In-a-Pinch Ketchup

Below is my original review, but I want to add that with a bit of experimentation (my goal was not to use this in a pinch, but to eliminate the need for store bought) I have decided that it is much better with these adjustments: pinch allspice (I used ~1/8tsp in a double batch), only 1 tb brown sugar, and 2tsp molasses. Tastes much more like ketchup, and less like a sweet tomato based dipping sauce. _______________________________________ FANTASTIC alternative to store bought ketchups! The add in/customization possibilities are endless as well. I think store bought ketchup is nasty, but I WILL use this. I did find this recipe a bit too sweet, but that's no skin off my back. I'll just use it to make BBQ sauce, and make another batch with only 3 tb of brown sugar.

I've been developing a BBQ sauce that meets all my needs and I finally nailed the formula, which starts with a ketchup base. But I think store bought ketchup is disgusting and wanted something homemade. This was PERFECT! It was the perfect base so all I had to do was add my secret ingredients. It made my sauce taste even better than it already did. I'm going to use this as a regular ketchup as well. A little tip; Instead of letting it cook for just an hour I put it in my small crockpot and let it sit on low all day. YUM! Thank you for this GREAT recipe! :)

This ketchup tastes a lot like the Whataburger ketchup... which is my favorite. It is sweet and tangy and has a brighter flavor than those on the store shelves. Because I didn't have tomato paste, I substituted a can of tomato sauce and omitted the water. It turned out great! This ketchup also cans well. I have made up a large batch and jarred it using my canner. I open a jar when needed and refill the ketchup bottle.

After making burgers I realized I lacked the ketchup, and really didn't want to run down to the store to get a can. So, although my family was skeptical, I went to AR to find a recipe. Let me tell you something: I'm never going to buy ketchup ever again. This recipe is fantastic. I didn't even follow it exactly and it turned out fantastic! I didn't have tomato paste so I used a 4-oz can of tomato sauce, and omitted the water; also I had no onion powder or syrup, so I didn't use them. I really wanted to eat right away so I skipped the simmering part, although that made it more liquid than regular ketchup it tasted perfect anyway. My family was stunned. Thank you so, so much for saving the day!

Pretty good, but will be better with some adjustments next time. Didn't use corn syrup & very glad I didn't. It's too sweet as it is. I'll cut down the brown sugar next time. But, will probably make it again as I like knowing exactly what's in my condiments. :D

Fantastic! I was making fish and chips, but I can't stand mayo/tartar/malt vinegar, etc. I'm a ketchup girl. No ketchup in the house, so I figured I'd try to create my own using this recipe. No corn syrup, and added a few dashes of Worcestire sauce and it was amazing! I ate it with my fish, and will be using it for tomorrow's game day sliders!!! Update: added a splash of liquid smoke... amazing! You'll want to eat it with a spoon.

I like this recipe a lot better then store bought ketchup..store bought has too strong of a vinegar taste for me...and this was perfect..I did not have molasess so I left that out. I also use honey in place of corn syrup all of the time..It still turned out wonderful for me..

I subbed the corn syrup w/ honey, as that's what I was trying to avoid, and I don't have any allspice. But the rest of the recipe I followed as is, and it was good! Definitely cheaper and better than the store-bought stuff I'll never be buying again. Next time I will cut the brown sugar amount in half, though, use less salt, and only use 3/4 cup of water (adding the extra 1/2 cup just increases the cooking time, because you reduce it right back out.) Thanks for an easy, easily customizable recipe! EDIT: made again with allspice as indicated, and IT'S WAY BETTER. Don't skip it if you don't have to. Cut the brown sugar to 1 tbsp second time (we all thought it was way too sweet), which I liked better also. That's just preference though. Using only 3/4 cup water, I only had to simmer for 5ish minutes. Score!

FANTASTIC! I make this now instead of buying ketchup. It's cheap and free of high fructose corn syrup! Great!

Exactly what I needed to make a base for my homemade low-sugar BBQ sauce for Cajun Meatballs. I was trying to wrap my head around how I could use a sugar substitute in place of the brown sugar and corn syrup when it hit me....."Zero" cola. Instead of water, I used the zero cola and it gave the sweetness it needed without adding sugar or corn syrup. (I'm trying to lose weight and eat better without added sugar or preservatives.) I only used a dash of salt and it was just what I needed. Thanks!

