Homemade Tomato Ketchup

This homemade ketchup is super easy to make, ready in just 5 minutes, and is healthier and tastier than the shop-bought versions. What's not to love?

Tomato ketchup is more than a favourite amongst kids, it is the superhero of the condiments! I mean, have you ever tried serving a burger or fries to a child without ketchup to accompany it?

In my house, it was one of the hardest parts of cutting sugar from my son's diet. But for us it wasn't an option, sugar had to go - the doctors had demanded it. So for the first couple of months, we ate very plain meals, and even burger night fell flat - that was until I learnt to make homemade tomato ketchup. What I hadn't quite realised was how ketchup was a staple sauce for so many dishes: chunky chips, sausages, burgers, and so many more.

Rich in flavour, homemade ketchup is super versatile and can be used in a lot of different recipes - I often use it as a base for my quiches, tortillas, and even pasta sauces when I'm short on time.

The silver lining is that the homemade version is cheaper and healthy that the storebought ketchup, as it includes only natural ingredients and spices. While shop-bought ketchup often contains ingredients that I prefer to avoid, such as high-fructose corn syrup, sugar and a large list of preservatives.

The homemade version is really easy to make - it really does only take approx. 5mins - and it tastes so much better than supermarket equivalents. Even if I didn't have to worry about sugar any longer, I would not go back, I'd choose to make ketchup over buying it every time!

All the ingredients included in this recipe are easily sourced from your local supermarkets or online.

Although you may find that there are a few ingredients that you are unfamiliar with, or haven't used much - such as liquid smoke, paprika, and sun-dried tomatoes. But not to worry, the more you use them the more familiar they will become.

You will find that there are different versions of the liquid smoke and paprika, I recommend to begin with try Colgin Liquid Smoke Natural Hickory and Sweet Paprika, other flavours will work well too but these are good to start with.

Do bear in mind that others version of paprika will be spicier. It is worth mentioning that the liquid smoke does contain molasses, but the amounts in the recipe are minimal.

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Homemade Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes (in plain oil, or with garlic and herbs)

• 3 large ripe tomatoes (or half a tin of tomatoes - chopped or whole are fine but try to reduce the juice and only use the tomatoes).

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 tsp of liquid smoke (or to taste preferences)

• 1 tsp of sweet paprika

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into a blender, and mix until the ingredients are completely blended. Then transfer to a clean airtight container. It will last in the fridge for about 1-2 weeks. This will make about 6-9 servings. If you want a bigger portion, increase the ingredients accordingly. If you want it to taste more or less smokey adjust the liquid smoke accordingly. It's as easy as that! Enjoy!