Carrot Ketchup – How Does It Compare? (With Recipe)

Carrot ketchup is the new talk of the town! Yes, believe it or not, but the days of tomato ketchup seem to be long gone.

This could be for health reasons, dietary restrictions, or simply because they’re looking for a delicious alternative. Whatever the reason for this trend is, we are here for it!

But, how does carrot ketchup stack up against traditional tomato ketchup? Is it worth all the hype? In short, we completely believe it is! While their flavors don’t differ like night and day, there is still a big enough difference to add some variety to your pantry. And, it also makes for an excellent topic of conversation!

Today, we will be looking at all of the similarities and differences between modern carrot ketchup and traditional tomato ketchup.

And, if you like the way it sounds, we have included a quick and easy homemade carrot ketchup recipe you can try.

Traditional Ketchup

Ketchup is a world-famous table condiment that is mainly made from tomatoes. This condiment has a sweet and tangy flavor and is used to accompany a wide variety of dishes.

This can include anything from meat pies, sausages, potato fries, hamburgers, chicken breasts, and pasta dishes.

In fact, this sauce has become so popular over the decades that today, many people even use it inside of recipes!

Traditionally, ketchup is made from ripe tomatoes, sugar, some vinegar or lemon juice, seasoning herbs, and a mixture of different spices.

Some of the most popular spices and aromatics used for this sauce are onions, coriander, cumin, garlic, mustard seeds or powder, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger.

This opens the doors to a world of flavor possibilities, even if you’re just considering using the “basic” ingredients.

Some recipes also include other ingredients like egg whites, grapes, walnuts, mushrooms, and oysters. While these do add a ton of unique flavor, they aren’t generally seen as “normal”. 

Now, when it comes to the physical characteristics of tomato ketchup, it depends entirely on what type you have. Both homemade and commercially made ketchup can vary in thickness and color.

You can have the tomato ketchup be quite runny, or extremely thick. Neither consistency is right or wrong.

Whichever you choose or choose to make comes down to personal preference. But, the texture of the sauce should always be completely smooth—otherwise, it isn’t ketchup!

You will also notice that the color of ketchup varies from brand to brand. Even homemade ketchup doesn’t have the bright red color that the store-bought ones have.

This is because most manufacturers add food coloring to their sauce to make it more visually appealing. 

Another thing to look out for is additives. Again, most store-bought ketchups have some type of preservative or additive (flavor enhancer, thickening agents, stabilizer, or coloring) added.

If you need to avoid these, make sure to thoroughly read the ingredients list on the back of the package.

What Is Carrot Ketchup?

Carrot ketchup is exactly what the name suggests; ketchup made from carrots! Yes, believe it or not, today there are many different types of “ketchup” you can make or even buy!

Carrot ketchup is made in the same way traditional tomato ketchup is. The carrots are cooked along with some flavoring ingredients.

Then, once completely soft, it is blended to create a completely smooth and lump-free condiment. It might have to be strained through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure to fibers are in the final sauce.

In terms of flavors used for these types of ketchup, again, they are pretty similar to that used for regular ketchup.

Carrots have a very neutral flavor profile with hints of sweetness. This means that they are very easy to pair flavors with, especially when making condiments.

You can start with the basics like onions, garlic, ginger, celery, and more on to more complex flavors like cumin, coriander, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves.

When it comes to the exact flavor of carrot ketchup, it will more likely depend on the spices and flavoring used than the actual carrots.

However, you can definitely taste the earthiness, slightly nutty flavor, and delicate sweetness that carrots have.

These products will also have a much more orange color than the reddish tomato sauce. And, we’ve also found that they don’t vary much in thickness. Carrot ketchup usually has a medium viscosity, similar to Heinz tomato sauce.

This ketchup can be used in exactly the ways regular ketchup can be used. It works as an amazing condiment to a wide variety of food, but can also be incorporated into many different recipes for sauces, stews, pasta, and marinades.

Carrot Ketchup Vs Traditional Tomato Ketchup

Now that we’ve taken a look at both of these kinds of ketchup, let’s compare them a little more closely to get a full view of these condiments!

Comparing Flavor

Now, both of these kinds of ketchup are very similar. Naturally, tomato ketchup has a more tomato-like flavor whereas carrot ketchup will have a more earthy carrot-like flavor.

And, if you are being very analytical, we would say that tomato ketchup is more refreshing and carrot ketchup is more complex and heavy.

But, most of the flavors will come from the spices and aromatics used to make the sauces. Furthermore, both of the base ingredients have very neutral flavors themselves.

This allows you to create any flavor profile that you’d like. You can make spicy ketchup, Asian-inspired ketchup (with Chinese 5-spice, for example), refreshing ketchup (using fennel and cardamom), and much more.

We would recommend always adding onions, garlic, and cumin or coriander. These basic additions help deepen the flavor of the sauce, give it an umami-taste (savory flavor), and elevate the natural flavor of the base ingredient.