I used this recipe in place of ketchup in my usual sloppy joe recipe - and WOW - it was fabulous!! I left out the molasses (i didnt have any) and added some cayenne pepper to give it a little bit of a kick and all I can say is that they were the best sloppy joes I have ever made. - Thank you

I'll never buy ketchup again. This is great. Considering the reviews I made some changes, so this recipe is the basic. Here is how I made it: *1lb (450-500gr) fresh tomatoes *2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar *1 teaspoon salt *1 pinch of each: black pepper, chilli powder, cumin, red pepper *4 tablespoons brown sugar *2 garlic cloves. Put them all together in a food processor and blend well. Simmer on low heat for 45-50 minutes, occasionally stir. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce. It turns out much much better than commercial ketchup. Also can be used as pizza sauce with the addition of oregano and olive oil.

This doesn't seem like it is in a pinch. It has quite a few ingredients to measure and, it has to simmer for about 1 hour! And, I have never tasted ketchup this SPICY before. Unless, this is what homemade ketchup tastes like? I am going to freeze and save it to use with sloppy joes, baked peppers, or another recipe. I don't think I would like ketchup this spicy with fries. I was looking for something sweeter. I wish I would have tasted it before adding the allspice.

We have been using this recipe for several months now. I substitute lemon juice for the vinegar and honey for the corn syrup as we are sensitive to both. My children love it. Each recipe makes approximately one plastic condiment bottle--depending on how thick you like your ketchup.

I made no changes except omitted the corn syrup and used cider vinegar. At first I thought it tasted great, excellent, but then I continued cooking and after 25 minutes I thought I had wrecked it. Next time, I will add only 1 cup water and cook only 15-20 minutes.

I used a no salt added tomato sauce, skipped the molasses and corn syrup and used my own home made brown sugar. I used a salt substitute and added a few Tabasco peppers with some raw onion. Once cooked down I pureed everything together. Plenty of flavor with no added sodium.

I've made this a few times but wasn't satisfied with the taste or consistency - way too sweet, and kind of grainy. Today I tried "Quick and Easy Ketchup" from this site - what a difference! Much less sweet, great flavor, and doesn't call for any cooking!

Wow,This is a very good recipe. I've tried homemade ketchup before and it was not a good thing. This is soooo easy and tasty. The only change was a swap of stevia for the corn syrup. I needed this for meatloaf tonight and it worked great "In-a- pinch"

Delicious Ketchup, you have developed the flavors nicely. I'm eager to try it with my "home canned" tomato paste ! I've generally used the canning jar(blue-book) recipe, but yours is much less acidic.

This is a fabulous little recipe. It was extremely simple and there isn't any one ingredient that overpowers another. You never think to make your own ketchup...and to think I already had the ingredients in the cabinet. Looked good, tasted great, and my children loved it!

This week I read about high fructose corn syrup and mercury contamination, as if it isn't bad enough already. I went home and tossed out my ketchup and BBQ sauce, then started searching for home made substitutes -- this is perfect! I did follow others advice and used only 3 Tbs. of brown sugar. Also, I used cider vinegar. It is so easy to make with ingredients I already have on hand that there is no need to ever buy ketchup again.

I liked this katsup, but my husband thought it tasted like BBQ sauce. I will probably make it again and decrease some of the sugar and allspice.

Fantastic recipe! I've made it twice already and it's turned out well each time, even with some alterations. My 7-year-old swears it's better than store-bought. I adapted this and made it in my mini slow cooker by simply reducing the water to 1/2 cup and simmered it for about an hour, and it was perfect.

I'm impressed! Only change I made was to reduce the amount of brown sugar to 3T. This was excellent! Thank you for posting this recipe!

This one's a winner!! I tripled the batch. Got 6 half pint jars from it. Now I'm licking the pan and spoon! I think I will try it out with sugar substitutes........but wondering if there is a substitute for molasses. Any suggestions?

