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You are here: Home / caribbean / Discovering BANANA KETCHUP in St. Lucia: The Secret Taste of the Caribbean

Discovering BANANA KETCHUP in St. Lucia: The Secret Taste of the Caribbean

last Updated: April 16, 2023
st. lucia

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“Go pour on some banana ketchup” our tour guide instructed us as we were indulging in our buffet of local flavors (in St. Lucia of course).

Banana Ketchup?  My first reaction was, “ewww”, what the f*@&?!?!  And you are probably thinking the same thing.  I don’t blame you.

But it’s glorious.  Incredibly delicious. A unique flavor and color. And I can’t figure out why stores in the states haven’t stocked their shelves with it yet!

Some facts I learned about Banana Ketchup while in St. Lucia:

– It’s made with only bananas, vinegar, spices, and fresh garlic.  No tomatoes of any kind in this “ketchup”.
– The taste is rather mild and thin, and tastes more like a tropical chutney.  However, the flavor of the bananas really shine through.
– it is also really popular in the Philippines, although they dye the substance red to make it resemble original ketchup
– Back in WWII, banana ketchup was made when there was a lack of tomatoes

Don’t like the consistency of ketchup? No worries!

The island also makes banana-tinged versions of barbecue and hot sauce as well. Mmm.  Among other banana-infused foods.

So instead of taking home a stupid hat or t-shirt as a souvenir, bring your loved one’s some banana ketchup.  Just know that they will probably have the same questionable reaction that most have when first hearing about this sticky yellow substance…

I found a recipe for banana ketchup, but considering it takes over 2 hours, and a whole long list of ingredients, you might as well just take a short ride to the island and pick some up yourself for about $3 a bottle.

the bananas are kept in bags on the island to prevent from ripening to soon, protection from insects, and scarring of the banana exterior

If you’re looking for a new exotic flavor to add to your marinades, BBQ, or any other dish, I would really consider banana ketchup.  There is no sugar, and only sweetened with bananas. Making it a healthy choice! 🙂

 
And if you’re REALLY dying to try this St. Lucian specialty, you can even buy it on amazon! HA! (and I bet people actually do!) Just note the proper spelling as printed on the bottle: “banane ketshup.”

So go try the secret taste of the Caribbean, I double dare you.

Has anyone had this interesting atomic yellow flavor before?!?!  Because I would put it on anything and everything if I could.

 
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Filed Under: caribbean, food Tagged With: st. lucia

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  1. Tracy says

    February 21, 2013 at 10:32 am

    I definitely opened this post thinking 'ewww'. I've seen banana served in a lot of different ways around the world, particularly in Asia … but never as a sauce. Or wine. But it sounds really interesting. We're hoping to go to the Philippines this year. Maybe I'll try it there.

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      February 24, 2013 at 4:25 am

      I thought the same thing, but it was actually pretty tasty! Nothing like I expected it to be! Definitely try it in Asia! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Mary {The World Is A says

    March 2, 2013 at 8:27 am

    This post totally intrigued me only because I love banana ketchup. I'm Filipino and yes, the red variety is very popular in the Philippines and among the Filipinos in the US. We use it as a sauce for a lot of things including spaghetti and to dip egg rolls. They're sold in Asian markets here in the west coast. I didn't know it was in St. Lucia too. That sign has made curious about banana wine. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 2, 2013 at 10:33 pm

      thats so awesome- glad you like it also! I didn't actually get to try banana wine, but if the ketchup is a sense as to how the wine is, I'm sure it's just as good. Thanks for the info about the red variety being sold out west in the US. I'll have to look for it next time I'm out there! And thanks for the comment! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Alison (See My Trave says

    March 11, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    ha ha, love it! Didn't get a chance to taste it when I was in St Lucia last week, but sounds delish!

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 11, 2013 at 11:25 pm

      I definitely recommend it! Wish they had it here in the US! Guess I'll have to go back soon!

      Reply
  4. ifs ands Butts says

    March 15, 2013 at 11:34 am

    Hahaha who knew?!! Sounds pretty interesting, not sure how I'd like ti but certainly willing to give it a try

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 15, 2013 at 12:48 pm

      It was good, very tropical tasting. I liked it, although I've heard that some do not. It's a rather unique flavor

      Reply
  5. Cassmob (Pauleen) says

    April 4, 2013 at 12:15 am

    My first thought was "yuk!". I like bananas but can't quite imagine it…I guess if it's like chutney that might make it okay. Food for thought, so to speak.Pauleen (A to Z on http://troppnt.wordpress.com

    Reply
  6. Donna Amis Davis says

    April 1, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    We have banana catsup/ketchup in the Philippines, too. Love it over rice and fried spam. But it's red there. (And I never even thought about writing a blog post about it!)

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jess. Professional wanderluster and trip planning aficionado. I teach 9-5 professionals how to maximize their limited time off with carefully planned out itineraries, long weekend inspiration, and general travel planning tips.

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