Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (2024)

Out of jarred marinara sauce? You'll never need to buy it again when you make this easy recipe using canned tomato paste plus a few pantry ingredients. It's not only economical, this Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce is incredibly delicious!

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Special diet: gluten-free option, nut-free, soy-free, vegan

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (1)

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If you're anything like me, you probably turn to easy pasta recipes when you're short on time or lack the energy needed to get dinner on the table. Not only is it satisfying, even the pickiest of eaters enjoy it.

But don't fret if you forgot to pick up a bottle of spaghetti sauce at the supermarket. This tomato paste pasta sauce not only tastes better than most store-bought sauces, it will be ready in the time it takes to boil water and cook a box of spaghetti or penne.

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  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • Instructions
  • Serving suggestions
  • Storing and freezing
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More vegan recipes with tomato paste
  • 📋 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

  • It cooks quickly and is ready in only 15 minutes.
  • You only need 6 ingredients to make it, plus salt and pepper.
  • It makes the exact amount needed to serve with a pound of pasta.

Ingredients

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (2)

Balsamic vinegar: While it may sound contradictory, balsamic vinegar balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. If you don't have any on hand, you can leave it out.

Or add a pinch of organic sugar if the sauce tastes sour. You can also substitute a splash of your favorite red wine.

Italian parsley: Fresh herbs like parsley or basil compliment the flavors of this sauce. But if unavailable, simply omit them. You do not need to add extra dried herbs.

Variations

To change the flavors of the sauce, try stirring in sliced olives, capers, and/or crushed red chili flakes during the last few minutes of cooking. This will transform it to a variation of vegan Puttanesca pasta .

For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (3)

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Instructions

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (4)
  1. Saute the garlic in olive oil.
  2. Add the tomato paste, water, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf.
  3. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Serving suggestions

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (5)

This easy meatless spaghetti sauce pairs well with any of your favorite pasta shapes. In addition, you can serve this tomato paste pasta sauce tossed with noodles made from wheat, rice, corn, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, or a blend.

It's wonderful with tofu meatballs, herbed nutritional yeast tofu, and vegan baked pasta casserole. And you can use it in any recipes calling for jarred marinara.

Storing and freezing

Any unused sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen forup to 3 months. To freeze, leave a little room at the top of a glass container before adding the lid. When you're ready to use it, defrost the container in the refrigerator overnight or until thawed.

Recipe FAQs

What is tomato paste?

Tomato paste is a thick tomato concentrate made by cooking down tomatoes for hours and straining out the skins and seeds. It can be purchased in cans or tubes.

What is the difference between canned tomato sauce and tomato paste?

Tomato sauce is cooked pureed tomatoes. It isn't as thick as the concentrated paste.

What is the difference between marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce?

While both sauces can be served over pasta, marinara refers to red tomato-based sauces like this tomato paste pasta sauce. Spaghetti sauce often refers to pasta sauces that also contain meat or vegetables. At the end of the day, both are names for pasta sauce.

More vegan recipes with tomato paste

  • How To Use Tomato Paste in Vegan Recipes
  • Chunky Tomato Soup with Cannellini Beans
  • Spanish Chickpea Stew with Spinach
  • Tofu Meatballs

And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration & fun!

📋 Recipe

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (10)

15 Minute Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce

Out of jarred marinara sauce? You'll never need to buy it again when you have this easy recipe using canned tomato paste plus a few pantry ingredients. It's not only economical, it's incredibly delicious.

4.65 from 17 votes

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Special diet: gluten-free option, nut-free, soy-free, vegan

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 4

Calories: 69kcal

Author: Amy Katz

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can tomato paste, (6 ounces)
  • cups water
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, (or substitute dried oregano or basil)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • splash balsamic vinegar*
  • 12-16 ounces cooked pasta, for serving
  • fresh Italian parsley or basil, torn or chopped, for serving (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

  • Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  • Stir in the tomato paste, water, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf.

  • Bring to a low boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

  • Remove the saucepan from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in a splash of balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.

  • Toss with cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley or basil, if desired.

Notes

Nutrition facts are for the sauce only. They do not include the pasta.

*If balsamic vinegar is unavailable, leave it out or add a pinch of organic sugar if the sauce tastes sour. You can also substitute a splash of your favorite red wine.

For easy variations, try stirring in sliced olives, capers, and/or crushed red chili flakes during the last few minutes of cooking.

Any unused sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, leave a little room at the top of a glass container before adding the lid. When you're ready to use it, defrost the container in the refrigerator overnight or until thawed.

Nutrition

Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 659IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is an estimation only.

Tried this recipe?Please consider leaving a comment!

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (11)

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More Vegan Pasta Recipes

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Comments

  1. Sarah says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (16)
    This was easy and turned out great! Perfect for when you don't have anything else in the pantry except for tomato paste. It has fantastic taste and will be my new go-to!

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      This is wonderful to hear, thanks Sarah!

      Reply

  2. Precious says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (17)
    Great and easy recipe! Didn’t have anything to make but pasta and tomato paste and made it work.
    I recommend mixing the water and paste in a bowl before hand just to make it easier to mix! 😊

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      Great idea, Precious! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

      Reply

  3. Michele says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (18)
    Easy to make and delicious

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe, Michele!

