Don't underestimate the culinary power within a spoonful of tomato paste. This thick, concentrated paste is your secret weapon when it comes to rich yet effortless sauces, stellar marinades, and soups that demand second helpings.
Tomato paste is made from fresh tomatoes that have been cooked down and down and down some more. Maillard reactions from the long cooking give the paste an intense, umami-rich flavor. When used in cooking, tomato paste works as a flavor-booster by adding its own deep savory notes and enhancing the other flavors in the dish.
A little goes a long way with tomato paste, which is why recipes typically only call for a tablespoon or two. If you're making a sauce or a soup, stir the paste into the vegetables along with the other seasonings just before you add the liquids. Tomato paste can also be whisked into a salad dressing or marinade, or even spread thinly on a sandwich like mustard.
You can find tomato paste sold in cans or in tubes. The cans are great for when we need a lot of paste at once, but any unused paste needs to be used or frozen within a week or two. The tomato paste in tubes is protected from the air and keeps for much longer if we're just using a tablespoon at a time. If you find yourself with a glut of tomatoes, you can even try your hand at making your own.
Here are a few recipes that put tomato paste to good use:
• Sweet and Tangy Homemade BBQ Sauce • Eggplant Caponata Sandwiches • Tomato Cilantro Shrimp • Roasted Red Kuri Pumpkin and Coconut Soup • Braised Lamb Shanks and Root Vegetable Puree
Do you ever cook with tomato paste?
Related: Weeknight Meal Tip: Ways to Doctor Jarred Tomato Sauce
(Image: Inga Nielsen/Shutterstock)
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Straw Mat from The ...
10 No-Fail Decor Tricks & Tips for Small Spaces
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Tomato powder is a great option, too, if you only need a little bit (which is often the case for me):
http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/tomato-powder
When I first saw the headline of this post, I thought that's what you were talking about. :)
Tomato paste is the best! I freeze whatever I don't use in an ice cube tray, then transfer to a tupperware. Since I'm almost always putting it in soup or sauce, I can just toss the cubes right in.
It really freaks out my partner when he's reaching for ice, though.
I didn't know you weren't supposed to use the whole can for 2 servings of chili... that explains a lot.
I probably go through 3 of the small cans every week (they're actually the best price at my stores), in part because my pizza sauce and marinara are almost entirely tomato paste. The savory sweetness is my favorite flavor in cooking. Couldn't live without this ingredient!