This Homemade Ketchup Recipe is super simple and easy. Knowing what ingredients are in your ketchup is never a bad thing, and the only way to do that is by making your ketchup from scratch. Be sure to check out my cookbook for more homemade basic recipes!
Recently I was left a comment saying that a recipe of mine wasn’t “from scratch” because I used ketchup.
Say what?
I guess I never thought about (organic store-bought) ketchup destroying a recipe and deeming un-scratch-worthy. To be honest, I don’t make the bread for my french toast and I also don’t distill my own vinegar. With that said, how “from scratch” do I need to cook in order to have a “from scratch” blog? Well I suppose since this is my blog, I get to determine that.
But I do want to say thanks to “anonymous” who left that comment because I decided to turn his or her comment into a recipe post and make my very own ketchup from scratch.
Although I’m sure I’ll get a comment about using canned tomato paste. <insert eye roll emoji>
To Make Homemade Ketchup You Will Need:
- tomato paste
- dark brown sugar
- dry ground mustard
- kosher salt
- ground allspice
- cayenne pepper
- ground clove
- ground turmeric
- apple cider vinegar
- water (or more)
It’s really pretty easy to make homemade ketchup. Tomato paste is the base for this ketchup recipe and if you’re up for the challenge and want to make your own tomato paste then here is a great recipe for first-timers. It’s currently on my bucket list to make homemade tomato paste late next summer.
First get out a large mixing bowl or measuring cup. Next measure in 12 ounces of tomato paste.
Then measure and add in 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon both of ground mustard and kosher salt*. Add in 1/8 teaspoon each of ground allspice, cayenne pepper, clove and turmeric .
When making homemade ketchup, I don’t like to use TOO much salt, so if you are using this in a recipe (like barbecue sauce or baked beans) you don’t want risk the final product being overly salty. If using as a condiment (for like tater tots or French fries) then season to taste.
Add in four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar along with 2/3 to 1 cup of water. If you find that it’s still too thick you can always thin it out with even more water.
Finally whisk until thoroughly combined.
Lastly, pour the homemade ketchup recipe into a jars or any container with a tight-fitting lid and pop it into your fridge for a few hours. This will help to develop the flavors. And just like pretty much anything that is tomato based, it always tastes better the next day.
Now who’s made their own mustard? And can it be done? I’m a woman on a mission.
For more homemade ingredients check out my Kitchen Basics section!
Enjoy! And if you give this Easy Homemade Ketchup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Homemade Ketchup Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2/3 to 1 cup water, or as needed to reach desired consistency
Instructions
- Measure and add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
- Use a whisk and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate and overnight for the flavors to develop.
Notes
Buy the Cookbook: Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy Now available on Amazon »
THANK YOU in advance for your support!
Ha! Love that you showed them who’s boss! 😉
Ha-ha! It does make for a great post topic! lol
Great recipe! Do you know how long this will last in the fridge?
Great question! To be safe I’d say 3-4 weeks in the fridge. 🙂
I saw that comment and thought how ridiculous it was that someone thought they had the right to tell you what not to use in your own cooking, and what not to post on your own blog! But oh well, this looks great 🙂
Laurie! This may just be the best food blog post I’ve EVER seen. Ketchup is…embarassingly enough…. one of my FAVORITES. My friends and family make so much fun of me becaus eI eat it SO much… on everything. It’s quite disgusting how quickly I go through bottles! I am loving this homemade version!
And I agree w/ Liz above… yoiu sure showed that person who left the comment! 😉
We get through vast quantities of ketchup – I love the idea of making my own!
Did you grow those cayenne peppers and mill them into powder yourself? LOL 😉
I want to try making my own kethcup to can this year, but this recipe is great and I am definitely going to try. I am so tried of all the CRAP they put in everything you buy at the store, condiments included!
Haaa Allison! That made me laugh 😀
Laurie love this recipe….go kick some from scratch butt! I personally have not made homemade mustard, but know someone who has…here’s the link to her blog and the recipe:)
http://cookinwithsuperpickle.blogspot.com/2010/12/homemade-mustard.html
Thanks Renee! I just checked it out… mustard is now on my to-do list! 🙂
Making your own mustard is very easy and fun. You just mix mustard seeds or dry powdered mustard or a blend with some sort of liquid. You can use white wine, beer, any kind of vinegar, or water. I usually add a little salt as well. You can add dried or fresh herbs, honey, molasses, or any number of mix-ins to make all kinds of fun varieties.
