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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowGrilling season has officially kicked off, and I’ve got the perfect companion for all your cookout favorites: My sugar free ketchup! I was never happy with the ingredients in the store-bought stuff, so — many, many taste tests later — this has been my go-to homemade ketchup recipe for years. Guests (and even kids) can’t tell it has no added sugar. And it’s keto, too! Make it with me, and get ready to elevate your burgers, hot dogs, and everything in between.
Why You Need My Sugar Free Ketchup
- Tastes like the real thing – This isn’t just the best sugar free ketchup I’ve ever had… honestly, it’s the best ketchup I’ve had, period. It’s sweet and tangy, it’s smooth and thick, it’s even got umami notes. You’re going to love it.
- Quick and easy to make – Just mix all the ingredients and let them simmer away. It’s so simple. And it lasts beautifully for weeks in my fridge.
- Naturally sweetened, keto, gluten-free, and diabetic friendly – Most store-bought ketchups are packed with added sugars, corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners, like sucralose. Not mine! With just 2 grams of net carbs per serving, this is a true keto ketchup. (In fact, you’ll find it in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook with some of my other fave sauces and spreads.) But even if that’s not your jam, this healthy ketchup is also just better for you than those processed ones!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for sugar free ketchup, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Tomato Paste – This is the base and the main flavor. I prefer a can of tomato paste combined with a cup of water, rather than tomato sauce, because the flavor is more intense that way. But if all you’ve got is tomato sauce, use 2 cups of tomato sauce and 2/3 cup of water instead — and you’ll need to simmer for much longer to let it reduce.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – The key to making low carb ketchup or keto ketchup is really just the sweetener. This one dissolves effortlessly, and tastes and measures like sugar, so it’s the only one I like in my sugar free ketchup. Notes on other options:
- Powdered allulose also works great, but add 1 1/2 extra tablespoons.
- Most other sugar substitutes will crystallize, leaving a gritty or grainy texture. (This includes most brands labeled “monk fruit” or “stevia”, which are usually mainly erythritol or maltodextrin — check the ingredient list and you’ll notice it’s listed first.)
- Concentrated liquid sweeteners, like liquid monk fruit extract or stevia, would work, but these will leave an aftertaste and you’d need to use much less.
- White Vinegar – To make the ketchup tangy. Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar make a decent substitutes, they’re just a bit less neutral in flavor.
- Spices – You’ll need sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, ground cloves, and mustard powder. I modeled these after Heinz, but had to improvise because they don’t publish the exact spices. Funny enough, some readers are telling me mine tastes better — so thank you! 😊
How To Make Sugar Free Ketchup
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Combine the ingredients. Grab a small saucepan and whisk all your ingredients together, until smooth.
- Simmer the mixture. Let it gently bubble over low heat, covered, until it thickens up to just how you like it. Don’t forget to give it a stir now and then.
- Blend until smooth. For the smoothest, silkiest sugar free keto ketchup, pour it into a high-powered blender (I swear by this one!) and puree. This step is optional, but it makes all the difference if you’re after that classic ketchup texture.
My Recipe Tips
- Stir occasionally, but otherwise keep it covered. The sugar free ketchup can splatter as it simmers, especially as it gets thick, so a lid prevents a big mess.
- Simmering time can vary widely. It can depend on the size of your pan, the exact heat of your stove, and even your brand of tomato paste. Bigger pans will need less time.
- Cooked it too long? Just add more water to thin it out.
- Adjust to your taste. You can always tweak it at the end! If it’s too tart, add a bit more powdered Besti. If it’s too flat, a pinch more salt could do the trick. If it’s too salty, a splash of vinegar can perk it up.
Storage Options
- Store: Pour your keto ketchup into a mason jar or other airtight container (I like to use a squeezable bottle with a flip cap!), and stash it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you notice any separation, just shake or stir it, and it’ll be good as new.
- Freeze: You can freeze the whole batch in zip lock bags, but I prefer a silicone ice cube tray, so I can pop out individual portions. (I do this for my sugar-free BBQ sauce as well.) Either way, this sugar free ketchup will keep in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
- Canning: I haven’t tried it yet, but you should be able to can this in a water bath.
Serving Ideas
You probably already know the most common ways to use ketchup, but here are my healthier versions of the classics:
- Burgers – Slather this ketchup and homemade mayo on your hamburgers tucked between low carb hamburger buns, along with lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions. If you’re grilling for a cookout, my creamy cauliflower potato salad is the perfect pairing.
