Homemade Ketchup In 20 Minutes

In this post, I share my recipe on how to make homemade ketchup in 20 minutes. Using a handful of ingredients, you can adjust the flavors to suit any dish.

Ketchup. This yummy versatile condiment can top anything and make it tastier, in my opinion. It’s a perfect complement to your fries, burgers, or hotdogs. And for some, it goes well over scrambled eggs, savory french toast, salads, or even used as a dipping sauce for some veggies. Personally, I enjoy a deconstructed burger with my mustard and ketchup over my salad, hold the bun. And what’s even better is that with a handful of ingredients, you can have homemade ketchup ready in just 20 minutes!

But did you know…?

Ketchup didn’t start as a favorite all-American table sauce. Ketchup actually finds its roots in China as a fish sauce derivative. English colonists first tasted fish sauce early in the 18th century. And by the mid 19th century, the recipe was altered and changed into the sauce with which we are now more familiar. You can read more about it’s humble beginnings here.

I have been making our own ketchup for the last few years. I do this because I know where all the ingredients come from. I’m not adding high fructose corn syrup which seems to be in everything these days. And it’s just cheaper. I like to penny pinch where and when I can. I always buy canned tomato paste in bulk. But, just like everything else, I know you can make your own. It’s easier for us to buy in bulk, so canned is what I use.

What you need for homemade ketchup

Several spices are typically used to get the sweet tangy taste we’re so used to. It’s a lovely combination of the following:

• tomato paste
• honey and sugar
• vinegar and water
• salt
• onion powder
• garlic powder

It is from this base list of ingredients that you can alter to get other kinds of ketchup flavors, such as salsa, chipotle, sweet and sour, or barbecue. The list goes on.

How you make ketchup in 20 minutes

This process is pretty simple! Basically, you mix all ingredients together. And then cook it over medium to low heat for 20 minutes. Done! So here goes.

Put all your ingredients into a saucepan.

Whisk everything together over medium heat so it’s smooth.

When it starts to boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t burn the bottom of the pan. Depending on how runny or thick you like your ketchup will depend on how high and long you reduce the mixture. For a runnier ketchup, heat at low. For a thicker ketchup, heat at medium. And obviously, stir often.

After the 20 minutes are up, cover and allow it to cool.

Place into a storage container of your choosing. I like to reuse a squeeze bottle. But you can also use a mason jar.

And store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. You can also add whey (from your homemade yogurt recipe) to this during the cooking process to prolong the shelf life by several months as well. I have not done this yet. I keep forgetting. We tend to use it up before 6 months.

Your homemade ketchup is ready

Now what? Like I said, I like putting my ketchup on practically everything (fries, eggs, burgers, hotdogs, crispy taters). Some recipes that I’ve shared with you that come to mind are the following:

My Mom’s Filipino Pork Lumpia

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Try it out! Your very own homemade ketchup in just 20 minutes! And let me know in the comments below how it goes. Or if you’ve tried different flavors in your ketchup…curious…