Storing Extra Tomato Paste

Tomato paste adds an awesome depth of flavor to dishes. It’s very concentrated and adds sweetness and acidity. It’s made from tomatoes that have been cooked for hours and then reduced and strained into a paste.

The little cans of tomato paste are certainly small, but most recipes need only a Tablespoon or two. What happens to the rest of it?

Let’s be honest. Most of the time, it gets stashed somewhere in the back of the refrigerator with good intentions to use it up in the next few days. For some reason, recipes with tomato paste just don’t pop up until that can is spoiled and then you need to open up a new can. Am I the only one that this happens to?

No more! Now you will also have a portion ready to go and be able to store any leftovers that you may have every time you open up a new can. Say good bye to wasted tomato paste, because from now on, you’ll use up every last bit.

Take your leftover tomato paste and portion a Tablespoon of tomato paste into each compartment of an ice cube tray. Freeze until the tomato paste is solid. Take out the cubes and store in a sealed container or a ziptop bag in the freezer.Next time you need a tablespoon or two of tomato paste, just pop a few cubes out of the freezer. There’s no need to thaw the cubes.

Here’ s another idea that one of my readers, Inna, shared: