Tomato puree can be used as a base for other recipes, such as marinara sauce, soup or salsa. Tomato puree is not the same as tomato sauce because it is usually thicker, doesn't contain a lot of additional ingredients and is only cooked for a while. It's hard to find fresh tomato puree in stores, but you can make your own and save it for future use. The following steps will help you make your own tomato puree.
Ingredients
Basic Tomato Puree
- 1 kg fresh tomatoes
- cup vinegar (optional)
- cup sugar (optional)
- 1 tbsp salt (optional)
Spiced Tomato Puree
- 300 gr fresh tomatoes
- 30 ml butter
- 900 ml broth
- 100 g onions, finely chopped
- 100 g celery, finely chopped
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley
Step
Method 1 of 2: Pure Tomato Basic
Step 1. Prepare fresh tomatoes
You can use any type of tomato. However, tomato puree usually uses round tomatoes
Step 2. Remove the leaves and the center of the tomato and remove any adhering dirt
Remove the stem at the top of the tomato, then make a scratch on the skin of the tomato and remove the entire center. This will ensure that the tomatoes cook evenly and will make it easier for you to peel the skin off later
Step 3. Bring a pot of water to a boil
Step 4. Add tomatoes and cook for 5-15 minutes
Step 5. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and place them in a pot of cold water
- Soak the tomatoes in cold water for 5 minutes or until the skin starts to crack.
- This method is called blanching and will loosen the skin of the tomatoes, making them easier to peel.
Step 6. Peel the skin off the tomatoes if you don't want to mix them into the puree and throw them away
Some people do not peel the skin of tomatoes and process them into a puree
Step 7. Cut the tomatoes in half
Remove the seeds and juice from the tomatoes if you don't want to use them. This is optional
Step 8. Puree the tomatoes with a food processor
If you don't use tomato juice and seeds, the puree will be thicker and darker in color
Step 9. Bring the tomato puree to a boil with cup of vinegar, cup of sugar (optional) and 1 tablespoon of salt for every 1 kg of fresh tomatoes
- All of these steps are optional, but will make the tomato puree last longer. Some cooks prefer to use pure tomato puree and not add other ingredients.
- You can also add sautéed onions and/or green peppers to work with the tomato puree.
- Heat the puree over low heat until you get the consistency you want. Cooking time may vary depending on the type of tomato used. The timeframe can range from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Open the lid after the first 20 minutes to allow the puree to cool.
Step 10. Store this homemade tomato puree in a small or medium container
- If you plan to store puree for an extended period of time, make sure you follow proper preservation instructions, such as creating the right acid balance, reheating the puree before storing it and using clean storage jars to prevent bacterial growth.
- Another way to store puree is to freeze it in ice cube molds and store frozen puree in a plastic bag in the freezer. This step does not require large storage space and allows you to use pure as needed.
Method 2 of 2: Puree Spiced Tomato
Step 1. Add butter to a frying pan or frying pan
Add onions and celery. Cook until it turns transparent.
Step 2. Add tomatoes
Step 3. Pour in the broth
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue heating. Continue heating until the inside of the tomato is soft.
Step 4. Remove the pan from the heat
Let it cool a little, then puree. Add the spices before mashing them. Blend until you reach the desired consistency.
Step 5. Serve
Add chopped parsley before using the tomato puree or serving it.
Tips
- For a good puree, choose round tomatoes that are perfectly ripe (but not overripe).
- Do not thaw and refreeze the tomato puree.
- You can reduce the acidity of the puree by removing the seeds and tomato juice and using only the flesh of the tomato.
- Use a saucepan that doesn't react when used to cook tomatoes.
- In addition to boiling the tomatoes, you can sprinkle olive oil on the tomatoes and roast them in the oven at 175 degrees for 2 hours or saute the tomatoes in olive oil for 15 minutes.