For me, this is not just in-a-pinch -- I'd be delighted to eat this regularly! And of course it would be an excellent, probably undetectable, substitution in a recipe, too. I wouldn't necessarily make this as a standalone condiment for company, unless I knew they were interested in avoiding processed foods. But for me, I'd be thrilled to have a little puddle of this for my fries. I made a couple of minor changes. I omitted the brown sugar and corn syrup, and instead used 3T honey. Perfect. I didn't have allspice, so I didn't use it. And finally, I only simmered maybe 10 minutes, because I was in a hurry. I'm still eating it off a spoon (!) and making plans to make this stuff on a regular basis. The texture is grainier and not as smooth as the grocery store stuff (though again, I didn't simmer long), but it's also the most flavorful ketchup I've eaten. Between the lack of corn syrup and chemicals and the very tangy flavor, the prepared stuff has nothing on this. I'm sure there are recipes out there for ketchups with more depth, but this is easy enough that I can see myself making it regularly. On the whole, a great recipe, and one that I expect to be a staple for us. Thank you!

This has got to be the BEST ketchup I've ever tasted! I wanted an easy and quick homemade ketchup to go with meatloaf and this more than fit the bill. I cut the brown sugar to 4 T and used about a teaspoon of corn syrup. I can't wait to try it on a burger or hot dog. HIGHLY recommend this awesome recipe.

Excellent! As little as we use ketchup, this is great! No store bought for us. Thank you so much for this recipe.

I am allergic to onions, and as far as I've been able to determine, EVERY single commercial manufacturer of ketchup includes onion powder or ambiguous "spices" in their ingredient list. I was thrilled when my sister sent me this recipe--I just left out the onion powder, and voila, ketchup I could actually eat!

This recipe is a great start, and I love that I found it. So So much better than store ketchup. I put way less sugar (1 TBL) and more molasses. I also didn't realize until the third or fourth time I made it from this recipe that it calls for cooking. I just whisk everything together and slap it on what I am eating and it tastes pretty awesome that way. Also, it only takes about 5 minutes instead of an hour. : )

Made this years ago and it was so good. Decided to try it with my garden tomatoes cooked into paste. The only thing I did was add a tablespoon of cocoa which always seems to mellow tomato sauces. I made 10x the recipe so adjust cocoa powder according to how much you are making.

This ketchup is incredible. I use all natural/organic ingredients. I use this to make my family famous BBQ sauce and it really makes a huge difference from using store bought ketchup. I use real maple syrup in place of the corn syrup.

Soooooo delicious. It's great for dipping or used as a ketchup. I can't wait to try it out on other foods like bbq and oysters! I made mine healthier by using raw sugar instead of brown sugar, extracted the molasses and corn syrup. I added two fresh tomatoes (I grinded them in the blender first) then I added a pinch of chili powder for a little extra flavor simmered until it thickened and presto! Came out great!! Thanks for the recipe!!

This is a great recipe. I have many food sensitivities and can't use bottled ketchup. Can't eat onions/onion powder, so I double the garlic powder, and it comes out great!

I will never buy Ketchup again! My adult son told his friends that his mom's homemade ketchup is now what all other ketchups will be compared to. Thanks so much for this recipe! Just some advice: Corn Syrup is UNHEALTHY and not needed for this recipe. I've also made it without molasses (didn't have any). And yes organic DOES taste better - treat yourself!

tastes just like store bought! This will be our household ketchup from now on.

Fantastic! I substituted cumin for the onion powder I didn't have and added some pepper. It never got really thick, but the taste was so good, I crossed ketchup off the grocery list!

Was pretty good. I altered it though. I didn't have onion powder so I just juiced up an onion with half a head of garlic. I used Basalmic vinegar and honey instead of Molasses. It was on the sweet side, I will try it again minus the honey and the corn syrup and see how that does with the sweetness.

Avoiding corn syrup and white vinegar due to a corn based allergy. Used ACV and sugar syrup. This tastes better than any store bought and is easy to make in small batches.

This was a little sweet for me, but that's something that can be changed. The kids and hubs loved it.

Thank you! I had to make ketchup for someone with a garlic allergy and this worked great (just leaving that part out)! I may never buy ketchup again!

Was making stuffed peppers and did not have enough ketchup. This worked absolutely great in my stuffed peppers!!! Wow, it has a really good flavor! This is now a part of my stuffed pepper recipe!! Thanks for posting this recipe!!

