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Making a homemade tomato paste from scratch is easier than you may think. It's the perfect way to conserve excess tomatoes from your garden. It can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker. Learn how to make it, and how to conserve it for later. #thethingswellmake #miy #tomatopaste #tomatosauce #tomatorecipes #tomatoes #freezing #canning #preservingfood #homesteading #homesteadingskills #pantrybasics

Easy Homemade Tomato Paste Recipe

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Last Modified: June 4, 2020 // by Tracy Ariza, DDS // November 16, 2016 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

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Making a homemade tomato paste from scratch is easier than you may think. It's the perfect way to conserve excess tomatoes from your garden. It can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker. Learn how to make it, and how to conserve it for later. #thethingswellmake #miy #tomatopaste #tomatosauce #tomatorecipes #tomatoes #freezing #canning #preservingfood #homesteading #homesteadingskills #pantrybasics

Conserve excess tomatoes with an easy, homemade tomato paste that can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker.

A jar of homemade tomato paste with a spoon in it, showing the texture of the tomato paste.

Well, I’m posting this a lot later than I would have liked. You see, this year I was able to get up a new fence around the area where I usually plant things, and once again planted a lovely organic vegetable garden. I wanted to write a couple of posts about different ways to conserve and use excess vegetables from your garden at a time when everyone would be looking for ways to use theirs, but life got in the way. I figured now is as good a time as any. Better late than never, right?

Why make your own Tomato Paste?

Making tomato paste is one of my favorite ways to use and conserve excess tomatoes. Tomato paste is very concentrated, so you can easily reduce a lot of tomatoes into a small space. You can then freeze it, can it, or make it into fermented ketchup. I’ll be sharing how to do that next time!

Making the process quick and easy!

I used to peel all of the tomatoes before making tomato sauce and tomato paste, but I found it took a lot longer than the way I do it now. Now, I blend the tomatoes in the blender and later strain out the seeds and skin. You can save some time cooking down the sauce by removing the seed sections before blending the tomato pieces.

Should you leave the skin and peels while cooking?

Some people begin cooking the sauce with the peels and seeds still in the sauce and then later strain them out. The idea is that the pectin in the tomato skins will be released into the sauce to help thicken it. I find that it can make the sauce bitter if you don’t remove them before cooking. This, of course, may depend on your particular tomato variety. I prefer flavor to thickness, but you can experiment with your tomatoes to decide which method is best for you!

Making a thick tomato paste

Making tomato paste is simple. All we’re doing is making a basic tomato sauce by cooking a tomato purée and slowly reducing it further to make it more concentrated. We do that by evaporating out even more of the water.

There are several ways to efficiently reduce the water content of your tomato paste. I normally slowly cook the tomato sauce in a pan on the stove over low heat, but you can also do so in a slow cooker with the top off, or even by spreading out the tomato sauce onto baking pans or dehydrating trays (in which case you’d thicken the sauce in either the oven or a food dehydrator). The idea is to heat the sauce over low heat, evaporating away the water, until you reach the consistency that you like.

While I normally prefer making the tomato paste in a pan on the stovetop, keep in mind that as the sauce thickens, it’s also more likely to burn. That’s why cooking at low temperatures, stirring, and keeping a constant eye on things, especially towards the end of the process, are key! If you won’t be able to watch it as closely, using a slow cooker (lowering it to low heat or “keep warm” setting when it’s getting thicker) or an oven on its lowest temperature and convection setting (fan) may be better options. The process of making tomato paste may be slower using those methods, but your paste won’t need as much attention throughout. Using those options isn’t foolproof, though. You’ll still want to be careful when it gets thick, to avoid burning!

Overhead view of two types of tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are on the right.
The Roma tomatoes (right) are longer and taller than many other varieties.

Which tomatoes make the best tomato paste?

While you can use any of the tomatoes in your garden for making tomato sauce or tomato paste, certain tomato types are better than others. Tomatoes like Roma tomatoes, and other so-called paste tomatoes, have more flesh and fewer seeds, so they take less time to cook down to a thick sauce and make a nice, hearty, thick sauce. Most of the best varieties for sauces and pastes are tall and elongated, rather than short and wide.

