Try this salt-free ketchup with oil-free, baked French fries, as well as veggie burgers or on your morning potato scramble. It uses no added salt or refined sugar, and will keep for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
1 6-oz. can no-salt-added tomato paste
1 half of an apple diced (with or without skin)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
3-4 potatoes washed and unpeeled; any variety (russet, Yukon Gold, sweet potato, or yam), cut into ¼-inch x ¼-inch lengths
Ketchup: Combine all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix until smooth.
Fries: Place cut potatoes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. The fries in the above photo were sliced using a French fry cutter, which comes with two sizes, or you can cut them by hand or with a mandolin slicer. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Take out and flip the fries over and bake for another 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and puffed up a little. Serve immediately with ketchup and/or mustard.
Notes: For the ketchup: 1/3 cup apple juice may be substituted for the apple and water. / 1 tablespoon vinegar may be substituted for the lemon juice. / For the fries: add some flavor by placing the cut potatoes into a plastic bag with ½-1 teaspoon garlic powder (or other ground herb/spice) and shaking to coat the potatoes before baking.
Tip: When opening your small can of tomato paste, open both ends with your can opener; discard one end and push the remaining end all the way through the can to retrieve every last bit of paste.
Ketchup:
Preparation: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 cup
Fries:
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
This recipe should be modified to use fresh ingredients. I make tomato products by buying cases of farmers market canning tomatoes.
I will try this with fresh/canned tomatoes and then add a note — thanks!
Thanks for this recipe, especially WITH the canned tomato paste. Many of us don’t have the time or resources to process cases of tomatoes. The everyday practicality of a lean and clean diet is important too.
Cathy, I just recently discovered your wonderful website. And I’m relatively new to the whole foods, plant based diet (since Jan 1). The pictures for your recipes and the simplicity for them has captured me.
The baked french fries in the above picture look so appealing but I don’t show a recipe on your site for them. I tried to track down something with Google to no avail. The Engine2Diet has a recipe for sweet potato fries but I would like to try russets or red potatoes. Any suggestions?
Thanks Norm! And congratulations on going plant-based! Woo hoo! I added the French fry instructions.
Hey Cathy,
This looks great, and simple. Is there a particular type of apple you prefer for this recipe? Like a tart granny smith, or something milder? Thanks!
Hi Jan, any apple will do, I don’t usually go looking for a particular type, just whatever is onhand.
Hi Cathy, I heard using lime juice in recipes is good for replacing the salt, I’ve tried it and found that it works, especially in marinades. I am going to try this ketchup recipe this weekend, so cost effective, compared to the no salt, no corn syrup varieties. Thanks, Tina
Good tip Tina! Thanks
I just discovered you site! Thanks for the great recipes and wonderful pictures of everything! I teach vegan nutrition and cooking classes, so I’m always on the look-out for new recipes and tips.
If I’d like to use one of your recipes in my courses, what do I need to do to get permission? ? ?
Thanks Delisa! I will email you directly.
Hey Cathy, I recently discovered your site after watching Forks over Knives. I’ve been an on-again, off-again vegetarian for years, but I’m ready to make the switch with the whole family!
The only issue I have is that a lot of your recipes recommend apple juice and apples for sweetening and I happen to he highly allergic. Is there another fruit that you would recommend with similar sweetness and consistency?
Hi Rachael, you could use any juice or fruits pretty much. I’d try pear or pineapple maybe, but use whatever you like and then adjust from there. So glad you are making the leap!
Tonight’s dinner .. yumalicious! Been plant strong since June 1st … thanks to E2 and Straight Up Food … (lost 20 pounds and loving how much ‘cleaner’ I feel!)
I just discovered your site & love it! Can’t wait to try the ketchup recipe. Thanks so much for the great recipes and pictures of them!
I made your ketchup and tastes very good! Only I dont go through ketchup that fast. Does it really only last for about 10 days? Is there anyway to make it last longer?
I’ve never tried freezing it, but that might work. Or use dried tomato powder found in spice shops or ground your own from sundried tomatoes (instead of canned paste) and just make a smaller amount at a time. I’ve not done this yet, as I just learned about this option, but it sounds like a winner of an idea!
Could you use 1/3 C of homemade, unsweetened applesauce instead of the apple and water?
Sure.
Can’t believe these fries were so delicious made without oil or salt! The ketchup was so wonderful and easy — I even used it on the sweet potato fries – YUM! Who needs
a burger with these fries being so yummy and filling!
Thanks Sandra! Glad you liked them so much!
Cathy, i heard about your site from jeff novick because i purchased fast food burgers and fries. I have a magic bullet. How do you make it in magic bullet?
Hi Paul, you would put all the ketchup ingredients in your Bullet and just blend it until smooth.
What brand of no salt tomato paste do you use and where do you purchase it?
No specific brand, just whatever doesn’t have salt (just tomatoes). Usually at whole foods.
My marriage has been cemented by your incredible recipes! My wife is CRAZY about dishes made from your site. When I read the ingredients for your “Carrot Cake Donuts” I swear, she started to drool! So, tomorrow I have strict orders to whip up 3 (that’s THREE) of your recipes. I’ll let you know the results. Thanks!
Ha!! Thanks for the comment!
Yes, let me know how it goes, would love to hear!
Made the ketchup, for what I can’t remember. But I recently used the remainder of what I made about three weeks ago to make meatloaf today and it was really good. Thanks for the recipe.
Wow, that’s a long time; good to know. Thanks Bruce!
I can’t believe i just made ketchup in my kitchen…thank you, it tastes great!!
My fiancee and I had been indulging on Friday’s with storebought veggie burgers on gluten-free bread and Alexia 98% Fat-Free fries. Last time I went to grocery store, I discovered they seem to stop carrying this variety and only had the “full-fat” versions. I will try this instead! Thanks!
Your site is a one-stop health supermarket of ideas. I’m so impressed with all the recipes to promote wellness and health, which improves our physical, emotional, and mental health.
Love your site. Just discovered. I am coming off a 63 day reboot Friday and will start my forks over knives diet. I want to make those fries but can’t find your french fry cutter on page 4 of your store as the page says. There is no page 4. Please help. I have the Cuisinart food processor that you have on one of the pages, so are you talking about the french fry blade that you buy for the food processor? Thanks so much for your wonderful recipes!!! You are going to help me convert to the next phase of my healthy lifestyle living!!!!
Hi Mary Anne, thank you!
Sorry, it’s on page 2 of the “Fun Stuff” section in the store, here. So glad I can help. Continued success to you!
This looks really great, but I would like to use fresh or canned tomatoes, as I don’t think commercial tomato paste is available in my country. I’ve checked some homemade tomato paste recipes online, but all of them include oil. Have you tried making this with fresh/canned tomatoes? Thank you!
I haven’t tried it but please do and let me know how it goes. Paste is very concentrated and so the flavor is very intensified. If you used fresh, maybe blend the tomatoes then cook them down so the water cooks off and the flavor is stronger. If you do find a raw or fresh tomato recipe online that calls for oil, just leave it out.
Thanks for your reply, Cathy! As I haven’t really seen tomato paste other than in photo, I thought the oil might be needed to get the creamy texture and was wondering if it could be replaced with something else. I any any case, I will try with fresh or canned tomatoes and let you know how it goes. Thanks again!
I like the idea of making my own ketchup; however, my first batch was too sweet. Less apple? More of something else? Any hints would be appreciated. Thanks.
Yes, maybe less apple.