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This sugar free ketchup is sweet, tangy, and tastes so good, you won’t miss the sugar! Keto friendly, low in carbs, and using just 3 ingredients.
We take our condiments seriously in our house and always have at least one or two on the table for every meal. So, when I’m watching my sugar intake, you better believe I’m making sugar free BBQ sauce, sugar free honey mustard, and sugar free ketchup.
Mainstream brands pack their sauces with copious amounts of sugar and, worse–high fructose corn syrup. Luckily, this sugar-free version tastes just as good as store-bought ketchup but with a fraction of the carbs and calories.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to make. If you ever thought making your favorite sauces and condiments from scratch was hard, this recipe will convince you otherwise.
- Simple ingredients. There are no hard-to-pronounce ingredients or additives in this recipe. Just kitchen staples and a little sugar substitute.
- Guilt-free. At 8 calories and 1 gram of net carbs per serving, this is a game changer for those of us on a low carb diet or trying to cut back on added sugar.
- It goes with anything. From air fryer french fries to healthy burgers and keto chicken nuggets, you can use this ketchup exactly as you would regular ketchup.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Tomato paste. Not tomato sauce or passata! Tomato paste is super concentrated and gives plenty of tomato flavor, with no tomatoes needed.
- White vinegar. I used a combination of apple cider and white vinegar, so the apple flavor would not be overpowering.
- Sweetener of choice. Either keto brown sugar or powdered sugar substitutes. I prefer the former, as it gives the ketchup a more authentic flavor, but any store-bought or homemade sugar-free sweetener will work.
- Onion and garlic powder. A little of both for added flavor. Do not use onion salt and garlic salt, or the ketchup will be too salty!
- Water. To thin out the mixture and the ketchup.
How to make sugar free ketchup
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Simmer: Start by mixing all your ingredients in a small saucepan. On medium heat, heat the mixture until it simmers. Once it has simmered, reduce to very low heat and stir regularly, for 10 minutes.
Step 2- Chill: Remove from the heat and let cool completely, to thicken.
Recipe tips and variations
- Be sure to taste-test the ketchup while you are stirring it up. If it is too thick, you can add more water to thin it out. Also, if you prefer sweeter ketchup, add extra sweetener.
- Do not use stevia or stevia blends of sugar. They are renowned for having a bitter flavor.
- Add other spices or herbs like oregano, cayenne pepper, or even red pepper flakes.
- Store in a squeezable bottle, for the same convenience as store-bought ketchup.
How to store leftovers
To store: Leftover ketchup must always be stored in the refrigerator since it doesn’t contain added preservatives to keep it safe at room temperature. If kept in an airtight container, it’ll stay good for up to 1 month.
To freeze: Place the ketchup in a freezer-friendly container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and give it a mix before enjoying it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade ketchup has nothing artificial in them. However, store bought sugarless ketchup does. They contain aspartame and sucralose.
There is less than a gram of carbs per serving.
Technically, low-carb ketchup should be suitable for diabetics, but it’s important to talk with your doctor to ensure it’s safe for you.
More sugar free sauce & dips
- Keto mayonnaise– This honestly tastes better than regular mayo.
- Keto teriyaki sauce– Same sweet and tangy flavor but with only 2 grams of net carbs per serving.
- Keto guacamole– Thick, creamy, and guaranteed to surprise even your non-keto friends.
- Keto hummus– Made with cauliflower instead of chickpeas, it’s my family’s favorite hummus recipe.
Sugar Free Ketchup (Keto)
Ingredients
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar substitute
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add all your ingredients and mix until combined.
- On medium heat, warm up the saucepan and its contents. Once it begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low and stir constantly for 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and add either more sweetener or more salt, depending on taste.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool completely.
Good base, but must have cinnamon and cloves for classic ketchup flavor.
This recipe was easy to make and easy to customize. I will use less brown sugar substitute next time. I also added a little chili powder and cayenne pepper to make the ketchup spicy for sloppy joes.
oooo I would do that too!
The flavor is great, I like it better than store bought.
I didn’t have the brown sugar substitute, so I used white sugar substitute.
Love the simplicity here. I replaced all refined ingredients with ‘el fresco’: ‘brown sugar substitute’ replaced by 1 heaping tablespoon smoked real maple sugar from Quebec🍁, all apple cider vinegar (no white), fresh pressed garlic.
Fabulous! I used Xylitol as the sweetener. Tastes like and has the texture of regular ketchup. Used it to make my famous baked bean recipe, and everyone thought it was the best ever. No one knew it was low carb. Glad I made a triple batch!
Easy, tasty and economical. Thanks
This is GREAT recipe. I did add 1/2 t paprika (to make the ketchup a bit darker) and 1/8 t of ground cloves. Husband loves this ketchup. So easy and so much better than commercial.
Delicious replacement for ketchup, my husband won’t eat any other now. This weekend I made shrimp cocktail using it ! So good,everyone loved it 😊
This is the only ketchup my husband now uses! Getting ready to start a new batch right now, delicious 🤤
💜 this recipe!! I’ve tried many; like yours best!😊
What are the chips (recipe) in the picture of the ketchup recipe?
Keto crackers- https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-crackers/
This ketchup tastes better than the ketchup with sugar!
Hello, I have a grandson who is not allowed Salt, can this be made without it?
Thank you
Hmmmm it should be okay.
Great ketchup recipe. The advice to use keto brown sugar is best. Simple to make and will become a base for several sauces. Thank you for sharing!!
Best ketchup I’ve ever tasted! I don’t see myself buying store bought ketchup ever again! Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world!! ❤
Yes I’m an Aussie too. Very tasty sauce. Thanks Arman
I made this and it’s awesome. Will replace my store bought. Thanks
I made this as described. It was an excellent replacement for the sugar filled tomato sauce from a bottle that I would normally use (I am an Aussie so we tend to call the bottled stuff sauce rather than ketchup).
Was easy to make and will be on my must have recipe list! Good job!
Cheers,
Michael
Cheers, Michael- Fellow Aussie here, I call it sauce too personally, but had to call it ketchup for the majority haha!)