Homemade Ketchup

Steps

1. Add the tomato paste to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir for about 1 minute to lightly toast the paste — this deepens the tomato flavor and removes the raw, metallic taste that straight-from-the-can paste can have.
2. Add the water and stir until the paste dissolves into a smooth, pourable consistency. The mixture should be thinner than you want the final ketchup — it will thicken as it simmers.
3. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Whisk until fully combined with no dry spice clumps remaining.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ketchup reduces to your desired thickness. It will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
5. Taste and adjust: add more honey for sweetness, more vinegar for tang, or more salt to balance. The flavors meld and mellow after refrigeration, so season slightly stronger than you think you need.
6. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Why It Works

Commercial ketchup relies on high-fructose corn syrup and distilled vinegar for its signature sweet-tart balance. This version achieves the same profile using honey (a complex sugar with floral notes) and apple cider vinegar (which has a rounder, less harsh acidity than distilled white). Toasting the tomato paste triggers the Maillard reaction, creating deeper, more complex flavor compounds that make this ketchup taste richer than its store-bought counterpart despite having fewer ingredients.

Tips

• Smoky variation. Add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika for a barbecue-style ketchup that pairs well with grilled meats and roasted vegetables.
• Shelf life. Stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator, homemade ketchup keeps for 3-4 weeks. The vinegar acts as a natural preservative.
• Kid-friendly adjustment. Reduce the vinegar to 1 tablespoon and increase honey to 3 tablespoons for a sweeter version that picky eaters tend to prefer.