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Blueberry Ketchup???

Does this situation sound familiar:

You’re in the grocery store, ready to pay. But which line to choose???

I feel like I always choose wrong when it comes to picking a grocery-store checkout line. Without fail, I’ll end up in the longest line every time. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives me an excuse to catch up on reading magazines I could never justify purchasing.

This is how I was inspired to make my Healthy Red Velvet Pancakes.

A few days ago, inspiration struck again.

blueberry ketchup

Above, blueberry ketchup with homemade Crispy Sweet Potato Fries.

Blue is better than red.

Stuck in the longest checkout line yet again, I picked up an issue of Family Circle. Right away, a recipe for blueberry ketchup jumped out at me. It sounded so unusual that I had to try. (Although I used the idea from the magazine, what follows is completely my own recipe.)

blue ketchup

Try this on a veggie burger, over bbq tofu or grilled zucchini… or anywhere you’d use ketchup!

Blueberry Ketchup

  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp dry ginger
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/16 tsp pure stevia OR 2 tbsp brown sugar

Bring all ingredients to a boil, then simmer 25 minutes. Chill in the fridge. If you want a smooth ketchup, feel free to pulverize the berries with a magic bullet or immersion blender. But this is not necessary.

This would also be a delicious dip for Chickpea Poppers.

blueberry sauce

blueberry dip

berry ketchup

Do you ever read magazines while waiting in line?
And do you ever feel like you always choose the longest checkout line?

I have to admit, I usually go for the tabloids while waiting in line—Us Weekly, People… I laugh at the stories they concoct. And each tabloid tells you something different. For example, did you know that Kate Middleton is pregnant, anorexic, madly in love with Prince William, and divorcing him all at the same time? Poor girl, it sounds like she’s rather busy!

Does anyone remember this stuff:

heinz purple ketchup

Heinz, what were you thinking? 

Published on August 7, 2011

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123 Comments

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  1. Sarahishealthy says

    Ohmifreakinggosh I am SO trying this! I love ketchup, but I don’t like its high sugar content. And I loooooooove blueberries!

  2. Lauren W says

    Mmm….that sounds really….interesting 😉 I will try it though. Is it more sweet or savory or both? I love going through magazines when I’m waiting in line!

  3. Sam says

    OMG! I totally forgot about purple (and wasn’t there green too or something?) ketchup! Holy flashbacks. Anyways I am very intrigued by this blueberry ketchup of yours. I’d try it! And probably love it.

  4. katie @KatieDid says

    I love this! I bet the sweetness of the blueberries is a perfect alternative to overly sweet ketchup. Also sweet potato fries… awesome choice for the photo shoot, they are my fave! Did you make those or are they store bought, they look so perfect!

  5. Lisa C says

    This is so cool! I’m intrigued and will probably have to try it! And oh yes, poor Kate Middleton. I always wanted to be a princess, but now that I’m older and thinking about all the hard work, I probably wouldn’t enjoy it so much. And she has to have her face plastered on all the tabloids, with all sorts of crazy rumors about her.

  6. Qi Ting @ Misadventures of Fat free Baking says

    okay… this IS rather weird. I’ve never ever heard of blueberry ketchup before! until today. The pictures look amazing but I’m not too convinced to try it out though! But not to worry… someday I’m going to muster up my couage and overcome my fears of ‘sweet crossing the lineinto salty’s private space TWWWEEET! Policeman whistling… gotta stop!’ thingies. After all, the colours are too beautiful not to have it be seen on my kitchen seems soo wrong.

  7. The Teenage Taste says

    This looks so interesting! I’m curious – I have to try it!
    PS – Yes, I remember those colored ketchups! I used to have the purple and green colored ones. That was such an odd product. 😛

  8. Leslie says

    Beautiful photos, especially the first one. Those “butter me up” fries look so good right now. I’ll have to click on the recipe as soon as I finish typing this!

    I remember those ketchups. They were so weird. Don’t think I ever actually bought one, though.

  9. steph - vegfortworth says

    I remember the purple ketchup because my school colors in university were purple and white, and they served the purple ketchup with hashbrowns at some crazy midnight purple pancake breakfast.

    Blueberry ketchup sounds way better, though!

  10. Sarah says

    I do remember it. And I fell for it.. begging my parents to buy it. However I realized afterwards that instead of a nice pretty purple it was a strange grey-ish color that was not appealing at all even when eaten with french fries. Yuck.

