Tomato Paste Ketchup

Ketchup taste test

Back in 2012 I had a ketchup tasting party. It was great fun, and I’m so glad we had the opportunity to play with our food.

This party came about because in 2011 I made my first homemade ketchup. Shortly afterwards, the National Post mentioned my ketchup & then they tasted my ketchup compared to two other recipes. I thought this was a fabulous idea!

A Ketchup Tasting Party! I mean, who doesn’t love French fries and onion rings. And, an excuse to eat them while doing “research” about best tasting ketchup, I’m all over it! So I made 5 different ketchups and use one store bought.

I decided to taste the Jamie Oliver ketchup that the National Post made, which I’ve since remade as Hickory Smoke BBQ Sauce. That ketchup came in second place in our tasting of 5 different ketchups, with comments like good-looking, sweet, like BBQ sauce, dark and appealing, deep rich flavor but closer to BBQ sauce than ketchup, and too tangy.

I made this super easy ketchup made from tomato paste.

And remade my Homemade Classic Traditional Tomato Ketchup Recipe, one that you cook down the fresh tomatoes and puree them to get a thick rich catsup.

I made another recipe that turned out not to work at all, and I used Heinz (it is the best-selling ketchup) as my control tester flavor.

Ketchup Tasting Party

I made the taste testing into a blind taste test so that no one would feel too persuaded by any names associated with the various ketchups. We tasted with French friends and onion rings. I even made up “Tasting Notes Sheets” so that we could track our thoughts about each as we tasted. There was much tasting and discussing. It was great fun! Then, we had burgers (beef for the meat eaters and homemade veggie patties for the veggies) with the winning ketchup.

To my surprise, there was a clear winner: This recipe made with canned tomato paste! Everyone gave it the highest ranking, with comments like thick, good texture, tangy, complex, yum, perfect appearance, dark red color, and Perfect! And, it was the easiest and quickest one to make. I’m so excited that it was super easy and can be made any time of year!

Can this ketchup be customized?

Yes, you can easily adjust this simple recipe to suit your own taste, or make it a little differently each time. Some ideas you may want to try to add some depth:

Do your kids like their ketchup a little sweeter? Add more brown sugar or honey. Feel free to use any sweetener you prefer as well – maple syrup, white sugar, even sugar alternatives.
Mix in a pinch of Cayenne pepper or a dash of Tabasco for some heat
Stir in a little mustard powder for a mustard-y flavor
Mix in a pinch of cinnamon or allspice for an artisanal flavor. Or try your favorite spices – like I think smoked paprika would be lovely for a smokey flavor.
Add some curry to make a curry ketchup
Use apple cider vinegar for a tangier, lightly sweeter flavor
Cook it a little longer if you like a super thick ketchup, or a little less for a thinner ketchup
Add a little more vinegar for a vinegary flavor
Try adding some dried herbs like basil, oregano, or chives for an herbal flavor

How long will this last?

Cover tightly or keep it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to a month. If it separates a little, just give it a stir.

Pro tip: tomatoes have high acidic content and will stain plastic containers, so keep this stored in glass jars like mason jars.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, this ketchup can be frozen for longer storage, but the texture changes a bit after defrosting.

Can I can it?

I don’t personally can much of anything that I make, but, my understanding is that this type of recipe can be canned.

If you’d like to can/preserve ketchup, please follow the instructions from the USDA’s National Center for Home Food Preservation or the official site from the makers of Ball jars.