Stop it you’re making my mouth water!
Haha. I love anonymous commenters. And I adore homemade ingredients like ketchup. Beautiful photos Laurie!
BOOM! take that anonymous 🙂 in all seriousness though, yum. i love the thought of homemade ketchup being so easy!
I had a ketchup slathered turkey burger for dinner last night…wish the ketchup was homemade! Keeping as much as possible homemade is a wonderful idea and sometimes I forget that this can include condiments. Nice thinking!
Love your recipe for ketchup (catsup/catchup). Will be printing it out to use once our tomatoes come in this year (crossing my fingers here!). 32 plants and counting the days.
I made a batch last year but, am not overly thrilled with it. It’s good but, yours looks loads better.
Oh, and I do make my own mustards. Hubby loves them hot and spicy and there’s a million recipes out there on the internet to use. My recipes have come from the Small Batch Canning book… they are very good.
And, slap anonymous up side her/his head for being so smart alecky!
I recently have been making my own mustard and I really want to start making my own ketchup. Because I love it so much. I like a little food with my ketchup 🙂 Great post & inspiration! And gotta love those fun-loving anon comments, right? 🙂
I love this! To be honest, the idea of ketchup generally grosses me out because of the sugar content, and the array of processed ingredients that can be found within. I’ve been plotting trying to make it myself for quite awhile, and this looks like the perfect recipe ~ thanks for rising to the challenge! 😉
Girl’s got some spite in her! Good job. If you really want to make your own mustard, have you seen the recipe from Vicki of Wilde in the Kitchen?
http://www.asimpleido.net
Who has the nerve to say that it’s not from scratch because you used bottle ketchup? Ridiculous, but I’m glad you showed them just how amazing you are from this LEGITLY scratch ketchup recipe. I’ve been wanting to make scratch condiments (mayo and ketchup in particular) from scratch but I just never got around to it. Thanks for the inspiration!
Made mustard! Super easy: check it out on my blog. Have to try ketchup!
Haha, well, guess you showed them! This looks great and it looks even better than bottled! I bet that person is reading all this now and feeling really stupid 🙂
I love that your ketchup recipe does not have a bunch of sugar in it like the store bought brands. Good on you!
I somehow figured making ketchup would be simple homemade…I’ve just liked the simplicity of store bought organic 🙂 Love that you stepped up to the challenge here!
My son is “hyper” sensitive to naughty ketchup…ie…the stuff that contains High Fructose Corn Syrup. I will be definately trying this recipe! Thx for posting
Seriously? Someone said you didn’t make stuff from scratch because you used ketchup! That is just over the top. So I can’t use milk in a recipe, because I didn’t milk the cow myself? Or grow the wheat myself, and grind it into flour? Every recipe uses store bought products that you put together to great something new.
Love that you made your own ketchup though, I would never have thought to try that!
Great post. I have always wanted to make my own ketchup. Thanks for having such a great attitude about that anonymous comment and turning it into such a great post. People are hilarious. Your recipes are totally awesome!!! I mean awesome. My sister is a picky eater and she will often ask if what I am cooking is from your blog, otherwise she may not want toeat it, like your baked beans for instance (which my family LOVED for Memorial Day). Anyway, scratch to me is cooking and assembling everything in the recipe not necessarily catching the fish or making the pasta or baking the bread or growing the cane tomake the sugar a recipe calls for and then cooking (not that there is anything wrong with doing those things if you can, but you get my point hopefully). Geez! Lol who has that kinda time.
Your blog rocks!
I have had a kethchup recipe sitting and waiting for me to play with. This looks so much easier! I’ve done whole grain mustard before and will have to do it again so and blog about it!
I have been talking about making my own ketchup for a while now. I just haven’t had the guts to give it a try. This looks so simple and healthy! Do you think it would can well? I’d love to make a huge batch at once and have it ready for a year or so.