      Reply

  4. elizabeth joseph says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (19)
    I did exactly what the recipe required. But I used a sprinkle of pink salt not even an 1/8 of a tsp and black pepper. I love this recipe; when making it I pour 3/4 cup water in and if it is too thick, then I pour a little bit unti I like the thick sauce consistency. I don't have Italian seasoning but used half oregano and half basil. PERFECT. It reminded me of my mother's sauce. The Balsami vinegar is a great idea; instead of adding sugar or wine this is a better result. I make this all the time; it is cheap to make and it helps with my diet. Thank you so much.

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      I'm so happy to hear this, Elizabeth!

      Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (20)
      I am a "serial runner out of jarred pasta sauce". I can never remember to pick it up, so when I looked in my pantry and saw 2 cans of tomato paste, I thought there had to be something I could do with it! Enter this recipe: I doubled it, dumped a bunch of Italian spices in, about 6 cloves of garlic because I always over use garlic, and a couple teaspoons of organic cane sugar, and I am here to report I will only use this recipe from here on out!!! Not only was it easy, it's so good, good for you as you are preparing it yourself with very little ingredients ,and it's cheaper than buying store-jarred sauce! I can't believe I didn't think of this before. Thank you!!

      Reply

      • Amy Katz says

        I'm so happy to hear this, Elizabeth! I stopped buying jarred sauce too because it's so expensive. I don't miss it at all!

  5. K says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (21)
    I return to this recipe every single time we have a pasta dish. It’s so simple, so easy, I always have the ingredients on hand, and best of all - it’s DELISH!

    Reply

  6. Sarah says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (22)
    Absolutely smashing Sauce, thank you!! We tripled the recipe and used one teaspoon each of dried Basil and Oregano, and 2 teaspoons of Mixed Herbs. We also substituted 1/2 a cup of water for red wine and used drained pasta water for the rest of the water to bind the sauce beautifully! Thank you so much for this recipe! 🌟

    Reply

  7. Diana says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (23)
    never knew it could be so easy!

    Reply

  8. Nate says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (24)
    Made this recently, only difference is I diced and pre cooked one tomato in a frying pan then added it to simmer in the sauce and it was exceptional. One of the better pasta sauces I have had, and it was easy!

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      Love how you added a fresh tomato, Nate! I'm so happy you enjoyed the sauce.

      Reply

  9. marion says

    can I can this sauce if I put lemon juice in the jars

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      I'm sorry, Marion. I have no experience with canning. Maybe someone else can answer your question.

      Reply

  10. Stephenie says

    Delicious recipe! I added some onion powder and was very pleased with the results. My old recipe has a lot of butter, and this is healthier, but so tasty. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Stephenie!

      Reply

  11. Donna Bryan says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (25)
    I use a store-bought generic Italian seasoning but then I added a sprinkle of the everything Italian seasoning and it was very delicious!

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Donna!

      Reply

  12. Tyanne says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (26)
    I have used this recipe twice and it works great every time!

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      I'm so glad to hear it, Tyanne!

      Reply

      • Richard Fedio says

        Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (27)
        Made it for the first time and I love it! Thickness of sauce was just right. The balsamic vinegar did help "mellow" the sauce and the sugar was a big help in the flavor!....Thanks Amy!

      • Amy Katz says

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Richard!

  13. Cassie says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (28)
    It was pretty good but is there anyway to give it more flavor? possibly adding in white wine or less water?

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      Yes, you can add it wine and simmer it a few minutes longer. Or try adding red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, capers, olives, or anything you like!

      Reply

    • Taylor Willis says

      Turned out really good. I added red pepper flakes and some Parmesan which tied it together in my opinion. Glad I saw this recipe saved me a trip to town ♥️

      Reply

      • Amy Katz says

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Red pepper flakes are one of my go-to add-ins too.

      • Paula says

        Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (29)
        I had a 12 oz jar of tomato paste I bought on clearance for 69c. I doubled the recipe added alot of vegetables and it turned out great (about 2 c chopped onions, 2 c chopped green pepper, 8 oz can chopped button mushrooms and 4 oz can chopped olives.)

      • Amy Katz says

        Those are fantastic additions, Paula!

      • Cheryl says

        Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (30)
        This turned out surprisingly well!! Thank you for sharing the recipe! I needed some sauce for meatball sandwiches, and had some cans of tomato paste with zero knowledge of what to do with them. The family finished dinner with full tummies, and my 8 yr old actually asked for more! 🙂

      • Amy Katz says

        That's fantastic to hear, Cheryl!

      • Mark says

        Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (31)
        This was bad.

        Like, really bad.

        Underflavored, under sauced, overvalued.

        I'd recommend against this recipe for everyone. Made to recipe exact.

  14. Raquel Snyder says

    Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (32)
    Thanks Amy! I had a can of paste, and all of the rest. What can you use if you run out of olive oil? I actually ran out of all oil. I doubt butter but it says Italian seasoning . What about Italian dressing?

    Reply

    • Amy Katz says

      Hi Raquel, you can saute in a little water if you don't have any olive oil. Enjoy!

