Tomato Paste Recipe

When your garden is overflowing with ripe tomatoes, it is the perfect time to make homemade tomato paste. This tomato paste recipe has only three ingredients and there are two options for storing the tomato paste. Once you know how to make homemade tomato paste, store bought will no longer be an option for you.

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When your garden is overflowing with ripe tomatoes, it is the perfect time to make homemade tomato paste. This tomato paste recipe has only three ingredients and there are two options for storing. Once you know how to make it, store-bought will no longer be an option for you.

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🍅 Homemade Tomato Paste

If you are at the end of your fresh tomato supply and you have canned, juiced, dried and enjoyed tomatoes until you can't look at another tomato...WAIT! I have one more. Yes, it can be done. Just like anything that is quality, it takes time and love.

🍅 Tomato Paste Ingredients:

• Tomatoes: any variety but Roma tomatoes are preferred because they have a lower moisture content. Lower moisture = less time until you get to tomato paste!
• Olive oil: just a drizzle
• Bay leaves: 1 per two pounds of tomatoes

🥣 Helpful Kitchen Tools

🔪 How To Make Tomato Paste:

1. Wash and chop your tomatoes.
2. In a hot pan drizzle a little bit of olive oil. I did about a tablespoon.
3. Add your tomatoes and cook until soft.
4. Pass the soft tomatoes through a food mill.
5. Once you have a tomato pulp and puree, return it to the stove and add 1 bay leaf per 2 pounds of tomatoes.
6. Cook on medium-high to big heat to reduce the tomatoes down to the above consistency. Be sure to stir and scrape down the edges and the bottom of the pot. The longer the tomatoes reduce into a paste, the lower you should turn down the temperature.
7. Portion into 4 ounce canning jars and water bath can or freeze in ice cube trays.

Why is a food mill used to make tomato paste?

The food mill makes easy work of removing the seeds and the skins of the tomatoes.  It is so much easier than blanching the skins off of the tomatoes and removing the seeds by hand. I never get all the seeds out when I try and remove them by hand. The food mill is well worth the investment.

What is the difference between tomato puree and tomato paste?

The difference is consistency and moisture content. Tomato puree has a thicker consistency than tomato juice and a deeper flavor whereas tomato paste has almost all of the moisture removed by cooking it out. 

What is the purpose of tomato paste?

Tomato paste is used to thicken, color, and enhance the flavor of tomato sauces and other liquids such as soups and stews without adding extra volume to the dish. Tomato paste is usually found added to Italian dishes but many other recipes benefit from the addition of tomato paste to include bolognese, pizza casserole, and even sous vide beef burgundy. If you have an overabundance of tomatoes you will want to learn to can diced tomatoes as well. 

❄️ Storage Tips

How to freeze tomato paste in portions

1. Using my silicone brownie squares baking mold I pipped the tomato paste into each square.
2. If you don't have a pastry bag you can always snip the corner off of a resealable plastic bag. I think a gallon bag would work well in this example.
3. If you need ANOTHER option, you can always just spoon the paste into each cavity. I was going for 'neat' so I used the pastry bag.
4. Once done, pop them in the freezer until frozen through.
5. Flip them over and they easily pop right out. I love silicone bakeware for applications like this one.
6. Store in an airtight container in the freezer and you have proportioned tomato paste. I am calling each square a tablespoon.

How to portion out tomato paste without a mold.

1. If you don't have the silicone brownie squares baking mold there is still YET ANOTHER method of storing.
2. Pipe or dab out little 1 tablespoon blobs on a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.
3. Freeze till solid and then store in an airtight container in the freezer.

So there is yet ANOTHER way to use up the end-of-season tomatoes. Make your own tomato paste!

📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

More homemade recipes:

• Black Raspberry Pie
• Pickled Bananna Peppers

Printable Recipe Card

Homemade Tomato Paste

Sarah Mock

When your garden is overflowing with ripe tomatoes, it is the perfect time to make homemade tomato paste. This tomato paste recipe has only three ingredients and there are two options for storing the tomato paste. Once you know how to make homemade tomato paste, store bought will no longer be an option for you.

4.41 from 45 votes

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Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 3 hrs

Total Time 3 hrs 15 mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark, toggle to button to the right to turn GREEN

Course Canning Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 223 kcal

EQUIPMENT

Canning Funnel

Canning Popper

Canning Jar Lifter

4 ounce ball jars

Granite Ware Stock Pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 pounds roma tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 each Bay leaf

Instructions

 

How To Make Tomato Paste:

• Wash and chop your tomatoes.
• In a hot pan drizzle a little bit of olive oil. I did about an tablespoon
• Add your tomatoes and cook until soft.
• Pass the soft tomatoes through a food mill.
• Once you have a tomato pulp and puree, return it to the stove and add 1 bay leaf per 2 pounds of tomatoes.
• Cook on medium high to big heat to reduce the tomatoes down to the above consistency. Be sure to stir and scrape down the edges and the bottom of the pot. The longer the tomatoes reduce into paste, the lower you should turn down the temperature.
• Portion into 4 ounce canning jars and water bath can or freeze in ice cube trays.

Canning Tomato Paste Instructions

• Portioned out the tomato paste into 4 ounce canning jars.
• Leave ¼ inch head space on the top.
• Process in a hot water bath for 40 minutes. That is right. 40 minutes. These guys may be small but the contents in them are dense.

How to freeze home made tomato paste in portions

• Using my piping bag I pipped the tomato paste into each square. If you don't have a pastry bag you can always snip the corner off of a resealable plastic bag. I think a gallon bag would work well in this example.
• If you need ANOTHER option, you can alway just spoon the tomato paste into each cavity. I was going for 'neat' so I used the pastry bag.
• Once done, pop them in the freezer until frozen through.
• Flip them over and they easily pop right out. I love silicone bake ware for applications like this one.
• Store in an air tight container in the freezer and you have proportioned tomato paste. I am calling each square a tablespoon of tomato paste.

Video

Notes

The approximate eight pounds of tomatoes I started with took just over 3 hours to reduce to the above consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 46mgFiber: 11gSugar: 24g

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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*This recipe was originally posted on Sept. 23, 2103