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.
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.
Hello, I’ve been making my own ketchup for about four years by using a recipe in a pantry staples cookbook I bought. The problem with that recipe was threefold: it uses cane sugar and there wasn’t enough water or vinegar, so I found myself adding more and more liquids each time I made it. Tonight I needed ketchup and I thought I’d use honey instead but I didn’t know how much to use so I googled “honey ketchup recipe” and thank goodness your site was the first result. 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. The only thing I did different was that I skipped the cooking. My cookbook recipe had different proportions of the same ingredients (except came sugar instead of honey) but doesn’t require cooking. I thought cooking may be necessary in your recipe due to the honey but I figured I’d try to see if I could blend it as I usually do by stirring with a fork and adding the liquids slowly and voilla, it was perfect. I imagine the cooking process gives it the silky look of bottled ketchup but I’m fine with it as is because it tastes great. Thank you.
I’m so glad this worked for you (and that you found it!), Sam!
That’s interesting about the cooking – I’ve never thought about it, though you’re right, it’s silkier and more like store-bought in consistency (which was important for my kids, lol).
Thanks so much for the great review!
I just made the almonds. I also added some chili lime salt to them. The are still cooling, but won’t last long at our house!
Where are you in Oregon? We are just north of Bandon; in the woods , but not far from the beach
Not homesteaders, but a retired couple who loves the peace and quiet.. we have chickens, raised garden beds ( table top height… perfect for bad backs) apple and plums trees. Just deciding what the grow. I started some Hutton beans which whit, delicious beans.
Thanks for the inspiration…. my chocolate sauce is about out for MY every morning mochas!
Kate
Sounds like we are very similar, Kate!
We’re just south of Eugene in the valley – also enjoying the peace and quite (and morning chocolate sauce!).
My family loves this recipe! I cut the salt a little. Just because we are cutting it down in our diet. And I use half and half of white vinegar and apple cider vinegar. And we do the 1/3 honey. Thanks for sharing your recipe 😊
I’m so glad you like this, Jennifer, and made it work for you!
Really? With the vinegar, spices, and honey?
Obviously we think it tastes like ketchup (as do anyone we serve it to), but feel free to adjust if you need to, or find another recipe. 🙂
I tried this recipe and it was great, but to me there was something missing. I added about 2 tsp. of Texas Pete’s hot sauce and the mixture was fantastic. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Nice idea, Ray!
Can you can this ketchup recipe?
No, it hasn’t been tested for that and is probably too thick. You can freeze it, though.
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!💜😊
Yay – that’s exactly what my kids thought, too – we had a bit of trial and error and then found the perfect ratio.:)
I am from india . Never easy to get tomato paste. Can I buy tomatoes and prepare paste. Will it be helpful ?
You could make a paste first, but at that point, I’d probably find a ketchup recipe that starts with tomatoes. 🙂
Yesterday I finally got to throw out the last of the big bottle of ketchup we’d bought at Costco. At last I could try your recipe! I confess my expectations were low and I anticipated something so quick and easy could not rise to my hoped for results. I guess I was expecting it to taste like glorified tomato paste and so was THRILLED with the resulting flavor, texture and color! I love using honey instead of sugar and I think it adds to the flavor profile in a subtle way. I used the optional pinch of cinnamon and allspice. My husband and I thought it was absolutely delicious!!!!!!!! Will never buy another bottle of ketchup again!
Yay!! I’m so happy to read this, Pam. 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to comment and review – I really appreciate it!
Totally deliciously tasty! Thank you. Will make all the time now. Super easy.
Yay! My thoughts, too. 🙂
Thanks 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! 🙂
I 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.
Score! 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!
have you ever made tomato past?
I 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!
As 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.
I’m so glad to know this, Gail! Sure makes life easier, doesn’t it? 🙂
Sounds great! What is the shelf life of this ketchup ?
Here’s what I wrote to a commenter below:
A long time. How vague is that? 😉
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?
I started making this ketchup for my 20 year old Grandson and he loves it, thank you so much.
So happy to hear this, Gail – it’s great to be able to make it just like you want, isn’t it?
Hi there,
How long does this ketchup keep in the fridge? 🙂
A long time. How vague is that? 😉
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?
That’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!
First, 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.
Thanks so much, Heidi! I’m really happy that you seem to be a kindred spirit, menu-wise. 🙂
And I DO appreciate being told about broken links! It is an ongoing issue with established websites like mine, unfortunately.
Can you can this ketchup?
It’s not tested for canning, Debbie, so I can’t 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).
Can you keep this ketchup in the cabinet? does it have to be refrigerated?
Gee, 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.
I 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 🙂 No reason to spend money and energy if you don’t need to, right!? 🙂
I’ve never tried that – I’ll have to!
I 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!
Glad 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.