So you finally decide on a recipe you want to make only to discover that one key ingredient is missing? Tomato paste is one of the easy tricks to add flavour to your sauces as well as achieve a thicker consistency. Instead of driving to the store, you can use substitutes for the tomato paste and still get similar results. Here are some of the best substitutes for tomato paste.

Tomato sauce
You can get paste out of a tomato sauce by boiling it until it is reduced to the amount you want. It’s thinner than normal paste, so it’s best to double the amount to make it more concentrated. Avoid seasoned sauce as this could change the flavour of your recipe.

Canned tomatoes
When you use canned tomatoes, the flavour will be slightly different from fresh ones. Just drain all the excess liquid and increase the simmering time to get the thickness and intense taste you desire. Again, you will need to double the amount to make it thicker like paste.

Fresh tomatoes
You can also use fresh tomatoes as a substitute for tomatoes paste, but it will require a lot of efforts. Start by dicing the tomatoes and simmer them in the pot with olive oil until the skins are peeling off. Then strain to remove the seeds and spread the pulp on baking sheets so you can keep it in the oven for it to reduce. Alternatively, you can cook the tomatoes, blend them, and reduce them in a pot.

Red peppers
Red peppers won’t give you the flavour you desire, but they can help with the thickness and red colouration. Just slice them, roast them in an oven and make a puree. They’re ideal for pasta sauces.

Other coloured options
There are also a number of other substitutes that can serve as a thickening agent, but they don’t provide the red colour for recipes. Good examples are carrots, green salsa, butternut squash, pumpkin, and rhubarb.

 You don’t have to be stranded as there’s something in your pantry that can serve as an excellent substitute to tomato paste. They can serve as a thickening agent and provide a unique flavour.