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How to Freeze Tomato Paste in Convenient Portions |  |
This is the first of an occasional series of posts I call "One Quick Tip" ... because, well, each one includes a single good idea: quick to absorb, easy to adopt, memorable to use.
WHAT IS TOMATO PASTE? Tomato paste is a much-condensed tomato purée. In the U.S. anyway, it usually comes in either a tiny three-ounce can or a still-small six-ounce can. Tomato paste is also sold in convenient tubes – you squeeze it out like toothpaste – but the tubes are harder to find and often considerably more expensive.
ARE TOMATO SAUCE & TOMATO PASTE THE SAME? Absolutely not. Tomato sauce is a thick tomato-y sauce with some tomato texture. It's pourable, a little thinner than ketchup, a little thicker than BBQ sauce. Tomato paste is definitely thicker and more condensed. It has to be spooned and is closer in consistency to peanut butter. Tomato paste's density is the reason why it's used in small portions, a little goes a long way.
WHY FREEZE TOMATO PASTE? Few recipes use an entire can of tomato paste, even a small one. If more did, there would be no need to freeze leftovers because there'd be no leftovers.
But tomato paste is often used a tablespoon or two at a time. Its deep, dark tomato umami flavor can make all the difference in a sauce, a soup, a gravy, etc. but it doesn't take much to do the trick.
Will anyone save a ton of money, freezing tomato paste? Probably not. Still, I'm a big believer in the "waste not, want not" and "a penny saved is a penny earned" maxims. But more than that, at least in this household, keeping frozen tomato paste in the freezer makes the difference between having some on hand and running out. I may have good intentions for a well-stocked pantry but dang, where is a whole can when I want one?
FREEZE TOMATO PASTE A TABLESPOON AT A TIME That's why I get out the plastic wrap whenever there's leftover tomato paste. I freeze it it as I'll use it down the road, a tablespoon at a time. It's just so handy, reaching into the freezer to pull out all that a recipe might call for.
DOES FROZEN TOMATO PASTE NEED THAWING? Not usually. It's nearly always used in dishes that are being cooked, so the heat of the cooking thaws the tomato paste in a minute or two. But if thawing is important, it's doled out in such a small portion, it'll still take just a few minutes for the paste to thaw completely.
How to Freeze Tomato Paste in Convenient Portions
STEP ONE Tear off a piece of plastic wrap. Use two spoons (one to scoop, one to scrape) to collect dollops of tomato paste about a tablespoon big, leaving about two inches between the dollops.
STEP TWO Roll the plastic wrap around the dollops so that they are wrapped in a couple of layers, then twist the plastic wrap between the dollops, separating the dollops into individual portions.
STEP THREE Place the wrapped tomato paste dollops in a small jar or a freezer bag and then when you need some tomato paste, just snip off one dollop at a time.
STEP FOUR Label the container, you don't want it to get lost in the freezer. PS Date it too! My experience is that frozen tomato paste lasts many months.
THAT'S IT! Really! Didn't I promise you One Quick Tip?!
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More Quick Tips
~ DIY Substitute for Baker's Joy ~~ How To Keep Green Onions Fresh for Weeks ~
~ The Magic of Watermelon Wedges ~
~ How to Freeze Stock in Canning Jars ~
~ My Most-Used Kitchen Tool, a Garbage Bowl or Compost Bowl ~
~ Tomato Knife for Clean, Sharp Slices ~
~ Why Dried Beans Won't Cook ~
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This week, how about we collect tips on how to preserve or save or use up little bits of food stuffs, something that would otherwise go to waste? Old or new idea, big or small idea, I'd love to know how you run your kitchen!
Recipes Calling for the Special "Oomph" of Tomato Paste
- THE RECIPE Homemade Chili with Dried Beans For a slow cooker or slow-cooking in the oven. No canned beans! (PIN This)
- THE RECIPE Winter Tomato Soup Roasting, slow-cooking draw out summer flavor. (PIN This)
- THE RECIPE Homemade Sazón A gorgeous Dominican sauce, so fresh, so alive. (PIN This)
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I remove top and bottom of the can and slice my dollops, but essentially the same process as yours. Good tip!
ReplyDeleteAlanna,
ReplyDeleteI usually scoop mine out and freeze it on a tray before transferring to a bag, but I like your idea better. Easy to cut off a bubble and keep the rest wrapped up.
I save little bits of cooked meat on the door of my freezer for use as pizza toppings.
I also save cut fruit (like the rest of the fruit salad that didn't get eaten) to use in smoothies later.
Great idea!