Make it Yourself: Ketchup!

By on May 20, 2008 in recipes & kitchen tips

In an effort to cut back on grocery costs, eating nutritionally on a budget, I have found the most successful means of completing this is to learn how to make things on my own. Ketchup is one of those useful condiments that I personally can’t live without! Everything from hot dogs to sloppy lentils! Ketchup is often loaded with preservatives, or else the organic ketchup version is loaded with organic sugar! Sugar is sugar in my book, and I would rather substitute with a more natural alternative. After some experimenting, here is a rather tasty alternative!

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons Rapadura (rapadura is a wonderful natural sweetener, great replacement for brown sugar! I would imagine this would also be successful with replacing rapadura entirely with honey! Worth a try!)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup water

Mix together all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat; simmer gently until you get the consistency of ketchup, 30-45 minutes. Add a little more water, if necessary. Taste and adjust salt if desired before serving. Makes about 1-1/2 cups. On average, homemade condiments last anywhere from 2-3 weeks.

Visit Tammy’s Recipes for further kitchen tips.

About Lindsay

Lindsay Edmonds is first a lover of Jesus, wife, mother of four, homemaker, and writer. She loves inspiring women around the world toward simple, natural, and intentional living for the glory of God.
View all posts by Lindsay →

22 Responses to Make it Yourself: Ketchup!

  1. Amanda Kaake July 10, 2011 at 12:10 pm #

    Is it possible to can or freeze this?

  2. Kim Kauffman July 9, 2011 at 5:26 pm #

    This is so good! I just made it tonight. I didn’t have the rapadura so I just substituted honey. Yum. Thanks for the delicious recipe!!!

  3. Tony June 7, 2010 at 6:41 am #

    Folks, if you are going to the trouble of making homemade ketchup, it might as well be a real living ketchup. The purpose of condiments are to aid in digestion. So ditch the vinegar and instead add some whey, let it ferment for a day or two, then refrigerate. I just learned how to make real ketchup in a cooking class with Monica Corrado:

    http://simplybeingwell.com/2010/02/26/did-you-know-ketchup-could-be-a-super-food/

    • Sarah Masloob August 14, 2011 at 5:45 pm #

      I thought condiments were just to make things taste yummy! But Thanks for sharing your idea.. I’m going to look into it :)

  4. Naomi June 2, 2010 at 12:35 pm #

    I have been looking for healthy barbaque sauce. Do you have a recipe? My friend just told me about your site. I am new to eating/ cooking healthy and I love all your easy recipes. I am excited to try them. Thans.

    • Lindsay June 2, 2010 at 2:06 pm #

      I plan to share my homemade version in the next few weeks while we share summer BBQ recipes. Stay tuned!

  5. Sunny September 23, 2009 at 6:55 pm #

    Lindsay, I’m curious to know if one could use apple cider vinegar with this?

    • Lindsay September 29, 2009 at 6:03 am #

      It will definitely affect the flavor but I am sure it is possible.

  6. Cardamoms Pod June 1, 2009 at 3:14 am #

    Neat! I made the NT ketchup and my family LOVES it. However, this one will work when I need ketchup in a hurry… Thanks!

  7. Nancy April 10, 2009 at 10:48 am #

    Hi, I made this with all honey and instead of tomato paste and water I used tomato sauce. I cooked it a little longer to thicken it up. It was awesome! Thank yo so much!

  8. John March 1, 2009 at 5:49 pm #

    This was a life saver for me tonight. I’m making a steak and wanted ketchup, and didn’t want to buy any (I’m really frugal). Believe it or not, I had all the ingredients (even the molasses!). I initally forgot the salt and couldn’t figure out what was wrong, so I added some fresh lemon juice and worchestershire sauce. In any event it tastes great. Thank you.

  9. Brenda February 13, 2009 at 12:38 pm #

    Wow, I’m so excited to peruse your blog more. I have been wanting to get rid of the HFCS products we buy. Thanks for sharing. I’ll be back!

  10. $5 Dinner Mom January 20, 2009 at 2:31 pm #

    I’ve been looking for a great homemade ketchup recipe! I might try it with honey :)

    Erin

  11. Lisa December 10, 2008 at 3:10 pm #

    I’m definitely trying this. I’m trying to lose 140 pounds and want to eat whole, unprocessed foods. Follow along with me on my blog.

  12. carrol June 15, 2008 at 5:05 pm #

    I want to share a great place where I always shop for organic and gluten free products. Whole And Natural. They have lots of great stuff including organic ketchup.

  13. Eryn Kesler May 21, 2008 at 8:13 pm #

    Hi Lindsey…I’m enjoying your blog so much. My friend Michelle turned me on to it. We both recently attended the sustainable living on a budget workshop…which got us hopping aroung online for different resources. I also live in Vancouver. I REALLY love your Godly approach to this whole subject…that is so refreshing!I’ve been meaning to ask, where do you get your produce from? I read on another post about what you got weekly…including bananas etc, so I assume that’s not a CSA…do you mind sharing? Also, have you tried freezing your ketchup?

    • Lindsay May 22, 2008 at 8:58 am #

      Eryn, during the winter months I use Organics to You (they do delivery in the Portland metro area), and they provide some fruits, which is probably why I mentioned bananas. Currently, I am using Hidden Oasis as our local CSA (which provides a variety of vegetables from Feb-Nov), which I love! I have to buy my fruits at the farmer’s market or Trader Joe’s. No, I have not attempted to freeze ketchup yet, but I wouldn’t imagine it would be a problem, as it is mainly a tomato base, and that freezes well.

  14. Donna May 21, 2008 at 2:09 am #

    Thanks for the recipe!!!!

    I’ll have to try this…..I tried to make up one myself some time back but it didn’t impress my kids at all!:-)

  15. B. D. Buie May 20, 2008 at 6:06 pm #

    My wife and I will be making this tonight! Thank you.

    P. S.) On a somewhat unrelated note, I think you’d really enjoy this video.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPEBM5ol0Q

  16. donna May 20, 2008 at 4:40 pm #

    I’ve never heard of rapadura, will have to try it as well as the recipe.

  17. Amanda May 20, 2008 at 10:51 am #

    Thanks for the tip! I HEART ketchup and couldn’t imagine my life without it – that and ranch!

    Make sure you come over to my blog – I have a giveaway going on!!

  18. candace May 20, 2008 at 10:29 am #

    Thanks for the recipe. I’ll have to try it when I make sloppy lentils this week!