FOOD NEWS
The Difference Between Tomato Paste In A Tube Vs A Can
By Betsy Parks
You've probably noticed that tomato paste comes in either a can or a metal tube resembling toothpaste. While they can be used interchangeably, there are pros and cons.
Tomato paste is often sold in very small cans or tubes, which tend to contain around 9 or 10 tablespoons of paste. The canned variety is more commonly made and used in the U.S.
The paste is cooked at 200 degrees F, caramelizing the tomatoes' natural sugars and producing a darker color. It's then preserved with citric acid, which gives it a tart flavor.
Tubed tomato paste is almost always made in Italy and cooked at 150 degrees F, containing a brighter red color and a looser texture. It's preserved with salt before it's packaged.
Many of these pastes are also "double concentrated," meaning they have less water than the canned stuff, and the tomato flavor is a little bit more intense.
The choice comes down to volume and cost. If you need several tablespoons of tomato paste for a pasta sauce, opt for the canned variety to scoop it out instead of squeezing a tube.