The 5 Best Substitutes for Tomato Powder

If you’re interested in adding flavor to your cooking but don’t want to use tomato sauce, you might consider dried tomatoes instead.

Tomato powder is often used in many recipes because it can last for a very long time and still maintain its flavor.

It is also much cheaper than buying canned or glass jars of the same ingredient.

However, the problem with using tomato powder is that it does not taste when eaten plain.

It tends to be very strong and may even be bitter in the case of aged tomato powder.

This powder is not meant to be eaten alone but is best used for other ingredients.

To avoid having a strong taste in your recipes, you might use the following substitutes for tomato powder:

• Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil.
• Canned crushed tomatoes.
• Heirloom tomatoes.
• Cooked chopped tomatoes.
• Roasted tomato paste.

If using a substitute is not possible, you can always use fresh tomatoes in your recipe instead.

What is Tomato Powder?

Before getting into the uses of tomato powder, we must understand it.

Tomato powder is exactly as it sounds- dried tomatoes that have been ground to a fine texture.

The different varieties can be made from fresh or canned tomatoes and then dehydrated until they reach the desired consistency.

What are some uses of Tomato Powder?

As stated in the introduction, this type of product is made from real tomatoes that have been dried and ground into a fine texture.

Because it has such a strong flavor, tomato powder can be used in several dishes.

Tomato powder can be added to sauces and soups for additional flavor.

It can also be mixed with chili, cumin, and paprika and rubbed for meat and fish.

It can even be mixed into dough or batter to give it an intense tomato flavor.

The uses of tomato powder are almost endless.

It can be used in pasta sauce or salsa, curries, stews, or even in desserts like ice cream.

Tomato powder is incredibly versatile because it has such a strong flavor; whatever it’s added to won’t need any extra seasoning.

The 5 Best Substitutes for Tomato Powder

Let’s face it- sometimes you need to use tomato powder for its intense flavor and can’t just substitute it with another ingredient.

However, there are certain situations in which the listed substitutes may be used instead:

1 – Sun-dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are also a great alternative because they have been soaked in oil.

The flavor from the sun is very intense because it helps draw out the natural sugars from the tomato itself.

This means that you can use less product and still get a strong burst of flavor.

It’s important to note that there is a difference between sun-dried tomatoes that have been packed with olive oil and those that are dried with other kinds of oil.

Olive oil will give the product a more distinct flavor, while sun-dried tomatoes not packed in olive oil may be much drier.

The taste is also different though both can be used for many different dishes.

2 – Canned Crushed Tomatoes

Canned crushed tomatoes are also a great option.

They can be used in any recipe that calls for tomato powder, but they are often less expensive.

Another perk is that you don’t need to worry about them becoming stale or freezer-burned when left out on the shelf.

When using tomatoes from a can, some people prefer to drain the liquid and then use the tomatoes.

Others may crush them up first to get the right consistency for their dish.

You can find canned crushed tomatoes in almost any grocery store, and they can often be substituted for tomato powder.

3 – Heirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom tomatoes are often much larger than other kinds of tomatoes.

When you peel them, you will notice that the inside is usually bright red.

They are also much sweeter than other types of tomatoes.

Since they have more moisture content, you will need to cook them down with a little salt before using them in recipes that call for tomato powder.

Once they are cooled down enough, you can either puree the tomatoes with your hands or use a blender to get them into the right consistency.

The puree should be thicker than crushed tomatoes but slightly thinner than tomato powder.

This method also benefits from being much healthier because it’s made from 100% natural ingredients.

4 – Roasted Tomato Paste

Though this is considered more of a tomato “concentrate”, it’s still a good option for those looking to replace their tomato powder.

It can be used exactly as you would use tomato powder and has a similar flavor profile, though it may be slightly milder.

Like crushed tomatoes, you will want to cook them down before using them in your dish.

You can buy tomato paste in small cans or tubes and either use what you need right away or freeze the rest for later use.

It’s a good idea to have some on hand, especially since many recipes call for very little tomato powder at a time, making it difficult to measure out without having your product spoil.

5 – Cooked Chopped Tomatoes

Tomatoes are also great in dishes where you look to have a thicker consistency.

For example, when making curries, it will help to thicken the dish up if you sauté chopped tomatoes with other ingredients.

One of the biggest perks of using this method is that you can include any other vegetables in season at the time.

This means that you will get a nice variety of flavors and textures depending on cooking.

Some people like to use chopped tomatoes as a base before adding other ingredients later.

If you want to make chopped tomatoes, you can always use fresh tomatoes, but you can also save the extra chopped tomatoes from your last meal for other recipes.

You should normally roast or sauté them first before adding other ingredients.

The tomato should not be overcooked because it will continue to cook later in the dish.

Conclusion

Tomato powder is a great way to add flavor, especially since it can be used in many recipes.

But there are also several other options that you can use instead.

Some of these substitutes require that you cook them down first or include them as-is, though they will likely have more moisture content than tomato powder.

Whichever method you choose, you will be able to enjoy all the flavors of tomato season even when it’s not in full swing.