This was a really good start, I personally added more vinegar and decreased the amount of water (more than just for substituting the extra vinegar). Next time I make it I will use less allspice, but some certainly gives it depth. Thank you

I ran out of ketchup making BBQ sauce and wondered if I could make do with something else I had on hand and looked up ketchup on this site, and lo and behold! I decreased brown sugar to only 2T, but I think 3T would be the max for my palette. I also doubled the molasses - not sure how much difference that made but it turned out quite well. I let it simmer longer, trying to thicken it up, because it is a bit thinner than store bouqht. Thanks for helping me out of a jam! Maybe I'll use this more often than the Heinz - it was easy enough to make.

this was good. I used in on a meatloaf and let it simmer while I shaped the loaf. Poured it over and baked it...very tasty! Very easy to make, no fuss and more robust that bottled ketchup.

I'd like to try this but can someone tell me how long this is good for once it's been made (if kept in the refrigerator)? Thanks!

This recipe came out really tasty. I used rice wine vinegar and switched the all spice for thyme and cumin (1/4 tsp each). It set up real nice and was quite tasty. :D

Good ketchup recipe

We're all out of ketchup, as you can tell from my use of this recipe. And frankly with a few personal changes that I don't think matter very much- like type of vinegar(I used white wine, just a splash) or lack of use of corn syrup- this will most likely go into the empty heinz bottle and into the fridge.

I changed this slightly, because it would taste too sweet as is. I only put 1TBsp brown sugar, and used honey instead of corn syrup. It's really close to regular ketchup.

I also ran out of ketchup while making meat loaf, so what a find! I only gave it 4 stars because I made some modifications - 3 TBS sugar, 3/4 Cup water. I didn't have allspice, but it tasted fine without it. I think the recipe is a keeper!

This was awesome when I ran out of ketchup and couldn't go to the store.

I doubled this (making bbq sauce out of the extra), and had to simmer it much longer to get it the right consistency, but that was not a big deal since I wasn't in a rush. I must say, I absolutely hate ketchup, but this was good! Even I would eat it. My kids are too little to know the difference, but I had a friend (who loves ketchup) taste it, and she said this is soooo much better than the bottled stuff! We barely eat anything pre-bottled, boxed, etc. anymore, and now I can cross ketchup off my list. I'll never buy again. I omitted the corn syrup, decreased the brown sugar by 1-2 T. (can't remember), and we didn't miss it at all. Thanks!

Worked like a charm!

LOVE it!!

I forgot to pick up ketchup AGAIN. Made this to go on my 19 yr old son's mac and cheese - he loved it and said he liked it better than regular ketchup. Thanks for figuring it out!

Easy to makes and it does taste very similar to ketchup. Plus I had everything on hand to make it. Thanks for the recipe.

Like many others, I didn't have Ketchup for my meatloaf. This worked great. I just bought new spices, so I cut the allspice, onion powder, and garlic powder in half. I knew they would be too strong. I also started with 1/4 cup of water because I didn't have time to cook it down. I ended up adding another 1/2 cup before it finished simmering (about 10 minutes in all). I had a little Heinz ketchup to compare the flavor and added another tablespoon of vinegar. It ended up tasting almost exactly like Heinz, only better. I noticed a lot of people said it was too sweet. The recipe doesn't say to pack the brown sugar but that's the standard measure. The recipe contributor may not have meant for the brown sugar to be packed, which would have been about half the brown sugar. When I make it again, I'll simplify by using 5 tablespoons organic natural/raw sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses for sweetness and skip the brown sugar and corn syrup. I'll also start with 3/4 cup water; use 1/2 the spices called for and increase white vinegar to 3 tablespoons. I'm thinking I won't buy ketchup again.

This is an extremely economical recipe and that it tastes good is a bonus. I only spent 63 cents making the entire thing as I had almost all the ingredients on hand. I did switch out the corn syrup for agave nectar. Next time, I will lessen the amount of garlic powder and brown sugar as I agree with other reviewers that the sweetness lends itself well to BBQ sauce. Thank you outnumbered for posting this easy recipe! I feel the same as many others do now; who knew that making ketchup could be so easy and why bother buying the bottled stuff again.

