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Get the chips ready - we've found the best tomato ketchup
We tried and tested 21 tomato ketchups to find the best. The winner will surprise you.
Whether its to dip our chips into or to dollop on a burger bun, tomato ketchup has been a staple in our cupboards for over a hundred years. Though recently surpassed by mayonnaise as the country’s favourite, this familiar sauce is still an essential.
While Heinz is probably the most recognised name in ketchup, with arguably the longest history, there are lots of leading brands and supermarket favourites out there, each claiming a unique taste. From the more tomato purée-led flavours with authentic, homemade appeal to those with a familiar, sweet and sour taste, each sauce still uses just a few simple ingredients.
To help you choose, we tested 21 tomato ketchups to find the differences and bring you the best.
WINNER: by Sainsbury's Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 83/100
A delicious bargain, this ketchup should always be your cupboard staple. Deep red, smooth and thick in consistency, our panel devoured it with their chips. It has a tangy tomato purée flavour with a sweet finish, a subtle seasoning of warming clove and balanced acidity.
BUY NOW Sainsbury's, £0.65 for 460g
JOINT RUNNER-UP: Sauce Shop Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 78/100
A deep red, pulpy ketchup with specks of spices. Our panel enjoyed the deeper, fruity tomato flavour with perfectly balanced sharpness and added garlic
BUY NOW Ocado, £2.49 for 255g
JOINT RUNNER-UP: Co-op Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 78/100
This smooth and vibrant sauce has a sweet concentrated tomato aroma with a tangy vinegar note. The flavour is ripe and fruity but well balanced with a tangy finish
In store only, £0.80 for 470g
Stokes Reduced Sugar Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 77/100
Dark red in colour with an appealingly thick texture, this ketchup has a deep, rich tomato purée aroma with a well-seasoned, concentrated baked tomato flavour.
BUY NOW Ocado, £3.50 for 300g
Waitrose & Partners Essential Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 75/100
With its vibrant red colour, this sauce has a sweet and sour aroma that some testers found a little vinegar-heavy. The flavour is subtle and inoffensive with fresh tangy tomato notes.
BUY NOW Waitrose & Partners, £0.65 for 470g
Tracklements Proper Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 74/100
This bright red condiment has a surprisingly chunky texture, ripe, fresh tomato aromas with a delicate spicy note. The testers all found the flavour surprisingly natural and more reminiscent of a pasta sauce but it has well balanced acidity and is pleasantly seasoned.
BUY NOW Ocado, £3.25 for 230g
M&S Simply Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 73/100
A dull red colour and slightly grainy appearance is offset with a natural, well-balanced tomato purée aroma. The flavour is deliciously sweet and concentrated with a thick texture and refreshing tangy finish.
In store only, £0.65 for 495g
Stokes Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 72/100
A dark red, smooth-looking ketchup with a pleasantly rich, baked tomato aroma. The flavour is natural and sweet with a well-seasoned finish but some testers found this slightly lacking in vinegary acidity.
BUY NOW Ocado, £2.49 for 300g
Biona Organic Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 71/100
A very smooth, bright red sauce with a tart tomato aroma and very tangy tomato flavour. Some testers picked up on a delicate paprika note and most commented on the well balanced, smooth finish.
BUY NOW Ocado, £2.99 for 560g
Bramwells Tomato Ketchup
Overall Score: 71/100
This sauce has an appealing thick appearance and dark red colour. It has a simple, sweet tomato aroma with tangy vinegar note. Overall the testers found the flavour subtle and some felt that it lacked a bit of oomph, however the product is well balanced, natural tasting and well-seasoned.
In store only, Aldi, £0.49 for 560g
We also tested..
Big Tom Ketchup,71/100, £2.65 for 260g
Rubies Rubble Ketchup (Ocado) 70/100, £2.99 for 300g
Heinz 50% Reduced Sugar & Salt (Ocado), 70/100, £1.75 for 435g
Tesco Tomato Ketchup, 68/100, £0.68 for 550g
Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup (Ocado), 67/100, £2.95 for 580g
Real Good Ketchup Tomato No Added Sugar (Ocado), 64/100, £2.20 for 310g
Heinz Tomato Ketchup (Ocado), 64/100, £1.75 for 460g
ASDA Tomato Ketchup, 63/100, £0.67 for 720g
Farmison Handcrafted Tomato Ketchup, 62/100, £3.95 for 250g
Mr Organic Italian Organic Ketchup (Ocado) 61/100, £2.49 for 480g
Lidl Deluxe Tomato Ketchup, 58/100, £1.09 for 280g
Food and wine enthusiast Alex joined the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2015 following seven years in the wine trade. In addition to her passion for oenology and Diploma in Wine & Spirits, she is a dedicated home cook and baker with skills learnt whilst working alongside the likes of Michel Roux Jr and Antonio Carluccio.
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