Strawberry Chia Jam (Paleo + Vegan)

This Strawberry Chia Jam is an easy and delicious way to preserve the summer’s freshest, sweetest strawberries! This four ingredient recipe is naturally thickened with chia seeds and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. You’ll love this easy paleo + vegan recipe.

When was the last time you had a perfectly ripe, super sweet and juicy strawberry? If your answer isn’t in the last week or so, you’re doing summer wrong!

Luckily, I can say the last time I had one was about an hour ago at the farmer’s market, where I bought a few pints of picked-this-morning local strawberries that were warm from the sun and incredibly delicious. Plump, sweet, and so juicy the juice runs down your chin – just as a great strawberry should be.

Strawberries right now are so good and I’m lucky that here in San Diego, we are able to get local strawberries pretty much all year round. But they’re never as good, and affordable, as they are during the peak of summer.

That’s why NOW is the perfect time to make yourself some strawberry chia jam. You might go through it super quickly, like I did, spooning it on granola and yogurt, or eating it on toast…or, if you live in a place where you can’t get good strawberries during the winter, you can be more practical and put it in the freezer for those cold days when you need a taste of summer.

This strawberry chia jam is incredibly easy to make, and tastes like a fresh picked strawberry hitting your mouth whenever you take a bite. You’re going to want to have a batch in your house ASAP.

Only four ingredients are needed: strawberries, of course. Use fresh and local, if possible. I like to pick mine up from the farmer’s market and sometimes they’ll sell dented berries for cheaper – this is perfect if you’re making jam with them so you can get a deal :)

I added a teeny bit of maple syrup – honey can also be used, if you prefer. If your berries aren’t super sweet, add more to taste. A touch of lemon juice is added for brightness in flavor, and chia seeds are used as a natural thickened – no pectin needed here.

I love the little crunchy bits the chia seeds make too – such a tasty, fun texture. Skip the jam that come with cups and cups of sugar please – the fruit is sweet enough on it’s own, and we want to let those fresh flavors shine! Give this a try and you’ll never go back. Enjoy!

Want more chia jams?! Look no further…

Blueberry Chia Jam
Cherry Chia Jam from My Heart Beets
Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Jam

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Strawberry Chia Jam (Paleo + Vegan)

Save Print Prep time 5 mins Cook time 45 mins Total time 50 mins Author: Rachel Conners Serves: 1½ cups Ingredients

1 lb. strawberries, quartered
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries and maple syrup. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. After 5 minutes, when the mixture is starting to release juices, use a potato masher (or a fork) to lightly mash the strawberries.
Add the chia seeds and lemon juice and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from scorching, for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and there are no big fruit chunks left. The jam will continue to thicken as it cools so don’t let it reduce too much.
Let cool completely before transferring to clean jars. Keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to a year.

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