How to Store Tomato Paste?

Freezing tomato paste extends its shelf life by preventing it from fermenting. Before freezing, open jars should be reheated until they are liquid. Before freezing, check to ensure that the jar does not contain bacteria or mold. It is not safe to eat old tomato paste as it can cause stomach pain, dehydration, and fever. It will not hurt you to eat it if you have enough, but eating it too soon could make you sick.

Check out this guide if you’ve ever wondered how to tell if tomato paste is accurate. The paste’s taste, color, and texture all reveal whether it is decaying or not. If your tomato paste is stained or has an unpleasant scent, it is unquestionably molded. The watery or runny mixture should not be used to cook with; it should be discarded. Even though the paste is still safe to consume, the flavor may change, leaving your gourmet dishes tasting like water.

Tomato Paste

Tomato Paste

A condensed version of tomato sauce is tomato paste. Tomato paste can be made by scalding tomatoes, removing the skin and seeds from the mixture, and then thickening the sauce. Stabilizers such as citric acid, salt (some varieties without salt), and occasionally herbs and spices are added by tomato paste manufacturers.

To increase its efficacy, tomato paste is now offered in triple- and double-concentrated varieties. If you want to make great, strongly flavored meals, you must always have tomato paste on hand in your cupboard. It can be used to make a straightforward recipe, such as soup or sauce, into something genuinely special.

Because a little bit goes a long way, tomato paste is sometimes marketed in little 6-ounce cans. Even the smallest can of tomato paste is substantial considering that the majority of recipes just call for a tablespoon or two. The leftovers can always be frozen for later use or put in the fridge (hoping you remember to eat them before they go bad) (read more on the best way to do this below).

Alternatively, switching to tomato paste in a tube instead of a can would be preferred (maybe our favorite option). Here are some general informational facts regarding tomato paste, reasons to buy it in a tube, and some possible recipes.

How to Store Tomato Paste?

There are a few methods for preserving leftover tomato paste. If you plan to use the remaining paste within a week of opening the can, you can look in the refrigerator, or if you don’t currently have any other plans, you can look in the freezer. In either case, the tomato paste needs to be carefully preserved to be kept safe.

Option for the refrigerator: Place any remaining tomato paste in an airtight container and place it there. Use the tiniest container you can—even a baggie—to ensure that it has the fewest air bubbles. Never keep it in the can as a storage solution.

Options for freezing tomato paste include:

Using an old ice cube tray; spoon the leftover tomato paste into the tray and freeze it.

After being frozen, place the cubes in an airtight freezer container with a label for use within three months.

Make use of a baking sheet by placing level tablespoons of the paste spaced an inch apart on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with wax paper.

Ten level teaspoons of tomato paste are contained in a six-ounce can.

The tomato paste blobs should be frozen until solid before being placed in a freezer-safe bag for storage.

The paste is pre-measured and ready to use, so there is no need to measure it when using it.

Can-less Option: If you frequently use a tiny amount of tomato paste, think about buying it in tubes rather than cans. After squeezing out the required amount, a tube can be opened and kept in the refrigerator for approximately 6 weeks. When you open the tube, write the date on it with a permanent marker. This approach is slightly more expensive up front, but it can wind up saving you money if your leftover tomato paste simply starts to mildew in the fridge. How many times have I used discovered a little, nearly unidentifiable, mold-ridden container at the back of the refrigerator before realizing that it must have been tomato paste?

How to Spot Bad Tomato Paste?

Tomato paste can be maintained for several months or even a year in the refrigerator, but if you don’t, it will go bad sooner. Only purchase a few tablespoons at once to preserve the paste’s quality. Make sure you only buy tomato paste when absolutely essential to save money. If something goes wrong, discard it immediately away.

Glass jars, tubes, and cans can all be used to store tomato paste. It’s crucial to keep them out of direct sunlight, in a calm, dry atmosphere, and cover the well to prevent mold growth and odors. If unsure, sample a few jars to find out what kind of paste is within. Tomato paste is available even in glass tubes.

Despite being one of the ingredients that are used the most often, tomato paste takes some time to ingest. When it is not opened, tomato paste, a common component in almost all recipes, has a six-month shelf life. If properly preserved, tomato paste can last for a few weeks. Keep an eye out for any surface spots or mold. It’s time to fix them if they have these issues.