  11. Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats says

    Yum! Sounds like a tasty dip! 🙂 I usually go for the shortest line but it ends up taking forever because I end up behind an extreme couponer or with an extremely slow cashier. I always go for the tabloids while waiting in line just because I like looking at celeb’s outfits in them! I can’t justify buying the magazines either! lol

  12. Jenny says

    I definitely remember the purple and green ketchup that Heinz made… My family even BOUGHT some. I’m sorry to be vulgar, but the green ketchup looked like duck poop. 😐 I remember going so far as to not eating the baked potato fries I’d topped it with, just because I was so grossed out.

    I imagine the blue ketchup would even make a great salad dressing, alongside the chickpea poppers as a salad topper! 🙂 I have to say, I don’t read magazines when waiting in line – just because there only ever seem to be tabloids at the check-out… I’m not a fan! It’s good that you can find amusement in them, though. I think it’s more in my character just to be annoyed with them!

  13. The English Major says

    Interesting story about colored ketchup… I was really excited about it when I was a kid, until I found out that whatever they added to it to color it gave me a massive hiving allergic reaction. I still don’t understand it because I’ve never had the problem with any other food coloring or colored product.

  14. Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says

    Oh my gosh Katie! You always cease to amaze me with your creative foodie concoctions!! I am all over this like white on rice!! Ohhh, this would be good on rice too! 😉 And you better believe this is going on some BBQ tofu…maybe with a little peanut butter action too? Yep, I think so!

    I ALWAYS pick the wrong line! And if I ever decide that I’m gonna give up and switch lines, the one I was in before always gets quicker! Ugh!

    Usually I tend to gravitate toward the cooking/home magazines…Cooking Light, Family Circle, Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray. Not a big tabloid reader, mainly because I know it’s all fluff…and if it’s not the edible kind (yum…marshmallow), then frankly I’m not interested! 😉

  15. Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says

    How fun! 🙂 I was surprised by the recipe, I figure it would be like a fake out and be sweet. THis sounds great for some sweet potato fries! 🙂
    I’m actually not bad at picking a checkout line. I get after it!!!! Oh that purple ketchup, and the GREEN too! I DO remember that stuff, it was weird….

  16. Amber K says

    I actually subscribe to People and an assortment of other magazines. So I don’t tend to look at them in the checkout line. Although I definitely always pick the longest line. I try and size them up, but I always seem to pick the one that takes longer. Even if the people have fewer items, some problem will arise or they will be switching cashiers, or the world’s slowest check writer will pop up. Ugh!

  17. Lilly says

    this looks awesome! I never heard of colored ketchup as a kid, they must have not sold it at our health food store or else I would have probably wanted it – blech! Yours though, makes total sense, I mean tomatoes are a fruit so other fruit ketchup aren’t so strange. Def. trying this 🙂

  18. Aja says

    Wow, I wish I had more blueberries. I’ll have to buy some.

    Tabloids are hilarious. I always read them in the checkout lines too. I could never buy one, but I like reading them when the lines are long.

  19. merry says

    as soon as i read ‘blueberry ketchup’ i immediately thought of that heinz colored ketchup! that was a long time ago, but i do remember it. it was disgusting! haha 🙂

  20. Marianne says

    Interesting idea. Blueberries are in season as well, so good timing. I can see it working with sweet potato fries, or possibly certain cheeses in a grilled cheese sandwich.

  21. Alexandra (Veggin' Out in the Kitchen) says

    I ALWAYS end up in the longest lines too! They always appear to be the shortest, but it turns out that the carts are plum full or the people talk forever, lol 🙂

    I need to make those fries!! I even have a butternut squash in the fridge! I don’t like regular ole’ fries but sweet potato fries I love, so I MUST give the butternut squash a try 😀 And that ketchup looks like so much fun! I used to love ketchup and I LOVE blueberries so that looks perfect!!

    And as always, thank you for your incredibly sweet comment on my blog! It completely made my day! 😀

    Have a fabulous Sunday, Katie!

    <3 <3

  22. caroline says

    OH MY GOD heniz ez squirt~ i lived off of that stuff when i was younger. do you remember around that time they came out with blue squirt-able butter?!

