Tomato Paste
Tomato paste is tomatoes cooked down and reduced to a thick, deeply concentrated paste, used to add intense tomato flavor, color, and body to sauces, stews, and braises.
How to buy
Look for cans or tubes that list just tomatoes, and sometimes salt, without a lot of added filler. Double-concentrated paste, common in Italian and Mediterranean brands, is more intense than typical American brands. Tubes are convenient for small amounts since they reseal, while leftover canned paste needs to be transferred to another container.
How to store
Once opened, transfer any unused canned paste to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze in tablespoon-sized portions, ice cube trays work well, for several months. Resealable tubes can simply be capped and refrigerated for weeks.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Intensely concentrated tomato flavor, deeply savory with noticeable sweetness and acidity. Caramelizing it briefly in fat before adding liquid builds a deep, almost meaty umami richness that raw paste doesn't have.
- Texture
- Thick and dense straight from the can or tube, thinning out considerably once cooked with liquid into a sauce.
- Aroma
- A concentrated, slightly sweet-tangy tomato aroma that turns richer and toastier once briefly fried in fat.
How to prepare
- Caramelized in fat — Cooked briefly in oil or butter until it darkens and deepens before liquid is added.
- Diluted into sauce — Thinned with water, stock, or wine to build pasta sauces, soups, and braises.
- Used as a glaze base — Combined with sugar and vinegar for barbecue sauces and glazes.
- Stirred into stews — Added directly to braises and curries for color, body, and tang.
Classic dishes
American
- Chili con carne — A long-simmered beef and bean chili thickened and deepened with tomato paste.
- Sloppy joes — Ground beef simmered in a sweet-tangy tomato sauce thickened with tomato paste, served on a bun.
Italian
- Bolognese sauce — A slow-cooked meat sauce deepened with tomato paste browned early in the cooking process.
- Marinara sauce — A simple tomato sauce often built from tomato paste thinned with water or stock.
Indian
- Chicken tikka masala — Grilled chicken simmered in a creamy tomato sauce whose richness often comes from tomato paste.
- Butter chicken — A mild, buttery tomato-based curry that gains concentration and color from tomato paste.
French
- Ratatouille — A stewed vegetable dish whose sauce base is often deepened with a spoonful of tomato paste.
- Bouillabaisse — A Provençal fish stew whose broth gains color and savor from tomato paste.
Greek
- Soutzoukakia — Cumin-spiced meatballs simmered in a tomato sauce built from paste and fresh tomatoes.
Vietnamese
- Bun rieu — A tomato-based crab and noodle soup whose broth gets color and tang from tomato paste.
Spanish
- Sofrito-based paella — A Spanish rice dish whose sofrito base often includes tomato paste cooked down with onion and garlic.
Middle Eastern
- Shakshuka — Eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce that gets its body and concentration from tomato paste.
- Moroccan lamb tagine — A slow-braised lamb stew whose sauce base is thickened and colored with tomato paste.
German
- Goulash — A Central European beef stew whose tomato component, alongside paprika, often comes from tomato paste.
Cajun & Creole
- Jambalaya — A rice dish whose Creole-style tomato base relies on browned tomato paste for color and depth.
Ethiopian
- Misir wot — A spiced red lentil stew whose deep red color and body come partly from tomato paste.
Filipino
- Afritada — A Filipino braised chicken or pork stew in a tomato sauce thickened with tomato paste or sauce.