Swaps / ketchup

The best keto substitutes for ketchup

Regular ketchup is about a quarter sugar, which adds up when you pour freely. Mustards, hot sauces and no-sugar ketchups fill the gap.

Ketchup: 4.6 g netSpicy mayo: 0.1 g net

5 swaps that work

01No-sugar ketchup

Best for: Burgers and fries
How: Several brands sweeten with allulose or stevia. Or simmer tomato paste with vinegar, spices and a little sweetener.

02Yellow mustard0.3 g net · 1 tbsp (15 g)

Best for: Hot dogs, burgers
How: Nearly zero carbs.

Yellow mustard nutrition

03Salsa1.6 g net · 2 tbsp (32 g)

Best for: Eggs, burgers, steak
How: Fresh pico de gallo is lowest; check jars for sugar.

Salsa nutrition

04Spicy mayo0.1 g net · 1 tbsp (14 g)

Best for: Dipping keto fries
How: Stir sriracha or chipotle into mayonnaise.

Mayonnaise nutrition

05Hot sauce0.1 g net · 1 tsp (5 g)

Best for: Everything
How: Most vinegar-based hot sauces have almost no carbs.

Hot sauce nutrition

Net carbs per serving

From our food database. Serving sizes differ, so they are listed.

Ketchup1 tbsp (17 g)

4.6g net Yellow mustard1 tbsp (15 g)

0.3g net Salsa2 tbsp (32 g)

1.6g net Spicy mayo1 tbsp (14 g)

0.1g net Hot sauce1 tsp (5 g)

0.1g net

Put it to work

Recipes that use these swaps

Mains

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

2.7g net carbs45 min

Quick answers

What is the best keto substitute for ketchup?

It depends on the dish. No-sugar ketchup is best for burgers and fries; Yellow mustard is best for hot dogs, burgers; Salsa is best for eggs, burgers, steak.

How many carbs does the swap save?

A serving of ketchup (1 tbsp (17 g)) has about 4.6 g of net carbs. Spicy mayo (1 tbsp (14 g)) has about 0.1 g.

Is ketchup keto?

In moderation. A quarter of ketchup is sugar. Use sugar-free ketchup or mustard.

Skip the guesswork

Every swap, already made

The 28-Day Plan builds these swaps into four weeks of meals, with every macro counted and one grocery list a week.

See the plan

The libraries

Keto for real life

17 game plans