• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking with Nana Ling
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Resources
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Condiments, jams and preserves

    Strawberry Jam Recipe

    Published: Aug 27, 2018 · Modified: Sep 4, 2024 by Libby Hakim · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Strawberry Jam Recipe is simple and it works! Forget the store-bought stuff. Grab a punnet of strawberries and follow the steps below. Once you realise how wonderfully delicious your own homemade jam is, you will never put strawberry jam in your shopping trolley again.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this Strawberry Jam Recipe
    • Ingredient notes
    • How to make strawberry jam
    • Storing your jam
    • One last thing to do: enjoy!
    • Want to keep jamming?
    • Homemade Strawberry Jam

    Why you'll love this Strawberry Jam Recipe

    Jam making can sound a bit impossible – with all the talk of sterilisation, water baths, pectin and setting. And it can be hard to get the balance right. Jam can go from runny to toffee in an instant if you're not careful.

    But after testing and tweaking, and stirring and sweating, I've come up with this strawberry jam recipe that anyone can make.

    This super simple strawberry jam recipe that is the product of my experimentation with Nana Ling's Mandarin Jam Recipe and a few other jam recipes I've tested over the years.

    Ingredient notes

    strawberry jam recipe ingredients

    You'll need these ingredients:

    • strawberries (hulled and roughly chopped)
    • lemon
    • caster or white sugar
    • water.

    That's right - no need to add pectin.

    Ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    When choosing your strawberries look for fresh, ripe fruit for a flavour-packed jam. Score bonus points if you scoop them up when they're on special. Double points if you grow your own strawberries.

    How to make strawberry jam

    Before you get started, you'll need to sterilise a medium sized jar. The recipe makes about 250ml of jam, so multiply the quantities by the number of jars you'd like to make – or the amount of strawberries you have available.

    When sterilising jars, you can keep it simple by sterilising a store-bought food jar on an intensive wash in the dishwasher. No need to follow any other elaborate jarring ritual.

    Okay, so there are basically 4 steps involved in the jam-making process:

    1. Simmer strawberries and water

    Place the strawberries (hulled and roughly chopped) into a medium saucepan.

    Add peeled, seeded and chopped lemon.

    Add the water and bring to a simmer over med-high heat.

    Simmer rapidly for 5 minutes.

    The mixture will become quite frothy as the strawberries start to break down.

    2. Heat the sugar

    Meanwhile, heat the sugar in the microwave for 2 x 30 seconds – stirring between 30 second bursts – just before you add it to the saucepan.

    Warming the sugar first means it will dissolve quickly into the fruit mixture without lowering the temperature. 

    3. Add the sugar and continue to simmer

    Adjust the temperature down to low and add the warmed sugar.

    Stir to dissolve the sugar and then increase heat again to bring to a simmer.

    Allow to simmer rapidly for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    You may have to turn down heat as mixture thickens to maintain this steady but rapid simmer.

    4. Seal in jam jar

    Take jam off the heat once mixture has thickened and starts to "stick" a little to bottom of saucepan as you stir the jam.

    It should look like this if you take the saucepan off the heat and swirl the mixture:

    Keep stirring frequently towards the end of the cooking time and be careful not to burn the jam.

    Turn the heat down if it starts to simmer too rapidly.

    Pour into the jar and seal with a lid.

    Storing your jam

    Once cooled, place the jar in the fridge and store for up to 6 months (unopened) or 2 months (once opened).

    However, if you have a large amount of strawberries you're wanting to preserve, you can do your own research on water baths and sealing jars – there's a tonne of info out there – to extend the shelf life of your jam.

    This recipe is so simple that you don't have to make huge batches at a time. I simply make up a batch and pop it straight into the fridge ready to eat. 

    One last thing to do: enjoy!

    You've done it.

    Enjoy the simple pleasure that is homemade strawberry jam on a slice of toast, bake up a batch of jam drops, or whip up some scones to enjoy with jam and cream.

    Want to keep jamming?

    Once you start making your own jam, you'll want to explore different fruits and flavours. Here are some more of my favourite jams and marmalades:

    • fig jam
      Fig Jam
    • orange marmalade in jars made from an australian recipe.
      Orange Marmalade
    • lemon jam
      Lemon Jam
    • mulberry jam.
      Mulberry Jam

    Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

    For more fun and deliciousness in the kitchen, follow along on Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest, and subscribe for new posts via email.

    strawberry jam in dish with jar of jam in background.

    Homemade Strawberry Jam

    Libby Hakim
    The easiest strawberry jam recipe on the web!
    5 from 12 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine Australian
    Servings 25 servings
    Calories 34 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 medium sterilised jar (makes about 250ml jam)

    Ingredients
      

    • 250 grams strawberries (hulled and roughly chopped)
    • ¼ lemon
    • 1 cup caster or white sugar
    • ½ cup water

    Instructions
     

    • Sterilise one medium jar (you can use the dishwasher and then allow to air dry if it's still a little wet.)
    • Place your strawberries (hulled and roughly chopped) into a medium saucepan.
    • Add peeled, seeded and chopped lemon.
    • Add water and bring to a simmer over med-high heat. Simmer rapidly for 5 minutes.
    • Heat sugar in microwave for 30 seconds.
    • Adjust temperature down to low and add the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and then increase heat again to bring to a simmer.
    • Allow to simmer rapidly (though you may have to turn down heat as mixture thickens to maintain this steady but rapid simmer) for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Take off the heat once mixture has thickened and starts to "stick" a little to bottom of saucepan as you stir the jam. Be careful not to burn the jam.
    • Pour into the jar and seal with a lid.
    • Store jam in fridge.

    Notes

    Storing: Once cooled, place the jars in the fridge and store for up to 6 months (unopened) or 2 months (once opened). There is the option of "canning" this jam so you can store it for longer periods on the shelf in your pantry. However, you'll need to rely on your own knowledge of canning and preserving as the process is too extensive to cover here.
    Nutrition: The nutrition information is an automatically generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
    For best results:
    1. Choose fresh, ripe strawberries.
    2. Warming the sugar first helps it dissolve quickly into the fruit mixture without lowering the temperature, making a more flavour-packed jam. Don't skip this step.
    3. Keep stirring frequently towards the end of the cooking time and be careful not to burn the jam. Turn the heat down if it starts to simmer too rapidly.
    4. I recommend storing the jam in the fridge. If you have a large amount of strawberries and you’re wanting to preserve, you can do your own research on water baths and sealing jars – there’s a tonne of info out there – to extend the shelf life of your jam.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 34kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.002gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.004gSodium: 0.4mgPotassium: 17mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?If you love it, let me know!

    More Condiment, Jam and Preserve Recipes

    • Apricot Jam.
      Apricot Jam
    • Passionfruit Jam on toast with jam jar in background.
      Passionfruit Jam
    • Passionfruit Syrup in jar.
      Passionfruit Syrup
    • Stewed peaches in bowl on timber table with silver spoon at side.
      Stewed Peaches
    1.3K shares
    • Share
    • Mix

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karen

      June 06, 2021 at 11:26 pm

      Do you have an easy recipe for Apricot Jam, please?

      Reply
      • Libby

        June 07, 2021 at 9:30 am

        Hi Karen. I'll look through my recipe books and add it to the to-do list! I love apricot jam 🙂 Libby

        Reply
    2. Jaimie

      July 06, 2020 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is just lovely, thank you for sharing. Looking forward to giving this a go over winter!

      Reply
      • Libby

        July 08, 2020 at 9:42 am

        Thanks for your lovely comments, Jaimie 🙂

        Reply
    3. Anne

      March 04, 2020 at 9:34 am

      Can I use this strawberry jam recipe for any other berry jam. So excited takes me back to making jam with my mum and nana. Thank you

      Reply
      • Libby

        March 05, 2020 at 8:31 pm

        Hi Anne. Yes, I sometimes substitute raspberries and other berries. Just keep an eye on how it's setting with other berries. It might take a little longer or less time depending on which berries you're using. Have fun!

        Reply
    5 from 12 votes (11 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Libby, a recipe collector and writer. I love everything about home cooking and share modern classics and recipes that have been passed down for generations – I hope you find a few that bring back treasured memories.

    More about me →

    Aussie Collection

    • Tuna Patties piled on plate.
      Tuna Patties
    • Savoury Mince served with toast.
      Savoury Mince
    • YoYo Biscuits recipe.
      YoYo Biscuits
    • Fruit Punch in a punch bowl.
      Fruit Punch
    • Chang's Noodle Salad.
      Chang's Noodle Salad
    • Honey Snaps Biscuits stacked on plate.
      Honey Snaps

    Most Popular

    • Tomato Relish in dish with jars in abckground.
      Tomato Relish Recipe
    • Apricot Chicken on plate with rice.
      Apricot Chicken
    • cob loaf recipe with bread dipping into cob loaf.
      Cob Loaf Recipe
    • classic trifle recipe
      Traditional Trifle Recipe
    • choko pickles
      Choko Pickles
    • Cabbage Mince Chow Mein in frypan.
      Cabbage Mince Chow Mein

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • JOIN ME IN THE KITCHEN and receive the latest recipes delivered fresh to your inbox.

    Useful

    • Using Aussie Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Contact

    I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where I work and live, the Wonnarua people, and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

    Copyright © Cooking with Nana Ling 2025. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.