A no pectin added jam recipe

This Strawberry Banana Jam recipe requires only 5 ingredients: strawberries, bananas, lemon juice, vanilla and sugar– with no pectin added. You only need to cook the fruits for as little time as they require to release their natural pectin and thickness. This is a very simple recipe that leans on strawberries for sweetness and tang, and the combo of banana and vanilla to mellow out flavors. 

Compared to store-bought jams or other berry jams, this jam is slightly less sticky as there is no pectin nor thickening agents added. It has a smoother texture due to the banana, which turns utterly soft once cooked and doesn’t thicken like berries or citrus would. This makes for an easily spreadable jam, and with a taste and texture that will delight kids as well.  

Enjoy it spread on toasts of Pain de Mie or Overnight No-Knead Bread, on crêpes or freshly made croissants! 

Cooking notes: 

• Making jam and marmalade is a great way to use up fruits that are slightly over-ripe. So for the strawberries, you can opt for fresh ones or some that are slightly overipe (but not too mushy). For the bananas, choose them firm or soft with few blemish spots. They shouldn’t be brown though – keep those for making banana bread: here is one of my favorite recipes. Know that the riper the fruit, the sweeter the jam will taste.
• Do not throw away the banana peels! Rinse them thoroughly and you could even make a Banana peel cake. 
• Do not throw the strawberry tops! You can make a strawberry top-infused water.
• With 1 1/2 cup (300g) of sugar, I know it can be tempting to lower the amount of sugar in this recipe. But if you do so, you won’t be able to cook the jam to the desired thickness. The sugar acts as a thickener. With not enough sugar, you will end up with a jam that is runny, and hence not spreadable. Using a Candy Thermometer will make this recipe easier, especially if you’re a first time jam maker. We need to reach 223°F (106°C) and you’ll know for certain that the jam is ready. But if you don’t have one, don’t worry: you can use the plate test (see details in the recipe). 
• Watch the temperature of the jam closely, the strawberries need to cook only until they release pectin and start to thicken – not a minute more. If you let the pot simmer for too long, the sugar will start to caramelize and this will become too overpowering in taste. 
• For jarring, you can simply pour the jam into 3 x 8oz jars (ie. mason jars), and keep it in the refrigerator to enjoy for up to 2 weeks. Once the jam is jarred, it is best to wait at least 1 day before enjoying. This allows for the flavors to develop further and the texture to set entirely. If you wish to keep the jam for longer, use a can-sealed method (this article covers it all).

I hope you enjoy this Strawberry Banana Jam recipe as much as I do! Any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.  

You may also like:

• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp 
• Classic French Strawberry Tart 
• Honey Lemon Marmalade 
• Blood Orange Vanilla Marmalade

Strawberry Banana Jam

Print Recipe

Serves: 3 x 8oz jars Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes 20 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 8 voted )

Ingredients

450g strawberries, washed and hulled
350g bananas (3 medium bananas), peeled
1 ½ cup (300g) sugar
2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract (or ½ vanilla bean, inside scraped).

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Step 1 – Chop the strawberries and banana roughly. Chop them very finely for a smooth jam or leave bigger pieces for a chunky jam. 

Step 2 – Place the strawberries, bananas, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer - this should take 10 to 15 minutes (no lid). Let simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally with a whisk, until a candy thermometer reads exactly 223°F (106°C). You can use the whisk to mash some of the fruit while stirring.

If you do not have a candy thermometer – place a small plate in your freezer. When chilled, take the plate out of the freezer and drop a little spoonful of jam on it. Wait 1 minute and check the consistency: it should have thickened significantly to a jelly consistency. If it still looks too liquidy, keep the mixture at a simmer and try again later.

Step 4 – Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before pouring into jars or airtight containers. The jam can keep for up to 14 days in the fridge in non-sterilized containers or jars and up to 3 months in sterilized jars.

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

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