12 Varieties Of Ketchup You Need To Know

Have you ever asked yourself what makes ketchup, well, ketchup? Is it the signature red coloring? Its tomato-based nature? Perhaps its thick, yet squeezable consistency? While these qualities may define your standard tomato ketchup, they do little to describe the many other versions of ketchup that exist near and far. That’s right — tomato ketchup is only one type in a vast sea of ketchups waiting to be discovered. It seems there’s a lot to be learned about ketchup for most of us. 

The history of ketchup is fascinating, with its roots tracing back to 300 B.C. China. During this era, the sauce known as “koe-cheup” or “ge-thcup” consisted of fermented fish paste, making it ideal for packing on long ship voyages and distributing along trade routes. Centuries later, the sauce would be introduced to the British, who’d adapt it with new ingredients. Still, it wouldn’t be until the 19th century that tomato ketchup hit our plates, with many other versions of ketchup coming before and after.

While tomatoes may seem synonymous with ketchup today, the breadth of this classic condiment extends far beyond the nightshade family. Historically, many ingredients have been used in ketchup long before tomatoes stole the show. Here and abroad, you’ll find a diverse medley of ketchups — from tangy fruit ketchups to savory varieties embellished with colorful ingredients. This sensational sauce comes in many permutations, whether strange varieties of the past, international incarnations, or earthy and sweet ones.

Looking for a use for an otherwise mediocre watermelon? Apparently, one such fruit is perfect for making watermelon ketchup. Fashioned from pureed watermelon, vinegar, and spices, melon ketchup is the perfect condiment for summer. With a flavor that tastes similar to tomato-based ketchup, this unusual dip pairs wonderfully with fries, hot dogs, or pork, making a great barbecue sauce substitute for ribs. Its flavor is often described as that of a sweeter ketchup, with a silky, smooth consistency.

While watermelon is mostly eaten raw in the U.S., it can also be cooked, such as grilled watermelon. Although the chunks of pinkish watermelon flesh may look unattractive while cooking, the concoction turns a bright red color as it breaks down, very much like tomato-based sauces. Even stranger, as the watermelon cooks, it smells surprisingly like tomatoes — a result of both fruits containing lycopene.

Some recipes also include sweet potato, adding even more flavor to this lesser-known variety of ketchup. It’s a great way to make use of a slightly bland watermelon, if you’re ever feeling adventurous in the kitchen.

Fans of umami flavoring will find themselves obsessed with this long-forgotten ketchup. A classically British invention, mushroom ketchup dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when colonists needed sauces that required no refrigeration. Traditionally made by soaking mushrooms in spices, boiling the mixture, and straining out the solids, the end result was a shelf-stable condiment ideal for flavoring bland foods.

Still, this savory sauce isn’t what most imagine when they think of standard ketchup. Mushroom ketchup is much runnier than your standard ketchup, with a consistency similar to soy sauce. Less often used for dipping and more often for adding heartiness to both vegetarian and meat-centered dishes, you’ll find this fungi-fueled condiment to bolster anything you might eat mushrooms with, from steak, stews, and eggs to baked beans and casseroles.

Enthusiasts of mushroom ketchup recommend adding this liquid delight to enrich soups, sauces, marinades, and gravy. Admirers note you can use it anywhere you might use fish sauce, teriyaki, or soy sauce, such as for a marinade for jerky or biltong. 

While you can make your own, a bottle of mushroom ketchup can be purchased online for curious cooks, with ketchup connoisseurs finding prepackaged versions like Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup to be a great flavor enhancer in dishes like burgers and chicken, and as a dip for fish and chips. As to the flavor, one reviewer compares this bottled condiment to a vegan Worcestershire sauce. All one needs is a small dash of this ketchup to add a salty, savory depth to any dish.

While tomato ketchup may be ubiquitous on plates at barbecues and burgers in the United States, banana ketchup dominates dishes in the Philippines. First invented in the 1930s, this unique condiment offers a rich flavor, balancing sweetness with spices and tang. Used in marinades, sauces, and more, it enhances barbecued meats especially well, counterbalancing their flavor with its sweet, tropical taste.

Banana ketchup makes a fantastic marinade for barbecue, with its blend of sweetness and acidity creating a heavenly caramelized glaze on chicken skewers or pork chops. It’s also a signature component of Filipino spaghetti, in which the tropical ketchup is blended with tomato sauce and meat to create a sweet, comforting pasta.

Many compare banana ketchup to sweet and sour sauce, noting its tangy-yet-sweet flavor that pairs well with salty dishes and fried foods. Fans of this unique ketchup acclaim the condiment for its slightly sweeter taste and appealingly thick texture, agreeing it doesn’t taste particularly like bananas. Supporters detail that banana ketchup pairs wonderfully with egg rolls, fried chicken, and stir-fries, with some even dolloping it atop tacos and hamburgers.

We can thank Maria Y. Orosa for the invention of banana ketchup. The food technologist decided to substitute bananas for tomatoes in her ketchup recipe, instead creating a version that wouldn’t rely on imported goods. Not long after, ketchup began to be mass-produced during World War II. A century later, it’s still much beloved in its homeland and abroad, with both sweet and spicier varieties easily found at many Asian markets across the U.S.

