How to Make Quick Homemade Ketchup
After looking at several homemade ketchup recipes online, I noticed that many of them require simmering the mixture on the stove for 30 to 45 minutes. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a lot of time and effort to me, especially for a condiment.
Instead, I wanted a fast ketchup recipe that I could whip up in my blender. And that’s what I’m sharing with you today!
Homemade Ketchup without White Sugar
To eliminate the need for simmering this ketchup, I chose ingredients that would instantly thicken up when blended. Refined white sugar, which is called for in traditional recipes, needs the heat for it to dissolve and thicken, so I’ve chosen to use dates as a natural sweetener instead. They break down quickly in the blender, especially if you soak them in boiling water as you measure out the rest of the ingredients for this recipe.
What’s great about making this ketchup in the blender is that YOU can taste it as you go. Keep in mind that the ketchup will mellow in flavor as it chills in the fridge, so I’d err on the side of over-seasoning it.
If you’d rather not use dates, feel free to swap honey or maple syrup, to taste. (Just skip the water at first and add it only as needed to thin out the final ketchup.)
Can You Freeze Homemade Ketchup?
This recipe makes about 20 ounces of ketchup, but I’m not sure that it will last more than a week in the fridge since it’s made without preservatives. So, I’ve taken to freezing it!
We use about 6 to 8 ounces in a week, so I keep that much in my fridge and then I pour the rest into a glass mason jar to freeze. When you need more, simply thaw it in the fridge overnight. Recipe Notes:
If you’d rather not use dates in this recipe, feel free to use maple syrup or honey as a natural sweetener instead. I would leave out the water in this case, and then only add it as needed to thin out the ketchup at the end. I’ve made this homemade ketchup with both apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar, too. I think white vinegar works best, flavor-wise, but feel free to swap another type of vinegar if you prefer.
– Reader Feedback: Have you tried making your own ketchup yet? Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below if you try it! And if you make a modification, please share, as we can all benefit from your experience.
