Name: Homemade ketchup without chemicals – fragrant and thick like grandma's
Prep time: 150 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 2 kg ripe tomatoes; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, pressed; 120 ml white wine or apple cider vinegar; 100 g sugar; 1 tablespoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 4–6 cloves; 1 bay leaf; 2 tablespoons oil

Preparation procedure

Preparing the tomatoes: Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems and cut into pieces. If you want an extra smooth ketchup, briefly blanch the tomatoes, cool them in ice water, peel and optionally remove the seeds.
Onion base: Heat the oil in a large pot, sauté the onion until translucent, add the garlic and fry for a minute.
Cooking the tomatoes: Add the tomatoes, stir, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 60–90 minutes, until they break down and release their juices.
Reduction and seasoning: Pour in the vinegar, add the sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf (chili to taste). Cook for another 30–60 minutes until the desired thickness.
Blending and refining: Remove the bay leaf and cloves. Puree the ketchup until smooth with an immersion blender. For a velvety texture, pass through a fine sieve.
Storage and canning: Fill hot ketchup into sterilized jars, leaving 1–2 cm of headspace under the lid. Close and sterilize at 100 °C for about 5 minutes. After cooling, store in a cool, dark place. Keep an opened jar in the refrigerator (about 2 weeks). You can also freeze it (for example in ice cube trays).

Total preparation time:

20 minutes prep + 90–150 minutes cooking and reduction + 10 minutes canning
Total: approx. 2 hours 30 minutes – 3 hours

Number of servings:

approx. 24 servings (calculated 2 tablespoons per serving) / yield about 1–1.2 l of ketchup

Why make ketchup at home

Homemade ketchup has a higher tomato content, a more intense flavor and you can fine-tune it exactly – less or more sugar, herbs, mild or spicy. Plus you know what’s in it: no unnecessary chemicals, just pure ingredients.

Variation tips

Herbs: dried basil, oregano, thyme.
Spices: a pinch of turmeric or coriander for an interesting accent.
Heat: add chili already during reduction – the longer it cooks, the better the flavors meld.

Conclusion

This homemade ketchup without chemicals is simple to make, beautifully aromatic and thick. You can make it from common ingredients and the result is a versatile condiment that will elevate fries, hot dogs and pasta. Once you taste it, you won’t even remember store-bought ketchup.