Those who aren’t terribly big on tomatoes may be inspired to try beetroot ketchup instead, otherwise known as beetchup. Made with beets, vinegar, sugar, and various spices, some compare the taste to tomato ketchup, only with a more complex, grown-up flavor.

All you need to do is take one look at this compelling condiment, and you’ll undoubtedly find yourself intrigued. The coloring of this richly-hued sauce is a beautiful deep burgundy, looking more akin to a beguiling barbecue sauce than the bright red tomato ketchups of your childhood. The texture is extremely pleasing, making for a velvety dipping sauce for fries or potatoes.

Those with nightshade allergies or sensitivities to tomatoes find beetroot ketchup a delicious alternative to regular tomato ketchup. This deep-red condiment holds an earthy yet sweet flavor, perfect for pairing with sweet potato fries, pork chops, or turkey burgers. It also makes a remarkable glaze for homemade meatloaf, bratwursts, or even plant-based meat, bestowing each with a unique depth of flavor.

You can find spicy versions of this root-based ketchup as well, often embellished with horseradish or chiles. Such punchier varieties are wonderful for adding to stews, soups, and barbecued foods, along with fish. You might even call the flavor “unbeatable.”

Historically, fruits were often used in early ketchup recipes, blending stone fruits like plums with sugar, spices, and vinegar. Today, many people have begun revitalizing such classic recipes, finding sweet and tangy plum ketchup to pair with all manner of meats, from lamb and chicken to pork and turkey. Others pair the flavor-packed ketchup with cheese and charcuterie meats or spring rolls.

This intriguing ketchup pairs well with both basic fare and specialty dishes, enhancing common meats as well as gamier ones, such as wild boar, pheasant, and duck. The flavor of plum ketchup is often described as sweet and tangy, while other varieties tend to be more sweet-and-sour with a mildly spicy note. Some versions add savory alliums, garlic, and cayenne, while other recipes incorporate warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Still, plums aren’t the only stone fruits one can transform into ketchup. Those with a penchant for fruitier condiments may be inclined to seek out other fruity varieties, like peach ketchup or apricot ketchup, which both upgrade pork. Additionally, peach ketchup works quite well with roasted potatoes and burgers. Meanwhile, apricot ketchup largely elevates simpler foods like teriyaki chicken or meatballs.

A common condiment in Brazil, guava ketchup, or goiaba ketchup, is used much like tomato-based ketchup in America, often paired with fries and burgers. Fans of this tropical condiment adore its fruity undertones, finding it sweeter and less vinegary than standard tomato-based ketchups.

One particular brand, Goiabada Ketchup, bottled by the fast-food chain T.T. Burger, is widely served throughout Brazil. Made from a blend of tomatoes and guava, this ketchup is often described as having a subtle guava flavor, ideal for those who love a sweet-and-sour combination. This unusual condiment isn’t just for burgers, however. It is also excellent accompanying classic Brazilian comfort dishes, such as a buraco quente sandwich — a portable sandwich in which French bread is stuffed with savory ground beef, similar to a Brazilian sloppy joe.

While most Brazilian recipes include tomatoes, guava paste, and sometimes Worcestershire sauce, more fruit-forward versions of guava ketchup do exist. There are those made with bananas, guava, and curry, as well as those with just a dash of tomato paste to add a spot of umami flavoring.

Popular in Belgium and Germany, curry ketchup combines the punch of curry powder with the earthy base of tomatoes, making it a condiment perfect for slathering on bratwursts. Often compared to tomato ketchup but with a more sophisticated flavor and extra heat, curry ketchup is a condiment lesser-known to Americans but much beloved in its homeland of Germany, where it floods currywurst stands.

Curry ketchup was invented in Germany by Herta Heuwer, who blended ketchup with curry powder derived from the British, topping the saucy mixture onto sausages she sold at street stands. It is now considered a signature component of currywurst, a national dish made from bratwurst that is steamed, fried, and chopped into meaty morsels and smothered in curry ketchup.

But German currywurst isn’t all this condiment is good for. Fans of curry ketchup find it to be outstanding on all manner of things, from burgers and brats to sandwiches and fries. Others recommend using the spiced condiment in pasta dishes, such as with cheesy macaroni. With a flavor that packs some heat, but never oversteps into uncomfortably hot territory, it’s a condiment both adults and children can appreciate.

Berry-based ketchups like blueberry ketchup have been gaining more attention in the culinary world, with many folks recognizing this fruity condiment’s complementary nature with barbecued meats. Holding more of a jelly-like texture than standard tomato ketchup, sweet and tangy blueberry ketchup has a fruitier component that adds a dash of complexity to your plate. This colorful condiment pairs exceptionally well with veggies like portobello mushrooms, meats like chicken and pork, on burgers, and as a flavorful dipping sauce for sweet potato fries.

