Sugar-Free Homemade Ketchup with Jaca

By Jaca Kitchen · · Updated

This sugar-free homemade ketchup swaps conventional sugar for Jaca allulose, so you get the same thick, rich, tangy condiment you grew up with — with about 1 gram of naturally occurring sugar per tablespoon instead of the 4 grams packed into a typical store bottle. It comes together on the stovetop in about 40 minutes from pantry ingredients, and it beats anything you can buy.

This is a Jaca-adjusted, healthier version of the classic. All of the added sugar is replaced with Jaca (allulose) at twice the amount for the same sweetness and body — no added sugar, all the flavor.

Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 30 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Makes: about 2½ cups (roughly 40 tablespoons)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for spicy ketchup)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice
  • ½ cup Jaca allulose (replaces 4 tablespoons brown sugar — twice the amount)
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, sweet, and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic, ginger, allspice, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant, letting the spices toast in the hot pan.
  3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, until it deepens from bright red to a rustier orange — this cooks out the raw edge and builds flavor.
  4. Add the whole tomatoes and their juice, the Jaca allulose, and the apple cider vinegar. Season with a good pinch of salt and break up the tomatoes with your spoon.
  5. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until thick and shiny, about 20 to 25 minutes. Because Jaca allulose browns faster than conventional sugar, keep it at a gentle simmer and stir toward the end so it doesn’t scorch.
  6. Blend until smooth — an immersion blender in the pot works, or carefully transfer to a countertop blender. For extra-smooth ketchup, blend longer and strain.
  7. Taste and adjust with more salt, a splash of vinegar, or a little more Jaca allulose. Cool, then store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Every tablespoon lands around 10 calories with roughly 1 gram of naturally occurring sugar and no added sugar — a real upgrade over the 4 grams of added sugar in most store-bought bottles. Spoon it over baked fries, burgers, meatloaf, or chicken nuggets.