What Is a Substitute for Ketchup?

What's the best ketchup substitute?

DIY ketchup substitute: mix 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) plus 1 teaspoon of sugar plus a small pinch of salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves. This blend approximates ketchup's flavor profile closely.

For best results: add a small pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, and allspice (1/8 teaspoon of each) to match ketchup's spice notes. The DIY version isn't quite as smooth as commercial ketchup, but works in any recipe that uses ketchup as an ingredient (meatloaf, BBQ sauces, marinades).

Can you use BBQ sauce as a ketchup substitute?

Yes. BBQ sauce substitutes 1-to-1 for ketchup with shifted flavors (smokier, sweeter, more complex). Use 1 tablespoon of BBQ sauce for 1 tablespoon of ketchup. The result has more depth but works in meatloaf, burgers, marinades, and dipping applications.

For specific applications where ketchup's clean tomato flavor matters (cocktail sauce, certain dipping sauces, basic burger toppings), BBQ sauce shifts the dish noticeably. For Sloppy Joes and meat-forward recipes, BBQ sauce is often an improvement over ketchup. Sweet chili sauce also works as a 1-to-1 substitute with a different flavor direction (more Asian-style heat).

What about tomato sauce with adjustments?

For ketchup made from tomato sauce: mix 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce with 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar, and a small pinch of salt to replace 3 tablespoons of ketchup. The result is thinner than ketchup, which works in marinades and cooked applications but not as a dipping sauce.

To thicken the tomato sauce substitute: simmer in a small pan for 5-10 minutes to reduce. The result becomes closer to ketchup's consistency. For a quick thickening, mix in 1 teaspoon of tomato paste to thicken without cooking.

When does the ketchup substitute fail?

For french fry dipping and other applications where ketchup is the main flavor, the substitutes work but produce noticeably different dipping experiences. BBQ sauce is the closest functional substitute; the DIY blend tastes more rustic. For these, sourcing actual ketchup is often easier than substituting.

For cocktail sauce (used with shrimp), ketchup plus horseradish is the base. Substitutes work but the recipe's clean flavor depends on real ketchup. For Sloppy Joe, meatloaf, and similar recipes where ketchup is one of several ingredients, the substitute fits in without ruining the dish. For specific brand-name ketchup recipes (Heinz-based recipes), no homemade substitute fully replicates the specific flavor.