added a couple of Thai birdseye chilis (deseeded and finely chopped) which gives the jam a nice hint of heat. The jam set really well with just the lime as suggested.
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear you enjoyed and I can imagine the chili is good in there too.
Linda Dawson says
Is it castor sugar or granulated sugar please x
Caroline's Cooking says
In general, you can use either. I generally use regular granulated, though granulated sugar can vary in how coarse it is from one country to another and so I'd say if it seems coarse, use castor sugar instead. You want it to dissolve relatively quickly so that it forms a syrup with the fruit, and so large granules will take a bit longer to get there.
David Duprey says
How much does this recipe make as far as pint jars?
Caroline's Cooking says
So a pint jar is 16 fl oz, which is roughly 2 cups, so this will make around a little over half.
Jacki says
I use this as my go to recipe no matter what fruit I'm using. Peach, strawberry, nectarine, blueberry. I may change the lime to lemon. It's just an awesome jam recipe. I've mixed the mango with jalapeno and with habanero peppers . Both are great on shrimp and pork. I love the mango recipe
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear you have been enjoying! And indeed, once you get used to making jam with one fruit, the method etc is much the same for others. And sounds tasty with the touch of spice with pork.
Melanie Bellia says
Very easy and tastes fantastic. I used lemon because I already had one in my fridge. After it cooked down, I used the immersion blender and it came out a nice consistency. Perfect for pastry filling. In fact I made little pies in my muffin tin and turned out very good. Next time I'll make like a crisp, which will probably soon because mangoes are very abundant here now.
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear you enjoyed, and yes certainly works well with lemon as well and blended to be smooth if you prefer. Sounds great in pies!
steventhechef says
Very easy recipe. I personally boiled the mango pips and limes to add more pectin and zestiness. Thanks for posting. 🙂
steventhechef says
I quadrupled the recipe FWIW. Came out well set and firm
Caroline's Cooking says
Glad to hear you enjoyed and it worked well! Yes, adding the pips is definitely a good option to increase pectin (you just obviously have to remember to fish them out later!)
Honey says
Loved it....I used half stevia and a full lime's juice.... absolutely delicious!!!
Caroline's Cooking says
Glad to hear you enjoyed - and yes more lime is never a bad thing 🙂
Badz says
i have so many mango so i need to make a jam and i found this recipe delicious and simple. thank you
Caroline's Cooking says
So glad to hear you enjoyed!
J says
Can you use lemon instead of lime.!
Caroline's Cooking says
Yes you can - I think lime pairs better but lemon certainly would work.
Laura says
I love this mango jam. There's so much flavor. Perfect for toast in the morning.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, it's a lovely, easy jam for sure.
Clint says
This was my 2nd try at mango jam,... any jam for that matter!
It was the Bomb!!!! SO amazingly tasty.
I added a little cinnamon and allspice and 2 Hand full of frozen blueberries... oh my gosh, it was great.
Caroline's Cooking says
Glad to hear you enjoyed!