Spicy ketchup

The savory ketchup, the house's original sauce

The savory ketchup from the Zum heiligen Stein manufactory is the original sauce from which all other varieties were created – full-bodied, tomatoey, with bell pepper and spices. Hand-cooked from Italian tomato paste, raw cane sugar, and raspberry vinegar, vegan and in a 400g jar. A crowd favorite.

The savory ketchup from Zum heiligen Stein is the handmade gourmet ketchup from Muschenheim in Hesse with which it all began. Boris and Nina Sauerborn cook it using 43% Italian tomato paste, raw cane sugar, French raspberry vinegar, bell pepper, and a carefully balanced spice blend. Tomatoey, savory, full-bodied – and the most popular of the five varieties among the public.

Full-bodied, tomatoey, with bell pepper and spice

The savory ketchup is bolder than the mild version without being hot – the spice blend sets the tone here. As soon as you open it, you smell ripe tomato, followed by bell pepper and a hint of spice.

On the palate, it is full-bodied and well-rounded; the bell pepper adds color and depth, while the spices settle in finely without overpowering. With 43% tomato paste, the fruit remains the foundation. The savory version likes to support a dish rather than drown it out – which is why it is the base from which Boris and Nina develop the other varieties.

The all-rounder for fries, bratwurst, and cheese

The savory ketchup works wherever a good ketchup is called for: with fries, bratwurst, baked potatoes, and crispy potato wedges.

It plays to its strengths with grilled steak, an evening cheese platter, or in a tomato sauce that lacks a certain depth. Those who prefer it milder can reach for the mild version, while those looking for more fire can choose the hot one – both are built upon this savory base. It also works well in chili, Bolognese, or as a dip for roasted vegetables, anywhere a dish needs a foundational savory kick.

The original sauce from the Zum heiligen Stein restaurant

In 2010, Boris Sauerborn took over the Zum heiligen Stein restaurant in Muschenheim near Lich with his wife, Nina, named after the approximately 4,000-year-old megalithic tomb that towers above the village.

The chef originally stirred up this savory sauce for a lamb currywurst – "I'll whip something up," he thought, and suddenly guests wanted to take it home by the jar. Soon there were calls from Düsseldorf and Holland, a whole new dimension. Thus, the restaurant turned into a small ketchup manufactory, which moved into a former bakery in 2015 and into larger premises in 2025. "There is nothing better than homemade," states every jar, following the creed of Grandma Mia.

Over time, this one savory recipe turned into an entire family: the milder one for children, the hotter one with cayenne, the smoky one for BBQ, and the sophisticated one with truffle. The savory one, however, remained what it was – the original. Hats off.

Storage and the entire family of varieties

The savory ketchup comes in a 400g jar, ready for the table – once opened, it keeps for several weeks when refrigerated. Those who want to discover the full range can find mild, savory, and hot together in the taster set. And those who already know which variety is theirs simply stick with the savory – the favorite of most at the table. A spoonful of it quickly explains why this one sauce turned into an entire business.