Green Tomato Ketchup Is A Tangy Alternative You Need To Try This Summer

If you remember the early 2000s, you likely remember the atrocity that was colored ketchup. All of a sudden and yet somehow totally on-trend, Heinz debuted ketchup in easy squeeze bottles that came in green, purple, pink, orange, and blue. They were dark days, for something so colorful. And though other trends of the early aughts are returning, this is not that. We promise.

Green tomato ketchup isn't some unnatural nightmare but rather a fresh and bright condiment made with tomatoes that are actually, naturally green. A staple of Southern cooking, green tomatoes are often fried, but that's not the end of their culinary uses. You can also find pickled green tomatoes. Lacking the sugar that develops as tomatoes ripen on the vine, green tomato ketchup is tangier than its ubiquitous red counterpart. For those who like more acidic flavors, green ketchup can offer new life to your summer burger and hot dog barbecue staples, or put a whole new spin on fry sauce to dip your potatoes or chicken fingers in. And because you'll likely be making a batch of it at home, unless you come across some at a specialty shop or farmers' market, you can adjust the balance of sugar, spice, and tang to your taste. No green food coloring (or butterfly hair clips) required.

If you're not from an area that utilizes green tomatoes, the concept of green ketchup may be entirely new to you, but it's certainly not a new condiment. Gourmet published a recipe for green tomato ketchup in 1948 with no indication that it was unique. The first recipe for tomato ketchup dates back to 1812, so it seems fair to say that the first green tomato ketchup was developed sometime in the 136 years in between. This mid-20th century recipe leans hard into the savory, verdant side of things, utilizing green tomatoes, green bell peppers, and onions, chopped and stewed in vinegar with ginger, black pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. When soft, they're drained and pureed and simmered again with sugar and dry mustard powder.

It's not too far from modern recipes for green tomato ketchup; many recipes today don't include bell peppers. Green tomatoes are still stewed with pickling spices and vinegar (most commonly apple cider or white distilled), then pureed and simmered with sweetener — usually either sugar or honey. Sometimes an apple is added during the stewing process to provide a bit more balance and complexity to the sweetness. If you don't have the 10 pounds of tomatoes that Gourmet calls for, Rachael Ray shared the recipe from Brooklyn restaurant Olmsted, which pares down quantities for a decent-sized test batch. For an extra kick, you can amp up the heat with a jalapeño or make it smokey with some charred poblano peppers.

Tomatoes are one of those garden plants that, even in a fair to middling year, just keep producing. They're known to ripen all at once, and it's easy to quickly feel like you're drowning in them. It leaves gardeners who preserve their bounties busy for days, while the uninitiated are left scrambling to learn (and find a bunch of storage). Instead of facing a tomato panic, do present you and future you a favor and make more recipes with green tomatoes. 

Green tomato ketchup isn't the only bright, fresh green condiment that you can incorporate into your summer dishes. Chow chow is a pickled green tomato relish popular in the American South, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Appalachia, and even the Canadian province of Quebec. It's a great way to use all your leftover vegetable scraps, with some variations including cauliflower, onions, carrots, asparagus, peas and, of course, green tomatoes. Think of it as a kind of holler giardiniera or a mountain garden relish.

Green cherry tomatoes lend themselves particularly well to marinating, serving as something of a quick pickle. Parboil the tomatoes for a few minutes in a solution of water and white vinegar, then drain and cool. Meanwhile, make a vinaigrette with wine vinegar, herbs like parsley and mint, and chiles. Want to get really wild? Turn your extra green tomatoes into hot sauce, or marmalade for brisket and potato pancakes. Of course, green tomato ketchup would work just as well.