Tomato Paste or Not Tomato Paste?

[Ellyn]

I like to add this as thickener to tomato sauces, especially spaghetti tomato sauces, but my extended family tells me that the flavor is overpowering even though the texture (I also think, and the coloring) is far more preferable.

Do you use tomato paste? In which dishes? How much? Is it always optional?

 

[Food4thought]

I use concentrated tomato paste to make sauces to serve with pasta. I do like the rich tomato taste, but if your family does not, you could try making cream or cheese based pasta sauces. Pesto sauces do not require tomato paste. They are generally made from pine nuts, cheese and herbs.

Tomato paste is a great base for thick spicy sauces or sauces made made with garlic and other herbs.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I often add tomato puree (as it is known here) to anything that I have added tinned tomatoes to because I find their flavour and sweetness to be lacking. Adding tomato puree improves the flavour as far as I am concerned. Depending on what I am making, I will add anything from a couple of tablespoons to, well quite a bit more.

 

[skywatcher]

I always prefer tomato paste - probably because I like the taste better and the atmosphere it gives to the pasta. But this depends, because not everyone in the family likes tomato paste - so we kind of use tomato sauce instead most of the time.

 

[Sweetkymom]

I really try to stay away from the tomato paste, sauce or purée as my kids have severe stomach problems when it comes to acidy additives. Tomato sauce is high in acid, unfortunately.

 

[Ellyn]

I really try to stay away from the tomato paste, sauce or purée as my kids have severe stomach problems when it comes to acidy additives. Tomato sauce is high in acid, unfortunately.

I'm prone to hyperacidity, but tomatoes were on the safe side to me. Corn and duck eggs for some reason are what really set it off.

Then I just recently read that tomato juice can eat through the seasoning of a cast iron pan or pot and make all the food cooked in it taste metallic. That's some acid!

 

[Treeca86]

I love tomato paste. I use it whenever possible. Tomato paste gives spaghetti sauce, soups, stews and chilis a taste that makes it seem like it's been cooked all day, even if I just put it on the stove 30-45 minutes ago.

 

[forextraspecialstuff]

I am not a huge fan of tomato paste because I don't love the texture but I will use it if I think I need it. I don't really ever add it to tomato sauce because while I like a saucy pasta I prefer that it is a little thinner. I usually use tomato paste to thicken a chili if I need to.

 

[LuckyGirl08]

My husband mainly does all the cooking at home. I have seen him use tomato paste in spaghetti and on meat loaf. I asked him why he uses that and he told me that he uses it because it makes the sauce thicker and gives it more flavor.

 

[Ella]

Tomato paste is so useful, I use it with pesto to add some color to the pasta and it also gives it more of a flavor and I use it with olive oil to make a sauce. When I make my own pizza, I use the paste and also when I make mini pizza breads it's easier to use and the toppings tend to stay on better.

I do also use it to thicken some sauces rather than add cornflour. I would say it is a staple of the kitchen and can replace many items if you run out. Here in the UK you can get tubes with garlic in it so that cuts down on adding more seasoning too.

 

[lizzief79]

Tomato puree is something I use on a regular basis. I use it in dishes such as curries, pasta dishes, chilli con carne, stews and sauces. I love the rich flavour it gives to meals and it turns a dish an attractive colour too.

 

[OhioTom76]

Sometimes I would, if I were using canned or crushed tomatoes which were pretty bland. But I do sympathize with your family's concerns, because sometimes dumping even a small can of it into a pot of tomato sauce can make it too sweet and concentrated tasting. Incidentally there is a recipe on Serious Eats, which shows how to make your own tomato paste from fresh tomatoes. They then proceed to make a completely home made sauce from fresh tomatoes prepared three ways - fresh, turned into a puree and stewed, and lastly a home made tomato paste. The logic was that all three preparations gave a multi-layered flavor to the sauce - the fresh taste of the fresh tomatoes added at the end, the long and slow cooked crushed tomatoes, and the sweet concentrated flavor of the tomato paste.

In many cases, if you are making your sauce from crushed tomatoes, read the labels, because some of them (but not all) also include tomato puree/paste already, so there is no need to add even more of it.

Tomato paste is also good in other preparations, such as adding a little bit of it to rice when making a spanish rice, or adding a smidge to a beef soup recipe for some extra flavor.