Five Alternatives to Tomato Paste

Tomato paste is definitely something you’ve used if you’ve ever prepared homemade tomato sauce at home. Tomato paste, which you usually buy in the grocery store by the can or tube, is a highly concentrated tomato sauce that is made by cutting up tomatoes, removing the skin and seeds, and boiling them down until the final product is thick and dark red.

Even though we genuinely think tomato paste is a must-have item for your pantry, there are instances when you simply produce too much sauce in a single week and run out.

Fortunately, tomato paste may be readily substituted with other tomato-based items without compromising the consistency or taste of your meal. You may substitute tomato paste in almost any recipe without having to make a second grocery trip if you have any other tomato-based goods in your pantry or refrigerator, such as chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato puree, and even ketchup.

See our list of five tomato paste alternatives to ensure you’re never high, dry, and without tomato paste again.

1. Canned Tomatoes

In a pinch, tomato paste can be substituted with either tomato puree or tomato sauce, just be careful to minimize the remaining liquid in the recipe. Use two tablespoons of strained canned tomato liquid from a can of diced or whole tomatoes for every one tablespoon of tomato paste, or replace one tablespoon of tomato paste with two tablespoons of tomato puree or tomato sauce.

To ensure that everything balances out, reduce the remaining liquid in your recipe by two tablespoons.

2. Fresh Tomatoes

Given that tomato paste is prepared by cooking down tomatoes, it makes sense to substitute tomato paste with a fresh tomato that has been modified. One medium tomato, mashed or pureed, and boiled down for about 10 to 15 minutes to concentrate the flavor, is required for every tablespoon of tomato paste.

3. Ketchup

Although tomato paste might not be a regular item in your cupboard, there’s probably a bottle of ketchup hidden somewhere in your fridge. Tomato paste can be easily replaced with ketchup in cooking due to its strong flavor and thick consistency, which can be substituted in a one-to-one ratio.

Make sure to taste as you go because the extra sugar and seasoning in ketchup may lead your finished product to have a slightly different flavor profile.

4. Pureed Red Peppers

Yes, we are aware that red peppers are not actually tomatoes or even members of the tomato family, but try looking beyond the dish for inspiration if you want to avoid using just a certain tomato flavor. Take out that unopened jar of roasted red peppers from your cabinet, purée them in your food processor, and then incorporate the puree into your dish.

Though they might not offer the same thickness as tomato paste, the red peppers will still impart a rich taste, and you can replace one with the other in a 1:1 ratio.

5. DIY Tomato Paste

Perhaps you want to produce your own tomato paste and completely avoid using any ingredients from the shop if you’re an ingredient purist. Although making homemade tomato paste isn’t hard, it does take some time, so be prepared to buy several pounds of tomatoes during the process.

It’s an easy recipe that just calls for quartering the tomatoes, removing the seeds and skin, and simmering them with a tablespoon of olive oil until the right consistency is achieved. Making this necessary ingredient at home is absolutely worth the six hours it may take if you have the time.

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