Diabetic-Friendly Tomato Ketchup
Jun 11, 2025
Ketchup just wouldn't be ketchup if it didn't have a touch of sweetness, to help counteract the acid from the tomatoes and the vinegar, but for people with diabetes, ketchup presents a real problem: most commercially available ketchups contain significant amounts of sugar.
Low- or no-sugar versions of the sauce, available at retail, tend toward the expensive side of the ledger; so I decided to try and make my own, low-sugar version.
In researching recipes for this project, I reviewed an uncountable number of entries in the field, but most were substantially more complicated than I was willing to countenance. I did find one on allrecipes.com that stood out for it's simplicity, however: it was titled In-A-Pinch-Ketchup, by "outnumbered". What follows here is my attempt to make a more diabetic-friendly version of that recipe.
Suggested Equipment:
- Mixing bowl, 1 qt or better - microwave-safe preferred
- Sauce pan, 1 qt or better - or - slow cooker, 1.5 quart
- Wire whisk
- Common kitchen measures and tools
- Microwave oven (optional)
Ingredients:
| 1 | ea | Tomato past, 6 oz can | |
| 2 | Tbs | Cider vinegar | |
| 1 | tsp | Garlic powder | |
| 1 | tsp | Common salt | |
| 1 | tsp | Onion powder | |
| ¼ | tsp | Allspice, dry, ground | |
| 1½ | cup | Water | |
| 10 | ea1 | Sweet'N Low® packet |
Directions:
Measure all ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix thoroughly using a wire whisk. If your mixing container is microwave-safe, you may wish to preheat the mixture to near boiling in a microwave oven before the next step.
Transfer the mixture to the saucepan or slow cooker and slowly heat to a gentle boil, stirring constantly with the wire whisk or other appropriate tool. The point here is to reduce the volume while cooking, but avoid burning the mix.
Once a boil has been achieved, reduce heat, but maintain a simmer. Continue cooking for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
When the sauce has thickened to your preferred consistency, check for salt content, adding more (a little at a time) until you are satisfied with the taste.
This ketchup can be used immediately, but will be better if chilled and allowed to "meld" in the refrigerator for several hours before use.
This is a home-made sauce that contains no preservatives. Handle accordingly.
Catagories: Sauces, Condiments