I have a deep love and appreciation for ketchup. (You’ve seen my Cranberry Chipotle Ketchup recipe, right?) So naturally, when I saw that Heinz was introducing a ketchup made with balsamic vinegar, I decided that I needed to try it immediately. And then I found out it wasn’t available everywhere; it seemed the stores I frequent are not stores that carry it. Obviously, I had to try to make it myself. Obviously!
I adapted this balsamic ketchup recipe from Serious Eats’ Homemade Ketchup. Are you ready to make ketchup? Let’s get started!
You will need these things:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 chopped medium onion
1 minced garlic clove
1-28 oz. can of tomato puree
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, for that certain je ne sais quoi (yes, the “quoi” in ketchup is cloves–of this, I am certain)
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
Add the tomato puree, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, salt, mustard, cloves, allspice, and cayenne pepper to the saucepan and stir. You need to be stirring it or the tomato sauce will bubble and gurgle and spatter all over your stove. No one wants that! Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover to prevent aforementioned spattering and simmer for about an hour (or until mixture has thickened to the consistency of ketchup).
Use an immersion blender to puree the ketchup until smooth. Alternately, you can dump the contents of the saucepan into your blender or food processor and puree it that way.
Eat your ketchup. Eat it with fries! Eat it with tater tots! Homemade ketchup is much more tomato-y than the kind you buy; the addition of balsamic vinegar gives this ketchup a depth of flavor you don’t get in regular ketchup. It goes well with just about anything, but we really liked it with sweet potato fries.
Making your own ketchup was an amazing, rewarding experience, right? And now you’re ready to make more condiments, yes? Try making your own mustard or whipping up some mayo with Julie from Burnt Carrots.
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I really should try homemade ketchup because the store-bought leaves me cold and is way too sweet. This looks like the perfect recipe to start with (although your chipotle ketchup might have to be my first…) Love this sweet potato fries. Have you ever tried them with aioli?
I do like the bottled ketchup, but after I started making my own, I really began to notice the sweetness and lack of anything even resembling the flavor of tomatoes. I still eat it, but I definitely prefer homemade. And it’s so easy too!
I am not a fan of aioli.
I think it’s the fact that it’s in the mayo family that puts me off!
Gee and here I am with a brand new immersion blender just lookin’ to get dirty!
Immersion blenders are seriously the best kitchen invention of the past decade. Or whenever they were invented. I don’t know! But they’re great. My regular blender broke and I didn’t even replace it because between the immersion blender & the food processor, I didn’t need it.
When I heard that Heinz was coming out with balsamic ketchup I thought it sounded delicious (also, it would allow me to indulge my love for ketchup and still look like a fancy grown-up haha). I have yet to try it from the store, but this recipe looks fun to make and obviously a lot fresher than the stuff in the bottle!
Yeah, I heard it was being rolled out on Facebook first (so you’d have to mail order it) and then it would be in some stores. I think that was supposed to be in November? And I still haven’t seen it anywhere! So
to them, I just made it myself.
I’ve never thought of making my own ketchup! And this balsamic variety sounds lovely. Next time we run out, this is what I’ll whip up
I hope you like it! My husband refuses to eat the bottled kind, but he loves homemade–you can actually taste the tomato in it!
Definitely pinning this! I’ve been meaning to make my own … someday! With balsamic I bet this is awesome!
Before I started making it myself, I had been meaning to for sooooo long. And then I regretted waiting because it was super, super easy.
who knew it was that easy? If it weren’t for the brown sugar I would totally try it (sugar = no good with Paleo eating)
And that is why I could never do paleo–I love my sugar!
You have more will-power than I do.
Sounds amazing! Love the photos!!! Those fries are wonderful too!
The fries are frozen!
We went to BJ’s this weekend and my husband insisted on buying three massive (26 serving-size!) bags of fries there. So I think we will be having fries with every meal for the next few months.
Wow I haven’t heard about this. I agree it sounds really good though.
Yeah, it was in the news a few months ago that they were coming out with this ketchup and I got all excited, but couldn’t find it! At least it gave me the idea to make my own.
This looks SO good!!
Thank you!
I have never made my own ketchup. I do however love making my own salad dressings.
Oh, I love making salad dressing too! It tastes so much better than the bottled kind.
mmmm, you had me at ‘balsamic’! I could almost drink the stuff! I need to try this.
I’m not a big vinegar fan, but I do like balsamic, especially when it’s reduced. And of course, now I love it in ketchup.
That sounds so yummy. I am a huge fan of balsamic vinegar so I am guessing I would love this!
Yes, if you love balsamic vinegar, you will love the flavor of this ketchup!
Can you store this ketchup just like store bought? I wonder how long it keeps for. :O
No, it definitely doesn’t keep as long as the store-bought kind! I usually divide my batches into a few small freezer bags or bowls; I keep some in the fridge to use within a week, and the others I freeze. It’s not as convenient as the bottles you buy, but it tastes better so it’s worth it to me.
Thanks for being so responsive!
Looking forward to trying this recipe! I would suggest using a Balsamic with much more age to it than 4 years, look for Balsamic aged at least 12 or more years, age makes the Balsamic sweeter in taste, thicker in texture and darker in color.