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Ketchup is something we had pretty much given up after switching to a whole food, plant-based diet since most store-bought versions are FULL of added salt, oil, sugar, etc. We always figured making our own would be a pain… but we recently discovered that we were so wrong!
When we went through 18 days of Mary’s Mini, we were eating a TON of hash browns with spicy ketchup. We started out using a version we bought at a local vegan store. It was oil-free and low in sodium, but it did have some sugar added. We knew there MUST be a way to make a more “SOS-Free” version without any added salt, oil or sugar, so Brian started experimenting!
Originally, he used maple syrup as a sweetener. There are a lot of conflicting opinions in the plant-based world over what sweeteners are “acceptable” for a whole food, plant-based diet, but Medjool dates seem to have a pretty good reputation, so we decided to try that out as well. I think the dates add just enough sweetness to this (although the maple syrup version Brian made was super tasty as well). You really can’t go wrong either way!
This is a SPICY ketchup – so feel free to adjust the ingredients if you don’t like a lot of spice. As always, check the “Notes & Tips” section under the recipe for our suggestions.
Check out the recipe below and watch the video above for even more tips!
Spicy Ketchup (Oil-Free, No Added Sugar)
It is simple to make your own ketchup at home!
Ingredients
- – 6oz can of tomato paste
- – 2/3 cup water + extra if desired
- – 2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
- – 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (adjust to taste / NOTE: Tabasco does have a small amount of salt added; 1/2 tsp contains 17.5mg of sodium)
- – 2 to 4 Medjool dates (approx. 40-80g after pitted)
- – 1 tsp onion powder
- – 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- – 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- – 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- – 1/2 tsp salt (OPTIONAL)
- – pinch of ground nutmeg
- – pinch of ground cinnamon
- – pinch of ground cloves
Directions
- Pit your dates and soak in hot water for 10 minutes to help soften.
- While the dates are soaking, add the remaining ingredients to your high-speed blender or food processor. Drain the dates after they finish soaking and add to the blender. Blend all ingredients on high for approximately one minute (or until the dates are completely incorporated).
- OPTIONAL – Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan. This will give you a “smoother” ketchup.
- Heat the mixture in a covered saucepan on medium-low heat for 5 minutes (or just until it starts to simmer), stirring occasionally.
- OPTIONAL – Add extra water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is acquired.
- Cool and pour into a glass container. Store in your refrigerator for up to one week.
This recipe makes approximately one cup of ketchup.
*SEE RECIPE NOTES & TIPS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
Recipe Notes & Tips:
*This will be pretty SPICY! If you don’t like a lot of spice, adjust or leave out the cayenne pepper and/or Tabasco sauce. We suggest starting with the smaller amounts listed in the recipe above – you can always add more if it isn’t spicy enough!
*You can also use 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten your ketchup instead of the dates. If you are doing this, you don’t need to blend the mixture. You can still strain it if desired or just skip to step 4 and add all of the ingredients directly to a saucepan and heat.
*I think the ketchup tastes best after it cools overnight. This gives the ingredients a chance to meld together!
*Our favorite thing to use this spicy ketchup on is hash browns. Check out our chili-spiced hash brown recipe here.
Don’t forget to check out the video and leave us a comment below if you try this out!
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Morning,
My name is Gary Fowler, I am 63 this November. After recently watch various videos, ie. Forks over knives etc. Started looking for content on YouTube to learn more. I have been on this life style for only 3 weeks. But would just like to say how great your videos are, and find them easy to follow, and now I am using your web site for printing recipes. It’s a lot harder in UK to find the variety you have in the USA. But I manage to find most things. So again your doing a great job and just wanted to pass on my appreciation.
Take care.
Thanks Gary! That means a lot. There is a lot to learn… but that makes it even more fun! We have replaced the “recreation” of eating out, etc. with exploring new whole food, plant-based recipes. We found that watching videos of what other “real” people are doing helped us so much along the way, so it is amazing to be able to help others even in a small way!
FYI A tiny touch of cumin in ketchup makes it taste like Heinz.
Oooh good idea! 🙂
I decided to use the information in your recipe to do a SW/Mexican version. Instead of Tobasco and cayenne, I chose Cholula, chipotle powder, and jalapeno powder. I upped the onion powder, used roasted garlic powder, and a rounded 1/4 tsp of allspice. It’s in the fridge now melding.
Thank you! Question, what’s your opinion on the Vitamix under blade scraper?
Nice! Thanks for sharing… we love changing it up and it’s so easy 😀 I love the under blade scraper… I just made peanut butter in the Vitamix today and I was able to get so much more out using it!
Finally made this cuz I don’t like eating hash browns without ketchup. I’m lazy so I made the maple syrup version. Delicious! And so easy! Eating hash browns now with fresh warm ketchup. Now on to the Smoky Hummus which I’ve made before so it’s definitely a double batch… Thanks for all the time you guys spend on R&D to make our SOS free lives so much better!
Glad to hear it! I just made a quadruple batch of hummus LOL. I am freezing half of it. Got sick of making it like twice a week 🙂 We definitely need to make more ketchup though.
This is the best ketchup ever! We love it, I just don’t make it as spicy as you do. Thank you for sharing such a yummy WFPB recipe. My hubby and I enjoy your YouTube channel, too.
Thanks for letting us know 🙂 and thanks for watching!
You guys! This is the best ketchup I’ve ever tasted! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Question- can you just blend it longer so that it cooks in the vitamix? Perhaps omit a step and an extra dish to wash?
(Presently writing the recipe in my journal) thumbs up to you btw 🙂
I have been binge watching your videos and I am loving them. This is the first recipe of yours that I am trying. I want to try a Mary’s mini. I am in the UK. I love that you visited and had such a great time and found the food enjoyable. I think in the US you seem to have much more healthy options available in your shops. Oil free stuff for example isn’t really a selling point in our supermarkets. Oil free hash frozen hash browns are not a thing over here sadly but I am going to experiment. Loving your style.
Hi – I am wondering if I can substitute date syrup for the whole dates and, if so, how much? Love your videos!
Definitely! I would start with one tablespoon and add another tablespoon if needed!
What the longest anyone has had this in the fridge?
We have gone a couple of weeks and it was fine, but I would say 7 days is a safe bet.
Thanks for posting this recipe! I love ketchup but have been staying away from it due to the added sugars most ketchup brands contain (corn syrup). I hope to try this soon!
The spicy ketchup is the absolute BEST. I added the little bit of cumin and WOW taste like Heinz. Thanks Brian and Jessica you make vegan eating amazing. Also, thanks Linda for the idea.
Thanks!!