Make Your Own Condiments That are Frugal and Better Than Store-Bought (Recipes for DIY Relish, Mayo, Mustard, Ketchup, Tarter Sauce and Pickles)

When summer arrives, it’s hard to imagine sitting down to hamburgers right off the grill without ketchup on the table. If you rely solely on the ketchup you buy from the store, you might find yourself shocked at the amount of sugar in a single serving. Other condiments like mayonnaise and honey mustard may have more fat and calories than you should eat in a single meal. While you might think that making your own homemade condiments from scratch takes too much time and costs too much, there are some easy recipes you can use to make condiments that taste better than the store versions.

Homemade Pickle Relish Recipe

Pickle relish tastes great on top of a hot dog, but most store versions have a high amount of sugar. As relish really only contains a few simple ingredients, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make it yourself. The key to this flavorful combination is the addition of three different pickle types. You’ll need ¾ cup sour pickles, ¾ cup dill pickles and ½ cup sweet pickles. Toss all three types in a food processor and chop until the mixture looks like relish. You can also do this step by hand. For a slightly tangier flavor, you can add one teaspoon ground brown mustard, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon honey. Stir until well combined.

Homemade Yellow Mustard

Yellow mustard is another condiment that you can make yourself, but keep in mind that this recipe takes a few hours to make. Mix 1/3 cup whole mustard seeds with three tablespoons mustard powder and ½ cup apple cider vinegar. Cover with a loose cloth and place in a cool spot for at least three hours. Bring ½ cup of your favorite beer with two tablespoons finely chopped garlic, ¼ cup brown sugar, a dash of salt and ½ teaspoon each of ginger and allspice to a rolling boil. Add the mustard combination to the pan, bring back to a boil and cook for five minutes or until thick.

Homemade Spicy Ketchup

There is nothing like a Bloody Mary after a long day. That combination of salty and spicy makes you want to down a glass and then reach for another. If you love the cocktail, you will love this spicy ketchup version, which features all the same great flavors. Pour one cup of homemade ketchup or store bought ketchup in a small bowl. Add ¼ cup horseradish, one teaspoon celery salt, one teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and three teaspoons hot sauce. Mix until fully combined before serving. You can also use ¼ cup of finely chopped celery to the ketchup to make it taste even more authentic.

Homemade Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise

If you love the taste of garlic and can’t get enough of mayonnaise, you’ll love combining both products into one. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the top off a bulb of garlic. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil over the top, rub into the surface and sprinkle with salt. Place on a cookie sheet and bake until warmed through. The individual cloves of garlic will break apart and turn a soft brown color. Remove from the oven and let cool. Pour a jar of your favorite mayonnaise like Hampton Creek Just Mayo or Kraft Olive Oil Mayonnaise into a large bowl. Add some freshly cracked black pepper to the bowl. Squeeze the garlic bulb to pour the garlic into the bowl. You can wear a glove to keep the scent off your hands. Add a dash of hot sauce or any other seasonings that you might like before serving.

Homemade Tartar Sauce

While tartar sauce is a great choice for fish, you might like dipping fries and other food in this delicious sauce. Tartar sauce uses a base of mayonnaise, and you can use a homemade mayonnaise or a store version that you like. Try using a low fat mayonnaise. Even if you don’t like the flavor, the other ingredients will mask that taste. Mix one cup of the mayonnaise with ½ cup diced white onions and one cup of finely chopped pickles. Add a dash of salt and pepper right before serving. You can use multiple types of pickles and a little hot sauce to give the tartar sauce a custom flavor.

Homemade Fry Sauce

Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise with 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp paprika until smooth. Stir in the 1 cup ketchup.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Store covered in refrigerator for a several weeks.

Easy Homemade Pickles (see more homemade pickle ideas and ways to use cucumbers here) 

The perfect addition to any hamburger is a few pickles slices. Instead of using those sugary pickles from the store, try making your own easy pickles. Mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon each of ground cloves, turmeric and mustard seed in a small pot. Place over medium high heat until the mixture reaches a boil. Carefully wash three medium size cucumbers. Cut each cucumber into rounds that are approximately ½ inch in size. Place the cucumbers into glass jars, pour the liquid over the top and let cool before sealing with a lid and storing in your refrigerator.

Get control over what your family eats with homemade condiments. Use these recipes to make condiments from scratch that use prepared mayonnaise and other ingredients that you already have.

And as you can see, it is far easier than most think it is going to be!  We have shared many recipes that replace grocery store version that are a great, frugal, yet healthier replacement. Don’t miss them by visiting our Recipe Gallery HERE and some of the other sauce replacement recipes below:

Try our FAVORITE homemade BBQ Sauce

And if you love the In-N-Out Sauce, then try this easy, homemade version!

Finally, one of the most popular grocery-store replacement recipes on our site is known as SOS MIX (Soup or Sauce Mix). This recipe replaces your canned creamed soups, gravies, cheese sauces and many other sauces for soups and hundreds of recipes! This is a MUST grocery-store replacement!