Easy Homemade Tomato Ketchup

It’s peak summer, and you have more cherry tomatoes than you know what to do with. One delicious solution: this easy homemade tomato ketchup recipe. It makes about one cup and keeps for up to a week in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. Our favorite wines with tomatoes of any type are the 2023 Estate Chardonnay—formerly our Unoaked Chardonnay—and the 2021 Russian River Cuvée. Pour a glass while you’re slicing.

Ingredients

2 baskets of red cherry tomatoes, such as sweet 100’s. Washed, sliced in half, spread out on a small sheet pan

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 Serrano chili, split in half lengthwise, seeds removed, sliced thin

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 whole allspice berries

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp brown sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Juice from 1/2 lime

How to Make

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly salt and pepper the cherry tomatoes.

Roast for about 30- 40 minutes.

In a medium-sized sauce pan, add a bit of EVOO, the roasted cherry tomatoes and any accumulated roasting juices. Set over medium flame. Add the garlic, onion, and the Serrano chili. Stir, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, whole allspice, bay leaves, brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lower heat to medium-low-ish, and cook, uncovered, at a gentle roll for about 30 minutes. Stir a few times.

Remove bay leaves, but not the whole allspice. Transfer mixture to a blender, and blend just about 1 minute. Return to saucepan and keep cooking at about medium-low.

Add the apple cider vinegar and the remaining EVOO. Stir well and continue to cook until a jam like consistency.

Serve warm, or at room temperature, or chilled.

Keeps in an airtight jar, about 1 week.

Enjoy!! Especially with French fries.