What Is Tomato Passata, and How Should I Use It? (2024)

Dana Velden

Dana Velden

Dana Velden's first book, Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook (Rodale Books) is available where ever books are sold. She lives in Oakland, CA.

updated Oct 8, 2022

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What Is Tomato Passata, and How Should I Use It? (1)

In many of the British cooking programs I follow and British cookbooks I use, I’ve often run across an ingredient that is unfamiliar to me. It’s called tomato passata (or “strained tomatoes”) and it appears to be a liquid tomato puree that comes in tall, carafe-like glass jars or a carton. What is it exactly and why would I use it instead of tomato sauce or tomato paste?

What Is Tomato Passata?

Passata is an uncooked tomato purée that has been strained of seeds and skins. It originated in Italy but is used throughout Europe. Some passatas are chunkier and some are smoother, depending on the brand. Some people claim that passata can also be cooked, but most agree that it is uncooked.

You will also see it spelled passato and passata di pomodoro, and it can also simply be called “strained tomatoes.”

How Is It Different from Other Tomato Products?

Tomato sauce and tomato paste are cooked products, which instantly makes them different from passata. In addition, tomato sauce often has other ingredients such as carrots, onions, and garlic, while tomato paste is cooked down to be extra concentrated and thick.

You would not want to substitute either product if passata is called for in your recipe. If you cannot find it in your store, the best substitution is tomato purée or take plain canned tomatoes and run them through a sieve or a food mill.

How to Use It

Tomato passata can be used in any recipe that calls for tomatoes where it is not important that there be pieces of tomato, such as sauce, soup, and stew. It’s especially nice in dishes where you really want to a fresher tomato flavor to come through rather than a cooked down version — I love it as a simple pizza sauce.

While passata used to be difficult to find, it’s becoming more common in grocery stores, especially the Pomi brand, which comes in a carton and is labeled “strained tomatoes.”

Do you use tomato passata? What’s your favorite way to use it?

What Is Tomato Passata, and How Should I Use It? (2024)

FAQs

What Is Tomato Passata, and How Should I Use It? ›

Tomato passata makes thicker, more intense tomato-flavoured sauces than using the equivalent amount of crushed or diced canned tomatoes. It's brilliant for making quick pasta sauces and soups, where you can't or don't simmer for a long time (eg.

What is a substitute for tomato passata? ›

The closest substitute to passata is either tomato puree or tomato paste. Tomato puree is practically an unstrained passata. It's the perfect addition to pasta sauces and will provide the same thick texture as passata. Tomato paste is created at a higher concentration, giving it a smoother consistency.

What is tomato passata used for? ›

Passata is best for recipes that require a smooth product without tomato pieces. Soups, light pasta sauces, pizza sauces and stews are few examples. Because passata is thicker with less water content than canned tomatoes, it cuts down on simmer time, making it perfect for quick-cook sauces.

Is passata the same as marinara? ›

What distinguishes marinara as its own signature sauce is its unfussy ingredient list and quick cook time. It traditionally consists of only tomato passata (tomato puree), salt, and pepper; it may occasionally include a pinch of chili flakes, a sprig of basil, or a clove of garlic.

Is tomato frito the same as passata? ›

Tomato frito is pureed tomatoes with onion and garlic. tomato passata is a tomato puree drained of seeds. Just use the puree and add garlic and onion which most paella recipes call for anyway.

What is the American equivalent of passata? ›

Tomato Passata is pureed, strained tomatoes usually sold in bottles. It's 100% tomato, no additives or flavourings, but sometimes contains added salt. It's uniform and smooth unlike crushed or chopped tomatoes, and makes gorgeously thick tomato-based sauces. It's known as Tomato Puree in the US (here's a photo).

Is canned tomato sauce the same as passata? ›

Canned tomato, crushed (or chopped): Crushed tomato features thick crushed particles of tomato floating in thinner tomato juice. Tomato Passata is thicker and smoother, whereas crushed tomatoes must be simmered for a long time to break down into a thick sauce.

What are the best uses for passata? ›

Reach for it when making Jewish-style braised brisket, tian, and even tomato soup. With passata, you're just a few ingredients and minutes away from a bowl of bucatini all'Amatriciana, a batch of spicy 'nduja-tomato sauce, or even a quick pizza sauce.

Can you eat passata on its own? ›

Essentially, it is tomato sauce in its rawest form. It can not be eaten directly from the bottle as it requires cooking until the tomatoes' raw acidity is neutralised and the sauce is thickened for eating.

Is tomato passata healthy? ›

Packed with vitamin C, low fat and counts as two of your five a day – this should be on the menu every week!

What is another name for tomato passata? ›

You will also see it spelled passato and passata di pomodoro, and it can also simply be called “strained tomatoes.”

Can you eat passata as sauce? ›

Whether in sauce, on a pizza or any other Italian dish, passata can serve as a good base or the perfect finishing touch. Here's a few of our tips on how to use passata including making a pasta sauce. What is passata? Passata is simply sieved tomatoes, which has a smooth, sauce like consistency.

Can you use passata as pizza sauce? ›

Tomato Passata: Forms the tomato base of the pizza sauce. Choose a good quality passata for best results. Passata comes in many varieties but a good one to choose for pizza sauce would be one made from plum tomatoes. You can also try one made from cherry tomatoes for a slightly different flavour.

What can I use if I don't have Passata? ›

Passata Substitute Options
  • Tomato purée: This is by far the best substitute for passata. ...
  • Tomato paste: Thicker than passata, tomato paste can also be used as a substitute. ...
  • Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce: If you don't have tomato purée or paste, you can opt to use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
Mar 20, 2023

Is passata just blended chopped tomatoes? ›

The flavour: passata is simply a pureed tomato liquid, which means it doesn't enjoy as much of a full bodied flavour as chopped tomatoes. The texture: as it is sieved, the texture is smooth. Due to its smoothness, it often doesn't hold additional flavourings such as garlic as well as chopped tomatoes do.

Can you freeze passata? ›

The passata can be frozen for up to 3 months and should be thawed overnight in the fridge before using. We would also suggest that any frozen passata is used up within 24 hours of thawing. It is also possible to freeze the leftover passata in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a resealable bag.

Can you make tomato puree into passata? ›

Process the solids in a blender or food processor until smooth. If you don't have either, mash the tomatoes finely with a masher or fork until as smooth as possible. Strain the pureed tomatoes and discard the skins and seeds. Use as you would use passata.

What is the difference between tomato puree and passata? ›

Passata is strained, raw tomato blend: Another differential point is that passata is NEVER cooked, but always bottled or used in its uncooked raw form. Tomato puree, on the other hand, is often cooked before canning/bottling to reduce its water content and sweeten the tomatoes.

What is the difference between tomato juice and passata? ›

Passata still contains the pulp of the tomato, whereas juice is literally just the juice. So juice is thin like water whereas passata is thick like crushed tomatoes minus the seeds and skin. You probably wouldn't use tomato juice for making a marinara sauce.

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