How to Make Ketchup with Pantry Ingredients

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Homemade Ketchup takes just minutes to stir together and is made with only a few basic pantry ingredients. You can tweak the seasonings and sweetness to suit your tastebuds. But when you see how to make ketchup with no added sugar or other funky ingredients, you’ll forget all about the bottled stuff. Let your kids dip to their hearts’ content or slather it all over your burgers because this DIY catsup recipe practically counts as a serving of veggies.

Originally published in 2013. Republished on May 24, 2016 with the addition of a video.

Easy Homemade Ketchup

Today I am bringing you a recipe for homemade ketchup. No fancy flavors, no unique twists. Just plain old ketchup.

Yes, you can make your favorite condiment at home. No cooking, only basic pantry ingredients, and ready in minutes. And without added sugar (unless you want to sweeten it up a bit) or preservatives, it’s a healthier option than that stuff in the bottle. It practically counts as another serving of veggies! Naturally gluten free and vegan too.

Because if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll eat anything when it is dunked in or covered with it. But when you read the labels and see all the sugar and preservatives and other stuff in there, well, let’s just say that I was starting to feel like I should just let them skip the veggies versus getting them to eat them covered with all that stuff.

So I set out to make my own ketchup. But many recipes called for simmering and straining and spice packets. I just wanted a quick and easy dip I could stir up in no time. I finally found one on a blog called Fix Me a Snack which doesn’t exist anymore, so I’m glad I saved that recipe. Since it starts with tomato paste, which is essentially a can of simmered and reduced tomatoes, there really is no need to go through all of that extra work.

Just stir in all of the other ingredients that give it its characteristic tangy, smoky, savory flavor that you can adjust exactly how you like. Then eat it right away, let it sit in the fridge to all blend together for a bit, or make a double batch to keep in a bottle for weeks so you always have some on hand.

Ingredients

On a serious note, what I said about it counting as a veggie is totally true. I mean, it’s tomato paste with spices and some vinegar. Pure, concentrated tomato. And plenty of zing, which is totally essential for ketchup, from apple cider vinegar. It brings so much flavor to this simple recipe. And all you have to do is stir everything together. Here’s what you need…

• Tomato paste
• Apple cider vinegar
• Salt
• Dry mustard powder
• Dried oregano
• Cumin
• Black pepper
• Water – if needed to replace some of the vinegar and/or to thin out the consistency.
• Sugar, molasses, brown sugar, honey, or a combination – only if needed and you don’t want to keep this a no sugar ketchup recipe. See tips below.

How to make ketchup

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Serve it right away or let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to let the flavors fully develop.

Tips for Success

It’s super easy to adjust this ketchup recipe exactly the way you like it!

Too vinegary? Some people have commented that they find this homemade ketchup recipe too sharp or vinegary. The instructions have always said, but I will mention it again here, that you may want to use half the amount of vinegar the first time, and then add water for the balance of the liquid. 

Too thick? If you want it thinner or more pourable, you can also as more water, about a tablespoon at a time to reach your preferred consistency.

Too smoky? You can omit or lessen the amount of cumin. Cumin is a typical ingredient in ketchup to give it a bit of smokiness, but some people (typically those who also don’t like cilantro) find it too strong. A few drops of liquid smoke is an alternative for that flavor.

Not sweet enough? I still prefer making this ketchup recipe with no sugar or other sweetener. If you want it sweeter, you can add a couple of tablespoons of sugar, molasses, brown sugar, honey, or some combination of those to suit your taste. To keep the carbs lower, you can even use Swerve Erythritol Sweetener or Swerve Brown Sugar Replacement.

Make ahead and storage

You can use it right away, but it is also good to let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the flavors fully blend. And if you put it in a jar, bottle, or another airtight container, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

What to eat with ketchup

From mac and cheese to meatloaf, people love ketchup on so many things. But here are some of the all-time favorites.

French Fries

The most classic thing for dipping in ketchup. Of course, you can just make some frozen or simple air fryer French fries. But you can also get creative and try these.

• Air Fryer Truffle Fries
• Italian Oven Baked Fries
• Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Tots

Just like the fries, there is nothing wrong with getting a bag of tater tots out of the freezer. But you can also sneak some veggies into the mix.

• Cauliflower tots
• Zucchini tots
• Sweet potato tots

Hot dogs and hamburgers

Just toss some burgers and dogs on the grill and put out some ketchup. Or get creative.

• French Onion Stuffed Burgers
• Hot Dog Taquitos
• Air Fryer Hamburgers

Finger Foods

Little kids, little food, and some ketchup go hand in hand.

• Cheesy quinoa bites with veggies
• Air fryer chicken nuggets
• Chicken tenders

Eggs

This is a controversial take, but many people love ketchup on their eggs. Make some breakfast sandwiches or try these.

• Pineapple and tomato cheesy scrambled eggs
• Broccoli ham and cheese egg muffins
• Bacon cheeseburger crustless quiche

Variations of Homemade Ketchup

Once you’ve tried this traditional ketchup recipe, you can swap the liquids, herbs, and spices to make all kinds of gourmet variations of ketchup!

• Balsamic Ketchup
• Worcestershire Ketchup
• Spicy Buffalo Ketchup
• Balsamic Cranberry Ketchup

4.5 from 18 votes

Homemade Ketchup

Homemade Ketchup is the perfect dip for your kids (or you) – no added sugar or funky ingredients, can be tweaked to your tastes, and it counts as a veggie!

Prep: 5 mins

Total: 5 mins

Servings: 16

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Ingredients

• 6 oz. tomato paste 1 small can or 3/4 cup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar see Note 1
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• water see Note 1
• sugar, molasses, honey, brown sugar, or a combination see Note 2

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Notes

Note 1 – Some people find the full amount of aple cider vinegaer too strong, especially if they use a raw apple cider vinegar. You can use less, but then add water to total a 1/2 cup of liquid. You can also add additional water if you want a thinner ketchup.

Note 2 – while this is a no sugar katchup recipe, if you prefer it a little sweeter, you can start by adding a tablespoon of sugar, molasses, honey, brown sugar, or a combination of those, then adjust, adding more if needed.

Note 3 – Recipe keeps well in the fridge, so it can easily be doubled and stored for a few weeks.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Ketchup

Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)

Calories 10

% Daily Value*

Sodium 157mg7%

Potassium 113mg3%

Carbohydrates 2g1%

Sugar 1g1%

Vitamin A 160IU3%

Vitamin C 2.3mg3%

Calcium 5mg1%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Course: Condiments, Dip

Cuisine: American

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More homemade condiments and sauces

• Bourbon BBQ Sauce
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Thai Peanut Sauce
• Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
• Creamy Balsamic Dressing
• Homemade Peach Barbecue Sauce from Kiss My Smoke

Enjoy!