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This homemade ketchup is rich, tangy, and perfectly balanced, made using canned tomatoes and simple pantry staples. It’s easy to make, budget friendly, and ideal for adding extra flavor to everything from hot dogs to burgers and more. This small batch recipe is a simple and reliable option that delivers great flavor every time.
Table of Contents
Kate’s Recipe Testing Notes
I created this recipe when I needed some ketchup to jazz up some hotdogs. I just used whatever I had in the pantry (hence the canned tomatoes).
This recipe makes a small batch, which I find a bit more manageable, and budget friendly!
Don’t skimp on the sugar! I know it’s a lot, but during testing I found that without the sugar, it just stayed really thin and didn’t taste right.
The color you end up with will depend on the quality of canned tomatoes you use. I’ve made it with cheaper tomatoes that don’t have the brightest color, but it still tastes great!
Ingredients
- Olive Oil – Used to soften the onion and apple and start building a nice base of flavor.
- Yellow Onion – I used a medium onion, finely diced so it cooks down quickly and evenly. You can use red onion if you want to as well without too much change to the flavor of the ketchup.
- Green Apple – I used a medium apple. No need to peel, it will soften and blend smoothly and the pectin in the skin helps to thicken the sauce.
- Cinnamon – Adds a subtle warmth and helps give that classic ketchup flavor.
- Garlic Granules – Garlic powder or garlic granules will work in this recipe. I don’t use fresh garlic because I find the flavor is too strong.
- Onion Powder – I love the extra depth and savory flavor this adds to the ketchup.
- Nutmeg – Only a small amount is needed, but it really rounds out the flavor.
- Ground Ginger – Ground ginger works best here, but you can use fresh if that’s what you have, just note it will give the sauce a spicier flavor profile.
- Canned Tomatoes – I’ve used two cans here which makes this really convenient, just use whatever brand you have on hand, but know that if you use cheaper brand tomatoes, your sauce might look a bit orange. I’m mentioning this because if you have kids like I do, they might say it looks weird, but it will still taste delicious!
- Brown Sugar – Adds a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness and helps with thickening.
- Granulated Sugar – balances the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar and gives that classic ketchup taste.
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Brown Malt Vinegar – I love the flavor the brown malt vinegar adds, but you can substitute white vinegar if that’s what you have.
- Italian Herbs – A dried mix works great and adds a subtle herby note to round everything out, plus it’s a basic herb mix that I’ve always got on hand.
How to Make Homemade Ketchup
Dice the apple and onion and add to a wide saucepan with the olive oil. Cook this down on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it’s translucent. Don’t let it brown.
Now, add the cinnamon, garlic granules, onion powder, ginger and nutmeg and cook the spices out for a few minutes.
Next, add the canned tomatoes, sugars, salt and pepper, brown malt vinegar and Italian herbs. Stir through and bring to a constant simmer. Start it off on medium to high heat to bring the temperature up, then reduce to low once it’s simmering.
Leave to simmer for around 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Once the ketchup has thickened, use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
Kate’s Pro Tip
No Immersion Blender?
If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the mixture cool a bit then add to your regular blender. Take the center cap off the lid and cover with a cloth so the steam can release – otherwise the lid can blow off and make a huge mess.
Let it simmer for another 10 minutes after blending it. During this time, fill 3 x 300ml jars with boiling water to sterilize.
Use a jar funnel to fill the empty, sterilized jars with your homemade ketchup. Screw the lids on tightly and leave on the counter to cool to room temperature.
What To Eat This Homemade Ketchup With
This homemade ketchup is incredibly versatile and can be used anywhere you’d normally use store-bought ketchup.
It’s perfect served with homemade favorites like hot dogs in sourdough hot dog buns or slathered on a burger made with sourdough burger buns or sourdough discard hamburger buns.
If ketchup and eggs are your thing, this is great with sourdough scrambled eggs or a hearty sourdough breakfast casserole.
You can also use it as a dipping sauce alongside sourdough garlic knots, French fries, or sourdough pizza rolls, which makes it great for casual dinners, snacks or entertaining.
How To Store + Freeze
Once cooled, store your homemade ketchup in sterilized jars in the fridge for up to 2 months. The bottles I’ve used to photograph this small batch homemade ketchup are from Ikea.
Making this in a small batch means it’s easy to use while it’s fresh, and you can always make another batch whenever you need it.
You could freeze it, but it doesn’t solidify all the way, which makes it a bit messy during storage.
Homemade Ketchup
Equipment
- Immersion Blender
- Jar Funnel
Ingredients
- 30 g Olive Oil
- 170 g Yellow Onion, (1 medium diced onion)
- 120 g Green Apple, (1 medium diced apple)
- 3 g Cinnamon
- 8 g Garlic Granules
- 4 g Onion Powder
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 2 g Ground Ginger
- 800 g Canned Tomatoes, (2 cans)
- 100 g Brown Sugar
- 100 g Granulated Sugar
- 15 g Salt
- 6 g Black Pepper
- 125 g Brown Malt Vinegar, (can use white vinegar)
- 1 tsp Italian Herbs, (dried mix is fine)
Instructions
- Dice the apple and onion and add to a wide saucepan with the olive oil. Cook this down on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it's translucent. Don't let it brown.
- Now, add the cinnamon, garlic granules, onion powder, ginger and nutmeg and cook the spices out for a few minutes.
- Next, add the canned tomatoes, sugars, salt and pepper, brown malt vinegar and Italian herbs. Stir through and bring to a constant simmer. Start it off on medium to high heat to bring the temperature up, then reduce to low once it's simmering.
- Leave to simmer for around 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
- Once the ketchup has thickened, use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
- Let it simmer for another 10 minutes after blending it. During this time, fill 3 x 300ml jars with boiling water to sterilize.
- Use a jar funnel to fill the empty, sterilized jars with your homemade ketchup. Screw the lids on tightly and leave on the counter to cool to room temperature.
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Notes
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the mixture cool a bit then add to your regular blender. Take the center cap off the lid and cover with a cloth so the steam can release – otherwise the lid can blow off and make a huge mess.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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