You can use tomato paste in many different dishes, so always have it on hand. It’s versatile enough to be used with any dish. Some dishes include soups, stews, pasta, and rice. But, it won’t keep well once opened. You might be curious if you can freeze tomato paste if you have leftovers.
Yes, you can freeze tomato paste for up to five months. It is safe to freeze tomato paste for up to five months, but there are chances it will lose its texture and taste. You can freeze the tomato paste by separating it into small pieces and placing them on a flat surface. You can transfer the tomato paste once it has frozen to a freezer bag.
As long as you keep the temperature at zero and below, freezing is not a problem. Tomato paste is high in acidity and can be rapidly corrosive. To ensure safety, canned tomato pastes should not be kept for more than 18 months. You must not use the metal can to freeze the tomato paste. You should use a different container when storing tomato paste in the freezer.
Let us discuss more in detail.
How To Freeze Tomato Paste?
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can freeze tomato paste:
Step 1. Prepare The Tomato Paste
Make one tablespoon of portions of the tomato paste and place them on a baking sheet or plate covered with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap will keep the paste from sticking to the plates while they freeze. To ensure that the dollops do not touch, freeze them separately and then separate them into one tablespoon later. Place the baking sheet or plate on a plate and let it freeze for 2 to 3 hours or until the dollops have frozen solid.
Step 2 – Transfer The Tomato Paste
Freeze the paste on a flat surface to keep it separated. However, if it is left unattended for too long, it will dry out and become freezer burnt. For long-term storage, you should transfer the tomatoes paste to an airtight container. Take the plastic wrap off the plate and wrap the ball in it. The balls will not fuze together because they are already solidly frozen.
Step 3 – Freeze For Long-Term Storage
Before sealing the bag, squeeze as much air as you can out and then return it to your freezer. You can now grab as many or as few lumps of tomato paste as you need for your next recipe. Tomato paste is very low in moisture, so it can last a long time in the freezer. you can also make use of ice tray for freezing tomato paste for long term as shown below
How To Use Up Extra/Leftover Tomato Paste?
Tomato paste, a concentrated tomato paste, enhances flavor and depth in cooking. It can be a wonderful ingredient, but you might end up with too much tomato paste. What do you do when you have leftover tomato paste? These are five great ways to make tomato paste taste delicious.
- Make a homemade pizza sauce. Using tomato paste, you can make delicious pizza dough. You can make a delicious sauce for your next pizza night by adding water, spices, sugar, and salt to the paste.
- Add it soup – You can add flavor and body with tomato paste. You can make a hearty and delicious meal by adding a few spoonfuls to your favorite soup recipe. you can also make tasty tomato soup with it for all.
- Make tomato relish – Tomato sauce is a great way to use leftover tomato paste. You will need 2 cups tomato paste, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup vinegar, one onion, and one green pepper to make tomato relish. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to boil. Put the mixture in jars. Let cool in a hot water bath for 10 min. This recipe yields approximately four half-pint jars.
- Use it to marinade – You can also use tomato paste as a marinade on meats and vegetables. Combine the paste with oil, vinegar, spices, and salt to make a marinade that will enhance your next dish’s flavor and tenderness.
- Make tomato jam – Making tomato jam is a great way to use extra tomato paste. You will need 3 cups tomato paste, 1 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and one package of fruit pectin to make tomato jam. Combine the sugar and tomato paste in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the lemon juice and pectin, and mix well. Put the mixture in jars. Let cool in a hot water bath for 10 min. This recipe yields approximately four half-pint jars of jam.
How do you defrost tomato paste?
There are two options for defrosting tomato paste. You can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Put the frozen tomato paste in the fridge.
If you freeze them, it will take between one and two hours to defrost a teaspoon of tomato paste. It will take longer if you freeze larger amounts of tomato paste. Place them on a plate to defrost. This will prevent them from mixing. They can be stored in an airtight container, but the tomato paste could mix.
You can take one teaspoon at a time from the container, so it isn’t too difficult. You should not freeze the dollops. It will make it difficult to extract some paste from the bag, and you may waste some. If you plan to use the tomato paste in a sauce or pizza, it is important to let it thaw before you spread it on the pizza.
Don’t Think About Thawing.
Tomato paste doesn’t have to be thawed in the refrigerator. You can simply throw the tomato paste in if you’re making a soup, chili, or goulash on the stove. They will melt in the dish in a matter of minutes. Add tomato paste to the dish by stirring it. This will allow you to forget to thaw the tomato paste. It’s easy to forget to defrost the tomato paste when you start cooking a meal.
Final Words
So, now we can conclude that tomato paste can be kept in the freezer for no less than six months. Most times, it can be kept in the freezer for longer periods without any loss of quality. It freezes well due to its low moisture content, saving a lot of time. It is also resistant to freezer burn due to its low moisture content. To prevent tomato paste from absorbing other foods’ flavors, ensure it is properly packaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does tomato paste turn to black?
Storing tomato paste in cans is easy. Once you have opened the can, scoop out all of it and transfer it to another container. If left to its own devices in a can open in the refrigerator, tomato paste will quickly turn black from oxidation and mold.
How do you preserve tomato paste?
Place the whole can in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 24 hours. Use the metal end to pull the frozen paste out of the can. You can discard the can. Wrap any unused portions tightly and place them in a freezer bag for up to three months. Slice off as much as needed each time you cook.
What is the best substitute for tomato paste?
If you run out of tomato paste, there is no need to rush to the supermarket. You can substitute Tomato sauce or tomato puree. Use three tablespoons of tomato sauce or puree for every one tablespoon of tomato paste.
We are baking experts and connoisseur of food with decades of cooking experience to cook and bake a variety of scrumptious food item to awaken the taste buds of people who eat our baked delights.
With our gumption, alacrity along with astute acumen to pick the authentic and best quality ingredients from across the world to make the scrumptious recipes which soothes the taste buds of eater has made him the name on which people can count on when it comes to cooking advice, world class meals and cuisines native to the different cities of world.
Our chefs unique ability improvise and make baked dishes with different raw produce and ingredients in less time which are delicious and relished by the guests has made kooky bakes leader in the arena of baking and serving mouth watering food.