Homemade Ketchup

In my ongoing quest to keep my children interested in cooking, I wanted to show them that we can make a homemade version of ketchup, one of the staples in our refrigerator. It is fun to take a product that they are so used to buying and show them that it doesn't originate in a bottle; it can be made at home. And if you make it yourself, you can leave out the corn syrup and preservatives that most manufactured ketchups contain.

It is also interesting to see how much sweetener is needed to make tomatoes taste like ketchup. The first time I made the ketchup I used very little sugar, but it really needed more to make it less of a tomato sauce and more like the ketchup the kids were used to. I'm hoping that as they get used to our homemade version, we can reduce it even further.

Unlike manufactured ketchups which have a fairly one dimensional flavor, this ketchup has more layers of taste. There is a nice balance between the tang of the vinegar and the sweetness of the sugar, and the cinnamon adds an unexpected accent.

Pour it into a squeeze bottle and you can have lots of fun!

Homemade Ketchup

Makes approximately 1 pint
10 minutes preparation time
1 hour 10 minutes cooking time

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (approximately 2/3 cup)
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 35-ounce can whole canned tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until it is quite thick, about 1 hour.

While the ketchup is still hot, carefully blend it in a food processor until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Print Recipe