I love tomato paste in a tube. (Yes, I’m weird that way).
I use tomato paste a tablespoon or two at a time. That’s not enough for the little 6-ounce cans to be worth it. I put the rest of the little can in the refrigerator…and wind up throwing it away a few weeks later, when I find it buried in the back behind the pickles.
Tomato paste in a tube keeps basically forever. The tube is a sealed environment, protecting the paste and keeping it fresh. (That is, as long as I remember to screw the cap back on, not that I’ve ever forgotten, oh no, not me.)
Yes, a tube costs 4 times as much as a $0.49 can of tomato paste, but it is less wasteful, and more convenient, to have tomato paste hanging out in the deli tray in my refrigerator, just a squeeze away.
I buy Amore brand tomato paste, because it’s the only one my local grocery stores stock. I know I’ve used Cento in the past, and I think I used San Marzano once or twice, both purchased from Italian specialty stores. I haven’t noticed much of a difference between the brands, so go ahead and buy whichever one you can find. All of them were good, and more convenient than the little can of paste.
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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I’ve faced the same dilemma. I get frustrated, trying to get all of the tomato paste out of the tubes and always feel as if I’ve wasted some. When I open a can, I use what I need and transfer the contents to a pint-sized Ziplock freezer bag, pat it flat into a thin layer, add the date to the bag, and freeze it flat. After that, I can just break off the amount I need. 1 tsp = 5 g, 1 tblsp = 17 g, 1/4 cup = 66 g.
I freeze tomato paste in an ice cube tray. Once the cubes are frozen, I pop them out & store them in a zip top bag Then, I can pull out what I need. Yes, I’ve got a dedicated tomato paste tray!
I always have a tube (Trader Joe’s version), but always have a can in the pantry too, usually for pizza sauce.
Also, Mike, my other favorite things are frozen cubes of garlic and ginger. They are about a teaspoon each. I think Dorat is the name of the company making them. Always great to have on hand when you get snowed in and can’t go to the market.