For carrot ketchup, you don’t have to add too much sugar and vinegar. This is because carrots don’t have a natural acidity (like tomatoes) that needs to be balanced.

So, you can easily create a sweet and tangy flavor (if you want) by using fewer of those ingredients.

How They’re Made

In terms of how these condiments are made, the process is virtually the same. The only difference would be the cooking times.

Carrots are much more dense and hard compared to tomatoes. This means that they will naturally have to cook longer to soften.

Another “extra” step carrot shave to undergo is straining. Whereas some tomato ketchup recipes don’t require any straining, carrot ketchup will mostly do.

This is to remove any possible fibers or gritty pieces that weren’t pulverized during blending.

This isn’t a necessary step but a highly recommended one. It makes your carrot puree carrot ketchup.

Consistency

Tomato ketchup generally has a wider variety in consistency. They can be very runny or extremely thick. This is mainly adjusted using thickening agents like corn starch or flour. 

While carrot ketchup very much can vary in texture, they usually have a medium consistency.

Color And Texture

Both of these kinds of ketchup should be completely smooth. They shouldn’t be lumpy at all or have any gritty pieces.

Tomato ketchup comes in shades of red. The exact shade depends on the type of tomato used but also how much coloring has been added (this applies more to store-bought products). 

Carrot ketchup will have an orange color. Usually, because carrot ketchup hasn’t yet become a mass-produced product, the color won’t be very vibrant. But, this is a good thing because it means they haven’t added any artificial colorants.

Nutrition

We believe that nutrition is such a relative thing. What you consider healthy, we might consider deadly! Yes, that may sound a bit extreme, but you get the point we are making.

With products like ketchup, the best way to accurately compare their nutrition is to compare similar recipes. Because they both can be made by using virtually the same recipes, we will only compare the base ingredients’ nutrition to each other.

Both of these ingredients are incredibly high in potassium. Carrots, however, are higher in alpha and beta-carotene, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin A. Carrots are also fantastic sources of dietary fiber.

Tomatoes on the other hand are higher in vitamin C, contain more lycopene, and are lower in calories.

How They’re Used

Both of these condiments can be used in the same ways. You can use them as a side sauce or as part of a recipe.

They work great as a dipping sauce on platters, as a condiment for potatoes, roast vegetables, sausages, chicken nuggets or breasts, and fish.

When used inside of a recipe, they will usually be added to enhance the tomato or carrot flavor (seeing as they are to an extent a concentration of that flavor).

You can use these sauces to make other sauces, creamy fillings, marinades, basting sauces, in stews, and for casseroles.

Homemade Carrot Ketchup Recipe

This carrot ketchup recipe is quick to make, extremely easy, and is packed with an incredibly well-balanced sweet and tangy flavor.

And, you can keep this sauce in your fridge for up to two weeks! No preservatives, no artificial flavors—just pure carrot goodness!

Ingredients

• 3 cups carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled chopped
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ tablespoon fine salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3-2/3 cups water

Instructions

1. Start by steaming the carrots. You can either use a proper steamer, a steaming basket or make a steamer using a colander and a large pot.
2. Cook the carrots until they are completely soft. This will take between 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the carrot pieces. Remember, the larger the piece, the longer it will take to cook.
3. While the carrots are cooking, sauté the onions over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, or until they have become transparent. Then, add the minced garlic and fry it for another minute.
4. After the carrots have completely cooked and softened, add them to the cooked onions and garlic. Fry them for about 3 minutes to help release their natural flavors. 
5. Next, add in the dry spiced and mix them well to ensure the other ingredients are coated nicely. Finally, add the apple cider vinegar and water.
6. Then, add the apple cider vinegar and water. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes so that all the flavors merge beautifully.
7. The last step is to blend the ingredients. Make sure to blend long enough so that you have a completely smooth and lump-free mixture.
8. When done, allow the carrot ketchup to cool completely before storing it inside a glass jar or serving it with your favorite side dish.

Tips For Making Carrot Ketchup

• Try to cut the carrots into equal-sized pieces. This will ensure that they all cook at the same time to the same degree. It will also prevent grittiness from large pieces that haven’t been properly cooked through.
• Now, we know we said that carrot ketchup should almost always be strained, but sometimes, depending on the carrot variety you use and the strength of your blender, it isn’t necessary. Have a look at the consistency of your ketchup before straining it.
• If you do need to strain the carrot ketchup, do so using a fine-mesh sieve. Don’t use a muslin cloth. This will remove too much liquid and make the ketchup a puree or soup instead.
• To store this carrot ketchup, simply place it in a sterilized glass jar. Once cooled, store it closed inside of the fridge. It will keep well for up to a week.
• You can easily adjust the flavors of the ketchup by using more or less of the spices. We tried going for neutral and easy-eating ketchup that will work with virtually any accompaniment.

Up Next: Orange Chicken Vs Sweet And Sour Chicken