Homemade Ketchup

I'm continuing my quest for the perfect homemade condiments for our family. Today, we're trying homemade ketchup. This version sounds incredibly simple and versatile. I altered the seasonings a bit to fit our family's tastes, but it's really the tomato and vinegar base that's important. The kids went crazy for the flavor of this ketchup and if we can figure out how to make storage work for our family long-term, we'll definitely be making this ketchup more often.

Homemade Ketchup Recipe

Adapted from MYO Ketchup.

Ingredients for about 1/2 cup ketchup

3 ounces tomato paste

1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (like this)

1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar (like this)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 cup water

Method

Heat all ingredients, except water, over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes to meld flavors. Add enough water to achieve the desired thickness.

Bottle in a clean, empty ketchup bottle or picnic squirt bottle.

It will keep in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

It can also be frozen.

The Results

I absolutely love the flavor of this ketchup. It's really easy to make and it's great that it's so versatile, you could flavor it however you like. The only downside, which is really a plus side I suppose, is the lack of preservatives.

I hope to make it in larger batches and keep the majority frozen, I'm just not sure of the best way to store the frozen portions. I'm considering making a large batch and freezing it like I do the Applesauce, in 1/4 cup portions, since I know now that we like the flavor now. Bug, our almost 3-year-old, ate the entire portion from the photo with her fingers. I think that means she likes it. A lot.

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