Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (2024)

No tomato paste? No problem. You probably already have a perfectly acceptable alternative in your pantry. Here's everything you need to know about tomato paste substitutions:

What Is Tomato Paste and How Is It Used?

Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (2)

Tomato paste is concentrated tomatoes. It's made by cooking strained and skinned tomatoes down until they've reduced and thickened to a paste-like consistency. Its flavor is extremely, well, tomato-y. Without all the water that is naturally found in fresh tomatoes, you're left with just intense acidity and bright flavor. You can buy tomato paste in the store (in the canned tomato section) or you can make a DIY version at home with just a few ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Tomato paste is used to thicken and enrich the flavor of sauces, soups, stews, casseroles, and more. It's also commonly used to braise meat.

Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (3)

Tomato Paste Substitutes

The best substitute for store-bought tomato paste is homemade tomato paste. In fact, homemade tomato paste is generally richer and more flavorful than its canned counterpart. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your own (we feel you), you probably have plenty of other options already at your disposal:

Tomato Purée

Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (4)

Tomato purée (boiled and strained tomatoes) works well as a tomato paste alternative. Since purée is much thinner than paste, you'll get the best results if you cook it over medium heat for about 10 minutes before adding it to your recipe — this will give you a slightly thicker consistency and more intense flavor.

Substitute two tablespoons of purée for every tablespoon of paste called for in the recipe. If you haven't reduced the puree on the stove, you may find you need to reduce the liquid in the recipe by a tablespoon or so.

Fresh Tomatoes

Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (5)

You can make shortcut tomato purée by peeling and mashing a fresh tomato (whether or not you remove the seeds is up to you) and cooking it for about 10 minutes. Use three tablespoons of fresh tomatoes for every tablespoon of paste called for in the recipe.

Diced Tomatoes

Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (6)

Strain a can of diced tomatoes to remove excess liquid, then cook over medium heat until they've reduced by about half. Use two to three tablespoons of diced tomatoes for every tablespoon of paste called for in the recipe.

Ketchup

Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (7)

Yep, ketchup makes a surprisingly adequate tomato paste alternative! Since ketchup is already quite concentrated, you can substitute from the bottle using a 1:1 ratio (if your recipe calls for one tablespoon of tomato paste, use one tablespoon of ketchup). Just be aware that most ketchup contains an ample amount of added sugar, so the finished product may be a little sweeter than you intended. Since ketchup is so much sweeter, this is probably not the best choice if your recipe calls for more than a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.

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Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? (2024)

FAQs

Tomato Paste Substitute: What Can You Use Instead? ›

You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

What can I use if I don't have tomato paste? ›

You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

What is a good substitute for tomatoes? ›

Tomato-free swap: Roasted red peppers, refreshing cucumber slices, roasted beets, and figs are just a few options to replace that slightly sweet, juicy tomato. You might find that you prefer your gourmet tomato substitute!

Can I use ketchup in place of tomato paste? ›

No problem. The next best tomato paste substitute is ketchup! Ketchup has a consistency similar to tomato paste, but it has a saltier, tangier, and sweeter flavor. Most recipes use tomato paste in small quantities, so using a 1:1 substitution should not affect the integrity of the recipe too much.

How can I thicken something without tomato paste? ›

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

How to make tomato sauce into paste? ›

Here is how to turn canned tomato sauce into a quick tomato paste substitute. Pour 1 cup (8 ounces) of tomato sauce into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer or low boil over medium heat. While it simmers, stir constantly for anywhere from 7-10 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced by about two-thirds.

What is the purpose of tomato paste in recipes? ›

Tomato paste brings a number of things to a dish: a burst of the meaty, savory flavor known as umami, concentrated sweetness, mild acidity and thickening quality. It's often added to reinforce and add depth to the taste of tomato-based dishes like marinara or tomato soup.

What is the closest fruit to a tomato? ›

There are quite many vegetables and fruits that look similar to each other. But, can you think of a fruit that looks similar to a tomato? Yes, there is one fruit and it is none other than persimmon. Scroll down to know about the health benefits of this fruit.

What can I substitute for crushed tomatoes in a recipe? ›

6 of the Best Substitutes For Crushed Tomatoes
  1. A different style of canned tomatoes (whole, diced, or stewed). ...
  2. Canned tomato sauce. ...
  3. Tomato passata. ...
  4. Thinned tomato paste. ...
  5. Pasta, pizza, or marinara sauce. ...
  6. Fresh tomatoes.
Nov 1, 2023

What can I use instead of tomatoes for tomato allergy? ›

Beets – If you're looking to add some sweetness to your salads or a substitute base for pasta sauces, beets can be a great substitute packed with Vitamin C that you would get from tomatoes. Carrots – Similar to beets, carrots can be a great substitute base especially in soups and are a great source of beta-carotene .

What is a substitute for 1 cup of tomato sauce? ›

Tomato Paste

For this swap, David Joachim, author of The Food Substitutions Bible, recommends you use ½ cup tomato paste and ½ cup water to replace 1 cup of tomato sauce—just keep in mind that you'll need to season your substitute to taste.

Can you replace tomatoes with ketchup? ›

Ketchup is best utilized as a substitute in recipes that already have some sweetness. In most cases, start with a ½:1 swap and add more American Garden's ketchup as needed to adjust the flavor. Do you crave pizza but don't have any pizza sauce? Don't worry, you can get great results using American Garden's ketchup.

What is a good substitute for tomato juice? ›

1 cup tomato juice: substitute 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water. 1 10-3/4 ounce can tomato soup: substitute 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 cup water.

Can I use canned tomatoes instead of paste? ›

Like tomato sauce, canned tomatoes aren't as concentrated as the paste, so you'll need to double the amount to get the flavor right. How much to use: Use 2 tablespoons of strained canned tomatoes for every tablespoon of tomato paste.

Can I use marinara sauce instead of tomato paste? ›

Try marinara sauce as a tomato paste substitute.

Marinara sauce has a similar consistency to tomato paste already, but this should only be used in recipes where the rest of the ingredients in the marinara sauce—especially Italian seasonings—won't interfere with or overpower whichever recipe you're preparing.

What's the difference between tomato sauce and tomato paste? ›

Tomato sauce is thinner than both tomato puree and tomato paste and it is seasoned. Tomato puree provides a rich tomato taste in a thick sauce with no seasonings whatsoever. Tomato paste has the thickest texture and consistency of all three and is used to add a savory, cooked brown note to your dishes.

How do you thicken pizza sauce without tomato paste? ›

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

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