Tomatoes are a perfect addition to the recipes because it adds a zing and slightly sweet flavor that tastes incredible. While fresh tomatoes are widely used, tomato paste has become a more convenient form of adding flavor to the food as you don’t need to worry about cutting and de-seeding the tomatoes. For this purpose, we have a sun-dried tomato paste vs tomato paste comparison in this article because both these pastes have different flavors!
Sun-Dried Tomato Paste vs Tomato Paste
Sun-Dried Tomato Paste
The sun-dried tomato paste is just like regular tomato pastes but it’s made with specially dried tomatoes rather than fresh tomatoes. To be precise, the dried tomatoes are the ripe tomatoes that are dried under sunlight, which is the reason it’s named so. The tomatoes are dehydrated in sliced as well as whole forms – the slices are cut into smaller pieces, which helps shorten the tomatoes’ drying time.
Once the tomatoes are dried under the sun, they are blended in the food processor with salt, oregano, and parsley to achieve a thick paste consistency – which results in the tomato paste. Given the extensive drying process, the tomato paste will achieve a more intense taste and a deeper color. When it comes down to this specialized tomato paste, olive oil, spices, vinegar, and salt are added to the mixture to enhance the texture.
In addition, these extra ingredients help extend the shelf life of the paste. As far as the uses are concerned, it can be added to salads and sauces. It can be purchased from the supermarkets and should be kept in a dry and cool place. However, once you open the bottle, it has to be refrigerated but you need to consume it within two weeks. Lastly, you should always shake the bottle before using it.
When you opt for this tomato paste, the tomatoes don’t need to be cooked for turning them into a paste. For the most part, it has a deeper flavor and imparts a more intense flavor. Overall, it has a longer shelf life since the sun-drying process improves its preservation.
Tomato Paste
This is the regular tomato paste, which is basically a concentrated form of fresh and red tomatoes. The tomato paste is made by cooking and straining the tomatoes, as it helps achieve a thick and rich texture. It has a deeper and intense flavor that adds richness to the soups and sauces. The regular tomato paste is usually used in Italian cuisine but you can add it to other recipes as well.
The best thing about tomato paste is that there are no harmful ingredients in it, so it’s actually a nutritious addition to the food – it will impart minerals and vitamins to the food. It has a dense and thick texture as it’s simmered for a long time – the simmering is done to reduce the amount of paste to 50%. In the majority of cases, the tomatoes are cooked for over five hours as it achieves a thick texture but you can always add some water to thin up the texture.
Adding tomato paste will add delicious flavor to the dish, ranging from stews to sauces and soups. In particular, it adds a tangy flavor. In fact, it can be spread on the pizza with some salty cheese to make the perfect topping. In addition, tomato paste can be added to marinades to add more intensity to the flavor. As far as preparation is concerned, fresh and ripe tomatoes are used.
Keep in mind that cooking is essential before you mill the tomatoes to achieve the pureed texture. Moreover, it has a brighter color and the taste is milder as compared to other pastes. However, the shelf life is shorter compared to dried pasta.
The Bottom Line
The majority of contrasts between dried tomato paste and regular tomato paste are the flavor, color, and texture. However, there are some similarities as well. For instance, both these pastes can be added to soups, stews, and sauces, and you can adjust the quantity according to the flavor you desire. However, you should always store the opened paste bottles in a refrigerator to make sure they don’t develop mold. So, which tomato paste do you prefer?