Thick, Rich Homemade Tomato Paste
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A DIY recipe for thick, smooth tomato paste made from scratch. You can make this recipe using fresh garden tomatoes or canned tomatoes. This recipe transforms one 28-ounce can or two pounds of fresh, red tomatoes into about 3/4 cup of rich paste (and it can be doubled or tripled).
Rich and tasty, the best tomato paste is a must-have pantry staple — it enriches soups, amplifies flavor in many of my pasta sauces and so much more.
Making tomato paste is an excellent way to use up and preserve a bounty of fresh red garden tomatoes, or as an easy project to make with everyday canned tomatoes.
Tomato paste contains an abundance of the amino acids that are the source of umami. It’s basically the essence of tomato — it’s made simply by cooking tomatoes and all their juices until they become thick and concentrated.
- Types of tomatoes: Use best-quality canned tomatoes packed in their own juices, or use fresh or homegrown plum (roma) tomatoes, which have less water than slicing tomatoes. Because they can be expensive, I suggest saving heirloom tomatoes to use fresh in a salad or other dish.
How to make it
If you’ve ever made a fruit butter with apples or pears, the process of making tomato paste will seem familiar.
1. Put the tomatoes in a large pot, such as a Dutch oven or soup pot. 2. Simmer the tomatoes slowly on the stovetop for about 1 hour, until they fall apart and most of the liquid is reduced.
3. Push the tomato pulp through a food mill or a sieve or mesh stainer to remove the seeds and skins. 
4. Discard the seeds and peels, or add to your compost.
6. You should have a little more than 1 cup of strained tomato puree. 7. Spread the puree on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space around the edges.
8. Bake for 30 minutes at 275 degrees. 9. The puree should appear dry on the edges, with cracks in the surface.
10. Scrape the paste off the parchment and transfer to a clean glass jar. 
11. The paste keeps up to a month refrigerated and 3 months in the freezer.
How to use it
- Tomato paste amps up the flavor of any tomato sauce, everything thing from homemade pizza sauce, to classic Italian meat sauce.
- Add a spoonful to your favorite meatloaf recipe.
- Create a simple, complex tasting sauce in dishes like braised Chicken and Red Wine Vinegar and simple baked chicken thighs with shallots and Dijon.
Thick, Rich Homemade Tomato Paste
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes, or 2 pounds halved fresh plum or vine tomatoes
Instructions
Yield: About ¾ cup
- Put the tomatoes in a large heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Bring to a simmer (not a raging boil) over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to be sure the tomatoes aren't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium-low or low, depending on your stove, adjusted to maintain a slow bubble. Cook uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very thick and a spoon scraped along the bottom of the pan makes a clear path. The tomatoes should be reduced to about 1 cup, and most of the liquid will be evaporated.
- Preheat the oven to 275 (135 C).
Puree and strain the tomatoes
- Using a food mill: Insert the finest disc and set the food mill over a medium bowl. Transfer the tomatoes to the food mill. Turn the crank until the tomatoes are pureed, leaving just the seeds, skins and other solids behind. Using a mesh colander: Put the tomatoes in a fine-mesh colander set over a bowl. Use a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon to push the tomatoes through the colander. Discard the seeds (or compost them).
- Line a small rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment. You can also use a shallow 1-quart Pyrex baking dish and skip the parchment paper. Spread the tomato puree in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.
- Bake the tomato paste 30-40 minutes, until the edges look dry and slightly caramelized and the top has a few cracks.
- Cool 10-15 minutes, then scrape the tomato paste into a sterilized glass jar with a lid.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Tomato paste keeps in the freezer for months and refrigerator 3-4 weeks.
- Be sure to use very clean glass jars or sterilized jars for refrigerator storage.
- Before refrigerating, pour a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the paste. This creates a seal which helps prevent mold formation.
- Silicone ice cube trays that hold 2 tablespoons per portion are perfect for freezer storage — fill, freeze and pop out the cubes you need for your recipe.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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If using fresh tomatoes do you add any water to the Dutch oven?
No, you don’t need to add water. Fresh tomatoes will exude moisture in the pot.
I absolutely love tomato paste and have never had a recipe that allowed me to make my own. Thank you!