Homemade Ketchup is bursting with fresh tomato flavor and spices. It’s easy to make and totally worth it! You’ve never REALLY tasted ketchup until you’ve made it yourself.
A quick walk around your local grocery store or Farmer’s Market reminds the peak of tomato season is on its way.
Every imagineable variety and shape is available, boasting a natural sweetness only found with in-season tomatoes.
Canners are preparing to get their tomato sauce on and most of use are gobbling them up in fresh form salads, dressing, sandwiches or just by themselves.
I have a recipe that has been a long-time summer favorite you MUST MAKE before summer ends: the Best Homemade Ketchup!
Jump to:
- Why Make Homemade Ketchup?
- What Type of Tomatoes are Used in Homemade Ketchup?
- Is it Hard to Make Homemade Ketchup?
- How Long will Homemade Ketchup Last?
- Does Homemade Ketchup Thicken as It Cooks?
- Homemade Ketchup Ingredients
- How to Make Homemade Ketchup – Step by Step:
- Suggested Supplies for Making Homemade Ketchup
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Recipe
Like many things, once you make it from scratch with fresh tomatoes you’ll realize how fantastic ketchup can be AND will want to use it with many recipes.
Why Make Homemade Ketchup?
Like many homemade recipes for items that are mass produced, the flavor of homemade ketchup is better in my opinion.
Most homemade ketchup recipes are made with canned tomatoes. That’s fine but nothing beats fresh tomatoes, am I right?
This recipe uses fresh tomatoes and aromatic spices to make a sauce like none you’ve tried!
What Type of Tomatoes are Used in Homemade Ketchup?
Most tomato sauces are made with Roma style tomatoes due to their lower moisture content and high flavor.
I made my homemade ketchup with a mix of Roma hybrids and heirloom cherry tomatoes and it was delicious.
Experiment with the tomatoes you have on hand for varied flavor in every batch!
Is it Hard to Make Homemade Ketchup?
No! It’s very easy and takes less than an hour with most of the time being inactive time of yours.
How Long will Homemade Ketchup Last?
It should be kept in a glass container, sealed, for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.
NOTE: since tomatoes are acidic they can react with plastics which is why glass containers are recommended.
How to Freeze It
I’ve never personally frozen this ketchup recipe as it gets eaten too fast BUT you can freeze ketchup!
I recommend freezing using an ice cube tray.
- After the ketchup is totally cooled, fill the cavities in a plastic or silicon ice cube tray. This allows use in smaller volume.
- Place in the freezer to hard freeze.
- Once the cubes are solid, remove them and place them in a large plastic freezer bag or container.
- Remove as needed and thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Stir the ketchup before use.
The consistency may be more runny after freezing and thawing.
Does Homemade Ketchup Thicken as It Cooks?
It does! It will simmer for about 30 minutes during which time it does thicken.
Homemade Ketchup Ingredients
This homemade ketchup recipe is full of fresh seasonal ingredients, herbs and spices that you’ll love!
- whole cloves
- bay leaf
- cinnamon stick
- celery seeds
- chile flakes
- whole allspice
- Roma (or Plum) tomatoes
- kosher salt
- apple cider vinegar
- light brown sugar
- yellow onion
- Anaheim chile
- garlic clove
Trust me you’ll never want to use store bought ketchup again!
How to Make Homemade Ketchup – Step by Step:
For a detailed printable recipe, please refer to the recipe card at the end of the blog post. Check out the video too.
- Make a spice packet with a square of double layered cheesecloth. Add the cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, celery seeds, chile flakes, and allspice.
- Tie closed with kitchen twine.
- Add the tomatoes, salt, vinegar, sugar, onion, chile, garlic and spice packet to a 4-quart pot.
- Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the spice packet and discard.
- Puree the ketchup and strain to remove any seeds.
- Add back in the pot to simmer longer and thicken (about 30 more minutes).
- When thickened to a desired texture (note: will thicken more when cool), the homemade ketchup is put in a glass container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Suggested Supplies for Making Homemade Ketchup
- Kitchen Knife
- 4-quart pot (avoid cast iron, unless well-seasoned, or aluminum)
- Immersion Blender, traditional Blender OR Food Mill
- Fine mesh Strainer
- Glass containers with lids
- Cheesecloth
- Kitchen Twine
Like the idea of making your own condiments from scratch? Here are some more recipes ideas!
