Ran out of tomato paste mid-recipe? Tomato puree will do the job at 1:1 — but only if you also adjust for what the swap takes away or adds. Condiments and tomato products swap by concentration and flavour, not just by volume. A paste is far more concentrated than a sauce, a sweetened ketchup is a different ingredient from an unsweetened paste, and two brown sauces that look alike on the spoon can taste nothing alike in the pan. This page gives the ratio, shows it in a table for the amounts you will actually meet, and walks through three real dishes so you can see where the swap works and where it changes the dish into something else.
The ratio, in a table
The table below converts tomato paste to tomato puree for the amounts you are most likely to meet. The rule is always the same: 1:1.
| Tomato paste called for | Tomato puree to use |
|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
| 2 tsp | 2 tsp |
| 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp |
| 2 tbsp | 2 tbsp |
| 3 tbsp | 3 tbsp |
| 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup |
| 1/3 cup | 1/3 cup |
| 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup |
By weight, one cup of tomato paste is about 262 g (spooned and levelled, USDA). Our density table does not list a grams-per-cup figure for tomato puree, so no weight is given for it here — measure it by volume. All weights on this page are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when the result matters.
Worked examples
Example 1: Pasta sauce
A recipe for a pasta sauce calls for 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Using the ratio, that becomes 2 tbsp of tomato purée. Add the purée with the tomatoes and let the sauce simmer a little longer than usual, so it thickens to the right consistency. The sauce will be a little brighter and fresher-tasting than the paste version.
Example 2: Tomato soup
A recipe for tomato soup calls for 3 tbsp of tomato paste for depth. Using the ratio, that becomes 3 tbsp of tomato purée. Add it to the pot with the stock and let the soup simmer. The soup will be a little thinner and milder, so taste it and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Example 3: Chilli con carne
A recipe for chilli calls for 1 tbsp of tomato paste. Using the ratio, that becomes 1 tbsp of tomato purée. Add it with the tomatoes and let the chilli simmer so the sauce thickens. The chilli will be a touch less intense than the paste version, but it will still have the depth it needs.
What changes in the result
Tomato purée in place of tomato paste is thinner and less concentrated, but the two are close enough that the swap is a straight one-to-one by volume. Tomato paste is cooked down until it is thick and intensely flavoured; tomato purée is cooked less, so it is thinner, milder and a little fresher-tasting. The ratio is one-to-one, so the measuring is simple, and the swap works well in a pasta sauce, a soup or a stew, where the purée is one ingredient among many. The main thing to watch is the body: the dish will be a little thinner and a little less intense, so you may need to simmer it a little longer to bring it back to the right consistency.
When not to substitute
Do not make this swap where the concentrated depth of tomato paste is the point of the dish. A slow-cooked ragù, a braise, or a stew that depends on paste for its deep, savoury base will be thinner and milder with purée, and the difference will show. Do not use it in a dish where the paste must be fried in oil first either — purée is too thin to fry cleanly, and it will spit. And do not expect the same colour: paste is darker and richer, while purée is brighter and lighter, so the finished dish will look a little different.
Practical guidance
Taste as you go, and add the substitute in stages rather than all at once — it is easy to add more of a salty, sweet or sharp condiment and impossible to take it out. When a recipe calls for a concentrated tomato product, fry the substitute in a little oil for a minute before adding liquid: cooking it briefly deepens the flavour and takes off any raw edge. Balance a sweet swap with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, and balance a sharp swap with a pinch of sugar. Keep opened jars and bottles in the fridge, label them with the opening date, and freeze leftover tomato paste in tablespoon-sized portions so you never have to open a new tube for a single spoonful. All amounts on this page are approximate; a kitchen scale is the most reliable way to measure sticky pastes and sauces for a large batch.
Frequently asked questions
How much tomato purée do I use instead of 1 tbsp of tomato paste?
Use 1 tbsp — the ratio is 1:1. One cup of tomato paste is about 262 g; our density table does not list a grams-per-cup figure for tomato purée, so measure this swap by volume.
Will the dish be thinner?
A little. Tomato purée is thinner and less concentrated than tomato paste, so the dish may need a little longer simmering to reach the right consistency. Simmer it until it coats the back of a spoon.
Can I fry tomato purée like tomato paste?
Not as cleanly — purée is too thin to fry in oil, and it will spit. Add it with the liquid ingredients instead, and let it simmer so the flavour deepens.
Does purée taste fresher?
Yes, a little. Tomato purée is cooked less than paste, so it tastes brighter and fresher, while paste tastes deeper and more concentrated. That suits a pasta sauce or a soup, and it will show in a slow-cooked ragù.
Can I use purée in a ragù?
Not as a straight swap. A slow-cooked ragù depends on tomato paste for its deep, savoury base, and purée will make it thinner and milder. Use purée for a quick sauce, and keep paste for a long, slow cook.
Scaling the swap up or down
A condiment swap scales linearly in the table, but salty, sweet and sharp ingredients do not scale perfectly in the mouth — a doubled recipe often needs slightly less than double the salty or sharp ingredient, because the flavour concentrates as the dish reduces. The safe way to scale up is to add three-quarters of the scaled amount, taste, and then add the rest a little at a time. The same goes for scaling down: a single serving needs the full ratio, but a small error matters more, so measure with measuring spoons rather than by eye. When a recipe is scaled up for a crowd, make the sauce or the dressing in a separate bowl and add it to the main dish gradually, tasting as you go — it is easy to add more of a salty or sweet condiment and impossible to take it out. All amounts on this page are approximate; a kitchen scale is the most reliable way to measure sticky pastes and sauces for a large batch.
If the swap goes wrong — and how to store the substitute
If the dish comes out too sweet, add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice and a pinch of salt — acid and salt both cut sweetness without adding more liquid. If it comes out too salty, add a splash of water or an extra spoonful of the unsalted base, and let the dish simmer so the flavours meld; a pinch of sugar can also round off excess salt. If a sauce tastes flat, it usually needs acid rather than more salt — a squeeze of lemon or a dash of vinegar will lift it. Keep opened jars and bottles in the fridge, label them with the opening date, and freeze leftover tomato paste in tablespoon-sized portions so you never have to open a new tube for a single spoonful.