A Pantry Basic is anything we normally use and have in our pantries that most people buy from the store- and some (like me!) didn’t even know could be made at home! See more pantry basics here.
Homemade ketchup was one of the first things I wrote about when I started blogging. I loved the ease of making our own ketchup and that I could control the ingredients and I was excited to share the recipe I used.
Now that I’ve been making it for more than three years, I thought I should share the updated version I make now that uses only honey as the sweetener (no processed sugars)- and uses a lot less. We still love it, and my kids continue to douse their food in it (teens and ketchup…) with no grumblings about any changes.
Here’s the new updated recipe:
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Homemade Honey Ketchup*
- 12 oz. tomato paste
- 1/2 c. honey
- 1 c. vinegar
- 1/2 c. water (or more, for a thinner consistency)
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- Combine until smooth in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes (you’ll need to partially cover because it will spit hot tomato out at even the lowest simmer).
- Keep refrigerated. If it thickens too much in the fridge, just add some water (a couple teaspoons at a time) to reach pouring consistency.
- Makes 2-1/2 to 3 cups.
*This is doubled from the recipe I originally posted because this is the amount I always make and it fills our container. If you need less, cut everything down by 1/2. And yes, that would be only 1/4 cup of sweetener for the 1/2 batch- can you believe it? That’s some good ketchup!
-Jami
This is linked to Tasty Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, and Delicious Dishes.
I believe a cottage can be anywhere or anything (condo, ranch, farmhouse) as long as you have a "cottage mentality" which puts people above things, celebrates imperfections, embraces simplicity, and finds joy in everyday life. Thanks for joining me!
Thanks for posting this….I’m going to try this.
I love a cranberry katchup Great with Beef, Pork and kids cant get enought Hope it will be good picking this year. Take care…..
ohhh… i love me some ketchup!
is it easy to make tomato paste from the garden’s bounty?
mountain mama- It’s not hard, it just takes a LOT of time to cook down to the thick consistency of a paste.
Some use the slow cooker for this, but I’ve found it imparts a bitter flavor when I tried it, so I usually just buy paste.
If anyone has a technique they use to make tomato paste, please share!
what I want to know is, does it taste like Heinz, that is my favorite.
Hey, Regina – do a taste test and let us all know if you think it does!
Though if you use the honey version, it probably won’t, ’cause you do taste the honey.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m going to try it. ~Have a wonderful day~
Years ago–like over 20 yrs, lol!–I made homemade ketchup. Not sure why I quit doing it. Probably something to do with having 5 kids! I never have liked the fact that most ketchups have HFCS. Hunts now makes one that doesn’t have that and it regularly goes on sale for $1 (24oz. bottle).
Your recipe looks easier than what I remember doing in the past. I just may have to try it. Thanks for sharing!
I will need to try this recipe.
Is the cute little bottle that I assume was sterilized, is it recycled? If not would you just use jelly jars?
You amaze me with your willingness and creativity in crafting a wonderful life for you and your family in a joyful,smart and frugal way.
Will you be sharing any tips in the future on
saving for retirement?
Thank You,
Chris Ann
Yum! I’ve been looking for a good ketchup recipe…I have a four/almost five year old son who would put ketchup on pancakes if I let him.
Your ketchup bottle is super cute!! Where did you find it?
ThanX for the recipe. I’ve been buying Trader Joe’s brand, because it doesn’t have high fructose corn syrup. Q? How long does this keep in the fridge?
Chris Ann & Steph- Isn’t the bottle cute? I got it probably 10 years ago- it was a Martha Stewart Everyday item at Kmart. I sure loved her line there- the bottle was only about $3. We use recycled dressing/condiment glass bottles as well.
Also, lets just say I’m probably not the most qualified to talk about retirement savings..uh,um… Here is a site that has some good information: getrichslowly.org
Dixymiss- Well, the longest we’ve had it- at least three weeks, but I’ve never had it go bad. Then again, I’ve got those teenagers…
I’ll be trying this recipe soon! Sounds fabulous!
