How to Make Tomato Paste

Just a few basic ingredients can make homemade tomato paste that will blow the store-bought kind right out of the water. Instead of a tinny, acidic paste that doesn’t boast much tomato flavor, get ready for a mellow paste with a deep, almost caramelized tomato flavor that can’t be beaten.

Makes about 5 cups (depending on how juicy your tomatoes are)

Course Condiment

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 5

Servings

Calories 79kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

10 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lime juice

Instructions

Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters, removing the stems.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft and the peels begin to detach from the flesh.
Take the pot off the stove and immediately pour the tomatoes into a blender.
Puree until smooth.
Pour it through a sieve and use a spatula to push the tomato sauce through, leaving behind the skin and seeds.
Pour it back into the pot. Add salt and lime juice and cook over low heat for an hour or until it thickens.
Take it off the stove. You can use immediately or store in air tight containers in the refrigerator for

Notes

To get the most flavorful tomato paste, hand-select beautiful and ripe tomatoes. They should be firm but soft enough to give in to a little squeeze, aromatic where the stem was attached, and feel a little heavy. Avoid tomatoes with dark or soft spots or other blemishes.
If you freeze your tomato paste, you can freeze it in ice cube trays and then transfer the little blocks, which will be perfectly portioned for cooking, into a Ziplock bag for storage.
Always wash your tomatoes before cooking to remove any dirt or unwanted residues from getting into your tomato paste.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition