How to Make Guava Jelly

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. It’s where you pack in a lot of nutritious energy to tackle what's to come. While you might eat your eggs the same way every day, there is a bit more variety in what you spread on your toast. There's jam, marmalade, peanut butter and now guava from which to choose.

This tropical, light-green and yellow fruit is oval shaped and originates from Central America. It is a staple to Cuban cuisine that you can find kicking around in different households and in many Cuban restaurants. It's used in both sweet and savory recipes, such as empanadas, guava-swirled cheesecake and guava-paste muffins.

Guava will make you forget all about the traditional strawberry or peach jam – and maybe even Nutella.

Guava jelly is a great food to make at home. It's quick, easy and comes with tons of health benefits. For example, guavas help with lowering blood-sugar levels and boosting immunity.

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Total Time: 1 hour | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 2 medium-sized jars

Ingredients:

• 12 ripe guavas 
  
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups sugar 
• 3 1/2 teaspoons your choice of lime or lemon juice 

Directions:

1. Start by washing and peeling the guavas. 
   
   
2. Slice the guavas into 1-inch cubes (this will make it easier for them to cook). 
   
   
3. Add the sliced-up fruit to a saucepan. Add just enough water to cover the fruit. 
   
   
4. Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook on medium heat. Let it come to a boil and then add the 2 cups of sugar and lemon or lime juice. Stir. 
   
   
5. Let the guavas continue to cook until very tender. This should take about 30 minutes, but you may need to cook them for longer depending on whether they are tender enough.
   
   
6. Once the guavas are done cooking, leave them to cool. 
   
   
7. Once the guavas are cool enough to bottle, grab a strainer and another bowl and strain out any seeds. You will do this by pressing a rubber spatula against the guava flesh until all the seeds are gone. 
   
   
8. You are now ready to bottle. Using sanitized bottles, pour the guava jelly inside, close the lid tightly and store.

Since guava is such a staple to Cuban cuisine, it only makes sense that there is a recipe devoted to them. This jam recipe is meant for more than just toast – try it on crackers, tarts and scones.

Total Time: 75 minutes | Prep Time: 45 minutes | Serves: 2 medium-sized jars

Ingredients:

• 20 medium ripe guavas
• Water as needed
  
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 drops edible food coloring
  
• 1 pinch salt
  

Directions:

1. Start by washing the guavas and removing the stems. 
   
   
2. Scoop out the centers of the guavas and place them inside a container. 
   
   
3. Cut the guava pulp into quarter-size pieces and then puree in a blender. Add enough water as needed to ensure the mixture liquefies. 
   
   
4. Strain the puree well and get rid of any extra skin or pulp. 
   
   
5. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, strain the seeds.
   
   
6. Combine strained puree with sugar and your choice of edible food coloring in a pot. Cook at a high temperature until it comes to a boil, making sure to stir often. 
   
   
7. Add a pinch of salt and lower the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   

Strawberry is a classic when it comes to jam. This recipe that incorporates guava with strawberry is sure to become a favorite.

Total Time: 25 minutes | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Serves: 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons guava paste
• 1 pint strawberries, stemmed and halved
• 2 cups apples, chopped
  
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime, lemon or orange zest 

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the guava paste, strawberries, apples, water and 1 cup sugar.
   
   
2. Bring everything to a boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes. 
   
   
3. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the boiling liquid.
   
   
4. Stir well and then remove from the heat. Add the lime, lemon or orange zest.
   
   
5. Using either a potato smasher or immersion blender, mash the jam well.
   
   
6. Pour into a container, let the jam sit to cool and then cover it with a tight-fitting lid. 
   
   
7. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.