What Can You Use For A Substitute For Tomato Paste
Domenec Reynolds
Thanks for the excellent article. Tomato replacement is a very interesting subject for me as I have allergies.
You can now buy a replacement for tomato cooking sauce in the UK called "Ally's No Tomato Sauce". Being allergic to tomatoes, its a godsend! The website is TomatoFree.co.uk
I once created a simmer sauce using cooked beets, apple cider vinegar, and a bit of oregano. It turned out great, and it provided the color, texture, and tartness that I was looking for. Not everyone likes beets though, so I have to be careful when cooking for others. (At that point I usually opt for recipes which don't use tomatoes to start with.)
This article is much appreciated! I just made lentil sloppy joes without the 2 cans of tomatoes or any of your substitution ideas and they weren't so moist...
I will give your ideas a try and hope to have some more comfort back in my food!
Ooops! I forgot to say that I made this sauce up last night with things I had on hand. The resulting sauce was used for a recipe that called for 2 (28oz) cans of crushed tomatoes, along with leeks and sausage. Turned out to be much like an Italian spaghetti sauce. It was good, albeit fairly sweet. I think next time I'll add some rhubarb to cut down the sweet a bit. Kids and hubby all approved. :)
Stumbled upon your cite today HOORAY!!
I also have a nightshade allergy.
Being part of a large Italian family kinda puts a damper on my dinnertime :(
Out of pure necessity and a ton of trial and error. I have come up with a Mean Nightshade Free Marinara Sauce, that even our 102 year old Italian granny enjoys.
We start by bringing to boil a large pot of pealed and sliced carrots in water.
Boil the carrots until they are mush
Strain out the water (this gets rid of the sugary sweetness that carrots bring to the table.)
Replace the water with your favorite Nightshade free broth. (adds savoriness to the sauce.)
Bring back to a boil, and toss into a blender and blend to desired consistency.
Once i have the consistency i like i put it back on the stove to simmer.
Season with the Italian spice staples, Oregano, Basil, garlic, onions... etc
I prefer a chunky hearty sauce, so I like to add Olives, Artichoke Hearts, Mushrooms, Zucchini, and whatever else i have laying around.
Sauce turns out perfect and delicious every time.
2 problems; the whole recipe is to taste, I never use measurements :( so sorry
And Second, it doesn't have that beautiful red tomato-y color
Tamarind is a legume and I for one, being allergic to nightshade foods including beans(legumes) of all kinds and potato will NOT eat tamarind. Licorice is a legume, rooibos used in tea blends, guargum etc. Commercial sweet potato fries are almost 100% mixed with regular white potato. Potato and soya starch is everywhere, even in meds ad fillers.
I get a shock reaction. Know your lists!
Hi Grandma Bonnie, I think you're confusing two common intolerances. You may be intolerant to both legumes and nightshades (in which case you're right, tamarind isn't an option for you), but the two are not the same thing. Nightshades (including potatoes) are not legumes and legumes are not nightshades; there isn't any overlap in the two families of foods. I don't envy you not being able to eat nightshades or legumes; good luck!
This is possibly the best thing I have ever seen on the internet. I have a nightshade intolerance but luckily love to cook so most of your substitutions for potatoes, eggplants and peppers I've used before. (although I've never heard of adding cloves in place of chili peppers...I'm definitely trying that next chance I get.)
But tomatoes are a different story and I generally just avoid them. (Mustard or mayo in place of ketchup, pesto on pasta, etc.) I've had both umeboshi and tamarind paste before and love them both but would never have thought to use them in place of tomatoes. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the great ideas!
_Thank_you_ so much for this information! I've been so limited for so long because of my tomato allergy -- even wound up in the ER because of it. I've missed certain dishes for so long! I knew about Nomato, but haven't gotten to try it yet since it's not at our normal market. I've saved your post!
Lately, as they're in season, I've been using fresh persimmons to sub for tomatoes in salads, salsa, etc. They are actually pretty close, though sweeter. I may try a puree soon to see if it could work as a "tomato sauce." You never know till you try!
Thanks! I have a roommate who's got various food allergies and I'd love to cook things she could eat, but it's not always easy. I found a great soup mix, but it calls for a can of tomatoes and I've been puzzling over what to substitute for it.
