Easy Homemade Ketchup – no sugar added, low-carb, keto
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If you’d like to make your own homemade ketchup but it sounds like too much work, you are going to love this recipe. This Easy Homemade Ketchup Recipe tastes great, takes only five minutes to whip up, and not heating up the kitchen at all!
With this no-cook ketchup recipe, you can ditch the HCFS, loads of sugar, and suspicious “natural flavors” of the store-bought ketchup brands without spending a load of time!
Yes, today I’m sharing a Homemade Ketchup Recipe with you, and it’s so simple, you aren’t going to believe your eyes.
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Making Favorite Foods Healthier
Since we’ve been on a candida diet, I’ve worked hard and remade some of our favorite foods into sugar-free alternatives.
We’ve ended up with some great recipes like my Homemade Chocolate Chips, Dairy-Free Ice Cream, Homemade Jello, Gummy Candy, and Homemade Marshmallows, plus Homemade Unrefined Powdered Sugar and more.
This Homemade Ketchup Recipe, however, has been one of the better additions to our repertoire of processed food re-dos.
Partially because we love ketchup so much, but also because it is just so simple.
Why You Need this Recipe
If you’ve ever checked out homemade ketchup recipes on the internet, you know what I mean by them taking too. much. time.
The majority of ketchup recipes have you blending tomatoes or tomato paste with a bunch of spices and simmering for a looooong time. And then sometimes you have to put the spices in a little spice bag and simmer that way.
If I can avoid things like “little spice bags” tied up with string and lots of simmering and still get a good product, I’m all for it.
That’s just the life of a busy whole foodie mama, you know?
I need simple recipes like this.
Why Make Homemade Ketchup
The main reason to make your own Homemade Ketchup is to have control over the ingredients. And you’ll save money too since organic, healthier, or low-carb varieties can super pricey.
Even organic varieties of store bought ketchup have loads of sugar in them. Since we’re all on a low-to-no-sugar diet, that doesn’t work for us.
Not to mention the added “natural flavors”. That can be a catch-all for everything from basic spices like parsley extract, but it can also be code for “MSG-type” substances.
I’d rather just make my own.
With this super simple ketchup recipe, you literally toss all the ingredients together and a minute or two you have homemade sugar-free ketchup ready, almost as quick as you can say either “ketchup” or “catsup.”
By the way, did you know that both words are derived from the Chinese word “ke-tsiap” which is a “fish sauce? Look at that–a recipe and a linguistic lesson in one post :).
On with the easy homemade ketchup recipe.
I was on my perpetual hunt for a good easy homemade ketchup recipe when I finally found one that worked pretty well, but it needed a few changes. Now, it’s perfect.
Serving Ideas
Of course you can put this easy no cook ketchup on everything you’d normally eat with ketchup–burgers, fries, hot dogs.
However, my kids are so happy that we have ketchup around much more frequently now, and my youngest seriously dips EVERYTHING in it. And you can too. For awhile he was taking to dipping his carrot sticks in it and today he was dipping crackers in it too!
These Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets would be great dipped in this too.
Other Processed Food Alternatives:
Following are some other fabulous processed food alternatives that I think you will find helpful for healthifying your home.
Powdered Sugar Substitute
Homemade Chocolate Chips – possibly the best chocolate chips you will ever have
Homemade Marshmallows
Our Favorite Salad Dressing – Five Ways
Sugar-free Maple Baked Beans – ready in under an hour!
Recipe Notes
- Sweetener: Any sweetener (healthier or low-carb or otherwise) can be substituted for the low-carb sweetener and/or stevia. Read How to Substitute Sweeteners for tips/ratios. Vegetable glycerine is another great option. If you’d prefer to use only one sweetener for both, that’s fine too.
Yacon syrup or a dash of stevia extract can work too–or even monk extract.
Use 1/2 – 3/4 the amount of honey or maple syrup. - Measuring Tips: The measurements for some of the ingredients are small (like 1/64 teaspoon / 1 drop, 3/16 teaspoon). You can either eyeball it (the recipe will likely be just fine as long as you don’t really overdo it) or you can buy these handy measuring spoons. I use them for measuring stevia all the time.
Special Diet Options
- Paleo: Use 1/2 – 3/4 the amount of honey or maple syrup for paleo.
- THM: This recipe is a “fuel pull” for those on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.
- This recipe as is, is keto / low-carb.
How to Store
You should store this delicious, and oh-so-easy-to-make ketchup in your fridge in an air-tight container.
It should last a week, but perhaps up to 3 weeks, but I personally wouldn’t push it that far and I doubt it will be around that long anyhow.
If you really want to make a lot more of it, or store it for longer, you can store it in the freezer for 6 months–making sure there’s very little air in the container will help it to store there without freezer burn. If you can make the container truly air tight you can likely freeze it for longer than that.
Freezing this in ice cube trays is a great idea so you can take them out once frozen and store in an airtight freezer bag. Just take out whatever you want, whenever you want!
Easy Homemade Ketchup – sugar free and low-carb options
Equipment
- 1 stainless small measuring spoons useful for measuring small amounts of ingredients down to one drop
Ingredients
- 7 ounces tomato paste (approximately 3/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low carb sweetener (or to taste – use 1/2 tablespoon honey for paleo)
- 1 drop stevia (1/64 teaspoon – 1/2 scoop; or to taste; see stevia usage info here)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (if using powder, use 3/8 teaspoon)
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated onion (if using powder, use 3/8 teaspoon)
- 3/16 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 tablespoon molasses (optional. I typically use blackstrap)
- 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2/3 cup water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl.
- Stir to blend completely.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Storage Notes: Note that this ketchup should last a week, but perhaps up to 3 weeks in the fridge, but I personally wouldn’t push it that far. Two weeks is more likely how long it will keep for. For long storage of up to 6 months, store in the freezer in an air-tight container.
