Yes, you CAN make homemade ketchup with honey – and sweetened ONLY with a little honey – that your family will love. Plus, it’s made in just minutes with basic pantry staples – this is going to become a go-to recipe for you!
You can find more great recipes like this on the Quick Healthy Recipes page.
Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them and purchase I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
This recipe is one of AOC’s Pantry Basic series – basic foods you can find in almost everyone’s pantries that we buy from the store, thinking (like I did!) that they can’t be made at home. But I’ve found they are not only simple and cheaper to make at home, they are actually better tasting – and of course better for you because you get to be the one to decide the ingredients.
Homemade ketchup (and other recipes I call “pantry basics“) was one of the first recipes I published when I started AOC back in 2009. The recipe was a revelation to me – it tasted great, I loved how easy it was to make our own ketchup, AND I could control the ingredients. You can imagine why I rushed to get it up on the site, I was so excited to share the recipe!
So, what’s the big deal about buying ketchup?
When I started making this easy homemade ketchup, options other than major store brands weren’t available. If there were organic brands, they were prohibitively expensive.
Now that there are more affordable organic options in stores, I still choose to make our own ketchup for these reasons:
- I can make it with less sweetener (even organic brands often have the same amount of sugar – about 4 grams sugar per tablespoon, similar to a small chocolate chip cookie!).
- I can choose the type of sweetener (honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc.).
- It still is cheaper to make it (around $2 for almost 3 cups).
- It takes about 5 minutes hands-on time.
That last point has actually saved me many times as the family was looking forward to the burgers that were grilling or pigs in blankets that were baking and I realized we were out of ketchup. But I always have tomato paste, vinegar, and honey, so I can whip up a batch in no time.
And that 15-20 minute simmering time? Well, I’m here to say you can push that to ten minutes or even five and still get good ketchup!
I’ve experimented with adaptations a lot over the years, using less brown sugar, trying maple syrup, and then honey, and always seeing how low I could go on the sugar and still make my family happy.
In the end, it’s this version sweetened only with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of honey that hit the sweet spot (pun intended!). Honey is sweeter tasting than processed sugar, so you can generally use less of it in recipes like this. I started with 3/4 cup and then found we could go lower still.
And easy? Here’s a video I made to show you just how easy:
Homemade Ketchup Recipe
For this easy ketchup recipe you’ll need these pantry staples:
- apple cider vinegar
- tomato paste (Only one can is pictured, you’ll need two 6 ounce or one 12 ounce for a full recipe.)
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (I usually use 1/2 cup measure and fill it slightly less.)
- salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- optional cinnamon and/or allspice (I don’t use these, but I know some people like them in ketchup.)
Starting with tomato paste is what makes this recipe quick. (TIP: tomato paste should have one ingredient – tomatoes. If your paste has more ingredients, start buying a different brand.) If you were to start with canned tomatoes or even fresh tomatoes, you’d be looking at hours of cooking to get the ketchup thick enough.
For storing you’ll also need:
- Stainless Steel Funnel for pouring hot ketchup into bottle – (this is the set of 3 stainless funnels I have – I don’t recommend plastic with hot foods)
- 16 ounce Glass Storage Bottles – I always get asked about the cute bottle pictured that I use for our ketchup – it’s many years old (back when Martha Stewart had a line at Kmart!) and I haven’t found anything exactly like it. However, here is a set of nice bottles that come with labels (gift idea!), and these swing-top square bottles would be fun. Also, this site has a lot of glass bottle options you may like.
How to Make Ketchup
Like I mentioned, it’s super simple to throw this together – just dump all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan, bring to a boil and then turn to low to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (or what ever time you have until dinner, a-hem).
The one thing you’ll need to be careful with is spitting ketchup during the simmering stage. While it doesn’t need any hands-on time other than a stir mid-way through the simmer, you will need to protect you and your stovetop from the hot bubbling, spitting ketchup.
To do this, I’ve found it easiest to place a wooden spoon in the pot (metal gets too hot) and then balance the lid on it so there’s an opening for air and moisture, but the spitting bubbles are contained. The reason you don’t want the lid on completely is to allow the ketchup to thicken by cooking down some.
Once it’s simmered, cool the ketchup a bit, testing to make sure it’s the consistency you like, and use the metal funnel to carefully pour it into a glass bottle. Store in the refrigerator like you do store bought ketchup.
Ketchup Recipe FAQ
How long does homemade ketchup last?
So here’s where I’m going to tell you what I can find as the recommended time to keep homemade ketchup in the refrigerator: one month.