      Reply

Leave a Comment

Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce (2024)

FAQs

Can I use tomato paste for pasta sauce? ›

Even if you don't have any other canned tomato product on the ready, you can make this simple, delicious pasta sauce with tomato paste, garlic, and olive oil. If you don't have fresh herbs, use dried, or skip them altogether.

Is tomato sauce just tomato paste with water? ›

Tomato sauce is a mild, fairly thin, versatile sauce made from lightly concentrated fresh tomatoes or tomato paste and water. Tomato sauce is seasoned with salt, onion powder and garlic powder, although you can also choose a no salt added (NSA) sauce as well. Sometimes green bell pepper is added as well.

Why use tomato paste instead of tomato sauce? ›

Flavor: Tomato paste is more concentrated, so it has a more potent flavor. You need significantly less tomato paste (than sauce) to get that tomato flavor you want. Consistency: Tomato sauce is significantly thinner. Tomato paste is so thick, it doesn't pour.

How much tomato paste equals 8 oz of tomato sauce? ›

Depending on your tastes, 8 oz sauce can be replaced by 4 oz paste and 4 oz water.

Does tomato paste thicken spaghetti sauce? ›

One of the best ways to make use of tomato paste is to treat it as a natural thickening agent for tomato-based sauces, says Arturo. In addition to helping to alter the consistency of your sauce, this pantry staple will also help to further enhance the rich, savory flavors of tomato sauce.

How do I substitute tomato paste for pasta? ›

For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce. Add the puree or sauce in place of the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the puree or sauce has reduced and thickened. You'll have a similar deep, savory flavor.

How to make 1 cup of tomato sauce from tomato paste? ›

Substitute Tomato Paste For Tomato Sauce

Mix together 1 part tomato paste and 1 part water until well blended. Then, season your "sauce" to taste. Tomato sauce is typically seasoned with herbs, garlic, and onion. You may even find the sauce benefits from a drizzle of olive oil or a pinch of sugar.

How much water do I add to 6 oz of tomato paste? ›

Ingredients
  1. 6 oz tomato paste.
  2. 1 1/2 cups water.
  3. 2 tsp sugar.
  4. 1 tsp oregano.
  5. 1 tsp Italian seasoning.
  6. 1 tsp salt.
  7. 1 tsp pepper.
  8. 1/2 tsp onion powder.
Nov 9, 2021

How much tomato paste should I use? ›

A little bit goes a long way, though, which is why you'll most often find tomato paste in small, 6-ounce cans. With most recipes only calling for a tablespoon or two of tomato paste, even if you buy the tiniest can, you'll still have so much left over.

Why add tomato paste to lasagna? ›

A good tomato paste helps to thicken but also adds a sweet and savory umami flavor. Lean Ground Beef: Lean beef adds a robust and hearty meatiness that's essential in a classic lasagna recipe.

What's the point of tomato paste? ›

Tomato paste brings a number of things to a dish: a burst of the meaty, savory flavor known as umami, concentrated sweetness, mild acidity and thickening quality. It's often added to reinforce and add depth to the taste of tomato-based dishes like marinara or tomato soup.

Can I use tomato paste instead of tomato sauce for pizza? ›

To be completely honest, you can get away with just using plain tomato paste with a pinch of salt and pepper as a pizza sauce. Once you pile on cheese and other toppings, it's still completely scoffable. However, it really is worth taking a bit of time to make a great pizza sauce!

Can you add tomato paste to spaghetti sauce? ›

Drain excess grease. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, worcestershire, and sugar to the skillet. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil. Add water and stir well.

How much tomato paste to make 14 oz tomato sauce? ›

Mix 4 tablespoons of tomato paste with 1 1/2 cups of water , 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. It will be watery when “raw” but once added into a dish like Bolognese, it thickens as it cooks (it only takes 3 minutes to thicken). This makes 400 grams (14 oz) which equates to 1 standard can of tomato.

How long does tomato paste last in the fridge? ›

Tomato paste lasts in the fridge for five to seven days in a covered glass or plastic container. When stored in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag, tomato paste will maintain its best quality for three to four months in the freezer and remain safe to consume after this time.

Are paste tomatoes good for sauce? ›

Unusual Paste Tomatoes

The red and golden-orange striped 'Speckled Roman' (85 days) paste tomato is pretty and unusual. Its tall vines produce lots of delicious, fleshy fruits that taste great in sauce or eaten fresh.

Should I add tomato paste to fresh tomato sauce? ›

Tomato paste – It helps thicken the sauce and gives it an umami kick. Balsamic vinegar – It adds a nice acidity. Cane sugar – It offsets the acid of the tomatoes and vinegar, creating a delicious, well-balanced sauce. Dried oregano and fresh basil – For fresh, aromatic flavor.

How much tomato sauce equals 6 ounces of tomato paste? ›

1 cup of tomato sauce should yield a little over 1/3 cup (about 3 ounces) of tomato paste. Depending on your need, you can start with a larger amount of tomato sauce, just remember you will need to cook the mixture for longer to reduce it by at least two-thirds.

What to add to pasta sauce to make it better? ›

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

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