I have a more difficult problem. I seem to have a problem digesting fructose in my older age, so things like too much squash or too many carrots or onions are no good for me either. I am looking for something to replace a can of tomatoes when I am in a rush. Tomatoes are so good for throwing in the pot with whatever you are cooking for a quick easy meal.
Any ideas anyone?
Yes, the soft persimmons work really nice for replacing tomatoes. I've used them for homemade spaghetti sauce. It turns out a little sweeter with persimmons, but leave out any sugar called for in a traditional tomato sauce recipe.
Also, in soups like lentil soup, where tomatoes are a main ingredient, but not overpowering. I use persimmons and it worked great! I found that adding a few tablespoons apple cider vinegar and mix that with the persimmons first works best. It sort of helps add a tangy flavor like some tomatoes have.
"For lightly-cooked tomatoes, like the kind you might have in an English breakfast or on Eggs [Tofu] Benedict or Florentine, lightly sautee sliced or fileted zucchini in a small amount of olive oil and vinegar over high heat until it begins to soften and brown on each side"
Am I missing something but isn't zucchini a nightshade?
@Anonymous
Zucchini is not a nightshade! Perhaps you are confusing it with eggplant, which is a nightshade.
Archana, what you use to substitute depends a bit on what you're looking to make. For example, zucchini is pretty good as tomatoes in cases where tomatoes remain whole. I am not sure about suggestions for tomato sauces, though.
I just came across this page after being told to eliminate nightshades (amongst many other things) in my diet over the past 2 years due to eczema. People always find it odd when I tell them that tomatoes are by far the hardest thing ever and I find giving up dairy, wheat, soy and even sugar easier than this. Tomatoes are in just about everything I love (Mexican food, Indian food, soups, sauces, chip/cracker flavourings, etc.) and it's hard to avoid once you start reading ingredient labels. I am excited to discover that you have substitutions because until now I just avoid them altogether (or cheat and break into rash). I'm looking forward to reading all your nightshade blog entries and to hopefully revamping my diet with some exciting options. Thank you!
you have done an amazing job here on nightshades!! so happy I came across your blog. have had to cut out nightshades on elimination diet. I really appreciate your substitution ideas & recipes. many thx!
I've heard of replacing tomatoes with strawberries because they have a similar tartness to them. You could even add a bit of miso in order to alter the flavor to your liking if you do a puree.
I've never done that before, but it's worth a shot. :D
Great ideas!
For those who were concerned about reducing the sweetness, what I gave used in traditional recipes is some good quality cheddar cheese. I cooked the dish until the tomatoes lost their raw flavor then added a nice chunk of cheese right at the end, stirring just until it melts into the sauce.
Now that I'm trying to avoid nightshades, I'm going to try that same tactic.
@KarinIsHere
I'm with you! After years of issues, my son and I both just received the list of everything we're allergic to (which feels like all food), and we are finding tomatoes and garlic the hardest to give up too! We are allergic to all grains, legumes, nightshades, citrus, nuts, etc, etc, etc....but out of everything, the tomatoes and garlic have been the WORST.
Hi Sarah
You are amazing. I am so Glad I came across your site. I like your style and adivise to approach the substitution exercise keeping in mind the end result of what we want to achieve. Really sound & practical advise. Keep exploring & keep sharing. Thank you so much.
Warmest regards
I have recently been experimenting with substituting pumpkin puree for tomatoes. What I do instead of adding vinegar is adding honey and lemon juice. With the addition of typical sauce spices, it actually pulls off pretty well. It isn't exactly tomato sauce, but it is satisfyingly close, especially with garlic added.
I've been working with traditional Sicilian dishes, and I found a combo that covers a lot of the flavor combination that tomatoes provide:
lemons (the tart part)
raisins or diced apricots or currants (the sweet part)
capers or minced olives or minced anchovies (the savory part)
You could probably use this combo, along with a veggie like zucchini, to make a very good replacement for cooked semi-solid tomatoes, such as diced or stewed. It goes amazingly well with fish, even the fishiest fish, also beans, and greens, and tofu.
I think that to approximate 2 cans of diced tomatoes, I'd lightly stew two diced zucchini with the juice and zest from one lemon, a 15oz jar of green olives - minced (or one tin of anchovies), and a half cup of raisins. This is based on proportions from other recipes that "hit the tomato spot", with zucchini for filler. Broil the zucchini for 5 minutes first to get that fire-roasted tomato flavor.
I'm going to try some of these pumpkin-based sauce ideas :-9