Way too sweet! I was in a pinch so I also made some substitutions - no powdered onion or garlic in house so I used a clove of fresh garlic, crushed and minced onion. I needed it right away so I zapped all but the tomato paste and extra water in the microwave to melt and cook the onion and garlic. Then I added the tomato paste. I only added enough water to make it the right consistency. None of these changes would affect the sugar taste. I didn't see the point of adding lots of water just to turn around and cook it all off.

I did not use corn syrup. To make it healthier, I used coconut sugar because it doesn't mess with your blood sugar. It was too watery, so I used 2 cans of tomato paste and then it was the perfect consistency. Thanks for the recipe!

“In-a-Pinch” The title fits! I was in the middle of making a marinade, and was short on ketchup. This was very helpful, and I am happy that I now have some homemade ketchup! The taste is great! Thanks!!

Awesome Recipe! So simple to make! Quite delicious and flavourful! I quadrupled the recipe and let it cook for about three hours! The next day it was the consistency of ketchup! I asked my husband to tell me what it is I was making on the stove and he replied "I don't know!" I told him it was ketchup and he said that's exactly what it tasted like I just didn't want to offend you, as he thought I was making some other type of sauce!

This is my savior. I don't eat corn syrup or any vinegar except apple cider vinegar. So I swap these with agave and acv and viola. Also a few other measurement adjustments, but it's truly my savior. Thank you so much for your recipe! (4 Tbs packed brown sugar, 1 Tbs molasses, 1 Tbs agave and I reduce the water in order to reduce the cooking time. )

This is good for ketchup that is part of something else - sauce on a meatloaf, or a quantity of ketchup in barbecue sauce. On its own, this doesn't taste much like bottled sauce at all.

I was in a pinch yesterday! I was making homemade sloppy joes (not Manwich - actually Grandma's Sloppy Joes on allrecipes.com!) and I realized I didn't have enough ketchup. So I found this recipe for ketchup. It did not taste like the ketchup that I am familiar with (Heinz), but the taste wasn't bad...a little too sweet if anything. I went ahead anyway despite the sweetness and used it for the sloppy jobs. WOW! I will now refer to the sloppy joe recipe as "gourmet" sloppy joes. I will use this recipe as my ketchup base from now on. I'm not sure I would use this for dipping french fries though. But overall, a very good recipe to keep for the future.

This is a wonderful recipe. I am trying to make homemade for more of my condiments but have a semi-picky husband. He loved this! He said the texture was perfect and the flavor beat store bought hands down. I did not add the corn syrup (I forgot) and I am glad I didn't. I think it would have been too sweet otherwise. Thanks for a great recipe.

I was in a pinch and needed some ketchup. This is good, it tastes more like bbq sauce, but we liked it.

It would be a good base for BBQ sauce.

Update: I didn't use any brown sugar. I added 1tbs of honey instead. And Molasses and corn syrup (I used agave nectar instead) add enough sweetness. I also added thyme and cumin. Perfect for me, but I don't think is is sweet enough for my husband. ------------------------------------------ OMG! It is way too sweet!!! And i only used 3 tbs of sugar. Molasses and corn syrup (which I replaced with honey) should have been enough.

I'm not a fan of molasses and it tasted more like bottled ketchup to me without it. I added it and now nobody cares for it. the molasses flavor is strong so if you don't like molasses, leave it out!

Much better than store bought. I also used 8 oz of sauce instead of paste. Decided the water to 1/4 cup. I only had dark Karo. My kid who is a ketchup snob and will only eat Heinz. Picked up her plate and licked it clean. That should be the Grammy award for ketchup

I found the original a bit bland, but with a few small additions, perfect. A great base for never having to buy store stuff.

For those of you who are in a really big pinch... this tasted great even after simmering for only 15 minutes. I'm sure it would be even better if I simmered longer. Thanks for the recipe!

Absolutely loved it. Needed ketchup for my meatloaf and this was the best ketchup ever. My husband agreed. No more store bought for is, I'm making it every time. He also said it reminded him of the ketchup from the islands the real deal stuff. So thanks this one is a keeper

Really!

I didn’t read the directions, but just threw it all together without cooking. I like it! I did add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and used rice vinegar since I didn’t have white vinegar. I think I’d use a tablespoon or two less of sugar next time but otherwise, it’s great!

