14 Ingredients to Elevate the Flavor of Store-Bought Ketchup

Ah, ketchup — the so-called king of the condiments. No matter what brand you buy, you can always count on it to taste like, well, ketchup. And although tried and true, sometimes regular old ketchup just isn’t enough for your taste buds … or your burger. Sure, there are a variety of ever-changing flavored ketchups available on grocery store shelves, but nobody wants to buy nine bottles of ketchup. That’s too much ketchup.

What if we told you that you only have to buy one bottle of ketchup from the store and can still enjoy many flavors, any time you want? Well, it’s true, because you’ve (probably) got everything you need right in your own pantry to spice up your ketchup game. And if not, you’re one ingredient away from being able to do so. So open up your pantry and grab that regular ol’ store-bought ketchup — we’re about to elevate it to new and much more complex heights. Here are 14 ingredients that will add a punch of flavor to your store-bought bottle of ketchup.

Adding curry powder to ketchup is nothing new — Germany’s been doing it since 1949. This is when a new sausage dish topped with a curry powder and ketchup mashup hit the street food scene and currywurst was born. Many decades later, it’s still one of the most popular street foods in parts of Germany. Curry-ketchup isn’t just for currywurst; it’s great with … well, pretty much anything you’d dip in regular old ketchup.

Curry powder mixed with ketchup has a mildly spicy yet sweet taste, combining that classic tomato flavoring with hints of coriander, ginger, turmeric, pepper, and cumin. The tanginess of the ketchup is tuned down just a tad by the earthiness and warmth of the curry flavoring, resulting in an oh-so-savory yet deliciously sweet tomato taste with a hint of umami flavoring. Skip the Heinz version sold at the store and make your own by sprinkling curry powder into any store-bought ketchup.

Eat horseradish on its own and you might feel like your sinuses are being gently punched (which could be a good or bad thing, depending on who you ask). Add horseradish to ketchup and with a few more ingredients, you’ve made cocktail sauce. However, where we’re going, we don’t need those extras. Although horseradish is a pretty polarizing flavor, if you’re a fan, chances are you’re going to love a horseradish x ketchup team-up.

Horseradish is definitely the star of the show in this combo, adding a powerful, intense heat to ketchup’s naturally sweet taste. The end result is a delightfully tangy and sharp — and we say this lovingly — punch of tomatoes in the mouth. Much like adding wasabi to soy sauce, a little bit of horseradish goes a long way in adding a boost of flavor (unless you’re into that sort of pain, in which case, no judgement whatsoever).

Sriracha and ketchup go together like … two condiments that look exactly alike without their bottles. While sriracha ketchup is already sold at stores, why waste your money on the store-bought combo when you can easily make your own?

The spicy-sweet chili flavor of sriracha combined with the tanginess of ketchup equals a match made in condiment heaven. Sriracha brings the heat, but it’s not too hot, and therefore doesn’t overwhelm the taste buds (or the ketchup), instead offering a bold and balanced heat. It’s also probably one of the sweeter combinations on this list, since both sriracha and ketchup are very sugary on their own. However, the other components of both condiments manage to level out that sweetness, like the acidity and sourness of the ketchup and the garlic notes in the sriracha. Adding these two powerhouse condiments together creates a sweetly hot, chili-flavored ketchup that goes with pretty much everything.

If you’re in the mood for a fruitier-than-usual ketchup that still has a savory kick, look no further than mango chutney. Adding this fruity chutney to your store-bought ketchup may sound like a sugar overload, but never fear — vinegar is here. The acidity in the mango chutney balances out its sweetness, so that when you combine it with the ketchup, it’s not overwhelming or sickly sweet.

Tomatoes are, as we all know, technically a fruit, so it’s not all that surprising that the fusion of mango chutney and ketchup work so well together. This interesting combination creates a sweet and fruity tasting ketchup with a burst of tropical flavor. Less is more with this sweet combo — 1 cup of ketchup, for example, only requires a couple of tablespoons of mango chutney for the flavor to incorporate. The bold, fruity fusion is perfect for fried foods, grilled chicken, and fish dishes.

