Tomato Paste Recipe: How to Make Tomato Paste

Tomato paste is a thick paste that results from cooking down fresh tomatoes or a canned tomato product until the flavor concentrates and the excess water and tomato juice evaporates. Removing the seeds and tomato skins produces a smooth paste that’s a pantry staple for adding flavor to Italian dishes and other types of cuisine.

Here are three tomato products you can use to make tomato paste:

1. 1. Crushed tomatoes: Outside of tomato season or any time a bulk amount of fresh tomatoes is less accessible, use canned crushed tomatoes to make tomato paste. Purée the tomatoes in a food processor, in a high-powered blender, or with an immersion blender until the mixture is smooth. Then run the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to separate the skins and seeds. Place the strained tomato mixture into a pot on the stovetop or on a sheet pan in the oven. Then cook it at a low temperature for hours, until the tomato mixture reduces by about three-quarters and is deep red and thick.
2. 2. Fresh tomatoes: Use Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or any other tomatoes available for tomato paste. Roast the chopped tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil and salt in the oven on a rimmed baking sheet. This draws excess moisture out, kickstarting the tomato paste process. Then run the cooked tomatoes through a food mill to separate the skins and seeds. Transfer the remaining tomato pulp to a pot on the stove. Cook the mixture on low heat until it reduces and is thick.
3. 3. Tomato purée: Instead of processing other forms of tomatoes to get to the tomato purée stage, start homemade tomato paste with tomato purée. Pour a can of tomato purée into a pot on the stove and cook it at a low simmer for a couple of hours until it reduces by much more than half, is a deep red color, and has a strong tomato flavor.

Many Italian recipes, especially pasta dishes, call for a can of tomato paste to boost the dish’s tomato flavor or to serve as a base for a sauce recipe. Here are four dishes that incorporate the ingredient:

• Margherita pizza: A base for cheese and other toppings, pizza sauce is rich, savory, and slightly sweet, and adding tomato paste to a store-bought or homemade pizza sauce enhances the tomato flavor. Incorporate tomato paste in a margherita pizza recipe—a dish that relies on a standout pizza sauce in addition to fresh oregano, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil.
• Sausage Bolognese: A hearty dish, a sausage Bolognese recipe uses ground meat, tomato purée (or canned tomatoes, depending on accessibility), and water. The mixture cooks at a low temperature on the stovetop for hours to develop the flavors and create the thick texture. Add tomato paste at the end of the cooking process to brighten and increase the tomato flavor. You can use different types of meat in a Bolognese sauce or even make a meatless Bolognese if you prefer.
• Spaghetti with marinara sauce: For an all-purpose tomato sauce or marinara sauce, use tomato paste in addition to other tomatoes. Cook the tomato paste in olive oil with aromatics to intensify the flavor and caramelize the natural sugars in the paste. Combine the marinara sauce with spaghetti and meatballs or lasagna, or use it atop meatloaf instead of ketchup. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over this comfort food dish for a cheesy touch.
• Tomato soup: Tomato paste adds body and richness to a stew or soup, whether tomatoes are only a minor ingredient or the main ingredient, as with tomato soup. For a soup with depth, add puréed roasted veggies to the soup pot along with tomato paste, fresh basil stems, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes.