Homemade BBQ ketchup – Easy and healthy

This delicious homemade BBQ ketchup is too easy to make not to try! It is slightly sweet with a hint of smokiness, swap it for regular ketchup for a healthier and tastier alternative. Made within 10 minutes, free of refined sugar and vegan.

Ketchup is one of the most popular condiments in America. And for a good reason: it has that perfect balance of sweet & tangy flavors that is totally irresistible.

Our mini taste specialist 4 year old son will easily agree with this. Especially when eating this French Canadian style Shepherd’s pie, he could eat the whole bowl of the smoky sauce to himself!

Making your own ketchup is also so satisfying. The store-bought ones are overly sweet and often packed with high-fructose corn syrup, so making your own is a much healthier option.

It is also easier to make than it seems! This version uses simple pantry ingredients, done within 10 minutes and has a hint of smoky flavor for a fun and unique twist on the classic ketchup sauce.

What you will need to make this smoky ketchup sauce

I see so many recipes that are actually using store bought ketchup when making a sauce similar to this one. But you really don’t have to! In this recipe, the base is made using simple canned tomato paste. This provides the tomato-y and acidity level you need for a super tasty sauce.

Then, it’s time to spice up the base! Maple syrup, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce (check the label for a vegan sauce), onion powder, garlic powder and dijon mustard are all added to the tomato paste to give it that intense deep flavor.

The smoky taste is brought by liquid smoke. This ingredient might be new to you, but I assure you that it is easy to find in any grocery stores. It has a very concentrated flavor, but so essential to get that smoky flavor without having to smoke anything!

How to make this homemade BBQ ketchup

To make this sauce, you will simply gather all the ingredients in a small pot and warm the mixture on the stove for about 5 minutes while stirring. The result is a thick and flavorful sauce that is so much better than the store bought one.

The sauce is thick, so keep the heat to low so it does not splash everywhere!

Then, you can eat the sauce while still warm or let it cool down before enjoying. It is so easy!

How to store this homemade BBQ ketchup?

Keep it in the fridge in an air-tight container for about a week.

This recipe makes only about 1 cup of sauce. So, don’t hesitate to make more!

How to eat this sauce

Use this sauce as you would use regular BBQ sauce! It makes for a good marinade for tofu or toss cauliflower in this sauce before roasting it in the oven. Also try it on pizza instead of the regular tomato sauce for a fun smoky twist.

Pairings

– Homemade french fries or roasted potatoes
– Lentil shepherd’s pie

I hope you will love this homemade BBQ ketchup as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment blow and rate the recipe to let me know how it was.

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