Make Your Own Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, and Chipotle Sauce at Home

Store-bought condiments are convenient. They are also full of salt, corn syrup, and preservatives. Each of the four classics below takes 5 to 10 minutes to make at home, costs less per ounce, and tastes brighter and fresher. The technique is simple in every case: blend, cook (sometimes), jar, refrigerate.

Homemade Ketchup

Less sweet than Heinz, more tomato-forward, and you can dial the spice up or down.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground mustard
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Instructions:

1. Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
3. Cool. Transfer to a clean glass jar. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

Homemade Yellow Mustard

Sharp, bright, perfect for hot dogs and ham sandwiches. The mustard takes 24 hours to mellow before it’s ready.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup yellow mustard seeds
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (for color)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature 24 hours, so the mustard seeds soften.
2. Blend in a high-speed blender or food processor until smooth (about 2 minutes).
3. Taste. Adjust salt or sweetness. If too sharp, add another teaspoon of honey.
4. Transfer to a clean jar. Refrigerate at least 24 more hours before using; the flavor mellows.
5. Keeps 1 month refrigerated.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Made with one whole egg and a blender, this is the fastest condiment recipe in the book. Two minutes start to finish.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole large egg (fresh, room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup neutral oil (avocado, sunflower, or light olive oil)

Instructions:

1. Crack the egg into a tall, narrow jar (a quart mason jar works) or a wide-mouth container that fits your immersion blender.
2. Add lemon juice, mustard, salt, and oil. Do not stir.
3. Lower the immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the jar, over the egg.
4. Turn the blender on. Hold it still at the bottom for 10 seconds (the mayo forms around the blade), then slowly raise it to incorporate the oil.
5. Done in under a minute. Transfer to a clean jar. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

Raw egg safety note: use the freshest egg you have access to, ideally from a known small farm. Pasteurized eggs are also a good choice. Do not serve to immunocompromised individuals or young children.

Chipotle Sauce

Smoky, spicy, creamy. Perfect on tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo (canned), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

1. Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Taste. Add more chipotle for heat, more lime for brightness, more salt if it tastes flat.
3. Transfer to a jar. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors meld. Keeps 1 week.

Cook by the Best Days Calendar

The Farmers’ Almanac Best Days calendar marks the most favorable days for canning, pickling, preserving, and baking, drawn from the moon’s signs and 200 years of almanac tradition.

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Storage and Make-Ahead Notes

All four condiments keep at least a week refrigerated; ketchup and mustard hold a month. Use clean spoons every time (no double-dipping). If you see any mold or off-smell, pitch the jar. Labels with the date you made the condiment help track freshness. Mayo is the most perishable because of the raw egg; use within 7 days.

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Jaime McLeod

Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, growing and eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.

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