By Aditi Saraswat
April 29, 2026
Skip the store-bought version and make tomato ketchup at home by using ripe tomatoes and basic pantry spices. Making ketchup at home gives you the chance to customise it as per your preferences. It is rich, preservative-free and perfect to pair with fries, sandwiches and everyday snacks.
1 kg ripe tomatoes 1 medium onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup vinegar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper powder 1/4 tsp red chilli powder (optional) 1 tbsp oil 1/2 cup water
Wash tomatoes nicely and chop them roughly. Slice the onion and peel the garlic before you begin the process of making ketchup.
Fill a pan with water and add tomatoes, onion, and garlic to it, cover it with a lid and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and begin to release their juices fully.
Let this cool down a bit, then blend to make a smooth mixture. Strain it through a sieve to get a silky ketchup texture without seeds or bits of peel.
Pour the strained puree back into the pan and add sugar, salt, pepper and chilli powder to it, then cook on a low flame.
To this, mix in vinegar and keep simmering on a low flame until the ketchup begins to look glossy, thick and gets a spoon coating consistency.
Let the ketchup cool down fully, then transfer it into a clean, dry bottle. Refrigerate and use homemade ketchup for snacks or sandwiches.