How to store homemade tomato paste


Most of the time I freeze my homemade tomato paste in perfectly cube-shaped ice cube trays like the ones I used for freezing my homemade baby food and smoothie cubes, homemade pumpkin puree, or homemade pesto (my son’s favorite!). The advantage to using perfectly cube-shaped ice cube trays is that the frozen tomato paste cubes fit together perfectly in ziplock bags without wasting any space. You can then label your bags and sort through them easily to find what you need from the freezer.

I don’t have a lot of experience with canning, but I’ve read that it is possible to can homemade tomato sauce and tomato paste. You may need to add some citric acid (which can be in the form of lemon juice) to your paste if it isn’t concentrated enough. (This is to prevent the growth of the bacteria that cause botulism.)

Overhead view of homemade tomato paste in ice cube trays for freezing and storing.

Watch how I make Tomato Paste

Easy homemade tomato paste recipe

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Making a homemade tomato paste from scratch is easier than you may think. It's the perfect way to conserve excess tomatoes from your garden. It can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker. Learn how to make it, and how to conserve it for later. #thethingswellmake #miy #tomatopaste #tomatosauce #tomatorecipes #tomatoes #freezing #canning #preservingfood #homesteading #homesteadingskills #pantrybasics

Easy Homemade Tomato Paste Recipe

Conserve excess tomatoes with an easy, homemade tomato paste that can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker.
Makes around 18 ounces
4.5 from 28 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 30 1 Tbsp. servings
Calories: 27kcal
Author: Tracy Ariza, DDS

Ingredients

  • 8 lbs. tomatoes
  • 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Switch units back - Convert units

Instructions

  • Rinse the tomatoes well, remove the stems, and cut into chunks.
  • Fill a blender jar with the tomato chunks and blend until the tomatoes have all reduced into a sauce.
    Overhead view of tomato chunks in a glass blender jar.
  • Place a stainless steel strainer over a large pot on the stove (or over your slow cooker pot), and pour the tomato sauce into the strainer. Use a stainless steel spoon or a spatula to press the tomato sauce through the strainer into the pot below. In this step, we are straining out the skin and seeds of the tomatoes.
    The best way to get all of the tomato goodness out is to scrape the seeds and skins against the strainer. You can watch how I do that in the video above.
    Pouring the pureed tomato mixture into a strainer over a stainless steel pot.
  • Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Some people like to add in red peppers and other vegetables to their tomato paste. If you want to add in other vegetables, now is the time to do it. I, personally, prefer to keep things simple and just use tomatoes. I add in other vegetables, spices, and seasonings, as needed, depending on the recipe that I'm using the tomato paste in. That said, I do like to add a dash of olive oil to the tomato paste as it reduces on the stove.
    Pressing the tomato puree through the sieve until only seeds and skin remain.
  • Heat the sauce over low heat until simmering, stirring every once in a while and checking on the consistency. As the water evaporates away, the sauce will continue to thicken. As is starts to get thicker, you will want to turn the heat down lower and check on the tomato paste more often because it gets more likely to burn as it gets thicker and has less water. When using a slow cooker on low, you can leave the tomato paste unattended for longer periods of time, but as it starts to thicken, you will also need to check on it more often to prevent it from burning. (Make sure to leave the lid off the slow cooker or the water won't evaporate away.)
    Overhead view of tomato paste mixture in a stainless steel pot.
  • To give the tomato paste a more caramelized flavor, and reduce it even further, you can bake it on clean baking pans on low heat in the oven. Scrape the tomato paste from the bottom of the tray with a spatula, stirring it into the rest as you frequently check on the consistency. Some people do the entire process of making the tomato paste in the oven, but I prefer to reduce it to a sauce on the stove first.
  • Once you've achieved the desired consistency, the tomato paste is ready to be used in recipes, or ready to be stored. I usually freeze excess tomato paste, but it is possible to can it instead. If you do decide to can it, from what I understand, you should add some citric acid (which can be in the form of a bit of lemon juice) to the paste before canning. If it's concentrated enough, though, it may not need it.

