Substitutions / ketchup
What to use instead of ketchup
Use tomato paste blend in equal amounts. Mix tomato paste with a splash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar to mimic ketchup's tang and sweetness; slightly thicker.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato paste blend | 1:1 | Mix tomato paste with a splash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar to mimic ketchup's tang and sweetness; slightly thicker. |
| Canned tomato sauce | 1:1 | Thinner and less sweet, so reduce slightly or add a touch of sugar and vinegar to taste. |
| Bbq sauce | 1:1 | Works in savory applications but adds smokiness and more sugar, so it shifts the flavor noticeably. |
How much is a cup of ketchup?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh ketchup in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.