The best substitutes for tomato paste depend on what you're cooking
Tomato paste is concentrated tomato flavor—thick, tangy, and intense. When you don't have it on hand, the right replacement depends on whether you need that concentration, that acidity, or both. Tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato juice, and even ketchup can work, but each one changes the dish slightly because they have different water content and seasoning. The swap that works best for your recipe depends on what role the paste plays in it.
If you're making a soup, stew, or sauce where tomato flavor matters but doesn't need to be thick, one substitute works fine. If you're making something where the paste needs to coat and cling—like a rub for meat or a base for pizza sauce—you'll need a different choice. This guide walks you through each option so you can pick the one that fits what you're actually cooking.
Key Takeaways
- Tomato sauce is the closest substitute because it has similar flavor, but you'll need to use more of it and simmer longer to reduce the extra water.
- Crushed tomatoes work well in stews and soups but will make the dish thinner unless you strain out liquid first.
- Ketchup contains added sugar and vinegar, so it changes the taste—use it only when you need sweetness or have no other option.
- For every tablespoon of tomato paste, use three tablespoons of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, then reduce the liquid in your recipe slightly.
- If you're making something that needs thick paste (like a rub or spread), strain canned tomatoes through cheesecloth or a fine sieve for several hours.
Tomato sauce as a direct swap
Tomato sauce is the easiest replacement because it's made from tomatoes, just like paste, and has no added ingredients beyond salt and sometimes garlic. The catch is that sauce is thinner—it has more water—so you need to use more of it and cook it longer. For every tablespoon of tomato paste your recipe calls for, use three tablespoons of tomato sauce.
Because you're adding more liquid, reduce the other liquids in your recipe slightly. If a recipe calls for one tablespoon of paste plus one cup of broth, use three tablespoons of sauce and reduce the broth to three-quarters cup. Then simmer the dish uncovered for five to ten minutes longer than the recipe says, so the extra water evaporates and the flavors concentrate. This works in soups, stews, chilis, and pasta sauces.
Taste as you go. Tomato sauce brands vary in how much salt and seasoning they already contain, so you may need to adjust salt at the end. If the dish tastes thin or watery after simmering, keep the lid off and let it cook another five minutes.
Crushed tomatoes for texture and body
Crushed tomatoes are whole tomatoes that have been broken into chunks. They have more texture than sauce and less water than whole canned tomatoes, but more water than paste. Use the same ratio as tomato sauce—three tablespoons of crushed tomatoes for every tablespoon of paste—and reduce other liquids in the recipe by about one-quarter.
Crushed tomatoes work especially well in thick, chunky dishes like chili, bolognese, or minestrone, where the texture fits the dish. They don't work as well in smooth sauces or soups where you want a uniform consistency. If you're making something that needs to be smooth, either strain the crushed tomatoes through a fine sieve first or use tomato sauce instead.
Simmer uncovered for at least ten minutes to let the extra water cook off. Crushed tomatoes take longer to reduce than sauce because the chunks release water more slowly. Stir occasionally so the bottom doesn't stick.
Tomato juice for thin soups and broths
Tomato juice is liquid tomato with minimal pulp—thinner than both sauce and crushed tomatoes. It's useful only in dishes where you want tomato flavor without body, like a thin soup, broth, or cocktail mixer. For cooking, use four to five tablespoons of tomato juice for every tablespoon of paste, and reduce other liquids significantly because juice is mostly water.
Tomato juice doesn't work in dishes that need thickness or concentration. It's best reserved for situations where you have no other option. If you use it, plan to simmer the dish uncovered for fifteen to twenty minutes to let the water evaporate and the flavor concentrate.
Ketchup when you need sweetness
Ketchup contains tomatoes, but also sugar, vinegar, and spices. It's sweeter and tangier than tomato paste, so it changes the flavor of a dish noticeably. Use it only if you want that sweetness or if you have no other tomato product available. For every tablespoon of paste, use two tablespoons of ketchup, and reduce the salt in your recipe because ketchup is already seasoned.
Ketchup works in glazes, barbecue sauces, and dishes where a little sweetness is welcome. It does not work well in Italian dishes, soups, or anything where you want pure tomato flavor. If you use ketchup, taste the dish before adding more salt—ketchup contains enough that you may not need any.
Making your own thick paste from canned tomatoes
If you have time and want the closest match to tomato paste, you can concentrate canned tomatoes yourself. Pour a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce into a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth and let it drain into a bowl for two to four hours in the refrigerator. The longer it drains, the thicker it becomes. After draining, you'll have a thick, concentrated product that's nearly identical to paste.
This method works best if you're making something where paste is essential—a rub for meat, a pizza sauce base, or a thick dip. For soups and stews, it's usually not worth the wait. If you drain for only one hour, you'll get something between sauce and paste, which works fine for most cooking.
Substitution amounts at a glance
| Substitute | Amount per 1 tablespoon paste | Best for | Liquid adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato sauce | 3 tablespoons | Soups, stews, pasta sauces | Reduce other liquids by one-quarter |
| Crushed tomatoes | 3 tablespoons | Thick stews, chili, bolognese | Reduce other liquids by one-quarter |
| Tomato juice | 4–5 tablespoons | Thin soups, broths | Reduce other liquids by one-half |
| Ketchup | 2 tablespoons | Glazes, barbecue sauces | Reduce salt; no liquid change needed |
| Drained canned tomatoes | 2–3 tablespoons (after draining 2–4 hours) | Rubs, thick sauces, dips | No adjustment needed |
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is using the same amount of substitute as you would paste. Tomato paste is concentrated, so one tablespoon of it has much more flavor than one tablespoon of sauce. If you use equal amounts, your dish will taste thin and watery. Always use at least three times as much sauce or crushed tomatoes, then reduce the cooking liquid to compensate.
The second mistake is not simmering long enough. When you add more liquid to replace the paste, you have to cook it off. If you follow the recipe's original timing, you'll end up with a soup instead of a sauce. Plan to simmer uncovered for at least five to ten minutes longer than the recipe says, stirring occasionally. Taste it—if it still tastes watery, keep cooking.
The third mistake is forgetting to adjust salt. Many tomato products already contain salt, and some contain more than others. Taste the dish before adding salt at the end. You can always add more, but you can't take it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste?
Fresh tomatoes are mostly water and have very little of the concentrated flavor that paste provides. You would need to cook down about two pounds of fresh tomatoes to get the equivalent of one tablespoon of paste, which takes an hour or more. For most cooking, canned tomato products are faster and more reliable. Fresh tomatoes work better in dishes where you want chunks and texture, like salsa or fresh sauce.
What if I don't have any tomato product at all?
If you have no tomatoes, red bell peppers or red peppers can add color and mild sweetness, but they won't give you tomato flavor. Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce can add depth and umami, but they change the dish's character. For most recipes, it's better to skip the dish or make a substitution that's honest about what you're making rather than trying to fake tomato flavor with unrelated ingredients.
Does tomato paste go bad, and should I keep it on hand?
Tomato paste in a can or tube lasts for months in the pantry unopened, and opened tubes last several weeks in the refrigerator. If you cook with tomatoes regularly, keeping a tube on hand is worth it because paste is shelf-stable and concentrated, so a little goes a long way. If you rarely use it, the substitutes listed here work fine and you probably already have them.
Can I use sun-dried tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes are concentrated and flavorful, but they're chewy and have a different taste—more intense and slightly sweet. They work in some dishes like pasta or salads, but not in soups or stews where you need a smooth liquid. If you use them, rehydrate them in hot water first, then chop finely or blend into a paste. Use about two tablespoons of rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes for every tablespoon of paste.
What's the difference between tomato paste and tomato puree?
Tomato puree is less concentrated than paste—it has more water and a thinner consistency. Puree is closer to tomato sauce than to paste. If a recipe calls for paste and you have puree, use about one and a half times the amount of puree and reduce other liquids slightly. Puree works in most of the same dishes as sauce, just with slightly less tomato flavor.