- How to Make Mustard (Wonky Wonderful)
- Homemade Mayonnaise (15 Spatulas)
- Chipotle Mayonnaise
- Homemade Sweet Pickle Relish (Saving Room for Dessert)
- Homemade Sriracha (White on Rice)
- Quick Pickled Red Onions
More Recipes You’ll Love
Shakshuka (Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
Homemade Tomato Soup: an Easy Fresh Tomato Soup Recipe
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Recipe
The Best Homemade Ketchup
Ingredients
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
- 2 pounds Roma (or Plum) tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 1 Anaheim chile deseeded and chopped
- 1 Garlic Clove diced
- Cheesecloth
- Kitchen twine
Instructions
- Prepare a square single layer of cheesecloth that will fit all the spices with room to fold and secure the contents.
- Place the cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, celery seeds, chile flakes, and allspice in the middle of the cheesecloth. Fold closed and secure with a length of kitchen twine.
- In a medium stock pot 4-quarts or larger (enough to house the tomatoes with some extra room) place tomatoes, salt, vinegar, sugar, onion, chile, garlic and spice packet. Cook over medium heat until tomatoes and chiles are soft and onions are translucent and limp (about 30 minutes).
- Remove and discard spice packet. Puree the sauce using an immersion blender, traditional blender or food mill.
- Strain the ketchup through a fine mesh strainer back into the cooking pot. NOTE: this step removes any seeds.
- Cook over medium-low heat for an additional 20-30 minutes until thickened to your preference.
- Store in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Video
Notes
Adapted from Saveur Magazine
Nutrition
Originally published: October 4, 2012
Kate Weston says
Can you freeze this ketchup?
Toni Dash says
Hi Kate. I have never done it with this ketchup because we eat it too fast but YES you can. I’ve added instructions in the blog post on how to.
Brenda Toy says
Could I do a hot water bath to preserve shelf life? Your recipe sounds divine. Thank you
Toni Dash says
If you are a canner you’ll know there is a required acidity for water bath canning Brenda. This recipe wasn’t developed for canning specifically so you’d need to do some research about how to ensure there is enough acidity to prevent botulism before you can it.
Adam Parris says
I was just wondering how much more I could add to the recipe without adding to the spice bag. I don’t want to double up on the spices and overpower the sauce.
Toni Dash says
Hi Adam. Have you made the recipe before and want a weaker flavor is that your goal?
If so I’d say to experiment with your preference. The recipe is ‘balanced’ meaning all the ingredients are deliberate to gain the outcome of flavors it provides. If you want to change that and have made the recipe once you’d have the best idea what tastes good to you. If you have not made the recipe before I suggest making it as written then decide if you want to add more of the non-spice ingredients to water down the flavors.
Indah says
Hi, can i replace the celery seed with something else? Or not use it at all? From where i’m from its kind of hard to find. Cant wait to try this recipe! Thanks in advanve 🙂
Toni Dash says
I would probably leave them out. They do contribute to the flavor but if you can’t find them I’d still make the recipe.
Mary h says
Does the Anaheim Chile have to be there? I’m allergic to peppers.
Toni Dash says
Hi Mary. All the ingredients have been specifically chosen to give the best end result. I’ve only made the recipe as written. Having said that, if you can’t eat peppers and want to experiment you can always make it without them to see how it turns out. I just don’t have experience to share making it without them. Hope that helps.
Cristina Campos says
Amazing ¡ Thanks for sharing
Ellen says
I don’t have an Anaheim Chile. I do have a Serrano and Jalapeño. Can I use one of those?
Toni Dash says
Anaheim chilies aren’t really spicy. Jalapenos and serranos are. So it’s really a different ingredient. You could certainly try it but you’ll be making something more like spicy chile sauce (which would be good too).
R Woods says
But why 3 weeks in fridge. Even good store-bought seems to last for eternity – without preservatives — ????
Toni Dash says
Store bought ketchup can last one to six months after it is opened in the refrigerator due to its acidity. It is made in a controlled environment with health safety monitoring and checks. The acidity of this recipe can differ based on the actual ingredients a person chooses when they make it. Therefore to be safe, keeping it in the refrigerator under a month is best.
Cheryl Ferguson says
I made the recipe today with a quart of my own canned tomatoes. Came out wonderfully. My Vitamix blender pulverized the sauce smooth, so there was no need to strain (yay!). I bottled the batch and steam canned for 15 minutes. The lovely bright-colored bottles are cooling and sealing now. Thanks for the recipe.
BusinessHAB says
Thanks for sharing this wonderful tips.
alanah craig says
hi Toni
your recipe was a great help it an amazing recipe and taste really good
we got a bunch of Roma tomatoes left over and I would use this recipe again
Toni Dash says
That’s great! So glad you enjoyed it!