Several pantry staples work well as a substitute for tomato paste, with tomato purée simmered to thicken being the top choice—use 2 tablespoons of purée for every 1 tablespoon of paste needed.
Hitting the bottom of a tomato paste tube mid-recipe is frustrating, but the fix is likely already in your kitchen. Most substitutes need nothing more than a quick simmer to match paste’s concentrated flavor and thickness. The key is picking the right swap and adjusting the moisture—get that right, and no one will know you substituted at all.
Tomato Purée: The Best Substitute for Tomato Paste
Tomato purée is the closest match to paste because it is already cooked and strained. Use 2 tablespoons of purée for every 1 tablespoon of paste. Simmer it over medium heat for about 10 minutes to thicken and concentrate the flavor before adding it to your recipe. If you skip the reduction, reduce other liquids in the dish by 1 tablespoon.
What Is the Ratio for Other Common Substitutes?
Each substitute has a different water content and sweetness level, so the ratio matters. Ketchup is the only swap that works at a 1:1 ratio, while thinner sauces need 2 to 3 times the volume of paste called for.
Ratios at a glance:
- Ketchup: 1:1 ratio. Best for sweet-leaning dishes like chili and sloppy joes. Cook it down if using in larger amounts.
- Tomato sauce: 2 to 3 tablespoons per tablespoon of paste. Simmer until reduced by half.
- Strained canned tomatoes: 2 tablespoons per tablespoon of paste. Strain excess liquid first, then simmer until reduced by half.
- Fresh tomatoes: 3 tablespoons of puree per tablespoon of paste.
- Tomato passata: 3 tablespoons per tablespoon of paste for a lazy swap, or reduce to one-third volume and use 1:1.
- Canned tomato soup: 3 tablespoons per tablespoon of paste. Reduce other liquids by ¼ to ½ cup.
How to Simmer Each Substitute to the Right Consistency
The step that makes or breaks a substitute is removing enough water. A thin sauce added at the same volume as paste will make the dish watery and dilute the tomato flavor.
For tomato sauce and strained canned tomatoes, bring double the amount called for to a boil, then simmer until the volume is reduced by half. Stir occasionally. For ketchup, cook it in a small pan over medium heat while stirring constantly until it dries out to a paste-like thickness—this works best when the recipe uses cup-sized amounts. Fresh tomatoes must be pureed until smooth before simmering; chunky tomato pieces will not thicken evenly and leave texture problems in the final dish.
If you finish simmering and the substitute is still thinner than paste, stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water. This fixes watery results from tomato soup or juice-based swaps.
When to Use Non-Tomato Umami Stand-Ins
If the recipe relies on tomato paste for savory depth rather than tomato flavor itself, a few non-tomato options can fill that role. These work for dishes where paste is a background note (stews, braises, sauces) rather than a starring ingredient.
Soy sauce adds salty umami—use 1 teaspoon for every tablespoon of paste, but skip it if you need any tomato taste or thickening. A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce or 1 tablespoon of red pepper puree also work. Miso paste mixed with a little water or broth to a spreadable consistency can mimic the savory richness of tomato paste without adding sweetness.
FAQs
Does ketchup work as a tomato paste substitute in all recipes?
Ketchup works best in recipes that already contain sweet or tangy elements, such as chili, barbecue sauce, or meatloaf. Its sugar content makes it a poor fit for savory stews, curries, or tomato-based pasta sauces where the added sweetness will clash with other flavors.
Can I use tomato juice instead of tomato paste?
Tomato juice is too thin to replace paste directly. If tomato juice is all you have, simmer ½ cup of juice until it reduces to roughly 2 tablespoons of thick concentrate, then use that reduced amount at a 1:1 ratio for paste. The simmering step is essential to remove excess water.
Why does my substitute make the dish watery?
The most common mistake is skipping the reduction step. Tomato sauce, passata, and canned tomatoes all contain far more water than paste. Always simmer the substitute until it thickens by half (or to your eyeball test of paste-like consistency) before adding it, or reduce other liquids in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons per tablespoon of paste you are replacing.
References & Sources
- Food Network. “Tomato Paste Substitute.” Lists top substitutes with exact ratios and simmering instructions.
- Allrecipes. “7 Clever Substitutes for Tomato Paste.” Covers ketchup and canned tomato methods with ratio guidance.
- The Spruce Eats. “How to Make Tomato Paste.” Details reduction technique and simmer times for substitutes.
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