{"title":"How to Make Ketchup","canonicalUrl":"https://www.showmestepbystep.com/cooking/how-to-make-ketchup","category":{"slug":"cooking","name":"Cooking"},"creator":{"name":"In The Kitchen With Matt","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXjmSszjqfuEgLR7H5y1IAw","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVncvjU0KFI"},"tldr":"Make homemade ketchup with tomato paste, vinegar, and a few pantry spices. No cooking down fresh tomatoes. Ready in about half an hour.","totalDurationSeconds":285,"difficulty":"easy","tools":["medium sauce pot","silicone spatula","whisk","measuring cups and spoons","funnel","mason jar with lid"],"materials":["tomato paste","white distilled vinegar","onion powder","garlic powder","salt","liquid sweetener","empty ketchup bottle or mason jar"],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Step 1: Measure Out Everything","text":"Get your ingredients ready before the pot goes on the stove. You need tomato paste, water, white distilled vinegar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and a liquid sweetener like corn syrup, agave, or honey. Measure the spices into small bowls so you can add them fast. Having it all laid out means you are not scrambling once things start cooking."},{"number":2,"title":"Step 2: Start the Liquid Base","text":"Add the water and the vinegar to the sauce pot. This liquid base is what loosens the thick tomato paste and gives the ketchup its tang. Keep your spatula handy for the next step. There is no need to heat the pot yet - you want everything combined before it hits the burner."},{"number":3,"title":"Step 3: Add the Tomato Paste","text":"Spoon all 12 ounces of tomato paste into the pot. This is the backbone of the whole recipe, so scrape the can clean. It will sit in a thick clump at first. Do not worry about mixing it in perfectly right now - you will whisk it smooth once the rest of the seasonings are in."},{"number":4,"title":"Step 4: Whisk in the Seasonings","text":"Add the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and your sweetener right on top of the paste. Now whisk everything together hard until the mixture is smooth and one even color. Take your time here. Any dry pockets of spice or lumps of paste should be gone before you turn on the heat, so the flavor is consistent in every bite."},{"number":5,"title":"Step 5: Bring It to a Simmer","text":"Set the pot over medium heat and stir as it warms up. You are looking for a gentle bubbling simmer, not a hard boil. Ketchup spits when it gets too hot, so keep the heat moderate. Stir every minute or so to keep the bottom from scorching. The mixture will start out thin and loose."},{"number":6,"title":"Step 6: Simmer Until It Thickens","text":"Let it simmer for around 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often. The ketchup slowly reduces and turns thick and glossy. You will know it is ready when a spatula dragged across the bottom leaves a clean trail for a second before the sauce flows back. If it still looks watery, give it more time."},{"number":7,"title":"Step 7: Pour It Into a Jar","text":"Once the ketchup is thick, pour it into a clean mason jar or an empty squeeze bottle. A funnel keeps things tidy if you are filling a bottle with a narrow neck. Let it cool a little before you seal the lid. This batch makes roughly a jar and a half."},{"number":8,"title":"Step 8: Chill and Enjoy","text":"Pop the jar in the fridge and let it chill for a few hours. Cold ketchup firms up and the flavors settle in. It keeps for a couple of weeks refrigerated. Spoon it onto burgers, use it as a fry dip, or stir it into your favorite sauces. Homemade ketchup, done."}],"recipe":{"servings":"Makes about 1 1/2 cups","prepMinutes":10,"cookMinutes":25,"cuisine":"American","ingredients":[{"name":"tomato paste","amount":"12 oz (340g)"},{"name":"onion powder","amount":"1/2 tsp"},{"name":"garlic powder","amount":"1/2 tsp"},{"name":"salt","amount":"1 1/2 tsp"},{"name":"water","amount":"1/2 cup"},{"name":"white distilled vinegar","amount":"1 cup for tangy, or 1/2 cup for milder"},{"name":"corn syrup, agave, maple syrup, or honey","notes":"any liquid sweetener works","amount":"1/2 cup"},{"name":"white sugar","notes":"optional, to taste","amount":"1 to 2 Tbsp"}]},"lastUpdated":"2026-07-13T19:35:35.697Z","published":"2026-07-13T15:07:29.070Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit ShowMeStepByStep with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure."}