Beetroot Ketchup: The Next Big Fry Fad

Step aside, Heinz: there's a new ketchup in town.

Beetroot ketchup is the rising star of condiments. It's a vibrant, earthy, and sweet topping for summer BBQ burgers and grilled hot dogs, as well as a pretty un-beet-able dip for French fries. There's no corn syrup, it's paleo-friendly, and the beets give it a bright, bold flavor like no other sauce you have ever tasted.

Chances are, once you try nutritious, delicious beetroot ketchup, your normal go-to jar of tomato sauce will be nothing more than a backup for picky guests.

Who's Making It

Fresh, local restaurants are just beginning to introduce beetroot ketchup on their menus. By Chloe just opened up a new restaurant in Los Angeles, California with a signature vegan burger topped with house-made beetroot ketchup, and it's incredible.

The Foraging Fox is one of the first brands to market beetroot ketchup. Frankie, the founder of The Foraging Fox, first created the ketchup as an innovative way to use the abundance of beets on her farm. Later, she teamed up with her business partner, Desiree, to create a highly successful brand of beetroot ketchup.

Unless you live in the UK, it might be difficult to find The Foraging Fox's beetroot ketchup at the grocery store. While it is available online, the shipping can get a bit pricey, and it will take a while to get to you. Lucky for those of us in the US craving beetroot ketchup on our burgers fries right now, there are some simply amazing beetroot ketchup recipes on the web. Yes, just like tomato-based ketchup, you can DIY beetroot ketchup, and you'll probably have fun doing it.

How It's Made

The best beet ketchup is made with freshly picked, sweet beets. When selecting beets, keep in mind that smaller beets have a sweeter flavor than larger beets.

The beets are roasted in foil packets to soften them up and bring out their sweetness. After the beets are cooled, their skins can be removed.

Once roasted and peeled, the beets are then puréed with vinegar and seasonings like ginger, cloves, salt, and pepper. Those who prefer sweet ketchup can add some brown sugar. Others who like their ketchup on the spicy side can add a pinch of chili powder or paprika.

Homemade beet ketchup will keep refrigerated in a sealed container for about three weeks (if you can keep from eating it all up for that long).

Recipes for Making Beetroot Ketchup

• Food 52 makes their beet ketchup with brown sugar, onion, malty Worcestershire sauce, and coriander.
• The Veg Space has an awesome recipe for a sweet and spicy beetroot and chili ketchup.
• Luvo Inc features a great article with easy-to-follow instructions on how to make a basic, crowd-pleasing beetroot ketchup.
• If you're short on time, Saveur separates beet ketchup-making into two days. On the first day, you can cook, peel, and chop the beets. On the second day, you can season and purée the beets into ketchup.

Join the Beetroot Ketchup Revolution

Now that we're all craving burgers and fries slathered in beetroot ketchup, it's time we get out there and try some! So head down to your local grocery store or farmer's market, pick up some beets, and get roasting. Then kiss your boring tomato ketchup goodbye, because beetroot ketchup is the only condiment you need in your life.

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More Condiment Hacks That Can't Be 'Beet'

• 10 Unexpected Non-Food Uses for Mayonnaise
• How to Make Store-Bought Barbecue Sauce Taste Homemade Using Stuff You Already Have
• How to Make Your Own Dijon Mustard (or Any Other Mustard Variety)