And here’s where I’m going to tell you how long our ketchup lasts in the fridge: as long as we need it to. Which sometimes means a month, but often longer. I’m not sure how this would go “bad” with all the vinegar and ours certainly hasn’t.
So, yeah, I’ll leave that up to you. Make a half batch if you’re not sure how quickly you’ll use it, or freeze half.
Can you water-bath can this ketchup?
I’ve gotten this question often. No, this hasn’t been tested for canning safely, so it’s for refrigeration or freezing only. I can say that I don’t think it would ever be safe for water-bath canning since it’s so thick and a tomato product. Someone with know-how would have to test for pressure canning – and that’s not me, I’m a water-bath girl.
Whenever I adapt a recipe to use a different sweetener, I always get questions about what the original ingredients were, so I’ll just get that out of the way now: all the ingredients are the same, except the sweetener was 1 cup of brown or white sugar, or a combo. Quite a difference, right?
Should you adapt family favorite recipes?
Making family favorite recipes healthier is always one of my goals when cooking. I know some people have a “don’t mess with it” mindset, but I’m more of a “why not see if there’s a difference” type of person.
If there is a marked difference and we don’t like the new version, I go back. But what harm is there in experimenting? You may have one not-as-good recipe or you may have a new sort of life changing way to enjoy it, like this ketchup!
Our whole family still loves this ketchup with honey, and my kids continue to douse their food in it (teens and ketchup…) with no grumblings about any changes. That’s a good thing, right?
What about other sweeteners?
I have used maple syrup, but didn’t care for the flavor in this recipe as much as honey. But definitely experiment if you’d like to! I fount that since it’s less sweet than honey, I needed to use about 2/3 of a cup to the 12 ounces of tomato paste.
I tried coconut sugar, too. My family really didn’t care for it – there was a distinct flavor and it wasn’t very sweet, even with the 2/3 cup I used.
I haven’t tried others and don’t use sugar substitutes, so can’t speak for them. Since this is thickened with the paste, it is easy to experiment with because the sugar is mainly for flavor. Try what you’d like and see how it turns out!
PrintQuick Honey Sweetened Homemade Ketchup

An incredibly easy ketchup that starts with tomato paste and uses honey as a sweetener needing only 5 minutes hands-on time to make.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 2-1/2 to 3 cups 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12 oz. tomato paste*
- 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup honey**
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup water (or more, for a thinner consistency)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- optional: pinch of cinnamon and/or allspice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients until smooth in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes (you’ll need to partially cover because it will spit hot tomato out at even the lowest simmer). If it seems to thick, add water, a teaspoon at a time to desired consistency.
- Let cool and then pour into a glass bottle for storage (a metal funnel makes this easier).
- Keep refrigerated. If it thickens too much in the fridge, just add some water (a couple teaspoons at a time) to reach pouring consistency.
Notes
*This is the amount I always make for our family, though it does make a lot. If you need less, cut everything down by half – and yes, that would be only 3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup of sweetener for the half batch.
**If you’re trying to wean off of super sweet store-bought, start with the higher amount of honey, then see if you can go down to the lower amount later.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon
- Calories: 14
- Sugar: 2.8g
- Sodium: 104mg
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 3.4g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 0.3g
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: ketchup, homemade ketchup, condiment, catsup, pantry staple
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in March of 2009.
Other pantry basics you may like:
Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe
4 Vinaigrette Salad Dressings from 1 Basic Recipe
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Broth
Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
Subscribe & Get The Best Tomato Preserving Recipes

These are my tried-and-true canning and freezing recipes for tomatoes - salsas, sauces, and more. You'll also receive the popular Weekly Newsletter full of useful information and behind-the-scenes happenings, plus occasional offers. Never any spam - read our Privacy Policy here.
Magic Merlin says
July 28 at 3:58 pmTotally deliciously tasty! Thank you. Will make all the time now. Super easy.
★★★★★
Jami says
July 30 at 1:46 pmYay! My thoughts, too. ๐
Beth says
April 12 at 2:46 pmThanks so much for re-posting this, Jami. I’ve made ketchup in the past but this is much easier. Just takes reading the labels on tomato paste cans. Also, thanks for the link to the metal funnels. Our mom had one (that I sure wish I knew what happened to…) that was similar to those on the link except the base of the funnel was the diameter of the canning jar. I have a silicone one that’s like hers but I wanted metal. I finally found vintage style metal ice cub trays. Absolutely abhorred the silicone ones I had previously. Habitat Restore to the rescue! ๐
★★★★★
Jami says
April 18 at 9:56 amI think you will love this, Beth! The funnel you’re describing sounds like a canning funnel – I only use metal with canning for sure. I have one linked in this article on the canning resources I use if you still need one.