Kelly I’m not the best person to ask about canning. I would think so… but by no means am I an expert… Give it a go and report back please! 🙂
AWESOME! I love how easy this is. Who’d have thought?! Ever since I stumbled across your blog while searching for a Chocolate Popcorn recipe a few weeks back, you’ve quickly moved to the top of my favourites list!
Love this! I’ve been looking for a ketchup recipe all over but they have corn syrup in them (‘sup with that?!)… so glad I found this one! 🙂
You’ve intrigued me. I’ve grown up despising ketchup, until recently when i tried a homemade ketchup that tasted nothing like the processed–foot smelling–ketchup Ive despised for years. I think I need to give your recipe a try! Thanks!!!
You are a fraud!! That tomato paste came from a tube or can!! ;P Kidding, of course. In all seriousness, this looks HEAVENLY and I am a ketchup FIEND!! I am known to put ketchup on my catsup. 😉 But this inspires me. I will have an ABUNDANCE of tomatoes from my garden this year and I was planning to make paste with some since it freezes well. (the huzz hates fresh toms but loves sauce) so the logical thing to do is to use it to make a batch of this happiness! Thanks for the recipe!
I’ll have to admit, when I saw the recipe I thought you were going to start with fresh tomatoes. I’ve never made ketchup, but I’ve made tomato paste in the past. It’s not difficult, but it does take a long time!
Thank you so much for this recipe. For dietary reasons I can’t have store bought ketchup. I just made this to try. Becca 🙂
You are such a feisty one, I love it!! Good for you. I do find it slightly, and by slightly, I mean WILDLY ridiculous to say ketchup disqualifies a dish from being “made from scratch”. Pfft.
Exaaaaactly! And thanks for the feisty comment… I appreciate that! 😀
That’s my girl!!!! Loved reading all the comments and the support you got.
Never heard of anything so trite and rediculous as that comment that he/she made…..Annon needs to get a REAL life!!!! Cannot wait to try your recipe.
Keep your ever-lovin recipes coming, sweetie!!
Does the brown sugar have to be dark? I only buy the light and that’s what I have on hand right now. I tried making ketchup once before but it was not very tasty (or edible). This sounds much better. I’d like to make this for our Independence Day party tomorrow. Thanks for the post.
OMG!!! I’ve been a silent reader these past months, but I just HAD to respond to this one! That is INSANE!! I absolutely love that you gave it right back… I hope he/she sees this post! Awesome recipe as always Laurie!
Thanks so much for sharing this easy-to-make ketchup recipe! I mixed together a batch this morning, using apple cider vinegar and adding 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder for an extra flavor boost. It has only been cooling for a couple hours, but I had to give it a taste test. Yum! I know it will be even better tomorrow. Thanks, again.
I made this last night and put it on some burgers. Now my husband has asked that we never buy ketchup again. Thanks for such a great easy recipe!
Yay! That’s awesome… thanks for coming back and leaving a review, you rock! 🙂
Can You Can Or Freeze This?? If So, How Would You Go About Doing That?! Thanks!
I’m not one who knows much about canning, but I say freezing should be fine for atleast a couple months!
Will it be spicy? I want to make this for my 1 year old & husband. Should I sub chili powder for cayenne?
I saw the 2 to 3 week refrigeration time but has you or anyone else tried canning this? If so did it work ok and how long has it lasted so far?
I used light brown sugar because it is what I had, 3 pinches all spice because no cloves, and chili powder instead of cayenne.. again because it is what I had. Tasted awesome and super easy!
I went to add ketchup to my burger and found .. we had none! Burgers done, cheese melting, a quick Google search lead me here and you saved me!
My children (4 and 6) will love this. It wasn’t too sweet or spicy at all. It smelled just like ketchup and was delicious.
I made ketchup once and was not too crazy about it, between the sugar and cloves it did not taste the way I’m used to ketchup tasting like, so my question is this what did your recipe like?
You left out the part about the brown sugar in your written instructions with the pictures.
I have very recently found Simply Scratch and have made the BBQ sauce to “rave reviews” (thanks so much). The Brussel Sprouts went over big as well.
