If you’re wondering how long tomato puree lasts in the refrigerator, you’re not alone. You’ve undoubtedly tried a few various brands, and the shelf life may vary greatly depending on whether you buy canned, tubed, or homemade. Read on to learn more about the different options available. Regardless of whether you choose homemade or tubed versions, the key is to purchase puree that has the highest possible shelf life.
Therefore, the shelf life in the refrigerator is 12 to 15 days, while the shelf life in the freezer is 3 to 4 months. Therefore, purée your excess tomatoes and freeze them in ice cube trays if you don’t know what to do with them.
How Long does Tomato Puree Last in the Fridge?
As a result, the shelf life of tomato puree in the freezer and refrigerator is three to four months and twelve to fifteen days, respectively. Purée some tomatoes and freeze the result in ice cube trays if you have a lot of them and are unsure what to do with them.
You might be lacking the cooking necessity of tomato purée. A bushel of fresh tomatoes can be rapidly prepared and frozen for later use with tomato purée, which is easier to make and a little thicker than its tasty cousin, tomato sauce. Tomato purée can be used to make tomato soup or sauce. It can be used to cook rice for a vibrant side dish or to make a show-stopping paella with rice and seafood. And it makes a fantastic foundation for homemade barbecue sauce.
A knife, a blender, and a little bit of time are all you need to prepare tomato purée to store in your freezer and use all year long.
Tubed Paste
A tube of tomato paste lasts a long time in the fridge. It’s best to purchase the tubed variety as it lasts longer than the canned variety. A tubed paste will last for six to eight weeks. Tubes are also easier to use than cans. If you don’t have time to cook with it right away, you can freeze it to extend its life. It can also be used for several other recipes.
You can buy tomato paste in a tube or a jar. The latter lasts for a week or two longer in the fridge. A tubed variety will keep for 6 to 8 weeks while a can will only last for five to seven days. The tubed variety can also be frozen for later use. There’s no need to throw away perfectly good food. Instead, freeze the rest and use it whenever you need it.
Canned Paste
Canned tomato puree lasts for about three months, at which point it should be used. After this, you should keep it in a cool, dry place away from light and heat. You can place it in the pantry or refrigerator. After that, you can transfer it into an airtight container, seal it with cling wrap or plastic wrap, and then use it right away. For a longer shelf-life, you can freeze it.
While tomatoes will lose their flavor, fragrance, and nutritional value after the expiration date, canned tomato paste can be used for up to 18 months after the date. Be sure not to break or tamper with the can to extend its shelf-life. It’s better to make your tomato sauce instead, which will keep you longer. And it will taste better too. Just remember to store it properly.
Homemade Paste
If you have a blender and you love the taste of homemade tomato puree, you might want to freeze some for later. Tomato puree will keep in the fridge for 8-9 months without spoiling. Unlike canned tomato paste, however, it does require a few extra steps. First, boil or fry the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are cooked, strain them to remove the seeds. Then, freeze in ice cube trays or an airtight container.
The tomato paste will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days if it is sealed in a glass container. This will prevent a sour flavor from developing, but you should throw it out if it develops an off smell or has a broken can. In addition to preventing a sour flavor, the jar must be stored in a cool, dry place with a tight lid or bands.
Is it Ok to Use Out-of-Date Tomato Puree?
Tomato puree sold in stores is frequently labeled with a “Best By,” “Best if Used By,” “Best Before,” or “Best When Used By” date. The manufacturer’s prediction of how long the tomato puree will stay at its best quality, given proper storage and undamaged cans, rather than a safety date, is what this date represents.
Can we Store Tomato Puree in the Fridge?
The shelf life of pureed tomatoes is increased, and they can be stored in the refrigerator without the need for any additional preservatives or chemicals. You can preserve tomatoes differently so that they can be kept for a longer period if you don’t want to sacrifice flavor or spend a lot of money on them.
How Long is Tomato Sauce Good for in the Fridge?