- Hot Dogs – Make hot dogs on my keto hot dog buns, or try my bacon wrapped hot dogs for something new.
- Chicken – Dip your keto chicken nuggets (pictured above) or crispy low carb chicken tenders into my sugar free ketchup. My kids love them.
- Fries – My fave low carb options are rutabaga fries, jicama fries, or cauliflower tots. If you’re reducing sugar but not strict on carbs, dunk garlic parmesan fries or air fryer french fries instead.
- Meatloaf – Whether it’s a classic meatloaf or my special keto meatloaf, don’t forget to top it with a generous layer of this sugar free ketchup. It adds that perfect tangy finish!
More Homemade Sugar Free Condiments
Did you know how many sauces and dressings you can make at home (with much cleaner ingredients)? Try my versions, all sugar-free and super simple:
Sugar Free Ketchup
My sugar free ketchup tastes sweet & tangy like the regular kind! It's easy to make, with simple, natural ingredients and just 2g net carbs.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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 I recommend it for a smooth texture.)
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 tablespoon
- The entire recipe makes 3/4 cup, or 12 tablespoons.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Sugar Free Ketchup
Gratitude Moment
Here’s me a couple years ago during a YouTube video shoot of making my low carb meatloaf, with this keto ketchup on top as a glaze.
Lately I’ve been thinking about how much I miss making those videos, something I thought I’d never say. As a pretty shy introvert, they were so hard! But they also stretched me to grow, and for that I’m grateful.
In case you missed it, I put a pause on YouTube when we moved to Florida. I needed time to get settled, get new equipment… oh, and figure out how to shoot those videos myself for the first time ever, instead of having help from my videographer friend.
It’s going to be a whole new learning experience, but I can’t wait! So if you want to be the first to know when I post my next recipe video, subscribe to my channel here.
204 Comments
Barbara
0Perfect! You’ve changed my Keto life! Ketchup is a necessity and before this recipe I was struggling- now I can enjoy my food. Thank you!!!
Donna
0Awesome. I wont buy ketchup again. I only use half the monkfruit.
Barbara
0Contadina Tomate Paste has “4 gr sugar in 2 tbsp” – how can your ketchup have 1 gr in 1 tbsp?
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Barbara, we calculate our macros based on information from the USDA food database. Individual brands and varieties may still differ.
Mayna
0I love your recipes I’m never dissappointed! However, I was concerned about the sugar serving I see you list on 1 gram per serving. The tomato paste one has 21 grams for a 6 ounce can. Is this accurate? I’m just afraid of kicking out of keto. I look forward to your response.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mayna, with the brand linked in the recipe it would be about 1.6 grams of sugar. However, we calculate macros using the USDA Food Database to get fair and accurate numbers. Food brands and macro calculators may vary.
Lauren
0Hi there, I’m just wondering how long this keeps in the fridge and have you tried to freeze the leftovers? Tastes great! Cheers, Lauren
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lauren, The storage info is in the post above. It keeps for at least a week in the fridge, sometimes even longer. The vinegar preserves it well. You can freeze it, too!
RLB
0HOLY COW THIS IS AMAZING….love the hint of cloves. Why would I ever buy packaged ketchup anyone. Super easy to make.
Kristine
0I can’t wait to try this… I didn’t see asked and apologize if it’s a dupe question… how long will this keep in the fridge once assembled?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kristine, This info is in the post above. It will keep for at least a week.
Kim Krueger
0Delicious! I’ve been missing ketchup and here it is!
Tina
0I made this and it’s absolutely delicious. Thank you.
Sandra
0Maya: Our son has a physical issue with some tomato products; I was wondering how to use something else for a topping. So, I thought about using 2 or three slices of bacon on top, just around the perimeter of the loaf instead. Yes, these will add extra counts to all of the nutrition facts. We also could try this w/o anything on top as well.
Your thoughts, please. Also, if there’s anyone out there w/suggestions, feel free to comment. Thank You to Maya & commenters.
Rita
0Catsup wasn’t always made with tomatoes. There are recipes for catsup made with peaches…Although that may be an issue with keto.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sandra, You left the comment for a ketchup recipe. 🙂 Are you asking about topping for a meatloaf? If so, I’m sure you could do it with bacon or even omit the topping altogether.
Summer
0I love this homemade recipe because it has so much less salt than store bought ketchup!
This recipe is so creative! Thank you for sharing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am happy you liked it, Summer! Have a nice day!
