Tomato paste is a super important pantry staple to have. It provides a condensed tomato flavor to all sorts of dishes, soups, and sauces, and a little bit goes a long way. Although some recipes will you tell you to use tomato paste in a certain way, this is how some of the greatest chefs are using it today.
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Tomato paste is something that needs to be cooked out a bit to not only enhance the flavor but gets rid of the slightly metallic flavor it can take on since it is preserved. The best way to do this, no matter what you might be making, is to first saute the vegetables you are using, whether that is a mirepoix or just garlic and onions.
Once the vegetables have softened, spoon some tomato paste into the pot or saucepan and let it cook for a few minutes. At this time, you can also put in the spices that you’ll be using for the dish. You will find that the tomato paste will start carmelizing and getting sticky, but don’t worry! After a few minutes, just deglaze the pan with broth, water, or wine, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom, and continue on with your dish.