I am about to make the Ketchup & Honey Whiskey BBQ sauce. Can anyone tell me what the shelf life is on these 2 items once made in airtight container.
thanks
Hi Scot! Glad you like the sauce, it’s a favorite at our house and I’m forever finding other ways to consume it! Oh and fyi the ketchup should last about three weeks. 🙂
I am so happy to have found Simply Scratch! Your philosophy about cooking (real ingredients, simple processes, delicious results) is one I totally believe in. I have just begun writing an article for kids about the origins of ketchup and how it is made (kind of a “here’s how this condiment magically appears in bottles” idea). I was wondering if you might allow me to cite this recipe as an easy way to make their own homemade ketchup. Thanks!
Of course Cheryl, that would be awesome! 🙂
I am wanting to convert kids who have been raised on store bought ketchup. They are not brand specific and I was using Hunts because it was HFCS free, but they added it back in. Can you compare it in taste to store bought? How similar is it?
This is a great recipe…I have to admit….I am a ketchup fiend…but I’m trying to avoid some of the scarier ingredients like high fructose corn syrup that is found in most commercially prepared ketchup. I can’t wait to try this recipe it looks delicious and easy!
Made it, tried it, and it was glorious! Tweaked some of the spices and added in some sweet chili sauce to ‘customize’ to my family’s liking. Great base recipe! I’m making your Detroit Coney Sauce tomorrow for dinner.
That’s awesome Andrew! I hope you like the coneys too!
I just tried it. It’s fantastic! Much better than store-bought ketchup.
I have asked myself the question about what level do I need/want to drill down to in cooking. It was actually through the decision that I should start making my own ketchup that I found your post.
It really hit me when I started making my own BBQ sauces. I kind of felt like I was just combining pre-made ingredients. I started to think “why don’t i make these also? then it will really be my BBQ sauce”. I can certainly make my own tomato sauce. I knew there were people making their own ketchups & mustards. I was pretty sure someone had to be making their own Worcester sauce. Basically, my goal is to make my own version of anything that is just an amalgamation of other ingredients.
Lol, when I was a young, we used to go to molasses stir offs. But I think, for now, I will stick to buying molasses. I’m also not going to set up a bee hive in my apartment. or build a still a start making my own whiskey.
For me, it is more curiosity than anything. Cooking is a hobby. I mainly cook for myself.
I have decided that for some of the things I use a lot of (ketchup being one) that I will try to make my own. Oddly enough, I will still buy ketchup for use as a condiment. Lol, I can’t imagine I will ever make a ketchup that will go as well on a cheeseburger as Heinz.
Worcester sauce is something else I use a lot of. I am currently researching recipes for that. I also want to explore making stone ground mustard.
This is your site. You can define “scratch” in anyway you would like. I personally think that using ketchup isn’t a cheat. I think its use falls within the spirit of cooking from scratch. Lol, well unless you are making ketchup. I am just getting a little obsessive in making BBQ sauce.
Thanks for the very informative post on how to make ketchup. I look forward to giving it a try.
Tomato ketchup was sold locally by farmers. A man named Jonas Yerks (or Yerkes) is believed to have been the first man to make tomato ketchup a national phenomenon. By 1837, he had produced and distributed the condiment nationally.[7] Shortly thereafter, other companies followed suit. F. & J. Heinz launched their tomato ketchup in 1876..*””
http://calaguas.orgGood day to you
Looks like an {easy} recipe. I’ll have to give it a try. “Whatevs”.
My youngest grandson is asleep, the older one is STARVING and I had no ketchup! What to do? I looked for a recipe to make ketchup and saw yours. Took just a few minutes to make and I think it tastes great even without the flavors “melding” in the fridge. Thanks for saving the day.
Do you think I am able to can this for future use? Water bath method?
I’m not an expert canner.. So I’m not sure and would hate to tell you yes and be wrong. If you do try it… please let me know and I’ll add it to the recipe instructions 🙂
Hope I don’t get flamed for saying I totally understand where anonymous is coming from… ketchup has multiple ingredients. Cocoa, vinegar, sugar, tomato paste, those are ingredients that while processed, are really one, maybe two ingredients (good balsamic vinegar should always have grape must as an ingredient in my opinion). So if you’re using store bought mayo, store bought ketchup, and a seasoning packet to make a salad dressing, is it from scratch? Kinda, but not to purists. There’s a spectrum of ‘made from scratch’ It’s of course up to you just how pure you want to go. When I’m making things for a special occasion I make my own mayo. When it’s no big deal, I’ll grab the hellman’s. Make my own tomato paste? No way, too much work.
