Spicy Whole30 Ketchup Recipe | No Refined Sugars

The Beloved and I did a Whole30 one year. There’s so much cooking.

So much cooking! Whenever I could find a prepared product that was “compliant,” I bought it to cut down even just a bit on The Cooking.

If you are currently doing a Whole 30 (and God bless you) or you’re thinking about doing it, my friend Wendy has a whole post with links for one month of Whole 30 recipes, making it super easy to cook.

Now that we’re not on Whole 30 but are trying to still eat “Whole 30-ish during the week,” I have time to tinker with some Whole 30 condiments to have on hand.

This smoky Whole30 ketchup is rich and thick, and spicy, and it sweetened with dates.

What Makes It Whole30 Compliant?

Whole30 gives your body a 30-day break from 5 groups of foods:

• Sugar and sugar substitutes
• Alcohol
• Grains
• Beans and Legumes
• Dairy

Whole30 ketchup generally uses dates for sweetness and contains none of the other Whole 30 Big Bads.

Why This Recipe

Well, because it’s delicious.

It’s tangy with apple cider vinegar and smoky with chipotle.

It’s rich and thick but doesn’t have that “chunky” texture some Whole 30-compliant ketchup recipes can have.

I also give you ways to make variations, so if you want bacon ketchup or even a Whole 30-compliant cocktail sauce, this is the recipe for you.

What Can I Put My Homemade Ketchup On?

Use your lovely smoky ketchup the way you would use any ketchup. I rather like mine on scrambled eggs personally. Here are some other Whole30 recipes you’ll want to make and then slather in ketchup!

• Easy Whole30 and Paleo Meatloaf
• Baked Paleo Chicken Tenders
• Whole30 Oven Roasted and Toasted Potato Wedges

How to Make This Recipe

Ketchup is seriously easy to make. There are a few ingredients you’ll need to gather for this version, and then you’re good to go.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need.

• onion: onion is what you need to start building up your flavors. Use sweet or yellow here
• avocado oil: a really good oil for Whole 30. If you’re not being super strict, feel free to sub vegetable oil or olive oil
• tomato puree: make sure your puree has no added sugar. You can also sub crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or even whole canned tomatoes since you’ll be blending it all up anyway
• salt: helps to bring out all the flavors
• apple cider vinegar: provides tang which helps to wake up the flavors of almost anything you put this ketchup on
• date syrup: provides just a hint of sweetness without having to use any refined sugar
• chipotle in adobo: These come in cans in the grocery store. You’ll be mincing up some of the dried smoked jalapenos (which is what chipotles are) as well as using a little of the sauce they’re packed in
• garlic powder: You can also substitute granulated garlic or even minced garlic
• smoked paprika: provides smokiness and heat. If you prefer to keep you ketchup on the less smoky side, substitute mild chili powder. If you want it hotter, use extra smoked paprika, or add a touch of cayenne in addition to the smoked paprika
• ground cinnamon: most ketchup contains a bit of cinnamon, and I love the warmth it brings to this recipe. Use more or less than called for according to your taste
• ground clove: Not strictly necessary, but adds an almost cooling quality. Substitute ground allspice here, or you could even get away with using just a dash of pumpkin spice blend

Procedure

As I said, this stuff is seriously easy to make.

Here’s the rundown:

• saute onion in the avocado oil along with the salt
• put the sauteed onions in the jar of your blender
• add all the rest of the ingredients to your blender and puree
• return all to the pot and simmer for about 40 minutes until thickened
• cool and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks

Conversely, you can add all your ingredients straight to the pan, puree with your immersion blender, and simmer until thickened to your liking

Q & A

If you have any questions about this or any other recipe or post on the site, there are a few ways to get in touch.

You can leave a comment on the post, and I’ll be back in touch within 24 hours.

If your question is more pressing, don’t hesitate to email me, and I should be back in touch within 4 hours (unless I’m asleep) or often much more quickly than that.

Once you’re off Whole 30, you might decide to reintroduce sweeteners. In that case, feel free to sub in honey for the date syrup or chopped dates in this recipe. Or you could try my super good Cranberry Ketchup recipe.

I hope you’ve learned something from this post or that you’ve decided to make the recipe.

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Continue to Content

Smoky Whole 30 Ketchup

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This Whole 30-compliant ketchup packs a good amount of heat and smoke, making it great alone or as a base for barbecue sauce. Good stuff!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 3/4 cup sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups tomato puree or sauce
• 6 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4-1/3 cup date syrup , or 1/3 cup chopped, pitted dates plus 1/4 cup water
• 1 chipotle in adobo, diced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, from the can of chipotles
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, or allspice

Instructions

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and then the diced onion and salt.
2. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Carefully transfer the onions to your blender jar. Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and puree until smooth.
4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to maintain a simmer and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring fairly frequently to prevent sticking.
5. Transfer to a container. Cool and then store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Notes

Whole 30 Ketchup Variations

Classic Whole 30 Ketchup

Leave out the chipotle and adobo, and decrease the smoked paprika to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 1/2 teaspoon celery seed. Proceed as directed.

 

Whole 30 Cocktail Sauce

Leave out the chipotle and adobo, and decrease the smoked paprika to 1/2 teaspoon. Substitute freshly squeezed lemon juice for the vinegar. Add 1/2 teaspoon celery seed and Whole30-compliant prepared horseradish, to taste (3-4 teaspoons or so). Proceed as directed.

 

Whole 30 Bacon Ketchup

Finely dice 3 slices of Whole 30 compliant bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon to drain on a paper towel. Pour off excess bacon drippings, leaving about 2 Tablespoons in the pan. Cook the onions in the bacon drippings. Reduce the amount of chipotle and smoked paprika to taste. Proceed as directed and stir the bacon bits back in at the end of cooking.

 

 

 

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Chipotle Powder
• 
  Chipotles in Adobo
• 
  Immersion Blender
• 
  3-Quart Saucepan
• 
  Countertop Blender
• 
  Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Container, Black (Certified Refurbished)

Nutrition Information

Yield about 16 Serving Size 2 Tablespoons
Amount Per Serving Calories 41Total Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 221mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 0.7g

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And there you have it, friends. Now, if you’re on Whole 30, you can still enjoy some delicious smoky ketchup!

Thanks for spending some time with me today. Have a lovely day.