Spicy Homemade Ketchup

Ditch the high-fructose corn syrup for a rich, small-batch condiments upgrade you can whip up in 20 minutes. Fresh tomatoes are simmered with sweet dates, tangy apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of chipotle pepper for a warm, smoky kick that puts store-bought ketchup to shame. Unpretentious, naturally sweetened, and endlessly versatile it’s the ultimate zero-effort pantry staple to pull out on burger night.

Ingredients

MAKES 1 CUP (4 servings) | Start to finish: 20 minutes

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

• ½ cup (38 g) chopped onion

• 1 can (425 g / 15 oz) tomatoes, drained

• 1 pitted date (about 8 g)

• 1 tbsp (15 g) tomato paste

• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) yellow mustard

• ½ tsp (3 g) salt

• ¼ cup (59 ml) apple cider vinegar

• ¼ tsp chipotle pepper powder

How To Make This

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, date and tomato paste. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, 15 minutes.

2. Turn off the heat and move the saucepan off the burner. Stir in the cinnamon, mustard, salt, vinegar and cayenne; let cool.

3. Using either a countertop blender or immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth.

Storage

Store in a glass container with a lid (it will stain plastic) and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stir before using as contents could separate.

Before You Go

Simple, whole-food recipes with global flair are just one part of what I do here at Finding My Fierce. If you’re a woman over 40 who enjoys turning humble ingredients into unforgettable meals and you're ready to cut through the noise on perimenopause, restore your energy, and rebuild your health without blending cottage cheese into everything, you’re in the right place.

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Stay fierce,

Melissa