Tomato Puree vs Paste - Key Difference

What Is Tomato Purée?

Tomato purée is a mixture of cooked and strained tomatoes that has been mixed together. Tomato purée is made by blending ripe tomatoes, salt, and citric acid (like lemon juice) in a blender or food processor to achieve a deep, sour flavour. Purée is commonly sold as a canned tomato product, but you may create it with ripe plum or Roma tomatoes at home.

What Is Tomato Paste?

Tomato paste is a thick culinary concentration formed from tomatoes that have been pureed. Cook the tomatoes first, then strain and recook them to make tomato paste. This results in a thick, dense paste with more body and sweetness than puréed tomatoes but less acidity. Many tomato soups, stews, sauces, and ground meat meals including meatballs, meatloaf, and tacos employ tomato paste as a thickening agent.

Tomato Purée vs. Tomato Paste: What's the Difference?

Tomato purée and paste are created from boiled and blended tomatoes and are commonly used in soups, stews, and sauces to provide flavor and texture. Tomato puree and paste, on the other hand, have some distinct differences.

1. They don't have the same consistency. The consistency of tomato paste is thicker than that of tomato purée. Tomato paste is a thick paste that must be spooned or squeezed from a jar. Like a blended sauce, tomato purée is thinner and more liquid. Tomato puree is occasionally formed from a combination of tomato paste and water, whereas paste is made from decreased purée.

2. One of them is tastier than the other. Tomato paste is sweeter and milder than tomato purée, which has the acidic flavour of raw tomatoes.

3. They're cooked in a unique way. Cooked and strained tomatoes are used to make both tomato paste and tomato puree. Tomatoes used to manufacture paste, on the other hand, are cooked longer and reduced to a concentrate once the water has evaporated. Tomato purée is a smooth tomato mixture that is thicker than a sauce but not as thick as a paste.

4. They're applied in distinct ways. With a few tweaks, puree and paste can be used similarly, but tomato paste is normally retained for thickening tomato sauces (like marinara) or adding extra flavour to pasta sauce or pizza sauce. Tomato purée is used in a variety of Italian sauces, including pizza sauce, as well as sauce-based condiments such salsas and dips.

Tomato Purée and Tomato Paste Substitutes

Instead of going to the store, you can use tomato puree to make your own homemade tomato paste. Continue reading to learn how to swap tomato purée for paste and vice versa.

1. Use tomato paste instead of tomato puree. If you run out of tomato purée (or don't have enough fresh tomatoes to make your own), you can produce a tomato purée alternative by mixing equal parts tomato paste and water. If your recipe calls for a cup of tomato puree, mix half a cup of tomato paste with half a cup of water until it achieves the necessary consistency.

2. Use tomato puree instead of tomato paste. Purée can be used in place of paste at a 1:3 ratio. Use three teaspoons of puree for every tablespoon of tomato paste in the recipe. In a saucepan, cook the puree until the water content is reduced and it thickens into a pastier consistency.