Try This Tomato Swap For Vibrant And Tangy Homemade Ketchup

With the right ingredients, you can make green ketchup. If you were a kid in the early 2000s, then, no not that vivid ketchup that came in alarming, electric shades of green, purple and turquoise. This ketchup is milder in color, but more vibrant in flavor. All you need for grown-up green ketchup are a few pounds of green tomatoes.

There are a couple kinds of green tomatoes to choose from. In the American South, they're essential, where they're breaded for fried green tomatoes to be paired with pimento cheese. These are usually premature tomatoes, plucked from the vine early, before they've completely ripened or late bloomers, that simply didn't ripen before their season concluded. They're firm, helping them withstand the frying process; but they don't make for a succulent snack, and aren't ideal for throwing into salads. There are also heirloom tomatoes that are intended to maintain their green shade even when fully ripe, though they aren't as common.

Green tomatoes aren't as soft — in texture or flavor — as the red ones you'd typically use in basic tomato sauce or bruschetta burgers. They're crisp and acidic, but cooking them (which you'll do when making ketchup) will smooth out that intensity. You could also sweeten them with honey, maple syrup or sugar. Making your own ketchup is pretty simple, and the process of making green ketchup is basically the same. The hardest part of the whole ordeal is harnessing your patience, as it tends to take hours to simmer and get thick.

If you're a ketchup fan, or read up on everything you should know about ketchup, you'll know the condiment is pretty versatile, and green tomato ketchup is no different. Sure, you can dip and dunk all manner of fries, nuggets and corndogs, but you can also cook with your newfound favorite. Use green tomato ketchup to flavor sweet and tangy meatballs to serve as an appetizer or prepare meatloaf for dinner.