Preserve Just About Anything with These Quick and Easy Jam, Jelly, and Pickle Recipes (2024)

Keeping summer flavors in your kitchen all year long—in the form of jams, jellies, and pickles that capture the bright and fresh taste of in-season fruits and vegetables—is easier than you might think. The quick and straightforward recipes in this collection are simplified, so there's no standing over a steamy stove all day and absolutely no pressure involved (and we do mean that literally).

This collection includes a basic jelly recipe that walks you through simmering and straining, so the fruit takes on a glossy translucence; add fresh juice and you get that beautiful, silken texture that makes it ideal for spreading on bread or toast. You'll find recipes for apple, grape, plum, and raspberry jellies, as well as a hot-pepper jelly that offers a spicy contrast to creamy cheeses (or you can brush it on meats such as chicken or pork before grilling them).

And then there are jams, which, unlike jellies, contain pieces of fruit. In fact, making jams isn't much more than cooking the fruit down with sugar until it becomes thick and spreadable. You'll find some wonderful combinations in these jam recipes, such as nectarine-raspberry and peach-plum.

Finally, we get to the pickles! In addition to classic sweet cucumber pickle chips, there are lovely options that would make welcome accompaniments to a cheese plate, such as cherry tomatoes perfumed with rosemary or red onions and baby bell peppers that provide a palate-pleasing counterpoint to the richness of soppressata and other meats. There are plenty of other recipes for pickles, too, including ones made with beets, carrots, cauliflower, green tomatoes, radishes, and even peaches

Basic Jelly Recipe

Made by simmering and straining fruit, jelly gets its glossy translucence and silken texture from fresh juice. We used the smallest amount of sugar that would still allow the mixtures to set (thanks to a reaction among the sugar, acid, and naturally occurring pectin in the fruit).

Apple Jelly

A combination of McIntosh and Granny Smith apples (including skins and cores!) gives this jelly its well-balanced flavor and a gorgeous slight blush color.

Grape Jelly

Choosing Concord grapes will ensure you get that classic grape jelly flavor, but any variety will fit the bill for this recipe.

Plum Jelly

The skins of sweet-tart plums are what give this jelly its jewel tone.

Raspberry Jelly

Savor the intense deliciousness of raspberry preserves without getting seeds stuck in your teeth! Serve this jelly with rich chicken-liver mousse for an elegant treat.

Hot-Pepper Jelly

Pepper jelly is a spicy-sweet match for soft cheeses, such as goat or Camembert (or even cream cheese), and that's especially true when it's all served atop crackers or crostini. You can also use the jelly as a glaze for chicken or pork: Melt it, then brush it on the meat before roasting or after grilling.

Basic Jam Recipe

Unlike jelly, jam contains pieces of fruit—in fact, a jam is not much more than the fruit cooked down with sugar until it becomes thick and spreadable. Like jellies, jams freeze beautifully, so you can enjoy the taste of summer long after the season is gone.

Nectarine-Raspberry Jam

Two fruits are better than one! The combination of sweet, juicy nectarines and tart red raspberries make a spectacular jam.

Peach-Plum Jam

Another dynamic duo, peaches and plums strike the perfect balance between sweet and tart, all in a lovely purple package.

Plum Jam

Spread this plum jam on your morning toast, or better yet, use it to make a buttery Plum-Jam Crumb Cake.

Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

Perfumed with rosemary, these juicy little morsels are a stunning accompaniment to a cheese plate or an antipasti platter.

Pickled Chile Cauliflower

Use any kind of fresh chiles that you fancy to give a hint of heat to pickled cauliflower.

Pickled Onions and Peppers

Pickled red onions and baby bell peppers provide a palate-pleasing counterpoint to the richness of soppressata and three cheeses on White Pizza with Pickled Onions and Peppers.

Pickled Green Tomatoes

Green tomatoes aren't just for frying! Pickle up a peck of them and try Pickled Green Tomatoes and Shrimp Toast.

Pickled Radishes

The peppery bite of radishes stands up nicely to the pucker of pickling brine. Serve these with grilled-cheese sandwiches for a grown-up take on comfort food.

Pickled Spicy Carrots

Layer these spicy, crunchy carrots on a baguette with grilled meat, cilantro, cucumber, and a smear of mayo for a shortcut version of a banh mi sandwich.

Pickled Tarragon Beans

Step up your Bloody Mary game by skewering a few of these tender-crunchy beans as a garnish.

Sweet-Pickled Peaches

Pickled peaches make a bracing accompaniment to meats, as in this Fried Chicken Cutlets Recipe.

Sweet-Pickled Shaved Golden Beets

Leaving beets raw gives these golden pickles a little bit of crunch. Enjoy them in Pickled-Beet and Fig Salad. Can't get enough beets? Then try our recipe for Pickled Dill Beets, too.

Sweet-Pickled Cucumber Chips

Don't worry, we didn't forget the cucumber pickles. These sweet pickle chips are good enough to rival Grandma's recipe—and easier, too!