Simmer natural ingredients for a quick Strawberry Chia Jam recipe with chia seeds with minimal added sugar and fresh flavor. It’s rich in healthy fats, Vitamin C, and fiber—all in about 25 minutes!
I’m always looking for easier versions of foods my kids love and while I don’t often have the time or energy to make homemade jam the traditional way, I love making quick chia jam. This recipe is made with a lot of fruit and uses chia seeds to thicken it so you don’t need to stand by the stove endlessly stirring.
And it’s ready so, so fast—and stores really well.
It’s also very low in added sugars so you actually taste the fruit in the jam, rather than just sweetness. We love this on toast, in plain yogurt, or spooned over oatmeal.
It uses a similar method to my Blueberry Chia Jam and works with fresh or frozen strawberries and/or frozen rhubarb.
(You may also like my Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, Fruit Salsa or Healthy Waffles.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this Strawberry Chia Jam, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Strawberries: You can use fresh or frozen berries.
- Rhubarb: I like to add rhubarb to my strawberry jam and you can use fresh or frozen rhubarb. If you don’t have any, you can use all strawberries.
- Orange juice: This adds both flavor and some sweetness and helps to cut down on the overall amount of added sugars.
- Chia seeds: These are what thicken the jam (they plump up as they absorb liquid), which helps to reduce the cooking time compared with traditional jam.
- Maple syrup: You can use maple syrup or honey to sweeten this recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at how to make this Strawberry Chia Jam recipe. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full information.
Step 1. Add the chopped fruit to a medium saucepan.
Step 2. Simmer with the juice until soft.
Step 3. Add chia seeds. Stir well. Cover and let sit.
Step 4. Blend smooth and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You totally can and I enjoy it that way. It may be too tart for the kids though, so see what you think and adjust. It’s easy to stir in the maple syrup right at the end exactly to your tastes.
You can try blueberries or raspberries instead of the strawberries. Adjust the sweetness as needed based on the sweetness of the fruit.
We like it on toast, in sandwiches with almond butter, and stirred into plain yogurt and oatmeal. It’s a nice source of fruit to have on hand at the end of the week when the crisper might be low on fresh produce!
It’s also a great option in Sandwich Roll-Ups or my DIY Uncrustables.
How to Store
This recipe makes 3 half-pints, so I like to keep one in the fridge to use this week and put the other two into the freezer. I use these freezer containers for storage. (You could also cut the recipe in half to make a smaller amount if desired.)
Best Tips for Success
- Stir the strawberry chia jam 3-4 times while it’s cooking to ensure that the fruit cooks evenly.
- Reduce the heat slightly if it’s boiling and/or put the lid on slightly off center so it’s mostly covered but some steam can escape.
- Let the jam sit once the chia seeds are added so they have a chance to plump up.
- Sweeten the strawberry rhubarb jam to taste to suit your own preferences.
- Learn more about how chia seeds work in this recipe and others.
Related Recipes
Breakfast
Quick Blueberry Chia Seed Jam
Breakfast
Favorite Coconut Chia Pudding
Smoothie Recipes
Strawberry Smoothie Recipe with Yogurt
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe so please comment below to share.
Strawberry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 1 quart strawberries (about 3 cups roughly diced with stems removed)
- 2 cups diced rhubarb (or additional strawberries)
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (as desired)
Instructions
- Add the berries, rhubarb, and juice to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cover.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruit is very soft. If it starts to bubble vigorously, reduce the heat slightly and/or put the lid on slightly askew to allow some steam to escape. Remove from heat.
- Stir in chia seeds. Cover and let sit for about 20 minutes.
- Pour into half-pint mason jars, freezer containers, or other airtight storage containers. Seal and let cool.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Equipment
Notes
- Stir the jam 3-4 times while it’s cooking to ensure that the fruit cooks evenly.
- Reduce the heat slightly if it’s boiling and/or put the lid on slightly off center so it’s mostly covered but some steam can escape.
- Let the jam sit once the chia seeds are added so they have a chance to plump up.
- Sweeten to taste to suit your own preferences.
Nutrition
This post was first published June 2019.
I don’t have access to Rhubarb but I just bought a ton of fresh strawberries! If I follow this recipe (minus the Rhubarb), do I need to adjust any of the other measurements at all to ensure it turns out properly? Thanks!!
You may want to cook it a few more minutes since there may be more liquid but otherwise you should be good to go.
This is so yummy, my whole family loves it! A simple, small batch of jam! I used grape juice because it was all I had for juice and it turned out great!
Hi Amy!
Can you use something other than orange juice? Another juice?
Hi- Sure, another juice would be fine. Maybe apple?
Hey Amy,
Could you use frozen strawberries for this recipe? I have everything other than the fresh strawberries, but I’d love to use this rhubarb before it’s too late! Thank You!!!
Yes, that should be fine!