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The official start of summer may be a few weeks away, but in my book, June means it’s officially summer. That means, grilling season! And, you’re going to need this low carb sugar-free ketchup recipe for all your cookouts this summer.
Keto ketchup pairs perfectly with some juicy burgers on top of low carb hamburger buns. And if you like mayo on your burgers along with the sugar-free ketchup, check out my homemade avocado mayo recipe.
I think a refreshing salad makes a great side for summertime. But, I also want to do more grilling this year. Admittedly I’m relatively new to it, but am definitely enjoying the learning process. Not to mention convincing my husband to do more of it. 😉
We tested a new recipe for grilled cabbage steaks over Memorial Day weekend, so go add those to your list to try!
For now, let’s talk about why I created this sugar-free ketchup recipe…
Is Ketchup Low Carb?
There are various reasons that you could be looking for sugar-free ketchup. Some people just want to reduce their sugar intake (which is great!), while others may be eating low carb or keto.
So, can you eat ketchup on a low carb diet? The answer is, it depends, but usually no.
Traditional store bought ketchup is not low carb or keto. It’s made with added sugar, or even worse, corn syrup. The nutrition info varies by brand, but it’s roughly 4 to 5 grams of sugar per tablespoon of ketchup. That may not sound like much, but it can really add up! And because it’s mostly simple, added sugar, it definitely spikes insulin.
There are some sugar-free ketchup brands, but most of them use artificial sweeteners, which I prefer to avoid.
Fortunately, there is still a way to enjoy ketchup on a low carb diet and avoid sugar. Just use my sugar-free ketchup recipe instead! It has only 1 gram of sugar per serving, which comes only from the tomatoes.
The Key To Low Carb Ketchup or Keto Ketchup
The key to making low carb ketchup or keto ketchup is really just the sweetener. Instead of sugar, or syrup, we use powdered monk fruit or powdered erythritol.
Why powdered and not granulated? Because this ensures that the ketchup is smooth, and not grainy.
You can also use a concentrated liquid sweetener if you prefer. Liquid monk fruit extract is my favorite. Otherwise, you can also make this sugar-free ketchup with stevia. Make sure it’s the liquid or concentrated powdered form, not a granulated blend.
Ingredients for a Sugar-free Ketchup Recipe
To figure out the ingredients for a homemade sugar-free ketchup recipe, I simply looked at the bottles of several popular brands of regular ketchup.
Of course they didn’t specify amounts, and some of the listings for spices were nondescript. But, it was a good starting point.
Here are the ingredients I ended up with in my low carb ketchup recipe:
- Tomato paste
- Water
- Powdered sweetener (see notes about sweeteners above!)
- White vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar for paleo)
- Sea salt
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Ground cloves
- Mustard powder
How To Make Sugar-free Ketchup from Scratch
The process for how to make sugar-free ketchup is super simple! It’s actually somewhat similar to my favorite low carb sugar-free BBQ sauce.
Start by whisking all the ingredients together in a small saucepan. Then, simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. The mixture will reduce, meaning some of the water evaporates, the flavors will combine, and the sugar-free ketchup will thicken.
The amount of time needed for the keto ketchup to reduce and thicken will vary widely. It will depend on the size of your pan and the temperature of your stove. Just continue simmering gently, stirring occasionally, until it’s as thick as you want it.
Finally, puree the sugar-free ketchup in a blender. (A high-power blender works best.) This step is not required, but I highly recommend it for the smoothest texture that is most similar to the ketchup you’re probably used to.
How To Store Homemade Sugar-free Ketchup
Homemade sugar-free ketchup stores very well in the fridge. It will keep for at least a week, maybe even longer. The vinegar really helps to preserve it.
Sometimes, this low carb ketchup can separate a bit if it sits for a while. Give it a stir and it will return to normal.
If you’re wondering what that is in the picture below, they’re paleo low carb chicken nuggets. You totally have to try them with this homemade sugar-free ketchup!
Keto Low Carb Sugar-free Ketchup Recipe:
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Keto Low Carb Sugar-free Ketchup Recipe
Everyone will love this homemade sugar-free ketchup recipe! If you want to reduce sugar, or are looking for keto low carb ketchup, this is for you. Just a few minutes prep with simple ingredients, and it tastes just like the regular kind!
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GET BESTIInstructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan, until smooth.
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Simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat, with a cover, until the ketchup thickens (reduces) to your desired thickness. (Time will vary widely depending on the size of your pan.) Stir occasionally while simmering. Taste, and adjust salt and sweetener if needed.
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For the best consistency, puree the ketchup in a high-power blender for at least 30 seconds, until smooth. (This step is optional, but recommended for texture.)
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 tbsp
Entire recipe makes 3/4 cup, or 12 tablespoons.
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130 Comments
Nancy
Love this recipe. I replaced erythritol with 4 dates (they cooked down and blended in perfectly). Plus, I added 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper to add a bit of a kick.
sam
This is truly the best keto ketchup recipe, it far exceeds anything you can buy in the store. Thank you for sharing!
Beverly Brooks
Can you make this salt free or there’s something else to substitute for salt?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Beverly, There are several salt-free products you can use in place of salt. Potassium chloride is commonly used as a salt substitute.
Sharla
So good! I made this the first tine when I was out of Primal Kitchen ketchup. Making it again today. Taste is great!
Yayra Gunu
Tried this for the first time and it’s really YUM
Keto_Creed
Thanks for the recipe. Where do I get the tomato paste from? Do I need to buy it or make it myself?
Wholesome Yum M
If you are in the US, you can find tomato paste in any grocery store. It’s with the canned goods, but can be found in a tube as well. If you are located outside of the US, then you will want to look for a concentrated tomato product. It should have a thicker consistency than a tomato soup or tomato sauce products. I hope this helps to clarify what you are looking for!
Maureen
I’m a little bit of a ketchup snob and this is bar none the BEST homemade ketchup I’ve ever made
Nancy Blanchard
Love, love this ketchup…tastes amazing and I always make a double batch!
Thank you so much,
Nancy
Tonya Courchesne
This ketchup is perfect. I prefer to any store bought brand which seem bitter. Thank you for creating this!
James
I didn’t see any comments about making with stevia. What would the proper amount be? Thanks for posting this, can’t wait to try it.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi James, You definitely can make this recipe using liquid stevia. Check this sweetener calculator here to figure out the correct amount.
Mary
I would give this ketchup recipe 10 stars if it were available. Excellent taste and texture. The apple cider vinegar gives it a boost in flavor.
Billie
We make a quadruple batch of this once a month for our teenagers so they can use it with keto chicken tenders, burgers, hotdogs and what ever else they think task better with ketchup.
It is super easy to make we did reduce the vinager to 3tbs for the whole thing insted of the 12tbs. it would normally want for that much because the kids said it was to vinagery.
This is so much more cost effective than the store bought suger free ones!
Edie
your recipes are easy & delicious. You make keto foolproof, thank you!
Tina Horner
This is the best ketchup I’ve ever had!!!
Paddy Jonas
The cloves were cloying. So have omitted
Nelda R Owens
This tasted wonderful right after I mixed it up. After it cooked! Wow! Delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Makes Keto even easier with people like you coming up with great recipes.
Nancy
I have granulated Monk Fruit sweetener that came in a large amount and since there is only me, I need to know if there is some way to use this in place of the powdered. Doesn’t it melt when heated like sugar does? I really don’t want to buy another large container in the powdered form if I can somehow substitute the granulated.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Nancy, It doesn’t dissolve the way sugar does, the gritty texture will remain. If you have a blender, you can try powdering it yourself, but it may still result in a gritty texture.
Gerald
If you have a coffee grinder it powders it great that’s what we do. “The monk fruit”
shanila
A real Keto life saver. Have made this a few times now. I add a little more vinegar as we like our ketchup tangy.
Caril
I liked the flavor and instead of using tomato paste I used tomato sauce and omitted adding the water.
I was out of paste but it still turned out great.
Linda
This recipe was amazing – way better than store-bought and low carb to boot! I live in the coastal south and would really love it if you would create a cocktail sauce recipe using this ketchup as a base or starting point.
LInda
I’m not sure if she made a cocktail sauce recipe yet but I make my own using the above and ground prepared horseradish, it adds a tiny bit of extra carbs but it’s so good. The brand I buy is Silver Spring Fresh Ground Prepared Horseradish at Walmart and it has 1g carb in 1sp. I’m sure you could purchase fresh horseradish and grind it yourself but I haven’t tried it.
Sarah williams
Fantastic, easy and very very tasty
Betsy
Easy to make and we like it better then Heinz. Will never go back to store bought again! Excellent ketchup and so simple to make. Thank you!
Lalala
How is this Keto?! Tomato Paste has TONS of sugar! 🙁
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lalala, This ketchup only has 1 gram of sugar per serving. As long as you enjoy it in moderation, it can fit nicely into a keto diet.
John
Just as good as the “real” thing, I use this as the base for Sloppy Joes.
Delight Schwartz
I’m trying this today and am a!so going to try what I also do when making my homemade salad dressings and mayonnaise last , I mix the contents of one probiotics capsule into the finished mixture right when I’m storing them, it acts as a natural preservative. Since I make 1 quart of mayo each month, it stays good up to and over 30 days in the frig, provided I pasteurized my eggs beforehand. I bet it might work with this recipe too. It’s discouraging to just see all the sugar content in American processed foods, especially since I was raised on Best Foods and love that brand, until I read the label. So much bad sugar and hydrogenated oils which we keto dieters cannot tolerate. I think we can do better than that and make our own. Thanks for posting.
Adrian Mendoza
We lover this recipe! It tastes just like Whataburger ketchup!
Claudia
Delicious! I didn’t have all the ingredients so I had to make small changes like using whole cloves, yellow mustard, different sweetener and a little more vinegar.
Mel
Wow. This tastes like real tomato ketchup. I didn’t have mustard powder so I used Dijon mustard. Easy to make and delicious.
Ralph
Loved this recipe! Great flavor!
Brenda
Just one of many recipes I have borrowed from you. I have not found one that I would not use again.
Thank you.
Connie
I made this ketchup yesterday and it was delicious. The only thing I did different was to heat up the tomato paste to almost boiling prior to adding the remaining ingredients. It took all the bitter taste out of the paste, was so easy to whisk smooth. Then I continued as directed, Thank you so much for this recipe
Becca
Thanks for the great recipe. I’ve not been able to find a sugar free ketchup and I’m happy to have this in my recipe book.
Julie
Hi, Maya! I was wondering if all of the ingredients could be put in the blender BEFORE heating it on the stove. In so doing I could see if I needed additional (for example) sweetener, or other ingredient. I also think it would also be easier than pouring the ketchup into the blender after it’s simmered on the stove. Just my 2 cents. Thanks so much for all of the great recipes!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Julie, I think that could work. Please report back and let us know how it went!