Are you a condiment king or queen? Your fries are just a vehicle for ketchup, or your carrots just an excuse for hummus? Many people stand by the belief that a meal is not complete without condiments, and that’s why you can often find bottles of ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, pesto, salsa, and more stocked high in people’s fridges. No one can bear the idea of running on empty. But while these sauces undeniably add flavor and can transform a meal, understanding what is in some of them can also transform how you think of them. Some ketchups are loaded with sugar; other dressings and salsas are made up of ingredients that you can’t even pronounce. You could easily wreck your diet or healthy eating plan without even knowing it, and that’s why, especially in this case, it’s sometimes better to go home-made.

And don’t you fear. Homemade condiments and sauces are a lot easier than they sound. As long as you have a few ingredients on your hands, along with a food processor, you’re golden. Trust us, your waistline and wallet will thank you if you give these seven homemade condiment recipes a try.

1. Homemade Ketchup

First up is a recipe for the mother of all condiments from Skinny Taste. We know Heinz is the most famous producer of the favorite little red sauce we like to call ketchup, but high fructose corn syrup is also high on the ingredient list of Heinz’s most famous products, and that’s why it’s time to reevaluate our allegiances. Making your own ketchup at home ensures that the red stuff is free of the ingredients we like to keep out of our food, and believe it or not, ketchup is simple to make, too. Just combine your ingredients in a medium saucepan and give ‘em a swirl. In only 20 minutes, you’ll be ready to dip your fries in guilt-free homemade goodness.

Ingredients:

6 oz can tomato paste

1/4 cup honey (or agave)

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat; whisk until smooth. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and cover until cool. Chill and store refrigerated in a covered container.

2. Homemade mustard

Surprise, surprise, homemade mustard is next. You probably saw this one coming, because if you’re not a ketchup fan, you’ve at least got to enjoy mustard, right? Hope so, because we have a great homemade mustard recipe for you straight from David Lebovitz, himself. Round up your mustard seeds, a few other ingredients, and get ready to impress yourself. Mustard doesn’t have to come from a plastic bottle with a Heinz label. It can be whipped up right in your own kitchen.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (55g) mustard seeds

1/3 cup (80ml) white wine vinegar

1/3 cup (80ml) dry white wine (or water)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

big pinch of cayenne

2-4 tablespoons warm water, if necessary

1-3 teaspoons prepared horseradish, to taste (optional)

Combine all the ingredients, except the horseradish, in a stainless-steel bowl. Cover, and let stand for 2 to 3 days. Put the ingredients in a blender and whiz until as smooth as possible. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water if the mustard is too thick. Blend in the horseradish, if using. The mustard will keep for up to 6 months refrigerated, although it’s best if used within one month.

3. Homemade pesto

In comparison to ketchup and mustard, pesto is a newer condiment on the sauce scene, but it still has enjoyed its fair share of attention as of late. And would you believe us if we told you that you could easily whip this spread up at home? Pesto has the ability to transform dishes, give meals a kick and take a dinner from simple to sophisticated, but the kind you far in jars at the supermarket aren’t nearly as good as the ones you can make fresh at home. Take this pesto formula from Simply Recipes and make your own green sauce. No one will be able to resist the fresh basily spread.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic and cheese and pulse a few times more. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

4. Homemade tomato sauce

And what about that tomato sauce you find in a jar or can? A quick inspection of the ingredient list on those store-brought brands will have you enlisting Google Translate to do your dirty work, so instead of subjecting your body to those processed ingredients and preservatives, whip up your own homemade tomato sauce at home. It’s easy! Spinach Tiger provides a fool-proof recipe for how to do it. Now, you really have no excuse. Somewhere out there, an Italian grandmother is proud.

Ingredients:

4 large 16 ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes

olive oil

1 onion, quartered

1 carrot, peeled, left whole

3 garlic cloves, peeled left whole

fresh herb such as fresh Italian parsley or fresh basil

sea salt

black pepper

Directions:

Squeeze all the juice out of the tomatoes. Either using a mesh collander or large food mill, separate the puree from the pulp and seeds. Set aside.

Put enough olive oil in pan to cover the surface. Add in onion, garlic, saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove garlic. Add in tomato puree, and one can of water if it’s extra thick. Some tomatoes are more watery. Skip the water if you think it’s too liquidy. Add carrot. Remove at the end. It adds a little sweetness.

Cook on low heat, semi-covered with lid, for two hours, stirring every twenty minutes. Adjust cooking time. If sauce thickens quickly, cut cooking time. Take out the onion and any herbs before serving.

5. Homemade hummus

Buckle up: Time for chick peas. Step away from the hundreds of processed hummus varieties. You can easily make your own, and then you really know exactly what’s on the ingredient list. Traditional hummus is ground up chickpeas, olive oil, tahini — tried and true. Get back to the basics and make your own homemade hummus via Cooking Light. After you master this skill, there are a number of ways you can mix it up — just promise us you’ll never turn to store bought hummus again. Save your money for things you can’t make at home.

Ingredients:

2 (15.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse five times or until chopped. Add 1/2 cup water and remaining ingredients; pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

6. Homemade salsa

Homemade salsa is also a piece of cake when you have The Pioneer Woman’s recipe. The best-tasting salsa is the freshest kind, and that’s what you can guarantee when you make your own variety at home, free of preservatives. Whether you’re dipping your chips into it, or spreading it on a dish, just make sure you make your own homemade salsa next time the occasion arises. You’d be doing your wallet and waistline a disservice if you didn’t.

Ingredients:

1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice

2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)

1/4 cup Chopped Onion

1 clove Garlic, Minced

1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin

1/4 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1/2 cup Cilantro (more To Taste!)

1/2 whole Lime Juice

Directions:

Note: This is a very large batch. Recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like — I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed. Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour.

7. Homemade barbecue sauce

Lastly, a recipe for homemade barbecue sauce from Hungry Girl Por Vida simply because summer is coming and you need this formula in your homemade condiment arsenal. Homemade barbecue sauce is not only sinfully good, it’s also easy, believe it or not, and it’ll convince you to never go store-bought again. The ingredient list is long, but the sauce comes together quickly, and it’ll last as long as you let it. One lick of the good stuff, and you’ll see that the real problem is making it last long enough, but we’re guessing that’s a relatively good problem to have.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños

1 can whole tomatoes, crushed with fingers

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, plus 3 tablespoons, divided

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 + teaspoons sriracha

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon instant espresso granules

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon each: allspice, chinese 5 spice, nutmeg, cumin

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large saucepan saute onions until transluscent in a bit of olive oil. Add garlic and jalapeños, saute until garlic is fragrant. Add whole tomatoes, crushing with fingers, and simmer over medium for about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and using either a blender or an immersion blender, puree tomato mixture. Press through a mesh sieve if desired, to remove seeds and any solid bits.

Return pan to medium heat and add 1/2 cup cider vinegar, lemon juice, molasses, maple syrup, sriracha, soy sauce, worcestershire, espresso granules, and all dry spices. Stir everything together until completely combined and continue to cook at a low simmer for about 1 hour, until sauce is reduced, thickened, and dark burgundy in color. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes before ladling into jars. Allow jars to cool to room temperature before placing sauce in the refrigerator. Sauce will keep a few weeks properly stored.

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