They say don't judge a book by its cover, and I say don't judge a smoothie by its ingredients.
Often in life, we find ourselves at a crossroads. Difficult decisions that shape who we are as people. My most recent crossroads as a food critic was deciding whether or not I wanted to taste the brand-new Heinz ketchup smoothie. While a teeny-tiny part of me was absolutely revolted, I was more so intrigued. Could this possibly be good? Like Alice following the white rabbit, I decided to quell my curiosity, and I’m so glad I did.
What is the new ketchup smoothie?
Heinz decided to cash in on the idea of certain celebs creating their own smoothies. I can see the marketing team thinking, we can get in on this! Thus, the ketchup smoothie was born. Partnering up with Smoothie King, Heinz finally wanted to prove that, if tomatoes are fruits, they can certainly be blended into a smoothie.
Now, it’s not just ketchup blended up with ice. This new smoothie incorporates a sweet acai sorbet, apple juice, plump strawberries, tart raspberries and the iconic taste of Heinz Simply Ketchup. Heinz is a favorite ketchup brand, so I can see how it worked in a drink. Besides, Simply Ketchup is made with all natural red tomatoes that are full of antioxidants and vitamins—everything you want in a smoothie, right? I think so at least.
With all of this in mind, I made my way to my local Smoothie King and ordered the delightfully off-putting ketchup smoothie. Here’s what I thought.
How does the Smoothie King ketchup smoothie taste?
Delicious! Are you surprised? I thought you might be. But’s let break it down a bit here. The smoothie itself is the kind of consistency you’d expect: a smooth, fruity beverage with some icy texture. It wasn’t bright ketchup red like I had hoped, but rather a deeper red that reminded me of the included raspberries. My initial reaction was that, honestly, it looked like any other smoothie I’d ever had. It even had a super cute Heinz Tomato Ketchup label on the cup. I enjoy attention to detail.
Before today, this would have never been on my radar for recipes using ketchup. However, I found myself taking sip after sip. I even got a small brain freeze!
You’re probably thinking, well, how much ketchup is actually in it? The answer is…not that much. The acai sorbet and raspberries really take the front seat here. While you do get a hint of the ketchup at the end, it’s definitely not the main flavor. It honestly could have used more. Overall, it tastes like a typical fruit smoothie with a bit of tomato tang coming in at the end. But it’ll still catch you off guard if you’re not paying attention. I think I’d order it again. It’s got me in its ketchup-y grip—a sentence I never thought I’d utter.
How can I get the Smoothie King ketchup smoothie?
The Heinz Ketchup Smoothie is available starting at $5.70 at select Smoothie King locations across New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and Miami for a limited time. If you find yourself intrigued, take the trip. And, if you find yourself still repulsed, I wholeheartedly understand. Just remember that it’s not every day you have the opportunity to taste something so unique—make today a little weird!
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