Utilizing tomato paste before it expires is the best technique to judge its caliber. Tomato paste jars that haven’t been opened in months aren’t likely to go bad, but they might if you do. A pot that has a few months left on the shelf should still be functional.

Can Tomato Paste be Frozen?

Undoubtedly, tomato paste can be frozen, but this has the disadvantage that as it defrosts, the paste loses quality. Thankfully, tomato paste is widely used in prepared recipes, so this little change seldom gets noticed. There is a more effective method than simply freezing the leftover paste in a freezer-safe container. The food should now be frozen in ice cube trays. Freezing is easy with ice cube trays, and clean-up is straightforward.

How to do it is as follows: The tray should be filled with paste. Place the tray in the freezer when the cubes have hardened, and leave it there for a few hours.

After taking the tray out of the freezer, put the cubes in a freezer bag. Add a label with your name and the date, if you’d like. There ought to be where you put the freezer bag. Simple, right? After the procedure is finished, all that is left to do is clean the ice cube pans.

Tomato paste containers that have not been opened should be kept in a cool, dry location away from heat and light. Keep glass jars away from the heat and sunlight. Tomato paste must be refrigerated after being opened. You must use it within two weeks of receiving it. For later usage, the leftover paste can also be put in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator. You don’t want to risk it getting ruined by bacterial development.

How is Tomato Paste Used?

There are lots of excellent uses for tomato paste. Want to make quick homemade tomato sauce? Would you like some creamy tomato soup and some grilled cheese? A vital component that rapidly adds a tonne of tomato flavor is tomato paste. Tomato paste can be used to make tomato-heavy foods like sauces and soups as well as to enhance the flavor of other meals. This is what we used to make our recipes for Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken, Air-Fryer Zucchini Fries, and Jackfruit Sloppy Joes.

Most likely, you have a tube or can of tomato paste waiting to be opened in a cabinet. Tomato paste is obviously a crucial component in cooking; even if you don’t plan to use it in a meal, you’ll still put it on your shopping list because you never know when you’ll need it.

In terms of ingredients, Sophina Uong, chef and owner of Mister Mao in New Orleans, likens tomato paste to the “little black dress.” “You must keep it in your cupboard for that extra caramelized umami depth, sweetness, and velvety richness of color. One of those essential ingredients, tomato paste, teaches chefs the building blocks of great sauce creation.

In addition, I believe tomato paste is a useful addition to many kitchens because of how much flavor it brings to a variety of recipes, says chef and culinary writer Marta Rivera Diaz of Sense and Edibility. An excellent illustration is a way a small amount of tomato paste can replace large amounts of tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes, both of which will dilute the meal they are added to, in dishes like chili, stews, or beans.

Reference: The effects of manothermosonication on tomato pectic enzymes and tomato paste rheological properties

What could I Use in Place of Tomato Paste?

Tomato paste is a tomato sauce that has been compressed. It’s acceptable to use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Instead of the one tablespoon of tomato paste that your recipe calls for, substitute three tablespoons of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Because the tomato dish has more juice, it will take a bit longer to reduce and thicken the sauce. Fresh tomato proportions in perfect proportion work just as well. Despite coming in a little can (or tube), tomato paste has a strong flavor and is an essential ingredient in meals like beef stew and chili.

Try to always have a can of paste on hand. After it has been opened, the surplus paste can be frozen; just pack it into an ice cube tray, freeze it, then remove it and put it in a freezer bag with a lid. You shouldn’t just leave out the tomato paste, though, if you’re in a bind and don’t have any on hand because you’ll miss all the umami flavor that tomatoes provide. Most likely, you have another variety of tomatoes that can take the place of tomato paste (and no one will be the wiser).

Conclusion

Freezing tomato paste can help the product maintain its freshness for months. The low water content of this product helps it freeze well, retaining its velvety texture and flavor. This method also prolongs the shelf life of open containers. It can also help you save money because you can freeze portions that you can use whenever you want.

To make the best use of your tomato paste, it’s a good idea to use the best possible storage container. Using an airtight jar will prevent moisture from escaping and keep your paste fresh. Glass jars and cling wrap are also convenient storage options. They are also environmentally friendly, as they produce less waste than plastic bags.