This is the easiest and best Homemade Banana Jam recipe that’s sweet, creamy, and delicious on toast or for dessert. A low food-waste recipe that tastes like banana bread in a jar! 6 ingredients and 15 minutes is all you need to make this easy, delicious jam.

a glass jar labeled "banana jam" with a white spoon resting next to it.

What is Banana Jam?

Banana jam is a delicious banana-flavored spread that tastes like banana bread in a jar. It’s incredibly easy to make, and a great way to avoid food waste. It stays fresh in the fridge for a while and is a great alternative to banana bread if you need to use up overripe bananas.

Of course, we have nothing against banana bread around here, just check out my recipe for the Best Healthy Banana Bread or Cozy Banana Bread Oatmeal for evidence.

If you’re looking for more recipes that reduce food waste, try this Broccoli Caesar Salad made with broccoli stems!

What Makes This Recipe Great

Who doesn’t love an easy, homemade jam? Especially when it’s made with just a few ingredients you already have on hand and none of the extensive canning process that you might be thinking of. 

Enter, my Vegan Banana Jam! Using fresh bananas (that are super ripe!), sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, salt, and water, this banana jam recipe whips up in no time and is the perfect accompaniment to bread everywhere. And oatmeal, ice cream, pancakes, muffins, etc etc. 

All it takes is 15 minutes- Let’s get jamming!

How to Make Banana Jam

The great part bout this recipe is how easy it is to make. Simply add all of the ingredients to a pan and cook them down until you have a soft, uniform texture. You can use a potato masher to speed up the process of breaking down the banana, or leave it a little chunky if you prefer more texture in your jam. Bananas naturally contain pectin, which helps thicken things up.

Ingredient Notes

a bunch of spotted bananas

Here’s what you need to make the best vegan jam with bananas:

  • Ripe Bananas: It’s important that you use super-ripe fruit. In fact, the riper the better, because they’ll be easier to mash and also naturally much sweeter. Don’t worry if the bananas look overripe or unappetizing to eat, you really want a brown and spotty banana that’s soft to the touch for jam. Another good way to tell if it’s ready is to smell the banana. The scent should be pretty strong, even with the peel on.
  • Sugar: Sugar is necessary for this recipe, do not omit it! It helps preserve the jam, which is why many jams and jellies last in the fridge for so long. If you omit the sugar, you can likely only keep your banana jam for a few days before it starts to ferment and smell alcoholic. I used organic cane sugar. Feel free to use your preferred granulated sugar. 
  • Lemon juice: This is also a key ingredient in this recipe. It adds enough acidity to boost the flavor of your jam and prevent any nasty organisms from spoiling it.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Salt
  • Water

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Add bananas and both sugars into a pot, mash until it’s chunky, and simmer over low-medium heat.
  2. Add lemon juice and salt, and stir for 10 minutes until well combined. The mixture should start to thicken up and become glossy. 
  3. Lower the heat, stir in vanilla paste, and then remove from heat and let the mixture cool.
  4. Once cool, transfer to an airtight jar and store in the fridge.
banana jam in a glass jar with a white spoon

Serving Tips

The fun part of this recipe is finding your favorite way to enjoy your jam! You can use this creamy homemade jam anywhere you’d use regular jam. It pairs really nicely with nut butter, berries, chocolate, and oats. Spoon a little on top of your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream, or make a peanut butter and banana jam sandwich!

Enjoy it for breakfast with Matcha Vanilla Bean Oatmeal, or for dessert over Korean Sweet Cinnamon Pancakes.

I love to dollop it on top of hot Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes. It’s also tasty on top of Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal or smeared over Blueberry Breakfast Muffins.

Storage Tips

  • Store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Just keep an eye on the jam, if it starts to smell fermented at all, toss it.

Recipe FAQs

What are the benefits of banana jam?

Bananas are high in potassium and calcium, and rich in other nutrients. 

What ingredients are needed to make banana jam?

It’s so simple! All you need is overripe bananas, lemon juice, sugar, water, vanilla extract, and salt!

More Homemade Jam Recipes!

Rhubarb Chia Jam

Hibiscus Cherry Chia Jam

Cranberry Chia Jam

Blackberry Jam

If you make this easy banana jam recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for recipes and more!

banana jam in a glass jar with a white spoon

Easy Homemade Banana Jam Recipe

This is the easiest and best Homemade Banana Jam recipe that's sweet, creamy, and delicious on toast or for dessert. A low food-waste recipe that tastes like banana bread in a jar! 6 ingredients and 15 minutes is all you need to make this easy, delicious jam.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bananas super ripe
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Add bananas and both sugars into a pot, mash until it's chunky and simmer over low heat.
  • Add lemon juice and salt, stir for 10 minutes until well combined. The mixture should start to thicken up and become glossy.
  • Lower the heat, stir in vanilla paste and then remove from heat and let mixture cool.
  • Once cool, transfer to an airtight jar and store in the fridge.

Notes

Serving Tips

The fun part of this recipe is finding your favorite way to enjoy your jam! You can use this creamy homemade jam anywhere you’d use regular jam. It pairs really nicely with nut butter, berries, chocolate, and oats. Spoon a little on top of your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream, or make a peanut butter and banana jam sandwich!
Enjoy it for breakfast with Matcha Vanilla Bean Oatmeal, or for dessert over Korean Sweet Cinnamon Pancakes.
I love to dollop it on top of hot Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes. It’s also tasty on top of Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal or smeared over Blueberry Breakfast Muffins.

Storage Tips

  • Store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Just keep an eye on the jam, if it starts to smell fermented at all, toss it.
Keyword banana, banana jam, condiment, jam, one pot, one pot recipe, sauce
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Filed under: Eat, Sauces and Dressings

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BY Remy • November 28, 2022

Easy Homemade Banana Jam Recipe

banana jam in a glass jar with a white spoon

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  1. dominique says:
    I made this banana jam because I eat a lot of bananas, and I also top my gluten free bread with banana from time to time. I love to add cinnamon or home made almond butter as well, and I realized sliced banana has a texture which was overwhelming and took the spotlight.. this banana jam was the unexpected answer! The jam is much more subtle, it's sweet but not too sweet, has that pop of lemon juice to bring it all together and since it's simmered it doesn't have as much of a water content (which is perfect because I always have a bunch of beverages on the side already). Thanks for the great recipe I'd highly recommend it especially if you're a big banana eater (and it's cheap too). #KinCookingClub

    5 stars

    • Remy Park says:
      Dominique! So glad to hear you liked it--I have the same problem with bananas being way too ripe ALL the time so this has been my favourite new solution!
  2. Cecilia says:
    I'm not much of a jam person but I do enjoy a good peanut butter sandwich and had some over ripe bananas so I gave this recipe a try. And it was delightful! #KinCookingClub

    5 stars

  3. Jay says:
    I was skeptical of this recipe at first but I decided to try it out and it really did not disappoint. It was a really nice way to change up my almond butter/peanut butter toast by giving it a different oomph with the additional flavors in the jam! I added some hemp seeds on top and it has been a perfect quick breakfast or snack. I also enjoyed putting in my smoothies as well! #KinCookingClub

    5 stars

  4. Bridget C says:
    Delicious! Had some ripe bananas I needed to do something with; this was so easy! I used it on oatmeal; want to mix it in ice cream next!#KinCookingClub

    5 stars

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Hi there, I’m Remy! Welcome to Veggiekins Blog, home to nourishing vegan + gluten-free recipes and tips to live your best balanced and holistic life. I’m a human on a mission to empower you to be well and be kind to your mind, body and soul with the healing power of plants.

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