Beth says
April 18 at 10:22 amScore! I have a fair amount of vintage kitchen things I use (many on a daily basis) and was thinking of making the trek up to the Aurora Mercantile (may still) to hunt for an oldie, but this funnel looks to be the one. Thanks so much!
John W Clark says
March 3 at 5:27 pmhave you ever made tomato past?
Jami says
March 4 at 4:27 pmI have, but it’s time consuming and uses a ton of tomatoes for little product. There is a sheet pan recipe I’ve used in the past that’s pretty hands-off and gives me a bit I can freeze if I have enough paste tomatoes. I’ll have to add that recipe to my to-share list!
Gail Allison says
December 24 at 7:22 amAs i wrote to you before, best ketchup ever, i make this for my Grandson, he is Diabetic and wont eat any other ketchup. So i would like to thank you again, Have a very Merry Christmas to you and your Family.
Jami says
December 25 at 3:39 pmI’m so glad to know this, Gail! Sure makes life easier, doesn’t it? ๐
★★★★★
Plaksha says
May 5 at 8:09 amSounds great! What is the shelf life of this ketchup ?
Jami says
May 7 at 3:28 pmHere’s what I wrote to a commenter below:
A long time. How vague is that? ๐
But really, weโve never had it go bad and sometimes it would be months before weโd use it up. So definitely months โ maybe 2-3?
★★★★★
Gail Allison says
March 21 at 7:13 amI started making this ketchup for my 20 year old Grandson and he loves it, thank you so much.
Jami says
March 21 at 11:13 amSo happy to hear this, Gail – it’s great to be able to make it just like you want, isn’t it?
Sarah says
February 1 at 11:33 amHi there,
How long does this ketchup keep in the fridge? ๐
Jami says
February 3 at 3:09 pmA long time. How vague is that? ๐
But really, we’ve never had it go bad and sometimes it would be months before we’d use it up. So definitely months – maybe 2-3?
Sarah says
February 3 at 3:14 pmThat’s helpful enough haha! Was looking for a month. My son is a ketchup monster so looking to eliminate the sugar! Thanks, will give it a try!
Heidi Fogle says
November 4 at 3:37 pmFirst, thank you from the kitchen of another Oregonian! I’ve been trying for nearly a year to come up with a database of recipes that I want to use for menus. I was making very slow progress, getting bogged down with trying uber new recipes all the time! Then I found you’ve done a lot of the footwork already and we seem to love what your family loves, so Zowie!
Shortcuts!! Thanks so much!
Tiny note: the link to pantry basics on this page doesn’t work for me. If nothing else, it proves how I’m skimming everything I can from your amazing blog and adding it to my own database, Paprika! I’m sorry to let you know and yet I realize that you want to know.
Jami says
November 6 at 3:26 pmThanks so much, Heidi! I’m really happy that you seem to be a kindred spirit, menu-wise. ๐
And I DO appreciate being told about broken links! It is an ongoing issue with established websites like mine, unfortunately.
Debbie says
June 26 at 11:12 amCan you can this ketchup?
Jami says
June 26 at 1:29 pmIt’s not tested for canning, Debbie, so I can recommend that. At least for water-bath canning since it’s so thick. Pressure canning might be okay, but I’d compare it to some tested tomato-paste based ketchup recipes to be sure (it’s really the thickness of this that would make it iffy to can).
christine Ricker says
July 19 at 9:13 amCan you keep this ketchup in the cabinet? does it have to be refrigerated?
Jami says
July 19 at 3:40 pmGee, I’ve never really thought of that, Christine, since we’ve always just refrigerated most condiments (mustard doesn’t need to be refrigerated either, but we usually do). But yes, you can store it on a shelf since there are no fresh herbs or garlic and contains the cup of vinegar.
Ole says
December 12 at 4:38 pmI use a recipe pretty much like this (Taste for adjustments), but the best part about it, not only being simple, but there is no point in heating it up, it mixes well cold ๐ No reason to spend money and energy if you don’t need to, right!? ๐
Jami says
December 12 at 7:58 pmI’ve never tried that – I’ll have to!
Wendy says
June 21 at 10:03 amI have to say I had a few doubt’s about this recipe but I tried it anyway, didn’t have white vinegar so I used apple cider,I didn’t have onion powder, but I used a bit more water and stuch a cinnamon stick in there ,let is simmer a bit and wow! How wonderful! I bet you could can it between the salt and acid in it! No expert but have done a lot of canning. I’d def look into it!
Jami says
June 21 at 2:07 pmGlad you liked it with your modifications, Wendy! I haven’t tested it for canning and since it’s so thick I’d only think pressure canning would work for this.