✔ Updated · spelling, history + what is in the bottle
Catsup and ketchup are the same thing: the sweet, tangy tomato sauce on your fries and burgers. The only difference is the spelling, and since my mum always said catsup, I had to find out how that happened.
There is no difference between catsup and ketchup. Both are names for the same tomato condiment made from tomato concentrate, vinegar, sugar or corn syrup, salt, onion and spices. Catsup, ketchup and catchup were all common spellings in the 1700s and 1800s. Ketchup became the standard in the US after Heinz used it, and catsup is now mostly a regional or older spelling.
- Ingredients: identical; the name on the label does not change the recipe.
- Spelling: ketchup is standard today; catsup and catchup are older variants.
- Taste: any difference comes from the brand, not the name.
- Pronunciation: catsup is usually said "KETCH-up", though some people say "CAT-sup".
Catsup vs Ketchup at a Glance
| Catsup | Ketchup | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Sweet, tangy tomato condiment | The same sweet, tangy tomato condiment |
| Ingredients | Tomato concentrate, vinegar, sweetener, salt, onion powder, spices | Identical |
| Taste and texture | Depends on the brand | Depends on the brand |
| Spelling history | Common in the 1700s and 1800s; used on many US labels into the 1980s | Also used since the 1700s; became the US standard in the 20th century |
| Where you see it today | Some regional, restaurant and older labels; banana catsup in the Philippines | Almost every major brand and menu in the US |
| Official US name | The FDA standard for this product (21 CFR 155.194) is titled "Catsup" and allows catsup, ketchup or catchup | Same standard |
What Is Catsup?
Catsup is simply another spelling of ketchup: a thick, smooth sauce of tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices. It is sweet, tangy and salty, with a gentle savory depth from onion and spices.
If you see catsup on a menu or a bottle, expect regular tomato ketchup. I’ve never tasted a difference. Nothing about the recipe changes with the spelling.
Why Are There Two Spellings?
The word most likely comes from kê-tsiap, a fermented fish sauce from southern China and Southeast Asia. British traders brought the idea home in the late 1600s and early 1700s, and English cooks wrote it down in several ways: ketchup, catchup and catsup.
Early English ketchups were not made from tomatoes at all. They used mushrooms, walnuts, oysters or anchovies. Tomato ketchup recipes appeared in the US in the early 1800s, and the sauce slowly became sweeter and thicker.
Why Did Catsup Change to Ketchup?
Heinz launched its tomato sauce in 1876 under the name catsup and switched to the ketchup spelling in the 1880s to stand out from competitors. As Heinz grew into the best-selling brand, ketchup became the spelling most Americans saw every day.
Other brands kept catsup for decades. Del Monte, one of the last big US brands to use it, switched to ketchup in the late 1980s. Today catsup survives mostly on regional brands, some restaurant menus, and in the Philippines, where sweet banana catsup is a popular condiment.
What Is in Ketchup?
- Tomato concentrate: the base, made by cooking down ripe tomatoes and removing the skins and seeds.
- Vinegar: gives the tang and, with salt and sugar, helps keep an opened bottle safe for months.
- Sweetener: sugar or high-fructose corn syrup; a tablespoon of regular ketchup has about 4 grams of sugar.
- Salt: about 150 to 190 mg of sodium per tablespoon in most brands.
- Onion powder and spices: often listed only as "natural flavoring" or "spice"; recipes may include allspice, clove, cinnamon or garlic.
Catchup, Catsup, Ketchup: Which Is Correct?
All three are correct, but ketchup is the standard spelling in modern American and British English and the one to use in most writing. Catsup is an accepted variant, and catchup is rare and considered old-fashioned.
How to Store Catsup or Ketchup
An unopened bottle keeps in the pantry until the best-by date. Once opened, ketchup is safest and tastes best stored in the fridge, where it keeps well for about 6 months. Throw it out if it smells sour, shows mold or the bottle bulges. More detail: does ketchup go bad?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is catsup?
Catsup is another spelling of ketchup, the sweet and tangy tomato condiment. It is made from tomato concentrate, vinegar, sugar or corn syrup, salt, onion and spices. If a label or menu says catsup, it means regular tomato ketchup.
Is there a difference between catsup and ketchup?
No. Catsup and ketchup are the same product with two spellings. The ingredients and uses are the same, and the FDA standard for the condiment allows either name. Any difference in taste comes from the brand's recipe, not the spelling on the label.
Why did catsup change to ketchup?
Heinz first sold its tomato sauce as catsup in 1876 and switched to the ketchup spelling in the 1880s. As Heinz became the leading brand, ketchup became the spelling most Americans used, and most other brands gradually followed, with Del Monte one of the last to switch in the late 1980s.
Is it catchup or ketchup?
Ketchup is the standard spelling today. Catchup and catsup are older variants that were common in the 1700s and 1800s. Catchup is now rare, while catsup still appears on some regional labels and menus.
How do you pronounce catsup?
Most people pronounce catsup the same way as ketchup, "KETCH-up." Some people, especially in parts of the US, say "CAT-sup" to match the spelling, my mum among them. Both pronunciations refer to the same tomato condiment.