LOVE! I really don't like ketchup, but using this recipe made something I loved! I really hate the sweetness of regular ketchup, so I only used 3 Tbsp brown sugar and omitted the corn syrup because I didn't have it. Otherwise I stuck to the recipe, except reducing the water to about 1/2 cup because I didn't want to wait for it to boil out and thicken. (I had a fully cooked meatloaf before realizing I didn't have ketchup for it, so needed this quick!) I will definitely make this again. Easy and delicious!! I love that I could customize it to my sweetness level and the flavor was fantastic!

It's pretty yummy. I needed ketchup for meatloaf and mixed all these together and skipped the water. Mixed it in and used it as the sauce. Was really good.

It's pretty yummy. I needed ketchup for meatloaf and mixed all these together and skipped the water. Mixed it in and used it as the sauce. Was really good.

It was jus t right ! Maybe a little less brown sugar, Thank you, I hate. buying ketchup or mayo.

I doubled the recipe, but only used 1 1/2 c water and I did not cook mine, but it was delicious! It saved me a trip to the store on a Friday night when I just wanted to make the hot dogs and relax.

Change the name. This is not "in a pinch". Unfortunately, i didnt read the whole recipe ahead of time and when i read, "simmer for an hour" i poured the whole mixture out and drove to the store and bought ketchup. Just wish i hadnt wasted all that time measuring and wasting my ingredients.

I will never buy store bought again! Reading the reviews gives great ideas for customizing to suit different tastes. Thanks to all who contributed. I can't wait to try with smoke flavoring. I also like hot ketchup sometimes so I will be adding in my homemade chili pepper sauce!

Way too sweet and I didn't even add molasses or enough brown sugar. I did maybe half the brown sugar . Like someone mentioned it is like a sweet tomato based dipping sauce. Egghhh. I will try again with less sweetener

Following the reviews, I put in LESS than half of the brown sugar and less corn syrup than called for, and it STILL turned out way too sweet. I then made it again (essentially doubling the recipe) and left out both the brown sugar and corn syrup to see if that would mellow it out. It still tasted far too sweet. I would recommend leaving out all sugar and then adding just a bit at a time to taste. Everything else worked out great!

Loved this! Didn't have ketchup on hand so I looked this up and I had all those ingredients on hand so I made it. It is awesome. A little sweet, I might cut some of the corn syrup or sugar next time, but not much. I also cut the water in half so I wouldn't have to simmer for as long.

I didn't have onion powder nor molasses, and I substituted corn syrup with 1 tbs corn starch in 1 tbs warm water. I used about 4 tbs of brown sugar, adding by taste. As it tasted a little bit too vinegary, I added 1/8 tsp baking soda (provoking a nice foamy chemical reaction in the pan) and it came per-fect. The garlic powder gives it a nice aroma, and it is just slightly sweet and sour as it should be. This is what I am going to do with all my leftover tomato paste from now on. Goodbye, store-bought ketchup!

I premeasured the water and added it 1/4 cup at first and then a little more as I stirred in the spices. When done I saw that I didn't use just over 1/2 cup of water; I liked the consistency, so I just didn't add it. I used 1 eyeballed tbsp molasses, 3tbsp brown sugar. I didn't have any allspice so I added a dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. I also added a dash of Worcestershire sauce and about 2-3 tbsp of honey and a dash of maple syrup. I kept tasting as I stirred. I ended up adding an 8th of a lemon's juice and I used apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar. Oh, and I only had it on the stove about 20 minutes until everything was stirred in and the right consistency. I used to really like commercial ketchup so it's definitely not the same, but it is pretty good and I know what's in it. It passed a taste test with one of my children at least! I hope to make this with fresh tomatoes next time. Perhaps that will improve the taste.

This does have a very dark BBQ like flavor. I guess what I’m looking for is more like the 50% less sugar ketchup they have at the store but without the big price tag. Really going to charge us double to have less sugar in our ketchup?! Just like how if we don’t want scent in our baby wipes they up the price. Also I don’t see why we add so much water and then simmer so long. If I could go back I’d add less water and only simmer 10 minutes.

Started with the base recipe, changed the corn syrup to honey, added liquid smoke and smoked paprika. I wanted to make it a little smoked which it did great with! The reason for 3 stars is the all spice even at just under the 1/4tsp still over powered the bottle. If after letting the ketchup sit in the bottle a few days, it evens out I will update my rating.