I can’t wait to give this a go. It gets tiring buy commercial processed ketchup, but also, tiring making what preserving books call “ketchup”. I can’t wait. Thanks for posting the recipe.
Can away guys. This recipe (and most recipes with red tomatoes) is safe to can. Tomatoes have a very acidic chemical make up and keep well while in thier jars as long as the canning process is done properly and they seal correctly. Adding the additional acidity of the citric acid in most tomato pastes there is very little risks of a batch going bad. I’d love to say no risk but there is always that chance. Completely cover the jars and process them at a full boil for half hour in a pressure canner or an hour in a traditional canner. Date your cans and use it within two years. Keep them from sunlight as ascorbic acid breaks down from exposure. (Just a tip). There are a few tomato varities that require the addition of lemon juice but those are the sweeter tomatoes and yellow varities.
Thank you for this recipe. My daughter is on the low FODMAP diet and desperately misses her ketchup. I was going to modify the recipe I used for years, the one I learned as a little girl. Just out of curiosity I turned to google and found this one. Substituting the cayenne for chili pepper will make a completely low FODMAP safe ketchup for her. And it’s quick and easy and so well put together I can easily multiply it for her.
Hi there! This recipe this awesome! Just wondering though, is it on the spicy side? My toddler and preschooler like mild flavors. Thanks!
Hi Mary! No not at all! But if you’re worried about it try leaving it out and tasting it to see how you like it 🙂
I tried this recipe out with some homemade smoked tofu dogs and beer mustard. Top notch!
Thanks so much, great post, great recipe, easy to make and over all, delicious!
The recipe is here if anyone is interested in giving the whole thing a shot – http://rocketbean.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/smoked-tofu-dogs-with-homemade-ketchup.html
Does anyone know how to make homemade tomato paste. I love making things from scratch so I will definitely be making this and the mustard if I can find a homemade recipe for it as well. Thank you for sharing.
Serena, how do you make homemade mayonnaise.
does anybody have a recipe for homemade tomato sauce. Thanks to all.
jeffandamandagowan@yahoo.com
Can you make this with tomato puree instead?
Thanks for the recipe . I love ketchup but have an allergy to onion. It seems all the store brands have onion powder as an ingredient. So nice to see an alternative!
You just saved me a 15mile trip – went to make tousand isand drssing and no ketchup- but plenty of tomatoe paste (and evrything elst yor recipe calls for – thanks for saving my time and gas money!!!!! Both he ketchup and the dressing are great – thanks sooooooo much
I love this. I love ketchup but due to a sensitive stomach I have to be careful. Any idea how this would taste if I used a sugar substitute like Stevia instead of Brown Sugar? Very curious about that.
The amount of vinegar (acid) dictates how long the tomato can be kept fresh. If you are concerned about the longevity, err on the side of caution and add a little extra vinegar. However, too much vinegar and it will taste like vinegar, so start with less than what is called for and add to taste. I’ve got a fantastic BBQ sauce recipe that starts with a ketchup base (i.e. already has vinegar) and adds 1/4 cup more vinegar and it stays good for 4+ months in the fridge. Homemade condiments seem to get used up more quickly though – so if it tastes really good, it disappears long before it would expire.
Which brand of measuring spoons do you recommend. I love the ones in the picture. I’ve been looking on amazon and the reviews for mini (pinch, dash, smidgen) spoons are mixed. Can’t wait to try the recipe.. thanks so much for posting.
Hi GiGi! The measuring spoons were a gift but I believe they were from Bed, Bath and Beyond. Hope that helps! Enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Have you tried subbing raw honey for the sugar? How do you think it would turn out? Would it require less honey?
Hi Grace! That’s a great question and something definitely worth trying out! Maybe add a tablespoon or so of molasses along with it? I would keep the measurements the same 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ll never purchase ketchup again! It was very tasty, and I look forward to being able to play with the recipe.
I’d like to try this recipe without the mustard, as my daughter has a severe mustard allergy. Do you have a suggestion for a mustard substitute or should I simply omit it without a sub? Thoughts?
I agree that a recipe with ketchup as an ingredient should still be considered “from scratch”, but I will tell you that it seems nearly impossible sometimes to completely eliminate something as commonly hidden as mustard from all our food! It is overwhelming sometimes how so many “ingredients” for scratch recipes are not safe for her because they contain mustard! (sausage, ham, ketchup, many canned tomato products, seasoning blends, sauces, dressings, etc., etc., not to mention nearly ALL prepared/boxed/canned food!) Throw in allergies to peanut and egg and it’s really crazy-making sometimes! Thanks for the recipe!
Can I use regular white vinegar for white wine vinegar?
Hi Sharda! Either should work 🙂
Have to agree that expecting you to make your own condiments for your recipes is too much to expect for “from scratch” however, thanks for writing this, since I am out of catsup, and going to get some isn’t practical right now. Life saver
To answer your call about mustard from scratch, I HAVE made it, and prefer it to what you can find in a jar. By buying both yellow and brown seeds, and grinding them yourself (old coffee grinder is great for this) you can control the consistency and heat easily. I love a really hot brown mustard and the Food Network has several home made mustard recipes to use. By being generous with the find grind yellow, and coarse ground brown, you can make a mustard that can really clear your sinuses. (Back off each to keep it less potent) Experiment and enjoy!
So, did you ever try your hand at mustard? Its even more freakishly easy than ketchup! For a simple yellow mustard (that’s easier my toddler to handle) we just pop it in the microwave until bubbly and let cool. Takes care of that pesky spice. 🙂
I have not! I need to get on that and make it soon! Thanks for the reminder! 🙂
Have you tried it with honey and molasses in place of brown sugar? Just wondering how it would taste with no sugar.
I’m not a fan of catsup in any form. Needed some for a recipe and decided to make some from your recipe. It’s fantastic!! Thank you.
I’m with anonymous.
If you suffer from food allergies and chemical sensitivities you get to be fussy about your food. Things that have 1-5 ingredients that grandma(Ok I’m old so probably great grandma for you) would recognise I’d count as acceptable to buy for “from scratch” cooking… Anything with a long list of chemicals(HFCS) or things grandma would not know – forget it find another recipe.
So yes bread for french toast can be OK – if the ingredients are salt yeast flour water. If the ingredients are an essay of chemicals ‘improvers’ yada yada – then no it is not an ingredient in cooking “from scratch”.
So “ketchup” with HFCS etc unidentified flavours and spices etc is not a from scratch ingredient. Now when I can find a commercial product that has only recognisable spices, vegetables, vinegar, and sugar etc then I think it is acceptable. (I lived-in a town that had little businesses making old-fashioned cordials(yes fruit and sugar – no alcohol), jams, butters and sauces for the tourist trade – when I lived there I did not have to cook quite as much “from scratch” myself as the local co-op did it for me).
Jamie Oliver has a from scratch for those looking for it and I think I found another made in slow cooker.
LOVE this recipe!
But is the day brown sugar from scratch? 😉 If this person was really serious they would have left their name. I’m pretty sure his/her parents didn’t give the name of “anonymous” -_- I’m glad you came back with a facetious vengeance 😀 Awesome recipe!!
Exactly Jen! Thanks so much! <3
I found your post while looking for homemade ketchup recipe. While I’m not a purist when it comes to making from scratch recipes, I have a different angle. I’m certainly not opposed to using store bought tomato paste to make ketchup, however it’s looking like we are going to have tons of tomatoes in our garden this year. I found recipes using fresh tomatoes to make ketchup, but I’m not certain the consistency is the consistency of store bought ketchup like Hunts or Heinz, which is what my family likes. Just wondered if I should actually make my own tomato “paste” first then make ketchup. I just hated the thought of buying tomato paste to make homemade ketchup with fresh tomatoes on hand. Any thoughts on the subject? Thanks.
Just a quick note… allspice consists of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Since I did not have any allspice, I just added a couple pinches of nutmeg to the batch and added just a littke more salt and it was perfect. Chefs, don’t spend the extra money on allspice since you already have the ingredients in your spice supply. Great recipe and like the others, I like knowing and contrlling what goes into my food. Thanks so much for sharing with us!
