By Samantha Chabior, RD
Most recipes call for only one or two tablespoons of tomato paste, so what do you do with the leftover tomato paste in the can? I used to store the canned leftovers in the fridge with the intention to use them later, but almost every time they would get moldy and I’d have to toss them in the garbage!
So much wasted food and money. Not to mention, frustration when you go to grab the can for a recipe only to find that it’s covered in mould and now you are out of tomato paste! But once I realized how simple it is to freeze leftover tomato paste I was so excited, I knew I had to share this food hack with you guys!
This is a super easy and quick method to freeze tomato paste. I recommend portioning out the tomato paste using a tablespoon measuring spoon because most recipes call for a few tablespoons of tomato paste. This makes it a lot easier when you go to use your frozen tomato paste for a recipe since you’ll know the exact portion you’re defrosting and only take the amount you need
Tomato paste defrosts really quickly. You’ll notice it starts to melt almost as soon as you take it out of the freezer.
To use your frozen tomato paste, simply take it out the night before and leave in the fridge in a small bowl or container to defrost. Or you can just leave it out on the counter when you start preparing your meal and it should defrost by the time you need to use it! If you’re in a time crunch, stick it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.
Many Mediterranean recipes incorporate a slow simmered tomato sauce with onion, garlic, and olive oil. This is because it’s rich in antioxidants that help with fighting inflammation and lowering risk of heart attack and stroke such as Lycopene from tomatoes, as well as Polyphenols, Vitamin E, and Ascorbic Acid.
So go ahead and make an amazing tomato-based pasta sauce, curry, chili, stew, or soup – your heart will thank you! (And you’ll have a reason to use up some of that tomato paste!)
Looking for recipes to use up some old tomato paste? Try out this amazing vegetarian tofu chili recipe.
How to freeze leftover tomato paste
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon
- Medium sized freezer safe, sealable plastic bags
- Permanent marker
- Can of tomato paste
Ingredients
- 1 can leftover tomato paste
Instructions
- Cut a sheet of parchment paper large enough to cover the entire baking sheet.
- Use the measuring spoon to portion out balls of tomato paste equivalent to 1 Tablespoon
- Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
- Remove baking sheet from freezer. Quickly peel off the frozen balls of tomato paste into a sealable plastic bag.
- Label a freezer safe, sealable plastic bag with the date and contents of the bag. I also like to write “1 tablespoon” so I know the portions of each tomato paste ball.
- Store frozen tomato paste in the freezer for up to 6 months.
