Homemade Tomato Paste: How to Make Tomato Paste

Homemade tomato paste is a great recipe that adds flavour to your sauces and stews, you can even use it in your jollof rice dish and egg sauce. This easy paste can be made in large quantities and stored in jars or cans if you are always using tomato paste for large cooking.

It is quite easy to make tomato paste at home, all you need to do is to cook your blended tomato puree and then slowly reduce it further to make it more concentrated just like the store bought tomato paste. You can do this by heating the tomato puree on low heat for the water to evaporate out while you stir the content every once in a while.

There are more than one way to make tomato paste, you can chose to slow cook your tomato paste in a slow cooker with the lid off over low heat until the water content evaporates and if you want to go with the oven method that is still fine, but I like to slow cook mine in a pan, preferably in a non-stick pan over medium to low heat , this is because as the tomato sauce thickens it stands a chance to burn and also stick to the pot, the non-stick pan prevents this from burning or sticking and it is very easy to wash the pan when done unlike using a stainless steel pot/pan. This doesnt really take too long to dry. You can also add other things like red bell pepper, hot pepper and onion to your tomato paste when making this if you dont want to use only tomatoes.

Another thing you have to take note of when making tomato paste, is that you try to select good tomatoes from the farm or store if you are buying these, I like to go with the thicker and meatier varieties or what we call the tomato Jos, (Roma tomatoes)this is because they have less water and fewer seeds.
You can easily make your own tomato paste at home instead of buying from the store, watch how to make your tomato paste at home in this video below.

Ingredients for tomato paste

• 2-3kg ripe tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Food processor or blender
• A sieve
• A large pot
• Jars with fitted lids

Fresh tomatoes for making tomato paste

Steps on how to make tomato paste

1. Clean your tomatoes properly and remove the portion that is spoiled.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut the tomatoes into two or three pieces into a bowl.
3. Transfer the tomato into a food processor or blender and blend without adding water to it. If you are going to add bell peppers or any vegetable this is time to do so.
4. Once you have achieved a smooth paste, place a fine sieve or strainer over a large bowl and pour the tomato puree into it.
5. Use your clean hand or a spatula to strain out the tomato juice leaving the seeds and the skin, make sure you get all the juice from the skin by scraping it against the sieve.
6. Pour the tomato juice into a pan and place on medium heat to cook without the lid, this will help the water to evaporate quickly.
7. Stir the tomato paste every now and then to make sure it doesnt stick at the sides.
8. When the liquid has reduced and the tomato paste has start to thicken, add a little salt to it and stir to mix well, reduce the heat and continue to cook until the water is completely dried from the tomato paste.
9. Once the water is no longer visible, take off the pan from heat and transfer the tomato paste into a flat surface to cool. flatten the top and leave it to rest for a while.
10. Pour the paste into a jar or can and level the top, add about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and seal the lid.
11. Your tomato paste is ready to be used, you can get it frozen if you want and use it for any recipe that calls for tomato paste.

Steps on how to make tomato paste with pictures

1. Clean your tomatoes properly and remove the portion that is spoiled.

2. Using a sharp knife, cut the tomatoes into two or three pieces into a bowl.

The tomatoes are reduced into smaller pieces to help it blend well

3. Transfer the tomato into a food processor or blender and blend without adding water to it. If you are going to add bell peppers or any vegetable this is time to do so.

Once this is reduced to smaller sizes, it is easy to blend without adding water

4. Once you have achieved a smooth paste, place a fine sieve or strainer over a large bowl and pour the tomato puree into it.

After blending the tomato into a smooth puree, strain with a strainer

5. Use your clean hand or a spatula to strain out the tomato juice leaving the seeds and the skin, make sure you get all the juice from the skin by scraping it against the sieve.

You will be left with, the skin and the seeds, you can grow the seeds on your garden if you want

And here is the smooth puree

6. Pour the tomato juice into a pan and place on medium heat to cook without the lid, this will help the water to evaporate quickly.

Boiling process of tomato paste

7. Stir the tomato paste every now and then to make sure it doesnt stick at the sides.

8. When the liquid has reduced and the tomato paste has start to thicken, add a little salt to it and stir to mix well, reduce the heat and continue to cook until the water is completely dried from the tomato paste.

At this stage, the tomato paste is becoming thick, you can add a little salt to it to taste

9. Once the water is no longer visible, take off the pan from heat and transfer the tomato paste into a flat surface to cool. flatten the top and leave it to rest for a while.

Finally, all the liquid has reduced

I like to spread this on a flat surface to cool

10. Pour the paste into a jar or can and level the top, add about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and seal the lid.

Finally, here is your tomato paste ready for use

11. Your tomato paste is ready to be used, you can get it frozen if you want and use it for any recipe that calls for tomato paste.

Add a dash of olive oil, level the top and close the lid