This low sugar ketchup recipe is a great way to cut down on the amount of 'hidden' sugar that you eat. It's a lovely tangy, sweet sauce but this healthy tomato ketchup has no refined sugar and less salt than shop bought alternatives.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this healthy recipe
- This low sugar tomato ketchup recipe contains much less sugar than you'd get from a leading brand of tomato ketchup. There's just one tablespoonful of honey in the whole jar, and no artificial sweeteners.
Homemade healthy tomato ketchup is virtually all tomato and onion, whereas shop bought ketchup can be nearly a quarter sugar. - Low salt. If you are making your own homemade low sugar ketchup recipe you can adjust the seasoning to suit your own taste.
- Rich in lycopene. Tomatoes are a particularly rich source of an important antioxidant called lycopene. Cooked and processed tomatoes are actually a better source of lycopene than raw tomatoes.
Lycopene has been shown to be beneficial to heart health, and can even reduce the risk of some types of cancer. (See here for more information about lycopene) - Low sugar tomato ketchup can be made gluten free and vegan if preferred.
Ingredients
Canned tomatoes. In this recipe I have used canned chopped tomatoes, but you could also use passata if you prefer.
Tomato paste. This adds more of a rich, tomato-y depth of flavour.
Onion adds a lovely sweet and savoury note to the ketchup.
Olive oil. Or you could use another healthy oil if you prefer.
Worcestershire sauce. This adds seasoning, plus a blend of spices. If you don't have, or want to use, Worcestershire sauce, add a generous pinch of allspice, ground cloves, and salt and pepper instead.
Note that some brands of Worcestershire sauce contain gluten, either omit it if needed or use a gluten free brand.
Honey and apple cider vinegar. This combination of sweet and sour flavours adds the familiar tang that is part of a classic tomato ketchup.
Use white wine vinegar rather than apple cider vinegar if you'd prefer.
If you'd prefer a vegan low sugar ketchup, then maple syrup can be substituted. However for a vegan recipe, you'll also need to omit the Worcestershire sauce and use the spices suggested as an alternative above.
Optional ingredients
You can add some roasted garlic to this low sugar ketchup, which will complement the other flavours well.
Or if you'd prefer a slight spiciness, add a pinch of chilli powder or mustard.
How to make low sugar tomato ketchup
This recipe is quick and very easy to make. It's really a simple cooked tomato sauce, with a few other flavours added.
Heat a pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Fry the chopped onion in the olive oil until starting to turn golden. You want the onions to take on a little colour, as the caramelisation will add sweetness and depth of flavour.
Add the canned tomatoes, paste, vinegar, honey and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer the ketchup over a low heat for 15 minutes.
Most of the liquid should have boiled away by this time, if it hasn't, allow the mixture to simmer for a little longer.
Blitz the ketchup with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
Taste and add further seasoning if required (the Worcestershire sauce has some seasoning, but you might prefer to add more).
Recipe tips
If you are in a hurry you can make this healthy tomato ketchup with onion powder in place of fresh onions so there's no chopping required. Usually I prefer to use fresh onions however as I feel they are more nutritious;)
Storage and storage
This kid-friendly low sugar tomato ketchup recipe can be stored in a fridge for a week or so.
You can also freeze homemade ketchup. If you freeze it in an ice cube tray, you can pop out individual servings when you want them.
Homemade tomato ketchup goes very well with healthy fish and chips and green lentil burgers.
It also makes a great dipping sauce for these gluten free chicken goujons.
Frequently asked questions
If you look on the side of a standard supermarket bottle of tomato ketchup, you'll see there are orange warnings for the quantity of sugar and salt. So if it's something you consume regularly, then it's certainly not benefitting your health. It's easy to eat more sugar than you think if it's hidden in savoury products such as ketchup. Making homemade ketchup means you know exactly what is in it, and can control the level of sugar and salt.
Sugar and salt are both preservatives, so a conventional tomato ketchup will last for a few weeks. As this recipe is much lower in sugar and salt, it's best to use it up within a week. However, low sugar ketchup will freeze well if you want to store it for longer.
Other healthy sauce recipes
You might also like these other healthy sauce recipes. They are low in added sugar and lower in fat.
If you loved this easy, healthy recipe please leave a rating and comment at the bottom of the page. Your email will not be published.
Your feedback and questions are much appreciated.
You can also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook.
Why not subscribe to the newsletter to receive free delicious healthy recipes straight to your inbox?
Recipe
Low Sugar Ketchup
Equipment
- Stick blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcerstershire sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan on a moderate heat, and fry the onion for 5 minutes until golden and beginning to soften.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion
- Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes.400 g canned chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Worcerstershire sauce
- Blitz with a hand blender until smooth.
- Taste and add further seasoning if required (the Worcestershire sauce has some seasoning, but you might prefer to add more).
Notes
- If you don't have, or want to use, Worcestershire sauce, add a generous pinch of allspice, ground cloves, and salt and pepper instead (note Worcestershire sauce is not vegan, but there are gluten free options available)
- Maple syrup can be used as a substitute for honey
- If you are in a hurry you can make this healthy tomato ketchup with onion powder in place of fresh onions so there's no chopping required.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
Emily says
Easy way to cut down on sugar and salt. Thank you.
Wendy says
You are so welcome. Thank you for your comment:)