Jaweriya
0This is a brilliant recipe – I am definitely going to try it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jaweriya! Hope you like it!
Dani
0Hey Maya, I just wanted to let you know your nutrition info is pretty off. 6oz of tomato paste has roughly 25 net carbs (even the one you linked to has 24 net carbs), so theres no possible way that 1/12th of the resulting ketchup has 0 net carbs.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dani, The nutrition info listed is not 0g net carbs, it’s 2g net carbs per serving. Thanks!
Maria
0I made this tonight for burgers and fries. it doesn’t really taste like storebought ketchup, but it is really good! Much stronger flavor, and the tomato really shines through. I liked it a lot, especially how quick it was to make.nice sharing. thanks for the recipe. good one.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Maria! I’m glad you liked it.
Diana
0Hi I already get your emails. I love them but I also would love the recipe ebook.
Thank you
Diana
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Diana! The free e-book is found in the members area – there’s a link to it at the bottom of every newsletter email. 🙂
Diane
0Love this keto ketchup. So good. Used a Monk/erythritol blend from Bulk Barn, and did blemd for smoothness. A keeper! Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so glad to hear that, Diane! Thank you!
Lily
0Thanks for sharing the secret recipe with us. The tomato ketchup recipe looks thick and flavorful with those lovely ingredients. It sounds wonderful. As usual, the pictures look stunning. Thanks a lot! I love simple recipes so much. How long does this last? Can it be made ahead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lily, Yes, you can make it ahead and store it in the fridge for at least a week, possibly longer.
Angela
0I made this for dinner tonight to go with my keto meatloaf. Absolutly delicious! Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the ketchup, Angela! Thanks for stopping by!
Erika D
0How much liquid stevia should I use instead of the powdered? I’m afraid 1/4 would probably be too much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Erika, You’d definitely need a lot less if using liquid stevia. Check the conversion chart here.
Debbie Angell
0I’m so happy to find this recipe! Using regular ketchup is not good for me on Keto; store bought sugar free ones either contain bad ingredients or cost an astronomical amount of money. This is great! I love the flavor and the amount produced from the recipe is perfect for my household. Thank you so much! 5 star rating!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Debbie! Thanks for stopping by!
Shauna
0This is FABULOUS as are all your recipes I’ve tried! We will be making this on a regular basis!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Shauna! Please come back again soon! Have a nice day!
Andrea
0How long does it stay good? Can you make a bigger batch and put it in the fridge or freezer?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Andrea, It’s good in the fridge for at least a week, maybe even a couple weeks.
Laura
0I just made this and it is delicious! No more store bought for me.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Laura! Please come back again soon!
Michele
0Maya, I was concerned about the tomato paste. I have a can in my pantry that has 6g of carbs in 1 Tbsp (total). Is that OK to use in this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Michele, Yes, it’s ok to use (assuming there is no added sugar in the ingredient list). Tomato paste is just very concentrated tomatoes, hence the relatively high carb count, but by the time you add water and other ingredients, it turns out fine. You can see the nutrition info for the actual ketchup on the recipe card above.
Eric D. Meehan
0This really taste great, thanks for posting this recipe. When I made mine I ended up with way more than 3/4 of a cup though, more like 1 1/4 cup not sure why. I am thinking that this will also change the nutrition value as well? Less calories, less sugar, and less carbs per serving/Tbsp?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Eric, I’m so glad you liked it! The amount can vary depending on how much the ketchup thickens / how much water evaporates during cooking. If you ended up with more servings than I did, then yes, the amount of calories/carbs/sugar/etc per serving would be less.
Christine Hughes
0Oh, my!!! This was exactly what I was hoping for. I’ve been on the Keto diet for 5 1/2 weeks and, even though I don’t usually eat much ketchup, I was really craving some with my homemade hamburger patties. Your recipe is perfect! I even had my hubby try it and he gave it a thumbs up! Thank you SO MUCH!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the ketchup, Christine! Thanks for stopping by!
Roberta
0Super-easy! Do you think that it could be an option (to avoid heating and using stove) to thicken the sauce maintaining the same recipe, but instead of making it become more concentrated by evaporation, simply adding a tiny amount of xanthan gum? I usually use this method for some other sauces, blending them with my immersion blender to avoid having to clean my professional blender, and it works quite well…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Roberta! I haven’t tried that, it might work. Not sure if it would affect the texture a little, though, and heating does help the flavors develop a bit. Please let me know how it goes if you try your method with this one!