By Leah Brickley for Food Network Kitchen

Leah is a senior culinary editor at Food Network.

Tomato paste may come up in a small can (or tube), merely information technology packs a powerful dial and is an essential season building block for dishes like chili and beef stew. Attempt to always take a can on hand; later you lot've opened it, actress paste can easily be frozen: pack it into an ice cube tray, freeze, pop out and transfer to a resealable freezer pocketbook. But if you observe yourself in a pinch without tomato paste, don't just omit it – you'll lose all that important tomato plant umami flavour. Most likely you take another form of tomato that can easily substitute tomato paste (and no i volition be the wiser).

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How to Substitute Lycopersicon esculentum Sauce or Puree for Love apple Paste

Y'all don't take to nuance out to the shop if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an splendid substitute.

For every ane tablespoon of tomato paste needed, utilise 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce. Add together the puree or sauce in place of the lycopersicon esculentum paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the puree or sauce has reduced and thickened. You'll have a similar deep, savory flavor.

How to Substitute Canned Tomatoes for Love apple Paste

The sparse tomato juice in canned tomatoes (diced, crushed, or whole) tin can exist used in the same style equally tomato sauce or puree.

For every ane tablespoon of tomato plant paste called for in a recipe, use 3 tablespoons of the canned juice. Add together information technology in identify of the paste and cook, stirring constantly until the juice has reduced and thickened.

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How to Substitute Fresh Tomatoes for Tomato Paste

Fresh tomatoes tin can also stand up in for tomato plant paste: puree until liquified and then follow the same formula: for every 1 tablespoons of tomato paste, apply iii tablespoons of the fresh juice. Add it (forth with a pinch of salt) when the recipe calls for tomato paste, and cook, stirring constantly, until the fresh juice has reduced and thickened.

How to Substitute Ketchup for Tomato Paste

Sometimes condiments tin can come to the rescue. With the appropriate tweaking, a recipe can employ ketchup in identify of tomato paste. Information technology's of import to remember that ketchup has more than sugar than love apple paste and packs a tangier zing. If your recipe calls for sugar and/or vinegar, you may have to lower the amounts to accommodate what ketchup brings to the political party.

Add equal parts ketchup in place of the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until information technology really dries out.