Making tomato paste isn’t difficult, but it should be done the right way when you have plenty of time. Like fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers must be seeded, chopped, puréed in a food processor or blender, and simmered to reduce the moisture and thicken the sauce. Red bell peppers are a good substitute for tomato paste - or for any tomato product, for that matter, if you happen to have an intolerance to tomatoes.

Substitute five tablespoons of bell peppers for every one tablespoon of tomato paste. Then allow the tomatoes to simmer to reduce the amount of water in the fruit and to let the sauce thicken. Dice the tomato halves or purée them in a food processor. Halve the tomatoes and then remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon or other utensil. Substitute five tablespoons of fresh tomatoes for every one tablespoon of tomato paste.įresh tomatoes from your local grocery store or farmer’s market may also be used as a substitute for tomato paste in some instances however, because fresh tomatoes contain a significant amount of water, this may not always be ideal. Sauces made with stewed tomatoes are chunkier and not as smooth as sauces made using other alternatives, but stewed-tomato sauces are richer in flavor. Additionally, they are not without extra liquid and require proper draining and simmering. Stewed tomatoes, however, are pre-seasoned. The flavor profile of stewed tomatoes is similar to that of tomato paste, since both are cooked down. Stewed tomatoes are unequivocally the closest you will get to a perfect substitute for tomato paste. Substitute four tablespoons of drained stewed tomatoes for every one tablespoon of tomato paste. Remember that both tomato sauce and ketchup are watery in consistency, and they will need to be reduced by being simmered down on a stovetop. Combining ketchup and tomato sauce will result in some of that bold flavor that tomato paste produces in so many dishes. It’s best if used with a tomato sauce, since it is challenging to thicken ketchup alone. However, you can still use it if it’s all you have in your pantry. Ketchup is the least-recommended substitution on this list, since its thin consistency and many preservatives will greatly affect the flavor of your dish. Substitute two tablespoons of ketchup for every one tablespoon of tomato paste. If the recipe you’re using calls for additional water, skip it, since your sauce will still be thinner than traditional tomato paste.

Tomato sauce contains a substantial amount of water and can be reduced by allowing it to simmer on the stovetop to thicken. Substitute two to three tablespoons of tomato sauce for every one tablespoon of tomato paste.Īlthough tomato sauce is much thinner than tomato paste and contains added sugars, it is still possible to use it as a substitute for tomato paste in a pinch. If you don’t have a can of tomato paste handy, though, a good substitute or a homemade version will suffice. Using a good tomato paste is imperative for dishes that require this ingredient. The reduction of the strained tomatoes results in a deep, rich, full-bodied flavor that is challenging to recreate with other methods. Tomato paste does not contain preservatives or sugars. The tomatoes are cooked down and strained to form a thick, dense paste. Tomato paste, unlike tomato sauce, consists only of concentrated tomatoes.

Ketchup to tomato paste substitute