This sweet, simple Homemade Mango Jam is a cinch to make and requires just a few ingredients. It's delicious with cake, muffins, or on toast.
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The next time you find yourself with fresh mangoes on hand, or find they're on sale at the store, use them to make this tasty Mango Jam.
It has a lovely, sweet and fruity flavor that makes me think of spring—however it's a welcome treat any time of the year. And since it's a small batch jam, it won't keep you over the stove for very long.
When are mangoes in season?
While mangoes can usually be found in well-stocked grocery stores year-round, the actual season for fresh mangoes runs from May through the end of September.
This is a great time to find them on sale, and stock up. You can peel and chop fresh mangoes and store them in the freezer for recipes later in the year. There are lots of uses for mangoes, including spiced chutneys, sauces, the Thai dish mango sticky rice, and in my bread pudding with blueberries and ginger.
And, of course, this Mango Jam!
Why you'll love this recipe
For one thing, it's really simple! The ingredients in this easy mango jam recipe are fresh mango, citrus juices, and sugar.
Making jam may seem intimidating if you've never tried it before, but this recipe makes it really easy. The ingredients are simply simmered together until thick, then allowed to cool.
This Mango Jam is a refrigerator jam, which means it's not canned—it's meant to be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. It's nice to have it to grab anytime you want a bit of sweet mango flavor.
🔪 How to make Mango Jam
Ingredients:
- Mangos: Choose ripe mangos which will feel tender when you press into the skin
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and peel make the mango flavor pop
- Orange Juice: Another dash of citrus that help give the mango jam a depth of flavor
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar sweetens this jam
- Sure-Jell: This is a store-bought pectin that sets the cooked fruit into a jam
Prepare the mangoes
Slice the mango halves away from the pit, then use my drinking glass trick to easily remove the peels. (Details are in the recipe card.) Slice the mangoes into small pieces.
Add everything to the pan
Place the mango chunks in a saucepan along with juice and sugar. Bring everything to a simmer.
Cook until the jam is thick
Mash down the mango as it simmers into a thick jam. Let it cool, then keep it in the fridge 'til you need it.
How do you eat Mango Jam?
Give Mango Jam a try on toast or warm, split muffins. Swirled the jam into a dish of vanilla ice cream, or lemon ice cream with blueberries and maple!
Mango Jam is the filling in my recipe for Orange Mango Cupcakes. If you have favorite pastry recipes for homemade Pop-Tarts or mini tarts, they'll be extra delicious with Mango Jam as the filling.
Tips:
- This Mango Jam recipe is a refrigerator jam, meant to be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. It has not been tested as a jam for canning or preserving.
FAQs
Mango Jam should be stored in a covered jar in the refrigerator and eaten within two weeks of making it.
Ripe mangoes are a low-acid fruit, which means they must be combined with enough acid from lemon juice or other ingredients to be safely canned in a hot water bath. My Mango Jam recipe has not been tested for canning—it's best to just store the cooled jam in the refrigerator.
The good news is that this recipe makes a very small batch in a very short amount of time—so it's easy to whip up Mango Jam whenever you crave it.
The best way to check your mangoes for ripeness is to give them a gentle squeeze—the flesh should give just a little under the pressure. The stem end of the mango will also have a fruity scent. If the mangoes you have at home aren't ripe yet, let them sit on the counter for a few days, or pop them in a closed paper bag to ripen them a little faster.
So what are you waiting for? Squeeze those mangoes, and if they're ready, turn them into delightful mango jam!
The recipe for homemade Mango Jam is below. Here are more fruity recipes that you'll like!
💬 What do you think of this mango jam? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Mango Jam
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Ingredients
- 3 ripe mangoes (when pitted and chopped they'll yield about 2 cups of fruit)
- 1 slice fresh lemon, rind and pulp intact, 1-inch thick
- 1½ tablespoons orange juice
- 2½ teaspoons Sure-Jell fruit pectin
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
How to prepare the mangoes:
- Slice and peel the mangoes: the mango has a fibrous seed running through the middle of it, lengthwise. Slice the mango flesh away from one side of the seed and then the other. Discard the seed.
- Remove the skin from the mangoes:
- Use a tall sturdy drinking glass; hold the bottom edge of the mango half on the lip of the glass. Push the mango down so that the lip of the glass slides between the fruit and the skin. Push the mango all the way down until the fruit slips out of the skin. Repeat with the other mango half. Discard the skins.
- Chop up the mango into ½-inch pieces.
Cook the ingredients:
- Place the chopped mango in a large saucepan, and add in the lemon slice, orange juice, pectin and the sugar.
- Bring the ingredients to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
- When the jam reaches a simmer reduce the heat slightly. Simmer the mixture for 5-6 minutes. While it cooks, use a potato masher to gently mash down the mango into pulp (be careful not to splash yourself.)
- When the jam is thick remove the pan from the heat.
- Allow the jam to cool a bit, then transfer it to a heat proof jar. Allow it to cool completely, then refrigerate the jam for up to two weeks.
- The recipe makes 1 pint of jam.
Notes
- This Mango Jam recipe is a refrigerator jam, meant to be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. It has not been tested as a jam for canning or preserving.
Nutrition
Jules mackie says
Hi, Thank you for the recipe! I like that it has less sugar!
I would like to double and try to can it. Does this recipe allow for Liquid pectin, like Certo? I know there’s different types, liquid has been the easiest for me when making jams. Thanks in advance for your help!
Nancy Mock says
Hi Jules, thanks for checking out my recipe! I haven't used liquid pectin before, however I found this article from FoodsGuy about the two different types: https://foodsguy.com/liquid-vs-powdered-pectin/. It sounds like you can substitute liquid for powdered, but you have to add it near the end of cooking instead of the beginning. The article also has info about how much liquid to substitute for powdered. I hope this information helps!
Also, as I was telling another reader in the comments, I have only made this recipe as a refrigerator jam—I haven't tested the acidity level of my Mango Jam to know if hits high enough for safe canning. So it's best to just store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Elaine says
I'm used to making jams and Jellies, but not to refrigerate them, is there such a thing with Mangos?
Nancy Mock says
Hi Elaine, yes I have seen recipes to make mango jam for canning and preserving. I don't do a lot of canning myself, but my understanding is that mangos aren't acidic enough to preserve on their own—lemon juice or another acid has to be added. My Mango Jam is made with orange juice and a lemon slice, however I haven't tried preserving it—I just keep it in the fridge to eat up within a week or two. If you want to be safe, I did see a mango jam recipe on AllRecipes with instructions for canning. Thanks for your question!
Mel says
I don’t see in the recipe when to add the pectin. Do I keep missing it?
Nancy Mock says
Hi Mel, the pectin is added to the pan along with the other ingredients in Step 3. You did not miss it - it was left out by mistake. I apologize for this, and thanks for bringing it to my attention! I corrected this in the recipe instructions. Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy the jam.