Too Many Grape Tomatoes? Make Ketchup.

Because you can’t eat all of them in salads.

Every summer it happens—I get overly excited planting tomatoes, and by August my kitchen counters are buried in bowls of grape and cherry tomatoes. You can only make so many salads, right? That’s when I lean into recipes that transform tomatoes into something totally new, like this Roasted Grape Tomato Ketchup.
 

This isn’t your standard squeeze-bottle ketchup. It’s smoky, savory, and a little tangy, with a whisper of anchovy for depth (don’t worry, no one will know—it just adds magic). Roasted garlic, caramelized sweet onion, and a splash of white balsamic make it sweet-savory in the best way. This ketchup is just as happy dressing up fries as it is spooned onto a burger, and it even plays nice with cheese boards.
 

So, if you’ve got too many grape tomatoes and not enough ideas, this is your answer.

Recipe: Roasted Grape Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs grape tomatoes
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 small head garlic (cloves separated, papery skins left on)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 anchovy fillet (packed in oil)
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar or white balsamic glaze (to taste)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp chili flake or Aleppo pepper (optional)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• 1–2 tsp light agave, honey, or maple syrup (optional, for balance if needed)

Method:

1. Roast the base: 
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread tomatoes and onion quarters on a baking sheet. Add the garlic cloves, drizzle everything with olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast 35–40 minutes, until tomatoes collapse and caramelize, onions soften and brown at edges, and garlic is soft and golden.

2. Blend:
 Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins. Transfer roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic to a blender or food processor. Add anchovy, smoked paprika, and chili flake. Blend until smooth.

3. Cook down:
 Pour mixture into a saucepan. Stir in white balsamic vinegar (or glaze) and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 20–30 minutes, until thickened to ketchup consistency. Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, and a drizzle of agave, honey, or maple syrup if it needs balance.

4. Finish: 
Let cool, then jar and refrigerate. Keeps about 2 weeks.

    

   
   
   

How to Use It

This ketchup isn’t just for fries (though it will ruin you for store-bought). Here’s where it shines:

• Slathered on a juicy burger or grilled chicken sandwich.

• As a dip for onion rings, fries, or even arancini.

• On a cheese or charcuterie board—pairs beautifully with sharp cheddar, Manchego, or blue cheese.

• As a sauce base for flatbreads and pizzas.

• With breakfast eggs or on toast.

• Spooned over roasted meats like pork chops or lamb skewers. 

 

Final Note

If summer tomatoes have taken over your kitchen, lean into it. Roast them down, add some pantry magic, and you’ve got a ketchup that’s good enough to bottle. Honestly, it’s one of those recipes you’ll start making every year, not just when the garden gets away from you.

 

As always, reach out to The Small Town Chef with any questions or comments. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

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