Once opened, tomato-based sauces have a shelf life of roughly five to seven days. Avoid sitting about and waiting for the mold to grow. Even if the mold in the sauce isn’t apparent to the human eye after five days, it can still be there. Why take a chance when some molds produce chemicals that are potentially harmful to humans?
How you can Make the Perfect Tomato Puree?
Making tomato puree is simple and quick; all you need to do is take one kilogram of tomatoes, wash them well, and cut them into dice. Put them in a container with water now; the puree can also be made in a pressure cooker. After that, add one and a half teaspoons of salt and sugar to the mixture, bring it to a boil, and then simmer it for two to three minutes. The tomatoes will start to mush. Allow them to cool, then strain the mushy, pulpy liquid to obtain a fine consistency. Don’t throw away the larger pieces. Add them after grinding them. You can use your puree now.
Reference: Effect of the addition of tomato paste on the nutritional and sensory properties of mortadella
How to Store Tomato Puree?
It all comes down to how well you store the puree, and depending on how much you use it, you can keep it for around two months. The puree only has to be placed in an airtight container. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays. Every time you need to mix up gravy, use the cubes. Make sure to always scoop out the necessary amount with a dry spoon if you are storing the puree in liquid form. Every time, simply remove the precise amount of puree you need, as pulling out the entire batch and letting it soften would only ruin it or shorten its shelf life.
Things to remember
- If you plan to freeze the puree, avoid storing it in glass containers since as food freezes, it expands and puts pressure on the container, breaking it. Instead, keep it in plastic containers.
- Never add the puree directly to the food you are cooking whenever you wish to use it. Watch for it to start to soften. A day before using it, you should ideally remove it from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator.
- Salt and sugar can be omitted from the purée.
- Avoid exposing the pressure cooker or the container to heat for an extended amount of time while making the puree because it could make the tomatoes taste bitter.
- Use ripe tomatoes because they have a lot of pulp and will give the puree a lovely bright red color.
Prepare this tomato puree quickly and enjoy the greatest curries this season without blowing your money.
How to Freeze Tomato Puree in Ice Cubes?
This approach is perfect if you simply want to a small amount of puree to a recipe. For an additional nutritious boost, you could even stir a cube or two of puree into a glass of juice.
- Create a puree
As stated above, prepare and cool your tomato puree. - Fill an ice cube tray with the portion
Take a few ice cube trays with you. If you want a bit more tomato puree per serving, you could also use silicone cupcakes or muffin tins. Fill each space in the ice cube tray with tomato puree. To allow the tomato puree to expand in the freezer, leave a little opening at the top. - Quick Freeze
In the freezer, place the ice cube tray. Keep it level to prevent spills. Once the cubes have completely frozen, give them a few hours to do so. - Place in a Bag
Put the frozen tomato puree ice cubes in a freezer bag after removing the ice cube tray from the freezer. Seal the freezer bag tightly after labeling it. - Freeze
Return this to the freezer to preserve it. Now that you’ve frozen tomato puree in cubes, you may use them whenever you need them and should be able to take out exactly the right number of cubes for your recipe.
3 Additional Tips for Freezing Tomato Puree
Now that you know how to freeze it, here are our top three recommendations for getting the greatest results from freezing tomato puree:
- Considerations – Making ice cubes out of it is the ideal option if you just ever need a tablespoon or two to give your meal a boost of tomato flavor. Because of this, you should think about your usage.
- Try New Things — If you’re producing your tomato puree, don’t be scared to try some new things. Garlic cloves, fresh herbs, chili flakes, or nutmeg grated all work well as seasonings.
- Label It – If you’ve decided to try some different flavors of tomato puree and have frozen them, be sure to label each one with the flavor so you’ll know what to take out of the freezer when you need it.
Conclusion
A paste made from dried tomatoes will keep longer than one made from fresh tomatoes. If properly maintained, store-bought food can be preserved in the fridge for longer than homemade food (in an airtight container).
Tubed paste keeps better in the fridge or on the counter than canned paste, so if you can, stock up on it instead. Only a few days after opening the can, the tubed paste can be stored in the refrigerator for around six to eight weeks.