The Best Homemade Ketchup Recipe - (2024)

Sick of buying ketchup at the store? Or maybe you just aren’t loving the store-bought kind, give this delicious homemade ketchup recipe a try. Homemade ketchup is so easy to make, and tastes amazing!

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The Best Homemade Ketchup Recipe - (1)

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How To Make Homemade Ketchup From Scratch

Contents hide

1 How To Make Homemade Ketchup From Scratch

1.1 What Is The Difference Between Ketchup And Catsup?

1.1.1 Who Invented Ketchup?

1.3 What You Need To Make Homemade Ketchup

1.4 Homemade Ketchup Recipe

1.4.1 Ingredients:

1.4.2 Directions:

1.5 How To Can Your Ketchup

1.6 To Steam Can Ketchup

1.7 How Long Does Homemade Ketchup Last

1.8 Canning And Preserving Videos:

Since we started making our own homemade ketchup from scratch we’ve stopped buying it at the store because it really can’t compare to homemade. Plus it’s so easy to make!

What Is The Difference Between Ketchup And Catsup?

Ketchup also called catsup arrived in recipes in the early 1800s as a delicious tomato-based condiment with vinegar and spices. Long story short the only difference is the name, they both are that thick tomato sauce we know and love here in the USA.

Who Invented Ketchup?

Ketchup was invented by Henry John Heinz, in 1876. Heinz invented ketchup by adapting a Chinese recipe for so-called Cat Sup, a thick sauce made from tomatoes, special seasoning, and starch.

Is Homemade Ketchup Better?

The debate for which one is better is best decided by you. Now I will be the first to admit that companies like Hunts or Heinz have created a delicious product, but now that I’ve had homemade ketchup? Not going back for anything. I love everything about our homemade ketchup recipe, and it’s so easy to adjust for those with allergies.

What You Need To Make Homemade Ketchup

To make this ketchup recipe you are going to need:

Homemade Ketchup Recipe

Now that you’ve got your supplies let’s get on to the recipe, to make this homemade ketchup recipe you’re going to need:

Ingredients:

6 oz Tomato Paste

1/2 Cup + 1/8 cup if you like it sweeter of Raw honey, regular (not high fructose Corn Syrup) Corn syrup

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 Cup white vinegar

1/4 Cup water

1 Teaspoon salt

1/4 Teaspoon onion powder

1/2 Teaspoons garlic powder

Directions:

Whisk ingredients together and bring your ketchup to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Remove your ketchup from the heat and allow to cool covered with a lid. *if you were going to can it skip this step and go ahead and pour the ketchup into your canning jars.

Bottle your ketchup and refrigerate.

This recipe makes 1 pint of ketchup, or 2 1/2 pints.

How To Can Your Ketchup

  • Wash 2 half-pint Ball canning jars. Sterilize them with hot water and warm up the flat lids to seal them.

  • Fill up your canning pot with enough water to cover your ½ pint jars by 2”. Heat the water.

  • Heat the ketchup in your pan and ladle it into the hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.

  • Wipe the rims of your jars with a lint free cloth dipped in vinegar.

  • Place the flat lids and the rings on the jars tightening until just tight

  • Place the jars on the rack in a boiling water canner and process for 15 minutes.

  • Remove jars to several layers of towels on the counter to cool

  • Let the jars sit for 24 hours

  • Label and date the jars and store in a dry, cool, dark place.

To Steam Can Ketchup

Follow the directions of your steam canner.

Put water in your steam canner up to the bottom of the rack.

Start heating your canner.

Ladle hot ketchup into hot and sterile ½ pint canning jars

Wipe the jars rims with a lint free cloth dipped in vinegar.

Place the flad lids on the jars and follow with the rims.

Screw on the lids until just tight

Place jars on the rack in your canner and put on the lid.

Watch the dial readout until the canner gets to the level for your area.

Process for 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes to cool.

Remove jars with a canning jar grabber to several layers of towels to cool. Allow to remain for 24 hours undisturbed. Label the jars with what it is and when it was canned.

If any jars did not process then place them in the refrigerator or reprocess with a new lid.

The Best Homemade Ketchup Recipe - (2)

How Long Does Homemade Ketchup Last

Homemade Ketchup will last about three weeks in your refrigerator, or you can make a big batch and can it for later. This is our favorite way to make ketchup so we don’t have to keep making it every few weeks.

Before you go check out these other preserving and canning recipes:

  • The Best Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
  • Best Copycat Rotel Tomatoes and Chilies Recipe
  • How To Can Beef Stew For Beginners
  • 11 Must-Have Canning Supplies
  • The Best Homemade Ketchup Recipe
  • Reusable Canning Lids: Tattler Lids Review
  • Canning Green Beans
  • Canning Beef With A Pressure Canner
  • Canning Peaches
  • Canning Crushed Tomatoes
  • 7 Of The Best Preserving Pears Recipes
  • Pear Butter Recipe
  • Blueberry Preserves
  • Delicious Blackberry Preserves
  • Apple Orange Preserves
  • Cherry Pie Filling
  • Caramel Pear Pie Recipe
  • Food Preservation | 10 Best Ways Of Preserving Food At Home
  • Pickled Eggs Recipe
  • Zucchini Relish
  • Delicious Three Bean Salad
  • How To Make Sauerkraut
  • 6 Secrets To Making The Best Crisp Pickles
  • Homemade Dill Pickle Chips Recipe
  • The #1 Best Homemade Claussen Pickles Recipe You Are Here!
  • How To Grow A Kombucha Scoby
  • How To Make Kombucha Tea
  • How To Make Apple Cider Vinegar In 6 Easy Steps

Canning And Preserving Videos:

The Best Homemade Ketchup Recipe - (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient is very high in ketchup? ›

Most ketchup, like Heinz that you'll find in virtually every restaurant, is full of high fructose corn syrup.

What are the secret spices in Heinz ketchup? ›

The tangy-sweet sauce contains vinegar, onions, garlic, some kind of sweetener, and seasonings like mustard powder, cumin, allspice and cinnamon. However, if you were to make a batch at home with those ingredients, your ketchup still probably wouldn't taste like the stuff you get at the diner.

How long does homemade ketchup last? ›

Pack and Store Your Homemade Ketchup

Ladle your ketchup directly into sterilized jars and store in fridge or freezer. Ketchup will keep 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

Does homemade ketchup taste better? ›

Homemade ketchup is simple and much more flavorful than anything you can buy at the store. I use 4 tablespoons of sugar, but adjust the sugar to your taste.

What is the number one ketchup in the world? ›

Heinz Tomato Ketchup

Heinz Tomato Ketchup, available in a 900g bottle, is the world's no. 1 ketchup brand, now available in India.

What is an unhealthy ingredient in ketchup? ›

Two ingredients of concern in ketchup are salt and sugar. Per tablespoon, ketchup contains 4 grams of sugar and 190 milligrams of sodium. Although 4 grams of sugar doesn't seem like a lot, much of it comes from added sugar, as opposed to the natural sugar found in tomatoes.

Which vinegar is used in ketchup? ›

Distilled white vinegar is essential for ketchup's signature tanginess. Plus, it elongates the shelf life. White sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar while offering a hint of sweetness.

What is the trick to Heinz ketchup? ›

So, what's the trick? “The sweet spot to tap on the Heinz bottle is the 57 on the neck,” a Heinz spokesperson explained to TODAY Food. “All you need to do is apply a firm tap where the bottle narrows, and the ketchup will come out easier.”

Is there a difference between catsup and ketchup? ›

As it turns out, they're the same thing!

The condiment made its way west via European merchants, taking with it Westernized pronunciations. Early recipes for ketchup (or catsup, if you like) incorporated a wide variety of ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, and shellfish (hence the distinction tomato ketchup).

Why does it say 57 on Heinz ketchup? ›

The '57 varieties' label represents the variety of products that Heinz has, but the number was actually selected at random by founder Henry Heinz himself. He didn't have 57 varieties when the brand began. Instead, it was a clever way to create authenticity and attract customers.

How to thicken homemade ketchup? ›

How To Thicken Homemade Ketchup. If your ketchup is too runny, you will need to simmer it down further. The simmering process is how you thicken this. It's fine to return it to a pot and simmer on low until it's just right for you.

Should you refrigerate ketchup? ›

Unless you're a busy diner going through and refilling ketchup bottles every day or two, you should store your ketchup in the fridge. This is because, just like pickles, the flavor and texture declines after you open the bottle or jar and the ketchup is exposed to air.

Why does glass bottle ketchup taste better? ›

Permeability is zero:

Since glass bottles do not affect the taste or smell of sauces and ketchup, their owners do not have to worry about this. Glas' material and shape are not affected by external temperatures, such as heat, as opposed to plastics, which can melt and affect product quality.

Why does ketchup from McDonald's taste different? ›

McDonald's ketchup consists of tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, salt, and natural flavors. Heinz doesn't have the water, like McDonald's does, and Heinz contains onion powder and "spice," while McDonald's does not.

Is it cheaper to make your own ketchup? ›

The homemade version, on the other hand, is cheaper and all about natural flavouring, ingredients and spices. It really takes very little effort to make and tastes so much better than supermarket ones. Some pretty good reasons to choose to make homemade ketchup over buying it!

What is ketchup rich in? ›

Though ketchup doesn't contain many vitamins or minerals, it's rich in the powerful plant chemical lycopene. Lycopene is a carotenoid with antioxidant properties that may fight cancer, protect your heart and brain, and offer fertility support to men.

Why is ketchup so high? ›

Ingredient, labor and fuel prices all factor into the overall costs of consumer packaged goods companies, which make items like ketchup and buns. And some companies have also used inflation as cover to raise their own profits.

What is MSG in ketchup? ›

What Is MSG? Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a salt form of glutamic acid, an amino acid naturally found in the body and many foods. It is used as an ingredient to make foods taste umami or savory, one of the five basic tastes, and as a seasoning to enhance food flavor for a tastier meal.

What is the main ingredient in ketchup? ›

Tomatoes, sweeteners, vinegar, salt, spices, flavorings, onion, and/or garlic are the primary ingredients in ketchup. Sweeteners are typically granulated cane sugar or beet sugar.

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