Notes

Making your own tomato paste takes a bit of time, but it's totally worth it. You can then use it in soups, sauces, or add it to ground beef for homemade tacos, etc.
Course Condiments
Keyword Condiments, sauces, tomatoes
Other Diets Dairy free, Gluten free, Paleo, Vegan
Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @thethingswellmake or tag #thethingswellmake!
Serving: 1Tbsp. | Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1010IU | Vitamin C: 16.6mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Category: Condiments & Sauces, MIY Pantry Basics

About Tracy Ariza, DDS

Tracy Ariza, B.A., D.D.S., left dentistry and the United States to found Oh, The Things We'll Make!, writing to you from the Spanish Riviera. She loves making things herself in order to keep control of what goes in them. While far from perfect, she strives each day to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Previous Post: « Tired of making the same old snacks? Try some of these fun and healthy after-school snacks for kids. Ants on a log is a classic favorite. 10+ Homemade, Healthy After-School Snacks for Kids
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly

    December 2, 2020 at 4:30 AM

    5 stars
    I made it yesterday. It did take a long time but now I have homemade tomato paste! It tastes much better than store-bought ones. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      December 3, 2020 at 3:08 PM

      Awesome, Kelly! I’m so happy for you!

      Reply
  2. Chelsea

    November 30, 2020 at 4:31 AM

    5 stars
    Love idea of drying it under the sun! It is much easier as you don’t have to watch it closely. Also I love the flavor more. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      December 3, 2020 at 3:31 PM

      Hi Chelsea,
      Yeah, I may have to try the sun method someday. I have done sun drying of tomatoes and other foods. As long as you can set it up to keep flies away, I think it’s a great option!

      Reply
  3. Karen

    November 25, 2020 at 4:16 AM

    5 stars
    I loved this recipe and have to watch my salt now. I spent yesterday in the kitchen and made 29 cups and froze it for the future!

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      November 25, 2020 at 7:01 PM

      Wow! Good for you!
      I’m glad it worked out for you!

      Reply
  4. Tasha

    September 17, 2020 at 2:38 AM

    5 stars
    When I make pasta sauce, I roast the tomatoes in the oven first then remove them with a slotted spoon. This eliminates much of the moisture. Sort of like taking the last step first. Would this work with the paste?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      September 17, 2020 at 6:13 PM

      Hi Tasha,
      Definitely!
      Anything you can do to remove the extra moisture is perfect! There are a lot of ways to do this.
      In Italy, they traditionally cooked the paste in the sun. It can be done in the oven, a slow cooker, a pot on the stove, a wooden table in the sun, etc., etc.
      And, yes, getting rid of some of the extra water first will only help make the process go faster. 😉

      Reply
  5. Jimmy

    September 15, 2020 at 11:34 AM

    5 stars
    Maybe I missed it, but what temperature do you cook this down at?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      September 16, 2020 at 7:50 PM

      Hi Jimmy,
      The temperature isn’t that important, and it will vary quite a bit by the method used.
      Traditionally, in Italy, it’s even made outside in the sun!
      What’s important is to evaporate the water without letting it burn. So, if you are keeping a close eye on it, you can use higher temperatures and keep it at a low simmer, stirring more often.
      If you aren’t able to keep as close of an eye on it, it’s best to use lower temperatures, but it will take longer to evaporate away the water.
      That’s another reason why some people prefer to use a baking sheet in the oven… you have more surface area and can use a really low temperature allowing it to slowly evaporate without burning. (You still have to be careful to not completely forget about it.)

      Reply
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Hello, I’m Tracy!

I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
Why do I do it? Sometimes to save money, sometimes because it's healthier, but I always love having control of the ingredients!​
Oh, the things we'll make!...

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Making a homemade tomato paste from scratch is easier than you may think. It's the perfect way to conserve excess tomatoes from your garden. It can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker. Learn how to make it, and how to conserve it for later. #thethingswellmake #miy #tomatopaste #tomatosauce #tomatorecipes #tomatoes #freezing #canning #preservingfood #homesteading #homesteadingskills #pantrybasics
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Making a homemade tomato paste from scratch is easier than you may think. It's the perfect way to conserve excess tomatoes from your garden. It can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker. Learn how to make it, and how to conserve it for later. #thethingswellmake #miy #tomatopaste #tomatosauce #tomatorecipes #tomatoes #freezing #canning #preservingfood #homesteading #homesteadingskills #pantrybasics

Easy Homemade Tomato Paste Recipe

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