How to Make Fig Jam

Jar of fig jam on a steel plate, surrounded by fresh figs

This fig jam is the perfect way to sue up any extra figs during fig season. No canning or preserving required - just pop this jam straight into the fridge! Easy.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Servings cups

Calories 732kcal

Author Pina Bresciani

Ingredients

3 pounds fresh figs
1.5 cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup lemon uice
½ tsp salt
1 vanilla bean

Instructions

Start by removing the stem and the ostiole from the fig. Then cut them into small pieces.
Off heat, place figs in a large (nonreactive) saucepan and add sugar. Stir sugar and figs together. Let the figs marinate off the heat for 30 minutes so they release their juices.
Turn on the heat to medium, and add the lemon juice, salt, and the seeds of a vanilla bean plus the whole vanilla bean to the mixture.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer.
Mash the figs with a potato masher so that everything, especially the skins, incorporates together well.
Simmer mixture, stirring often for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until it reaches a jam-like consistency. The cook time will depend on how juicy the figs are, and how strong your stove is.
Optional: You can remove any larger pieces of skin from the jam. Turn off the heat and add the jam to jars.
Let the jam cool. Once it cools, place in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

I used adriatic figs in this recipe, but you can use any type of fig you like, as long as they're fresh.
You can peel the figs or not before making this jam. I did not peel them. The peels almost disintegrate into the jam when cooked.
The vanilla bean adds a beautiful flavor, but you can omit it if you'd like.
The cook time will vary for this jam depending on how juicy your figs are and how strong your stove is - anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes.
The jam is ready when it's a thick consistency and falls off the spoon in chunks, instead of individual drops.

This recipe is based off a Food and Wine fig jam recipe.

Nutrition