You’ll find many permutations for blueberry ketchup if you look. Some are invigorated with a dash of heat, while others are mellowed out with a creamier consistency. At Boise Fry Co in Idaho, diners adore the blueberry ketchup that’s made fresh daily to accompany the eatery’s deliciously thick-cut french fries. Fans of this luscious condiment find it tastes more like a creamy aioli, pairing well with both standard fries and those made from purple potatoes.

In Quebec, fruit ketchup is particularly popular, and this chunky condiment is often made in the summer when the preferred ingredients are in season. You’ll find many variations on this ketchup, often varying by family recipe, but fruit is always a key component. Most are made from tomatoes, peppers, onions, spices, and either apples or pears that are finely chopped and boiled. However, some recipes include the addition of peaches and celery, making for a tangy yet complex condiment with a delicious medley of flavors.

Just why does this fruit-forward ketchup work so beautifully? Apples and pears offset the acidity in the tomatoes, resulting in a well-balanced ketchup that hits sweet, tangy, and savory notes. Known as ketchup aux fruits, Quebecois ketchup, or French Canadian ketchup, sadly, this regional condiment is rarely seen outside of Quebec.

Often served with meat pies like a tourtière (a French-Canadian minced meat pie encased in a flaky crust) or shepherd’s pie, its sweet-and-sour quality balances rich meats. Other times, it is added on as a cocktail sauce to pair with seafood or with savory mushroom dishes. Many find the chunky ketchup a welcome addition to charcuterie and cheese boards as well. Either way, if you ever come across this rare ketchup in your culinary travels, be sure to give it a try.

In the 19th century, walnut ketchup was a major player in the condiment world, often being made from a mixture of green walnuts and anchovies, or sometimes pickled walnuts. Newer versions of this centuries-old ketchup have revitalized it, making for a condiment that tastes surprisingly like Worcestershire and A1 steak sauce. While anchovies are omitted in some versions, when included, they add a savory depth to the sauce without imparting any fishy undertones.

Traditional walnut ketchup is thin and watery, often made with fermented walnuts, anchovies, vinegar, wine, and various spices, then strained and aged. The result is a powerful sauce best used sparingly. Most use this runnier condiment as one would steak sauce, finding the strongly flavored ketchup to taste fabulous dashed atop potatoes or roasted veggies, or to make a sauce for meat and fish.

Still, there are more modern takes on this classic condiment, with some high-end eateries making a thicker version of walnut ketchup, which is more amenable to dipping or dolloping. Walnut ketchup graces the menu of Fallow in London, being served alongside two of the eatery’s dishes. At Etch in Hove, walnut ketchup is used as an ingredient in MasterChef U.K. winner Steven Edwards’ venison tartare tart, elevating the once basic ketchup to new gastronomic heights.

Lovers of sauces with a tart zing should consider adding cherry ketchup to their next grill session, pairing this appetizing condiment with burgers, sausages, or as a substitute for barbecue sauce. Made from pitted cherries (not cherry tomatoes), cherry ketchup harbors a pleasantly tangy flavor, perfect for complementing lamb, beef, or turkey.

While you might expect this fruity condiment to taste similar to cherry jam, its flavor goes much deeper due to the addition of spices and vinegar, with some versions even adding a spicy component. It’s a great ketchup for anyone with a nightshade allergy or who might have sensitivities to tomatoes.

Cherry ketchup enthusiasts note that it has a sweet component without being too cloying and declare it works well on ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches, grilled chicken breast, and even on salad. Plating this fruity condiment with duck breast and potato wedges is another recommended pairing. Still, not all cherry ketchups taste the same. There are those with heat, incorporating hot peppers, while others might be sharper, utilizing sour cherries as the main ingredient.

Seafood, it seems, may be ketchup’s oldest friend. The very first ketchups dating back to imperial China were made from fish, in fact. The British and colonists continued to use this traditional ingredient after being introduced to the savory condiment, making use of whatever seafood was plentiful at the time, be it in England or in the American colonies.

Oysters were among the most common ingredients, often mixed with white wine and spices, although mussels and cockles were also used. In Baltimore, Maryland, Shriver’s Oyster Ketchup used Baltimore oysters to create a sauce for hot and cold meats, poultry, and chicken salad. Distributed in glass bottles in a range of colors, it was likely a very desirable condiment at the time.

Made from anchovies, horseradish, and white pepper, white ketchup was once popular as well, a richly savory and tangy condiment. This pungent ketchup would be added to sauces, gravies, and stock to flavor whole meals. Another similar sauce, known as Prince of Wales ketchup, included elderberries and anchovies, which was primarily used to top fish. Those who’ve tried to recreate the recipe note that its taste is very similar to pontack sauce, an old-fashioned British elderberry sauce that some describe as elderberry ketchup.

Another bygone recipe for fish ketchup calls for hen lobster, making use of a female lobster’s flesh and roe. Once made, this ketchup could be mixed with butter to create a lobster sauce. Unfortunately, this variety of ketchup seems unlikely to be recreated — both because female lobsters are not sold commercially these days and because a raw-fish ketchup carries some pretty unappealing health risks.