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My Ketchup Story
Something many people associate with fries or burgers.
Not me.

For me ketchup tastes like holidays, in Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Italy or Greece.

Imagine that Mediterranean midday sun scorching your face after a long swim, hair still wet and a plate of savory golden fries landing in front of you. A generous dot of ketchup. A Coke with a straw… the beverage, in case you’re wondering.

And then that first bite:
sweet, sour, tomato-bright goodness clinging to hot, crispy fries.
It’s the taste of being sunburned and carefree, of eating with your fingers, of being a kid far from home.

Because back home in Venlo, ketchup wasn’t the norm.
Fries came with mayonese and curry ketchup sauce, always that one specific brand (which I won’t name here… at least not today). And I still hear my parents’ voices warning me that ketchup was at least half sugar, that I shouldn’t eat too much of it.

Maybe that’s why this recipe matters to me, because making ketchup from fresh tomatoes feels like reclaiming something. The long lost summer holiday version. The simple, bright, real one. For this specific recipe I used a little bit of Paella Spices from the last visit to my friend Daniel from Málaga, as I ran out of paprika powder. This will make an even more holiday like version of home made Ketchup! 

Chopped Tomatoes Sevy's Daily
Fresh Ketchup in the Making, Sevy's Daily
Fresh Ketchup in the Making, Sevy's Daily
Print Recipe

Fresh Ketchup

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 kg fresh ripe tomatoes Roma/plum ideal
  • 2 small onions chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil sunflower-seed
  • 50 g brown sugar or agave/maple syrup
  • 50 ml apple cider vinegar start with 30, adjust later
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • ½ –1 tsp salt
  • 2 bay leafs
  • ½ tsp coriander powder

Instructions

Prep the tomatoes

  • Chop roughly (skins OK) for a rustic version, or blanche and peel for a smoother ketchup.
  • Keep seeds if you like a bit of texture.

Cook aromatics

  • Heat oil in a pot.
  • Add onion + garlic, cook 5–7 min until soft.
  • Add paprika, cinnamon, cloves, coriander (if using). Let bloom 20–30 seconds.
  • Add tomatoes & seasonings
  • Add chopped tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt, and bay leaf (if using).
  • Stir well.

Simmer & reduce

  • Simmer uncovered 45–70 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy.
  • Fresh tomatoes have a lot of water, so reduction is key.

Blend

  • Remove bay leaf.
  • Blend with a hand blender until smooth.
  • Optional: push through a fine sieve for ultra-smooth texture.

Taste & adjust

  • Sweetness: add more sugar if needed.
  • Brightness: add a splash more vinegar.
  • Thickness: reduce further or add 1–2 tbsp water if too thick.