Quick Honey Sweetened Homemade Ketchup Recipe
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!
✩ What readers are saying…
“Awesome recipe! We have tried other recipes. My teenage son and I didn’t care for those. But he loves this one! We even do the less sweet version and a little less salt due to cutting salt intake. So this is a definite five star recipe! Thanks for sharing!” -Jennifer
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This honey ketchup recipe is a part of the 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 An Oregon Cottage 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
Ingredients
For this easy ketchup recipe you’ll need these pantry staples:
- Vinegar: I prefer slightly more mild apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar works, too.
- Tomato Paste: Only one can is pictured, you’ll need two 6 ounce or one 12 ounce for a full recipe.
- Honey: I give a range in the recipe – I usually use 1/2 cup measure and fill it slightly less.
- Seasonings: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and 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. 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. (TIP: Tomato paste should have one ingredient – tomatoes. If your paste has more ingredients, start buying a different brand.)
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 nice set of glass bottles that would work nicely.
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.
Our whole family 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?
Reader Raves
“I made it with all the ingredients as written and this was the best homemade ketchup I’ve ever made. Perfect color, texture and taste.” -Sam
“Awesome recipe! We have tried other recipes. My teenage son and I didn’t care for those. But he loves this one! We even do the less sweet version and a little less salt due to cutting salt intake. So this is a definite five star recipe! Thanks for sharing!” -Jennifer
I hope you give this a try – be sure to leave a review and rating to let me (and others!) know how you liked it!
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Quick Honey Sweetened Homemade Ketchup
Ingredients
- 12 ounces tomato paste*
- ⅓ to ½ cup honey**
- 1 cup vinegar, either white or apple cider 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 too 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
Nutrition
Ketchup Recipe FAQ
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 I’ll leave it up to you – store in the fridge, make a half batch if you’re not sure how quickly you’ll use it, or freeze half.
I’ve gotten this question often. No, this hasn’t been tested for canning safely, so it’s safe 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?
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!
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!
More Pantry Basics to Try
- Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe
- 4 Vinaigrette Salad Dressings from 1 Basic Recipe
- Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Broth
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in March of 2009.
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Just wondering if the ketchup can be pressure canned.
It has not been tested for canning safety, Vicki, so I can’t recommend it – sorry!
No need for so much sweetener in a recipe lke this; we need to stop sweetening everything we put in our mouth. Tomato paste has a certain amount of natural sugar in the fruit itself. Honey is still a sugar to the body. Learn to unsweeten and give your Pancreas a break.
That’s why I love making things myself, Kathleen – you can customize recipes to your own tastes! As for this recipe, I was trying to appeal to my kid’s love of ketchup and this has a LOT less (and more quality) sweetener than commercial. My goal was to get them to see that healthy can be good, too – and dipping your fries in tomato paste wouldn’t really do it. 🙂 If that works for your family, that’s terrific!
Yum. Made this with raw stevia (home grown and dehydrated). It’s a keeper.
I made a very good bbq sauce by making a few easy modifications to this recipe. 1) Used apple cider vinegar. 2) Replaced the honey with molasses. 3) Added allspice, a touch of cayenne, and a touch of clove. My family loves it on ribs or in pulled pork sandwich.
Wonderful idea, Nicholas! I’ve used the ketchup as a base for quick bbq sauce, but never like you did – I’ll have to try it. 🙂
Just made this in the thermomix!
To easy, thanks for sharing
I needed a recipe using tomato paste as I usually make sauce with fresh tomatoes but it’s winter here in Melbourne so no tomatoes in the garden!
Thanks Jami, I use many of your recipes!
Linda
So nice to read that you are using my recipes, Linda! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
I see that you don’t reccomend canning, but what about freezing?
This freezes great, Nicole!
What does c stands for given in the measurements?
It’s an abbreviation for cup, Asha.:)
can you can this to preserve and make a larger batch..?
I don’t know if this is safe to can, Paula – maybe pressure canned only?
I’m making this right now. I couldn’t wait for it to be done to try it, so I dipped my fry in the pot and it tastes great! I’m happy to have come across this recipe! I’ll buy a bottle for it as soon as I can! Delicious!!!
Yeah – glad you like it, Katie!!
Hi. Was wondering if apple cider vinegar would work. Hope to try this soon!
Yes, it’s perfect in this!
HI,
This recipe looks like something I’ve been looking for for a long time. One question though. Can you add the honey after you cook it down, so you don’t destroy all the natural enzymes in the honey? I am wondering if that would change the consistency,,,
Thanks,
Oh, I don’t see why not, Carol, as long as the tomato mixture is still hot enough to melt the honey it should be fine, since honey is a bit thicker. But I haven’t tried it, so I can’t tell you from experience – if you try it, let us know how it works for you, as other’s might be interested in this, too. 🙂
Thank-you! I have to avoid sodium and hubby won’t touch HFCS, so this is great! Most name brand tomato pastes ONLY list tomatoes as an ingredient. Nothing else, so this sounds great.
Val
I’ve never made ketchup before and I am going to give it a whirl. Is the honey added for anything other than just to sweeten it? I use my home made stevia for sweetener. I keep several jars of honey on hand that I buy from the Amish and don’t want to use it all. I can only get the honey a couple times a year. Store bought “honey” is not good quality and I’ve read somewhere that now it isn’t even honey. Curious minds want to know~
You can use anything to sweeten the ketchup, Beth! I use honey to try and stay away from more processed sugars, plus it’s sweeter than sugar so I can use less. By all means – experiment! If you think about it – come back and let us know how it turned out. 🙂
I ran out and seen this online and realized I had everything to make it so I gave it a shot. I changed it a little, I doubled the garlic and added half a teaspoon of mustard powder. Tastes great
Sounds like good additions, Damion – I don’t think you can go wrong with upping the garlic in anything, really. 😉
thank you ! this is sooooo good. I’ve shared this if that’s ok, linked it right back here! I used dehydrated tomato powder made into paste and this turned out great!
Oh, wonderful to hear it turned out with dehydrated tomato powder! I may have to try that out – and thanks for linking to my site, Mary!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!