Easy homemade tomato ketchup

Homemade tomato ketchup
(Image credit: REDA&CO/ Getty Images)

Making your own ketchup can seem like a lot of work but it doesn't have to be. We have perfected our ketchup recipe so that you don't need to have lots of extra ingredients to make a delicious sauce for your family.

The main benefit to making your own tomato ketchup is that you know exactly what's going into it, and you can adapt the flavours to suit your taste. If you prefer things a little sweeter you can add more sugar, if you prefer a little tart you can add less - it's up to you.

This recipe makes 1x 250g bottle of ketchup so if you've got lots of tomatoes lying around you can increase the ingredients to make as many bottles as you like.

The ketchup should keep in the fridge or a cool dark place for up to six months - you could even freeze in batches in sandwich bags for up to three months.

Ingredients

  • 2 celery sticks (around 100g)
  • 1 large red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1kg tomatoes
  • 200g red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp golden caster sugar

Herbs and seasonings:

  • 1tsp ground cloves
  • 1tsp nutmeg
  • 1tsp cinnamon
  • 1tsp allspice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1

Roughly chop your celery, onions and garlic.


Step 2

Whizz in the food processor until very fine.


Step 3

Fry your mixture, in a litle oil, on a low heat for around 10 mins until slightly browned and soft.


Step 4

Roughly chop your tomatoes and measure out your sugar and vinegar.


Step 5

Pour your tomatoes, vinegar and sugar into the pan and stir. Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer for 5 mins.


Step 6

Stir through your spices and leave for five mins to flavours to develop. Add tomato puree, salt and pepper to taste.


Step 7

Leave on a low heat to simmer for one hour until the tomatoes have simmered right down. Then take off the heat and stir.


Step 8

Use a hand blender to whizz the mixture to a smooth paste.


Step 9

Spoon the sauce through a sieve, pressing it down, to remove all the bits.


Step 10

Homemade tomato ketchup

(Image credit: REDA&CO/ Getty Images)

Allow to cool and funnel your sauce into a sterilised bottle or jar.


Holly Boultwood
Content creator

Holly has over 15 years' experience understanding and creating digital content that people want to read and share. Holly's has created news and lifestyle content for brands, such Now Magazine, Best Magazine and Goodto.com.