- Sweetener: Any sweetener (healthier or low-carb or otherwise) can be substituted for the low-carb sweetener and/or stevia. Read How to Substitute Sweeteners for tips/ratios. Vegetable glycerine is another great option. If you’d prefer to use only one sweetener for both, that’s fine too.
Yacon syrup or a dash of stevia extract can work too–or even monk extract.
Use 1/2 – 3/4 the amount of honey or maple syrup. - Measuring Tips: The measurements for some of the ingredients are small (like 1/64 teaspoon / 1 drop, 3/16 teaspoon). You can either eyeball it (the recipe will likely be just fine as long as you don’t really overdo it) or you can buy these handy measuring spoons. I use them for measuring stevia all the time.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Drop a comment below and let me know what you think about this ketchup!
I have yet to make my own ketchup – BBQ yes…I need to get with the program. Thanks for linking at Trim Healthy Tuesday! Great FP.
I still need to tweak this one I think….it seemed to get stronger as it sat. It had never sat before…we always ate it:). But I’ll work on it when I can breathe :). Maybe when I can’t.
Is your BBQ on your site? I have an easy peasy one on mine.
No…it’s one in my favorites notebook that I tweak for THM. 🙂
That is easy! I’ll leave out the salt though! Thanks for sharing. I’m pinning!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I’ve looked at several recipes to make my own Katchup over the years but always discarded them due to time constraints. Now I actually can make my own Katchup. Thank you
This looks really good! I am not a ketchup person, but my 3 year old has decided that he loves the stuff (my husband is a fan too!). I am on the hunt for a good recipe to replace the very expensive organic stuff I keep buying at the store.
Is there any reason you can’t just leave the sweetners out? I’m so tired of paying a fortune for unsweetened ketchup. I’d really love to can some once my romas are ripe (here’s for optimism, they haven’t started flowering yet) but all of the recipes I see for canned ketchup are LOADED with sweeteners. *GAG*
Yes, of course you can.
That is the sole reason why I’m not a fan of ketchup. It’s TOO SWEET! Ugh! I like the vinegary taste of ketchup; just not the sweetness. So this is certainly appealing to me… to make ketchup without any sweeteners!
How long do you think this would keep in the refrigerator?
Not sure -sorry but I need to not make shelf life claims :).
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it!
I am such a ketchup addict! I use it as dip for almost all my fried viands and for my favorite french fries! Thanks for sharing this recipe for home made ketchup, now I can finally make it myself and some money since I no longer have to purchase it in the grocery. One item off my grocery list! Awesome!
I know, right???!! Plus all the plastic bottles I don’t have to recycle anymore. This is so much cheaper for us. I think we spend around $3 a bottle because we have to buy the sugar kind (and not the high-fructose-corn-syrup kinds. My hubby CANNOT have any high-fructose AT ALL).
Yum yum! My husband has been asking for a healthy ketchup, so I will have to try this for him! I love your brand choice of tomato paste too. No more cans for me!
Let me know what you think! It could maybe use more tweaking but we like it!
This is sooo great and it uses all pantry ingredients!
Sounds great – especially without all that sugar! Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve been wanting to try homemade ketchup for ages. I remember reading somewhere that it’s not a great idea to use canned foods if you can help it while on the ACD. . . what’s your take on that? (Of course I do use them, but just curious). I am guessing that if it’s organic and BPA-free, there is no reason to avoid it? It would take forever to cook down enough tomatoes for ketchup!! 😀
Hi Ricki! I am thinking I might have heard the same thing, but not sure where. Just doing a quick search on the internet it seems there might be question about added salt and other additives? Maybe that’s why. I love the tomatoes I linked to b/c even thought their canned goods are BPA free, their tomato paste comes in a jar so you can easily put the lid back on and stick it in your fridge or freezer without transferring it to another container – super convenient :)!
Yes, the cooking down thing is a problem for me too. And if my tomato plants keep wilting I won’t have any anyhow. Well, some of them look fabulous. We’re trying to figure out the problem with the others.
I eat tomato paste right out of the jar with a spoon lol!
I haven’t done that but I have tried to lick the jar clean!
Thanks. This is great. I was going to ask if you also had a good recipe for mayo, but then I thought to myself, you might already have one, and, yes,you do. I’ll have to try both and see what my family thinks. I was at Meijer’s just the other day looking for mayo that didn’t have soy in it, but to no avail.
Can’t say I’ve ever seen garlic or onion “granules”. Can you elaborate on how they are difference from the powder or dried minced forms?
I think they vary just a bit. You can likely use them interchangeably but the powder will be a little stronger b/c it is finer.
OK – I just poked around the internet a bit. Try using about 1/2 the amount if all you have is powders.
Thank you! Where do you even get the granules? I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled when I’m at the store next time.
Here’s a Costco Brand – on Amazon :). (affiliate link)
This sounds absolutely wonderful! Even more so, thanks to Twitter I found your blog… I love the way you write! You got a new follower =0)
Welcome!!!
What are onion and garlic granules? Never heard of them!
Granulated garlic or onion – dried. If you have powder use about 1/2 the amount. I’ll make a note in the post :).
So, it’s the same as garlic powder and onion powder then?
Basically but it’s not as fine so you don’t need as much.
What is the measurement for the water? Two thirds of a what?
I just added it – sorry about that!
2/3 water? how much is that? 2/3 cup I guess? Thanks for this, I’m going to try it today, but wanted to get the measurements right.
oops – missed that. Thanks for letting me know! It’s 2/3 cup.
How do you measure 1/64th a teaspoon of stevia? Looks like a great recipe!!
If you check the stevia info post there is good info there about it – thanks!