  23. Holly @ The Runny Egg says

    Yes I remember the colored ketchups!

    I always pick the longest line, without fail. And sometimes I do that on purpose so I can skip through the magazines!

  24. Lenna says

    Yes! I always choose the wrong line in the store, the wrongest line! :))
    Blueberry ketchup? I have probaly already said that, but you are a real genius!! 🙂

  25. Jeffie says

    wow! vinegar and berries taste really good together! though, i’ve only made dressings out of the two, and i don’t use regular ketchup but this looks yummy. oh my gosh, i remember when they came out with the odd colored ketchups like shrek green. so, icky..

  26. Lauren @ What Lauren Likes says

    How cool! what a great idea! Ugh I always pick the longest check out line, and always read magazines while waiting 🙂

  27. VanessaG says

    Ugh! I too always seem to pick the longest line. Thank goodness for lbeing able to read the magazines. P.S. I soooo wish I lived close to you cause I would pay you to make me bfast,lunch, and dinner. I really wish you had your own restaurant, even if I never got to eat there. You ould be so successful and people would be surprised it’s vegan. 🙂

  28. Aine @ Something to Chew Over says

    This looks great! I’d love it with sweet potato wedges.

    I always read magazines while waiting in line and I totally pick ones that I’d never buy! 🙂

  29. Michaela says

    awesome recipe! I bet it tastes delicious!
    Oh yes, I find I always choose the longest queue, too… Reading magazines is the best way to spend the time 😉 Gossip magazines, of course 😀

  30. Kim says

    I was a bit worried when I read the title of your post today but after reading about it, I have to say it sounds kinda good! As for poor Kate, did you also know that she isn’t even capable of getting pregnant?! That just proves that I also read the papers I would never buy when I’m stuck in a long line-up 🙂

  31. Kaitlyn@TheTieDyeFIles says

    So interesting…I’ll try (almost) anything once, though! And I once made my mom buy green ketchup. I used to put ketchup on my mac n cheese, but I was unable to eat it with green ketchup because it looked like boogers, said young me.

  32. Jen says

    I agree–this sounds too unusual not to try. Although, why is so unusual? There are a lot of fruit salsas out there! Now I’m dying to make this with baked sweet potato fries. Yum!

  33. Danni (Healthy Kitschy Vegan) says

    Mm, the blueberry ketchup sounds good! I’d like to make some sort of blueberry vinaigrette for a salad when I get some more berries…

    Oh my god, I remember that stuff! It would freak my family members out! I used to get the green stuff (gahh…disgusting in hindsight!). I remember taking it camping and drizzling it on hot dogs. Wow…everything about that situation sounds wrong now! I’ll stick with s.p. fries and berry based ketchup!

  34. kaila @ healthy helper! says

    EWWWW I totally remember the purple and green ketchup!!! So gross! But sadly I think I made my mom buy it for me when I was little. Regretable for sure!

  35. Jennifer says

    I can’t wait to try this! And I definitely always pick the slowest line, though in the grocery store near where I live there is only one line! I live on a really, really small island. 🙂

  36. Karly @ Le Petit Bas Bleu says

    I adore fresh blueberries, and since I had the most amazing blackened North Atlantic salmon burger at an English pub last weekend, I have been playing with the idea of smothering grilled salmon in some sort of blueberry sauce. I definitely want to try blueberry ketchup; the blend of flavors sounds brilliant, and the combination of salmon and blueberries would pack quite the nutritional punch.

  37. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says

    Blueberry ketchup sounds so funky, but I dig it!

    Yeah, I always feel like I choose the longest line ever and often regret the one I chose. I used to end up switching all the time and found out that that works even worse in my favor, haha.

  38. Lisa says

    hahahha I remember those funky colored ketchups! My mom bought them once when we were little and never again. i think the food dyes freaked her out a bit, and freak me out a bit now. but hey, when your little your like COOL! BLUE or GREEN KETCHUP!!!!
    not that I even liked ketchup when I was little….hmm. whatever. hhahah

  39. Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free says

    Ohmygoodness this is genius! How FUN!

    I’m pretty good at choosing the right lanes in the grocery store, and I am not one to read the magazines….I feel like I’m invading other people’s privacy 😕

  40. Lexi @ A Spoonful of Sunshine says

    I’m both scared and intrigued by this recipe, but intrigue will probably win me over. I love weird-sounding recipes that taste fantabulous !! 🙂

  41. Rebecca says

    Blueberry ketchup-its too intriguing not to try (I think?) I love to read magazines in line-haha you gotta love the magazines you normally wouldn’t read.

  42. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says

    This is sooo creative, Katie!

    I love unique flavors and pairings. As a kid when I used to eat eggs and pancakes, I would purposely dip my eggs into syrup.

    And I make salad dressings out of oranges all the the time.

    I love your dip b/c it stays thick! Lots of fruit based dips or fruity salsa-ish things get runny looking. Love the thickness and that uber blue color.

    Longest line? Yes and just have a kid. That will guarantee you will be in the longest line with maximum checkstand candy and impulse purchase temptation and please mommy’s!

  43. Mary @ Bites and Bliss says

    How funny!! Michael and I were buying ketchup today and I asked him if he remembered the blue ketchup. Haha, awesome!

  44. whitney says

    As soon as I read “blueberry ketchup” I thought of those nasty colored ketchups I used to eat when I was eight! Good thing that phase didn’t last over a week! Wasn’t there green mustard too or something? Gross! 🙂

    Whitney

  45. lisa says

    haha omg this sounds so weird but good at the same time! 🙂 And I remember being little and havign that Heinz crazy colored ketchup!

  46. Ragnhild says

    Haha, looks like we are all choosing the wrong line 😛 Makes me think “is there even a right line?” 😉 I always go for the slooowest lines, and I too always read while I stand there!
    Love this idea, the colour is amazing 🙂

      • Julie Wilbanks says

        I would participate in a test like that, as it never seemed to stop and it has been my luck t always pick the slowest lane. I actually decides to comment on such an old post to see if I might be able to find out if you or anyone that might read this has any idea of how long this will last after you make it. I am trying to figure out, if I put it in a completely airtight container… maybe like the drug smugglers use, as it would be as sealed as a new jar in the grocery, would it be ok outside refrigeration long enough to make some and send them to my Dad. He loves Blueberries more than anyone I know and I can talk my brother into picking up some of those awesome Alexa Frozen Spicy Sweet Potato Fries, so he can try it out when he gets it. I would have to send it from Florida to Texas, though… at least it is not summer, but still I would hate to poison him with a gift! LOL I am so excited to try this because I had been trying different options for dipping these and the only one I really like is mixing honey and cinnamon. Not too bad, but I always wanted something with a fruit base. Thanks for coming up with one for me!
        If you could answer with your opinion about whether it would be worth trying to send to someone, I would really appreciate it!

  47. BroccoliHut says

    Yum! I’ve had cranberry ketchup before (and loved it) so I bet bloob ketchup is delicious!
    I used to love the green ketchup 🙂

  48. Ashley C says

    haha yep I tried that crazy ketchup, they had blue, green, purple and a mystery color!! I bought it because i thought it was cool but I do remember it tasting weird though 🙁 I always pick a short looking line, but with my luck Ill be in a hurry and the lady in front of me has 50 coupons and is paying in all pennies… I always pick up a tabloid (I agree poor Kate!!) This recipe looks so cool to take to a Bar-B-Q or something to surprise the guest 😀 but does it taste like blueberry or does it taste like regular ketchup??

  49. amy @ lovetotrain says

    I am a recent visitor of your website and I just love it!! and the shopping que thing…. YES!!! always the wrong que!!! But it appears like everyone always chooses the wrong one- so is anyone ever in the right one??!!

  50. Lyza says

    Blueberry ketchup!?! There’s no added sugar!! Have I friggin died and gone to heaven?? This is awesome!!!

    Thankyou Katie, for once again providing us with a super amazing recipe. 🙂

  51. michelle says

    You…are…awesome. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am about this recipe! Why oh why have I never considered another fruit for ketchup?

    I’m waiting for your cookbook.

  52. Amanda says

    I don’t ever seem to have that problem with the longest line, but I’m definitely with you when it comes to the paparazzi and starz. I especially noticed it when Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were a new item. Since then I can’t help but notice how (daily) the stories change. 🙂

  53. Lotte says

    Blueberry mustard is really, really, really good, too. I haven’t made it myself, but there is a place near by that sells some and I put it on everything.

