Homemade, Vinegar-Free Ketchup
Have you ever checked the label on the ketchup bottle you get from the grocery store?
Ketchup (a.k.a. catsup or catchup) is typically made with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), vinegar, sugar, spices, and natural flavorings – all of which are damaging to our health.
Plus, commercially-available ketchup gets super processed to remove most or all of the fiber.
The result? A really unhealthful condiment.
How can you have ketchup without all these unhealthful ingredients? Make your own!
Why Make Homemade Ketchup?
With a homemade ketchup, you have control over what goes into it.
No high fructose corn syrup.
No sugar.
No vinegar.
No flavorings.
No preservatives.
No weird ingredients.
This simple and flavorful homemade ketchup recipe is so easy to make (especially compared to other ketchup recipes on the web). It’s totally, completely, 100% worth the very tiny amount of effort it takes. Less than 5 minutes from start to finish.
And it calls for only a few basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
What to serve with homemade ketchup?
Homemade ketchup is perfect with these Healthy, No-Oil, Baked Fries.
It’s amazing – amazing! – with these No-Meatballs!
It adds a tangy zip to breakfast when served with this Veggie Scrambled Tofu.
It’s a great topper for these Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers.
This Healthy, Homemade, Vinegar-Free Ketchup pairs perfectly with these Un-fried Potato Kale Cakes.
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And it’s also a nice condiment for this Vegan Macaroni and Cheese Bar, this yummy Scrambled Tofu Potato Casserole , these luscious Roasted Sweet Potato Coins, and these easy Vegan Veggie Balls.
Homemade Ketchup Recipe FAQ
Is it difficult to make homemade ketchup?
No! This Healthy, Homemade, Vinegar-Free Ketchup is very easy and takes just a few minutes.
How should I store this homemade ketchup?
It should be kept in a glass container in the refrigerator.
How long will homemade ketchup keep?
This homemade ketchup will keep in the refrigerator for about 7 days.
Can I freeze this homemade ketchup?
Yes! This ketchup freezes well, although the texture changes ever so slightly.
When ready to use, place the ketchup in the refrigerator or countertop to thaw. (To prevent spoilage, avoid leaving it at room temperature for long periods of time.)
Stir well before using.
Hidden Sugar Even in Homemade Ketchup?
The average American eats over 22 teaspoons of sugar per day (!), and part of the reason for that is that refined sweeteners are hidden in so many foods. Commercially-prepared ketchup is one of the main culprits.
But most homemade ketchup recipes use quite a bit of sweetener in them as well. Even sweeteners like raw sugar, maple syrup, agave, and honey are still not that good for you, so I opted to make this homemade ketchup super healthy by adding just a small amount of apple juice concentrate. If you miss the sweet taste that commercially-prepared ketchup has, I recommend adding a tiny drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
Seriously Good, Healthy, Homemade, Vinegar-Free Ketchup
Do your body good. Make your own ketchup so you can control what goes in it . . . and what goes into your body.
No need to ever use store-bought ketchup again!
Homemade, Vinegar-Free Ketchup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate
- 3 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
Instructions
- Stir together all ingredients
- Chill.
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Thank you.
You’re welcome, Bill! 🙂
Is this frozen apple juice concentrate?
Hi Brian,
You can use either frozen apple juice concentrate or the kind the comes in a jar, but I always use frozen since it’s easier to find in the grocery store.
Thank you!
This is the best tasting vinegar and spice free ketchup I’ve ever tried in 30 years.
Aw, thanks, Bill. Your comment made my day. 🙂
Added 2 T tomato paste, 2 t flour, 1 t apple juice concentrate, 1/2 t lemon juice, and 1/8 t granulated onion, brought to a boil then cooled, for thicker Jennifer’s Kitchen ketchup. Combined 1/2 C cashews-roasted or raw, 1/2 C water, 1/4 C lemon juice, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t turmeric, blended well, brought to a boil, and then cooled. In my opinion this cashew mustard goes well with Jennifer’s Kitchen ketchup on vegetarian burgers. Liking your use of apple juice concentrate we (at the kitchen I share with my wife Rene) went with 1/2 C of apple juice concentrate to 6 C of cooked and drained navy beans, 1 C water, 6 oz. by weight of tomato paste, 1/4 C molasses, 2 T olive oil, 1 T onion powder, 2 t salt, and baked it for one hour at 350 degrees, for baked beans. This pizza sauce recipe is simply an improvement in my opinion of one I submitted earlier. 3/4 C water, 6 oz. by weight of tomato paste, 1 t sugar, 1/2 t oregano, 1/2 salt, 1/4 t each of basil, parsley, onion powder, 1/8 t garlic powder.
This is excellent, Bill! Thank you so much for these recipe suggestions. They sound wonderful!
Thank you!
I’m allergic to citrus(lemons, limes, grapefruits, oranges all break me out) and vinegar. What can I substitute? I was thinking maybe kiwi?
Hmmm … that’s a tough one. I think I’d have to do some experimenting.
I wonder if sour melon could work ? (Those bumpy cucumber looking vegetables that many Asian stores sell)
We need more punch in my previous cashew mustard submission. Double the lemon juice and cut the water in half.
Hello! If I dont have granulated onion or garlic could I use the powder instead? And if so, what would be the measurements?
Yes, you can. Fresh also works.
How close does this taste to Heinz ketchup in terms of flavor? Does Heinz use onion and garlic or allspice, clove, and onion? Idk what the actual seasonings are in ketchup because the brand I grew up on-Heinz- the back of the bottle doesn’t say. The organic ketchup I switched to for health reasons uses allspice, clove, and onion powder.
The taste is similar, but, of course, since the ingredients are different, the taste is not exactly the same. But it is still very good and much more healthful.
I add 2 T of olive oil, and 1 T of apple juice concentrate to the ketchup and use it as a salad dressing.
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Hi 😊 I can’t use Apples- do you have any suggestions of what to use instead? 🙏💜
Hi Anna,
You can use another sweetener instead. Add whatever you choose a little at a time and taste test as you go until you reach the desired flavor.
Can I make a puree from fresh roma tomatoes or will it be too bitter?
Can I ‘can” this in smaller jars (like with jams and jellys) to preserve it longer? I don’t think I can make fresh ketchup every time I need it. I’m not that food motivated. Thanks!
Thanks for the recipe. I’m probably going to try it soon. Every time I eat salsa I break out like crazy and feel sort of inflamed (like before your period) and it’s not the tomatoes. Abstained for a few months and felt better, but I can’t live without ketchup! I saw one that advertised no vinegar in the store, but they still put acetic acid in it, which is still a pretty harsh acid (tho less @~4ph). Hopefully this is my new go-to for ketchup until we find a better way to preserve tomatoes.
Hi Saige, I’m so happy you found this recipe. I hope it works for you. I have lots of other vinegar-free recipes here too.
I’m not sure if you could can this ketchup. But you can freeze it.
I’ve never tried it with fresh tomatoes either. I’m thinking it wouldn’t work, but if you try it, let us know! 🙂
Jennifer
What can I substitute the onion with my sister is allergic to onion
Hi Tabitha. I’m not sure what could give it the right flavor without the onion. Maybe a little extra garlic? Sorry, I can’t be of more help.
I used honey instead of apple juice because of the elimination diet that I am currently on. I guess I used too much because it was quite honey forward. I even made a second batch with added roasted peppers and that was really good. I definitely should have used less honey but that was my fault. I will be trying this recipe again with less honey/sweetener.
What a great idea to use roasted peppers. Sounds delish!
Honey does have a strong flavor. Hope you have the opportunity to try it again with less.
Thank you for your comment.