Faun
Oh Jami, I’m so going to try this this weekend and let you know how it turns out
I LOVE ketchup. So does my dad 
This looks really easy, too!!!! This brings back a memory from childhood, too. I used to stay at a state-run daycare center when my mom would go to work. I remember the old ladies in the kitchen who would make our food. They were cool. They made homemade ketchup for us kids once. It was really good. Oh, great memories…Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather 
Oh, I forgot to ask about what type of vinegar do you prefer to use in this recipe? I’m going to buy the ingredients tomorrow
Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather 
Heather- I use regular vinegar mostly, or sometimes cider vinegar. But now that you mention it- a flavored vinegar would be nice, maybe thyme ketchup?
We love this! Thank you. So so yummy!
I have made this 2x now and love it! Can I substitute sauce for the paste or will it change the flavor? I am planning to try to make a big batch and can it if I can substitute cause I can get a bulk can. Thanks!
I have made this twice now and love it! my hubby thought it was strange at first but i caught him bragging to a friend about it!
my question is, can i substitute tomato sauce for the paste and water or will that change the flavor? thanks!
Hi Jessica! Glad you all have liked the ketchup.
Using sauce instead of paste will just make for a very runny ketchup (tomato paste starts out as sauce and then is cooked for a VERY long time to thicken it). That would be no-no in my house, but you try what you’d like – the problem is you could leave out the water, but you need the vinegar for that ketcup-y flavor and that would make the sauce even runnier. Let me know what works out for you!
I am looking to can ketchup, do you think your recipe would be able to be canned and if so, any idea on time in hot water bath?
Unfortunately, Loma, this recipe has not been tested for home-canning, so I can’t recommend it. I’m not sure it has the right ratio of vinegar to tomato. There’s a recipe in the Ball Blue Book that starts with tomato puree which might come pretty close- have you seen that?
I am going to try your ketchup and mayo recipes. In my ongoing effort to eat healthier (reading food labels makes one want to give up eating altogether)and recycle as much as possible, I have been searching for recipes just like these – I can make just the amount I need and I can store in glass jars that can be wash and reuse. Thank you so much for sharing.
How long does this keep in the fridge? We don’t eat a lot of it, and I am tired of my homemade canned salsa going mouldy in the fridge because we don’t eat it quickly enough.
Goodness, salsa going moldy with all the vinegar or lemon juice added? You really don’t use it often, lol. We actually don’t eat ketchup much anymore, either and I’ve yet to find mold and it’s definitely months, though I haven’t counted how many.
Hmmm, seems like I cut down on the vinegar, maybe that’s why!
This will be our go to recipe for ketchup! I had my ketchup loving 4-year try this w/out telling him what he was going to be trying…He was super happy to be tasting “KETCHUP!” Thank-you!
Hi Jami! Thanks for sharing your recipes using honey instead of sugar! I’m really trying to cut down on using sugar, since we keep bees and will have plenty of honey this year! Have a nice weekend! Blessings from Bama!
If I made this and stuck it in the fridge, how long would it last? We don’t use ketchup too terribly often, but I am intrigued to try this recipe out.
It lasts a really long time, Heather. I probably should write down the next time I make it and find out for sure how long it’s in our fridge, but I haven’t yet.
We don’t eat ketchup nearly as much as we used to, so I would safely say months and it’s been fine that whole time.
Can this be canned for longer storage?
It hasn’t been tested for safely canning, so I’d have to say no. Since it mixes up so quickly with canned tomato paste, I’ve never really felt the need, either.
Nice recipe but where did you get the nice bottle from?
Ha, Enid! So many people have asked me that.
Do you remember when Martha Stewart had a line of products at Kmart? This bottle was one of the kitchen items.
How long does this keep?
I’ll have to add this to my post, Jeri, as I keep getting the question.
It has been in our fridge a couple months, at the least, and been fine – we don’t use it very often, but I haven’t actually kept official track. The vinegar keeps it well, I think.