  54. Natalia says

    I remember the green ketchup that Heinz made… it looks DISGUSTING! I remember being grossed out at a birthday party when they pulled out the green ketchup… Do you think this would work with raspberries or blackberries? Can’t say I’m a blueberry fan!

  55. Katrinacara says

    I love this recipe especially with sweet potato fries! I have a friend from work who’s on this blueberry kick so I just shared this recipe with him. He said OMG, she’s hot. I think he forgot about the blueberry ketchup. LOL. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

  56. Amy says

    Oh, the evil, evil colored ketchup– we all knew it was going to end up at Grocery Outlet, where my mother would buy it. Yep. It happened. I did the only thing a desperate woman like myself could do– I added food coloring until the ketchup turned brown and made MOUNTAINS of homemade bbq sauce with the ketchup my mom gave us.

    YOUR ketchup, however, looks like something fun to do with the babies! 🙂 I’m also going to pass this along to my buddy who is REALLY allergic to tomatoes.

  57. charlene says

    You should make blueberry salsa! I made the recipe from Southern Living with lots of jalapenos. I love blueberries and am always looking for neat new recipes. Thanks Katie!

  58. Casey says

    Blueberries are not in season here, do you think frozen blueberries would work as opposed to fresh? I would love to try this! And where do you buy your NuNaturals? I’ve looked in 2 different health stores and no such luck 🙁 Thanks for the creative idea!

      • Casey says

        Awesome thanks! I will try with some frozen blueberries. Come blueberry season I love to go blueberry picking here in Michigan. I always pick a lot and freeze some. I’ve used frozen to make jam or throw in a smoothie. Never tried to make ketchup though!

        I’m thinking about trying to make this using honey as the sweetner. Has anyone else tried this? I’ll report back and let you know what I think.

  59. Lyza says

    It is SO delicious!!!!! I’m making this on the stove now. For a little more tang I might add some lime or lemon juice to add some more healthy tang, or just more vinegar than the called for amount. I added about two tsp of onion powder. And I need to add a little more salt (I used garlic salt so I used a bit more than the recommended amount, but it needs more!) ! I added two tablespoons of brown sugar like the recipe suggested if you didn’t want to use stevia. And I added the right amount of garlic. I didn’t have ginger but it doesn’t need it! 🙂 I added some ancho pepper (less than quarter tsp) to just give it a really really subtle hint of richness. SO SO SO good and healthy too. In mid-summer with 5 pounds of blueberries to use up (they are so dirt cheap in this area where I’m housesitting for some reason. 5 lb for 9 bucks!!!), very happy to get away from corn syrup ketchup and a fun, cheaper twist 🙂 Love it 🙂

    • Lyza says

      To add onto this notion, I think I might like it even better than ketchup. It almost tastes like there’s a small little bit of pickle in it. I used refridgerated minced garlic from a jar, so I’m wondering if that caused the flavor.

      I love it because I find ketchup to be almost overpoweringly salty and sweet and don’t enjoy it like I used to. I have a harder time enjoying my food because I can’t dip as much as I’d like because the flavor is so strong, and with this I can. It’s richer but lighter and just way more enjoyable.

  60. Samantha says

    Soooo…. my daughter is allergic to tomatoes….. I want her to have some sort of dipping sauce, so I thought I would try this…. but she is also allergic to garlic and onion….. anyone try it without those two? Or have any thoughts for replacements/how it would turn out if I omit them??

    Thanks!

  61. Nicole says

    How long does this blueberry ketchup keep for and should I store it in the fridge or pantry? This is a great recipe. Cheers!

  62. annabel says

    I just made this, and it was fabulous! I had only one cup of blueberries so I mixed in a cup of diced tomatoes. It worked great but turned into a jelly! Still it was fantastic, thanks for the recipe!

  63. Alya says

    OMG I ALWAYS READ THE MAGAZINES WHILE WAITING IN LINE! why spend money on them when you could read them (and make fun of them) for free?

    I know i sound mean in this post but honestly, all the gossip in the mags is ridiculous!

  64. Marianne says

    I have just tried out your blueberry ketchup. It tastes delicious! It tastes much better than tomato ketchup, I love the blueberry flavour! Thank you.

  65. Marianne says

    I have just tried out your blueberry ketchup. It tastes delicious! It tastes much better than tomato ketchup, I love the blueberry flavour! It is just the right tartness and sweetness. Thank you.

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