Corn Free Ketchup Recipe (No Corn Syrup or Corn Derivatives)

Today I want to show you how to make a truly corn free ketchup at home. If you have a corn allergy, it’s rare that you’ll be able to find a corn free ketchup to purchase, or something like a corn free ketchup packet. You may be able to find options that are corn syrup free, but not fully/truly corn free.

Store bought ketchup and ketchup recipes contain vinegar. 97% of brands and recipe developers use corn derived white vinegar in their recipes and formulas. On top of that, each raw material must be sourced to be truly corn free. Simply put, there aren’t a lot of companies or recipe developers doing this, so it’s up to us to make our own corn free ketchup at home.

The good news is, it’s easy. Once you’ve made this corn syrup free ketchup recipe the first time (and have an amazing dipping experience), I hope you make it again with a few tweaks and have a spicy ketchup, or a curry ketchup, or something else all together.

The Ultimate Truly Corn Free Cookbook by The Allergy Chef (Gluten Free + Top 9 Free) — Enjoy more than 150 truly corn free recipes, plus learn how to source ingredients, learn about corn free brands, and more.

Table of Contents

Allergy Status

Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nut (including Coconut), Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Celery, Cinnamon, Citrus, Cooking Oil/Added Fats, Corn, Cruciferous, Garlic, Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Oat, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Rice, Seeds, Squash & Gourd, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Yeast

Friendly To: EOE, Paleo, Vegan

Berry Note: Tomatoes are botanical berries. If you avoid berries by name (strawberry, raspberry, etc.) you’re good to go. If you avoid all botanical berries, use this tomato free ketchup recipe instead.

Tools to Make Corn Free Ketchup

You don’t need much to make this easy recipe.

Kitchen Scale (this is the one that I use)
Small Pot (this is the brand that I enjoy)
Small Whisk
Optional: Squeeze Bottle for Storage

Corn Free Ketchup Recipe Ingredients

210g Organic Tomato Concentrate (7.5 ounces)
3 TBSP Safe Water
2 tsp Organic Maple Syrup
2 tsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Organic Onion Granules
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt

Ingredient Notes, Swaps & Substitutions

If you have a severe corn allergy, be sure to refer to my Ultimate Corn Free + GF + Top 9 Free Cookbook for corn free brands to investigate and information on truly corn free ingredient sourcing.

Tomato Concentrate: You can use tomato paste, or tomato concentrate for this corn free ketchup recipe. Do not use tomato sauce or strained tomatoes, as these will produce an unwanted thin texture.

Water: Yes, corn can be in water. Read about it in my Hidden Sources of Corn article. Be sure to use safe-for-you water when making this corn free ketchup recipe.

Maple Syrup: You can swap this for organic dark brown sugar if you have a truly corn free option.

Apple Cider Vinegar: You can experiment with other flavoured vinegar options from corn free brands. Do not swap this for commercial “white vinegar”.

Onion Granules: You can swap this for 3/4 tsp of organic onion powder if needed.

Corn Free Ketchup Recipe Directions

Combine all of your ingredients together in a small sauce pot and mix until smooth. Heat on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent burning/sticking.

That’s it. That’s all you need to do to make this delicious homemade ketchup. In a pinch, you can even skip the heating step, IF you use the maple syrup. If you’ve swapped for the organic brown sugar, heating is a must, to ensure the sugar is properly incorporated.

More Truly Corn Free Sauce Recipes

Usage & How to Store Your Corn Free Ketchup

There are a lot of creative ways to use this delicious dairy free, top 9/14 allergen free, naturally gluten-free ketchup. Sure, you can dip French fries in it, but it can be used to make other sauces, used as part of a snack, spread on sandwiches, and so on. Don’t let the idea of dipping hinder how you use your homemade ketchup.

If you have a homemade mayo that’s truly corn free, you can combine ketchup + mayo and have the start of a special Sauce copycat. You’ll also want to make some pickled cucumber, finely dice, and fold that in for a more authentic experience.

Unlike store bought ketchup, this all natural truly corn free ketchup is not shelf stable for your pantry. Since this recipe is preservative and additive free, you’ll need to store it in your fridge, in an airtight container.

Do not freeze leftover ketchup, as it won’t be nearly as awesome once you thaw it.

You may want to invest in a legit squeeze ketchup bottle, which shouldn’t cost you more than $10 (example bottle). This would allow you to shake like mad before each use since there will be some separation. A proper bottle also adds to the overall eating experience.

Photoed, my ketchup is in a cute little bottle with a homemade label. I had to transfer ketchup to a piping bag to get it into the small bottle I have. A wide opening squeeze bottle will save you a good amount of time.

More Amazing Truly Corn Free Recipes

In addition to my Truly Corn Free Cookbook, you can check out a few more amazing gluten free + corn free recipes below.

Answering Your Corn Free Ketchup Questions

Can I make this recipe with other spices?

Yes! You can substitute the onion granules for something completely different. You’ll want to mind how much spice you use, as you don’t want to overwhelm the recipe with lots of powders.

Think about the kind of meal you plan to make, and then you can tailor the ketchup to match. For example, if you’re making corn free tacos for a child who loves ketchup, you might want to add some taco seasoning in place of the onion.

Could I use another sweetener besides the maple or brown sugar?

When it comes to making this truly corn free condiment, technically, yes, you could use another sweetener. However, this is going to dramatically shift the flavor profile.

Part of the magic of ketchup is the sweetness it brings, along with a rich molasses flavor. Whilst maple doesn’t have the molasses content, it does have more flavor than white sugar.

The wall you’ll be up against is finding a truly corn free sweetener. You can purchase corn free white sugar, but now we’re lacking in flavor. Coconut sugar is an option, and you’ll probably be able to find a corn free version. Products such as Stevia, monk fruit, allulose, etc., are all going to contain corn derivatives, and won’t be suitable for people who need a strict corn free diet.

Is this considered a healthy ketchup recipe?

The term healthy isn’t a regulated one, and each person will have their own opinion on the matter. However, in this case, I’d argue that this is a pretty healthy recipe. There aren’t large amounts of sugars, additives, etc.

Instead, it’s a base of organic tomato, which comes with great health benefits, coupled with a touch of maple and spice.

Your personal nutrition goals will always be a huge factor when it comes to deciding if something is healthy, but for my family, this recipe is A-OK. Plus, there’s no corn syrup or corn derivatives.