We love a chain restaurant with a special type of ketchup you can’t get anywhere else, especially when it turns out you can recreate it with ketchup from the store and one additional ingredient. That’s right, adding red jalapeño puree to store-bought ketchup will instantly transport you … to a Whataburger. Red jalapeño puree is the one ingredient in Whataburger Spicy Ketchup that separates it from regular store-bought Heinz, which is great news for all of us out here combining ingredients from our pantry with ketchup.

Red jalapeño puree adds an acidic punch with a unique flavor to the already acidic, albeit milder, store-bought ketchup. It’s not an overly spicy combination, but definitely has a kick from the jalapeños, as well as an earthy, almost salsa-like taste to it. You can definitely still taste the conventional sweetness of regular ketchup, but it’s much subtler. The spice takes center stage in this duo and it lingers long after you take a bite (in a good way, that is).

Let’s face it, if there’s one thing in life you can always trust, it’s that adding ranch dressing to something will probably make it taste better. And anyone who’s ever had an order of chicken fingers will know that the mixing of ranch and ketchup, even if accidental on the plate, is a very good thing.

Ranch and ketchup come together to form a masterpiece of a sauce. It’s almost like a creamier, richer Thousand Island dressing. The typically mayonnaise-based ranch thickens up the ketchup, its herbs and spices adding a slightly garlicky zestiness to the mix. Both condiments are tangy on their own, but the creaminess of the ranch evens out the tang, forming a buttermilk-tomato fusion of flavors perfect for fries, burgers, and … okay, pretty much anything. The taste will, of course, depend on the type of ranch dressing you use, as there are many to choose from and they are all quite different. Choose your player wisely and mix on.

Tunisian harissa paste and ketchup are a match made in extremely-combinable-heaven, and the outcome delivers a little bit of heat and a whole lot of character. There’s a reason that variations of harissa paste are used in plenty of restaurant dishes, and that’s because it works well with a lot of flavors. In other words, harissa paste dares you to add it to your food.

Harissa dulls the tanginess of the ketchup slightly, adding a deliciously earthy spiciness in its place. Don’t expect the spice to be overwhelming, though: Typical harissa is mild. Instead, it elevates the tomato flavor of the ketchup with subtle notes of mint, garlic, cumin, and coriander. The taste is also a bit grassy (that’ll be the cilantro), but overall, a harissa and ketchup pairing is an easy and quick way to add some complexity to an average burger — or elevate seasoned sweet potato fries. And it should be noted that harissa is extremely delicious with sweet potato fries.

Sure, Heinz eventually created Mayochup, but we’ve been combining mayonnaise and ketchup for as long as time has existed (maybe even longer). You don’t have to think too long about how much of each to add — equal parts is ideal, but adding more of one won’t ruin anything. 

Adding mayonnaise to ketchup creates a suddenly more intriguing, creamier ketchup. It’s still got that tomato taste, but the mayo really mellows out the tang and adds a smoothness the ketchup was missing. Think of it this way: Ketchup on its own is like a punch of tomato to your taste buds, while mayo and ketchup together is not quite a punch, but a nudge. It’s ketchup light, really. The taste meanders in your mouth after the fact for a bit, but that’s okay. It’s a welcome one, perfect for dipping fries. Not a mayonnaise fan? Substitute it with its plant-based counterpart, Vegenaise, for an equally delightful, lighter ketchup experience.

This is an interesting one and maybe not the first coupling that typically comes to mind, but don’t let that make you stray from it. Adding sour cream to ketchup is kind of the lighter version of adding mayonnaise to ketchup, due to the fact that it’s less creamy (and less fatty and caloric, if that’s something you think about). So, if you’re a fan of ketchup and mayonnaise together but are looking for a slightly healthier option, sour cream is your bottle of ketchup’s new best friend.

