**Homemade Ketchup Recipe**
**Fans of ketchup will appreciate this recipe.** It delivers a thick, dippable consistency, featuring a classic yet sophisticated ketchup flavor. The taste is well-balanced, slightly more savory than sweet. The recipe requires an entire container of tomato paste—select the finest you can find for a deep, rich tomato taste.
In addition to the tomato paste, you’ll need balsamic vinegar for sweetness and tang, dried spices to add complexity (garlic powder, mustard powder, cinnamon, and black pepper), salt to elevate the flavors, and water to adjust the thickness. That’s all! No corn syrup or added sugars here.
**I always thought that preparing ketchup would be overly complicated, but I was mistaken.** This recipe is incredibly straightforward. You can whisk it together by hand in just a few minutes. It tastes best after resting for an hour.
### 3 Reasons to Create Your Own Ketchup
Over the years, I’ve been let down by many homemade versions at restaurants—they tend to be too watery or diverge too much with bold flavor twists—so I never seriously thought about making my own. That changed when we ran out of ketchup before dinner.
I examined the ingredient lists of my favorite brands (Heinz and Primal Kitchen) and began to experiment. The result that night was satisfactory, but after additional trials, I’m thrilled to present this final recipe to you.
You may be inspired to whip up your own ketchup for these reasons:
1. **It’s more budget-friendly.** Even when using high-quality organic tomato paste (I prefer Bionaturae), you’ll save money compared to organic store-bought ketchup brands like Primal Kitchen.
2. **You’ve run out of ketchup.** Perhaps your children require ketchup with their meals, and you open the fridge to find it bare. You are likely to have the necessary ingredients in your pantry. Problem solved.
3. **You have health concerns about store-bought ketchups.** Maybe you’re wary of the high sugar content in conventional ketchup or wish to provide your family with organic ketchup, or you prefer not to consume tomatoes from plastic containers (which can leach BPA and other substances upon contact with acidic ingredients). This homemade recipe allows you to sidestep those issues.
### Ketchup Serving Suggestions
This ketchup is excellent on burgers and fries, of course. Here are some additional suggestions:
### More Homemade Condiments
These homemade alternatives taste far better than their store-bought counterparts. They’ll elevate a basic meal significantly.
**Please share how your ketchup turns out in the comments!** I hope you enjoy it.
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**Homemade Ketchup**
Create your own ketchup with this simple recipe using pantry staples! It offers traditional ketchup flavor with a thick texture, ideal for dipping. Recipe yields just over 1 cup.
**Instructions:**
1. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or glass jar, combine the tomato paste, salt, garlic powder, mustard powder (if included), cinnamon, and about 5 twists of black pepper. Use a small whisk to mix the ingredients until they are well combined.
2. Incorporate the vinegar and whisk until combined. Then add the water, whisking again until you achieve a smooth and even blend. Season to taste with additional pepper, if desired. If you prefer a thinner ketchup, add more water by the teaspoon until your desired consistency is reached.
3. For optimal flavor, cover and refrigerate the mixture for a minimum of 1 hour before serving. This homemade ketchup can be kept in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
**Nutrition**
*The information provided is an estimate generated by an online nutrition calculator. It should not replace guidance from a professional nutritionist.*