Homemade Tomato Paste Recipe
A simple homemade tomato paste recipe made with Roma tomatoes, portioned into freezer bags so every batch matches a store-bought can — no citric acid, no scorched pots, just a low, slow oven doing the work.
Equipment
- Large pot (for blanching)
- Large bowl of ice water
- Food processor or blender
- Fine mesh strainer or food mill
- Large rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan
- Kitchen food scale
- Ziploc Freezer Slider Quart Size Bags (BPA-free)
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Roma tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for the pan)
- Pinch sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score a small X on the bottom of each tomato, then blanch in batches for 30–60 seconds until the skins begin to split.
- Transfer the tomatoes immediately to a bowl of ice water. Once cool, slip off the skins and discard.
- Core and roughly chop the peeled tomatoes, then blend in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Pour the puree through a fine mesh strainer or food mill to remove the seeds, pressing to extract as much pulp as possible.
- Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan and pour in the strained tomato puree, spreading it into an even layer no more than ½-inch deep.
- Place in the oven uncovered and cook for 3 to 4 hours, stirring every 30–45 minutes to prevent a skin from forming and to keep it cooking evenly. The paste is done when it’s thick, deep red, and holds its shape on a spoon.
- Season with a pinch of sea salt if desired. Let cool completely.
- Using a food scale, portion the cooled paste into 6-ounce amounts — one portion per freezer bag, matching a standard store-bought can.
- Spoon each portion into a Ziploc Freezer Slider Quart Size Bag, press flat to remove excess air, seal, and label with the date.
- Freeze flat for up to 6 months (up to a year in a consistently cold freezer).
Notes
- Using juicier, seedier garden tomatoes instead of Romas? Remove the seeds and excess juice before cooking, add 1–2 extra hours in the oven, and stir every 20–30 minutes rather than every 45. See the full notes above.
- Buy organic tomatoes when possible to reduce pesticide exposure.
- If you’d rather buy tomato paste than make it, look for one without citric acid on the label — I use Simple Truth organic tomato paste in a tube.
- Freezing in 6-ounce portions means every bag equals one store-bought can — no measuring required when a recipe calls for it later.
- This is the same portion-and-freeze method I use for frozen bananas — one bag, one banana.