It’s a similar taste, though much thicker than ketchup with mayo. The tanginess of the sour cream mixes with the ketchup’s acidity to form an overall subtler and more pleasing tang — one might say the ideal tang — while, like so many other ingredients, mellowing out the ketchup’s acidity. The result is a mildly tart, perfectly tangy substitute for mayonnaise and ketchup, that’s great with fries and more.

Gochujang is made up of fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, red chili flakes, and salt. It’s a staple of Korean cuisine and has become very popular all over the world due to the fact that it’s absolutely packed with flavor. And it should come as no surprise that it should also be a staple when you consider what to mix with ketchup to form a delicious new concoction for many a fry (or otherwise) dipping situation.

The fermented chili paste transforms ketchup into a pungent, spicy delight. It’s still got that tomato taste but with added warmth and earthiness. There’s also a hint of umami in there for extra flavor. Gochujang is a lot like hot sauce in that a little goes a long way, so keep those ratios in check unless you want your mouth to be set on fire (although, hey, maybe that’s your thing, and in that case, go for it).

Roasted garlic has been finding its way into our condiments and making them fancier for some time now (looking at you, garlic aioli variations), but how about adding some to your regular store-bought bottle of ketchup? The result is an instant glow up. It’s not that shocking these two make a great pair when you think about all of the garlic flavored tomato pasta sauces in existence — tomato and garlic have been friends for a long time. Frankly, it’s about time ketchup started benefiting from this.

Roasted garlic takes most of ketchup’s classic tang away, since it’s such a strong flavor (not too strong, however, since roasted garlic is much tamer than raw garlic). It adds a depth to the ketchup with a hint of nuttiness that replaces the tang, creating a more complex tomato flavor. Overall, adding roasted garlic to ketchup creates a rustic, aioli-adjacent dip that will infuse a burst of flavor into burgers and fries of all sorts.

In the olden days (2011 to 2018), Heinz sold its own balsamic ketchup in stores, which customers loved for its complex and layered flavors. However, in the cruel future that life handed us, we are now forced to make our own as it is no longer available. Luckily, it’s very simple to do with the balsamic vinegar and ketchup bottles you already have.

Ketchup and balsamic vinegar combine to form a new sauce that is a little bit savory and a little bit sweet. It’s got a bit of a wine-like aftertaste (hello, balsamic) and it’s slightly sour (there’s that vinegar), but both tastes pair well with the sweetness of the tomato from the ketchup. This combo is undoubtedly sophisticated — it’s sort of like a bottle of ketchup that went off to a fancy college but still has those classic ketchup roots, whether it wants to admit it or not.

Sometimes, powerful flavors collide to create greatness. Typically, one must make a choice between a pesto-based sauce or a tomato-based sauce for their pasta dishes, but we’re not talking about pasta here, are we? We’re talking about condiments coming together. Introduce ketchup into basil pesto’s world and the two can be combined for an interesting and flavorful new dip.

It’s true, basil pesto and ketchup may not be the first flavor combo that comes to mind, but they complement each other surprisingly well. More so than any of the other flavor pairings listed here, this duo tastes the most like a pasta sauce but in dip form. The acidity of the tomato flavoring definitely dulls down the strong natural taste of pesto, which adds a nutty and welcome complexity. There is a gentle grassiness that comes from the olive oil in basil pesto as well as an herbaceous brightness. If dipping your fries and veggies into a thick pasta sauce seems enticing to you, you will adore this not-so-odd-after-all combination.

Chipotle ketchup just sounds good, doesn’t it? The existence of Heinz Chipotle ketchup is proof this pairing is probably a winner, but there’s no need to grab the grocery store version when you can just add your own chipotle paste to ketchup you already have (or should have).

Chipotle paste infuses a distinct smokiness to the tomato flavoring, resulting in a ketchup with a pleasant spice. In fact, smoky is truly the best way to describe it in one word. It’s got a lot of depth and not too much extra heat, while still packing in that chili flavor. Additionally, actual chipotle peppers can be used instead of paste, though it takes a bit more preparation (and the peppers are usually coated in adobo sauce). Using chipotle paste from a tube rather than a jar of peppers is much simpler and best when using small amounts, like when combining it with ketchup.