Absolutely loved this recipe. I had been using a different one for months that was ok, but I grew weary of it and went on a search for a new one & found yours. Made it this morning. It’s a keeper! Thanks 🙂
Can you please tell me how long does this ketchup “live” ? Can i have i t for a week or so in my fridge?
5 stars! This is a great recipe! Since we mainly use ketchup as a condiment I used a tiny bit more salt but salt is such a personal thing. I had a bottle of the natural organic Heinz, no HFCS, that we have been using. I used it to compare the flavors and this recipe nailed it!! I started replacing the store bought- No one noticed at all…I cheated re-using the Heinz bottle! LOL! Of course, I confessed, 😉 , and friends ask for the recipe!! Thank you so much!
RE: ALLSPICE COMMENT from “Aly C” This comment is incorrect. Allspice is it’s own spice. It is an unripe fruit of a shrub, much like peppercorns. It is NOT a combo of spices. It may taste similar to you, but it is it has it’s own flavor profile, not nearly as sweet as the combo “Aly C” suggests. I really wish folks would research what they say. Many young cooks get poor results from recipes because they follow comments that are not accurate. Please folks, try the recipes AS WRITTEN before you make your personal adjustments. It is not fair to the author or the readers. Just my 2cents…! Great recipe, make it as written. Refridge overnight, taste and see what you think!
Laurie , Not hard at all to make your own vinegar , I use Braggs organic vinegar… and use vine ripe tomatoes and skip the brown sugar , it will be naturally sweet .
Nice recipe
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’ve recently developed several food allergies and couldn’t find any safe store bought ketchup. But this is even better. I love it! Thanks 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I’ve collected a few recipes but all of those needed canning and I just don’t have room for all the equipment. This is the perfect amount. for my family or I can always try freezing a portion if I think I won’t use the whole amount in 3-4 weeks. Definitely want to find a homemade recipe now that Heinz is said to have so little tomato product in it it shouldn’t be called ketchup and isn’t in some countries.
I thank you Laurie for a great recipe and also the link for making tomato paste. I used my own super sweet home grown tomatoes to make a very concentrated paste which in turn I used to make the tomato sauce (aka ketchup) per your recipe here. The only thing I would advise is to be wary of the amount of brown sugar one adds. Based on my tomato paste I made which was already full of sweetness from the sun ripened tomatoes used, there was too much sweetness in the sauce at the end. i well suspect I could omit the sugar altogether with the right tomato paste as a base. Otherwise the sauce was a treat and I will certainly use this as a basis for doing again. Thanks again.
After I read your home made ketchup recipe, water comes in my mouth. I can’t wait much to try this recipe.
Last night I have made homemade tomato recipe. It was made incredible. This is my favorite tomato ketchup recipe. I am so grateful to you that you have posted this tomato ketchup recipe. I tried multiple tomato recipes from your website. Thank you so much for sharing.
Don’t have the time to look through all the comments but I need a recipe that will allow me to can up the ketchup instead of putting it into the frig for a couple of weeks. Does this recipe allow this? Thanks!
I’m honestly not sure Deb. I’m not a canning expert, so I’m afraid I can’t say for sure.
Whoever the smartaleck was about the “not homemade ketchup” needs to move to the middle of nowhere so she can: grow her own sugarcane to make her own sugar: needs to live close to the salt flats or ocean so she can make her own salt, grow her own tomatoes; and about all the spices-well she might want to be on someone’s mailing list for organically grown items. Personally I’m glad when I can get something homemade with non-GMO ingredients. Just keep cooking, kid, you’re doing more than most of us & & u have a happy, healthy family that’s happy to have u cooking.
Linda Warner
Very nice,well done.Cooking is a passion,not just a means to feed ones self,and or friends and family.Cooking from scratch is what chefs and good cooks do.
It also is experimenting with ideas,not being afraid to fail,and trying again
when it doesn’t work out well.I salute you Laurie for providing fellow gastronomic adventurers with your recipe,I will use this today for my BBQ sauce.
I totally agree! Thank you for you kind comment Greg!
Here in the UK, mustard powder (pure ground mustard seed) is a standard condiment (Colmans brand is sold basically everywhere), and it’s considered perfectly unremarkable to mix your own mustard – just mustard powder and enough water (or vinegar) to make a paste.
