Ingredient Comparison
🍅
Tomato Paste
vs
🍅
Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste vs Tomato Sauce
Both are common in the kitchen, but they behave differently. Here's how to choose between them for your next recipe.
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The short answer
Use Tomato Paste when you need it for rubs, sauces, soups. Use Tomato Sauce when you need it for chili, pasta sauces, stews.
🍅
Tomato PasteSauces
Concentrated tomatoes cooked down to a thick paste. Adds deep tomato flavor and body to sauces.
4 substitutes available
🍅
Tomato SauceSauces
Smooth, pourable tomato product thinner than paste but thicker than juice. Base for many sauces.
4 substitutes available
Key Differences
Diet Compatibility
Substitutes
🍅 Tomato Paste Substitutes
- Tomato Sauce (reduced)Reduce 3 tbsp sauce to get 1 tbsp paste
- Ketchup1 tbsp ketchup per 1 tbsp paste
- Canned Tomatoes (drained and blended)Blend and reduce 1/2 cup to get 2 tbsp
- Sun-Dried Tomato Paste1:1
🍅 Tomato Sauce Substitutes
- Tomato Paste + Water1/4 cup paste + 3/4 cup water per cup sauce
- Crushed Tomatoes (blended)1:1 blended smooth
- Fresh Tomatoes (blended and simmered)1.5 cups fresh blended = 1 cup sauce
- Marinara Sauce1:1
Which Should I Use?
Use Tomato Paste when…
✅ Best for
rubssaucessoupsstews
⚠️ Not ideal for
dry seasoning blendsrubs where no moisture is wanted
Use Tomato Sauce when…
✅ Best for
chilipasta saucesstews
⚠️ Not ideal for
recipes needing visible chunks