Best made about fifteen minutes before eating, so the flavour develops. This gives a very powerful mustard (I guess it’s what USAns call English Mustard) that is eaten in small quantities. I love it, and it’s way better than pre-mixed, which loses its heat ever so quickly.
I found a neat recipe for mustard, among other things, here
http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-mustard-herbs/
Thank you!
Is it possible, once this is made to freeze it for use at a later date?
Hi Fred, from what I’ve read online I believe you can. I’ve not personally froze my ketchup before so I can’t be certain if the texture or consistency changes once thawed.
Hate to tell you this but your ketchup is not from scratch, tomato pastes are commercial preparation. My mom made real ketchup, it involved a whole lot of garden fresh tomatoes, cider vinegar and a load of prep time and cook time. So worth it, she gave her young and not so young relatives jars of it for Christmas. I never ate boughtn until I left home. Just wish I had her version of home made ketchup recipi now
I’ll agree to disagree on this one. But I bet your mom’s homemade ketchup was fabulous!
I forgot to get ketchup at the store so instead of going back out I made this — I don’t think I’ll buy ketchup ever again! SO easy to make, and no HFCS! 😀
Yay! I’m so glad, Grace! 🙂
Note: if you’re using Canadian Hunt’s tomato paste, reduce that water to 1/4 to 1/3 cup. I followed the instructions and got tomato water; making a second batch without water and combining the two got me perfect catsup!
And catsup without onion! Thank God!
I’ve not made this yet, but I love the premise! One question though- Anytime I think of homemade ketchup I see the scene in Meet Me in St. Louis in my minds eye; Kitty stirring away at a huge pot of ketchup while the mothers and daughters taste it for the perfect sweet/sour balance! lol Silly I know, but I was surprised that your recipe isn’t simmered. Have you tried cooking then cooling it?
Hi Heather! I have not, but it’s definitely worth a try. My thought is that it may evaporate any water in the recipe making it become thicker, so keep that in mind if you try it. Enjoy! 🙂
Is it cost effective compared to store bought
Yes it sure is!
Absolutely amazing! This is the one main think which every like to include in their dish. I also running a restaurant i.e https://www.thejellyfishbar.com/. I always try to make it by own. Thank you LAURIE MCNAMARA You helped me a lot.
I made this and it was great. Better than any store bought and I noticed that it got a little ‘spicier’ as time went on. SO I made some (halved the recipe for this) and let it set for 3 weeks. OH MAN< It was spicy and my family LOVED it that way. So, make it up and set it aside in frig marked to WAIT and we will devour one whole fixing in a meal of sandwiches and potatoes. LOVE THIS
THANKS
So glad, Ralph!
This is DELICIOUS! I ran out of ketchup and came across your recipe. We won’t buy store bought ketchup again. Well done!
I’m thrilled to hear you loved it, Christine! Thank you for taking the time to make this recipe and for leaving such a great review!
Ketchup was officially declared a vegetable in the 1980s so your recipe was, in fact, from scratch. Nice job making that commenter eat their own words with a supersized side of crow! Definitely going to enjoy this recipe, everything’s going back to the 2014 era chemical-soup version and these tomatoes deserve better than that!
Bravo! Homemade condiments are a delight! As for store bought ingredients making something “not from scratch” all I can say is how many make ALL of their ingredients from scratch (like vanilla extract). I have made mustard from scratch…do so on a nice day so you can open doors and windows as it creates a strong odor while cooking. And yes, I make many (but not all) of my own extracts. I don’t do it to make recipes from scratch but because I derive pleasure from the making and use of them. Keep going and don’t let people bother you. You are doing an excellent job. I do read my emails but don’t normally respond…no time but I felt the need to reach out this time.
So good! I made it with one can of tomato paste, same amount of spices as above, but halved the rest of the ingredients and added water until I got the consistency I wanted (which ended up being about 3/4 cup) — tastes great!
You’ll get no shade from me over using canned tomato paste! As I write this I’m sitting in the middle of January with snow blowing outside. The only place I can get tomatoes right now is the grocery store and the price on those tasteless globes is something I’m not doing. Tomato paste is what I have available, and the flavor is likely going to be superior to what passes for fresh ones to boot. I’m not waiting until July to make ketchup!