Do you need the substitutes for Woolworths sun-dried tomato paste at the last minute? These six finest alternatives will provide you with your favorite flavor and texture you need for your pasta sauce or salad, whether you’re looking for tamarind paste or tomato purée.
Tomatoes that have been dried out in the sun are referred to as sun-dried tomatoes. They have been dehydrated, which is what gives them their distinctive flavor in addition to making them little and shriveled. The majority of individuals put them in their food because they want an explosion of sweet and sour flavor with a chewy texture.
If you have just completed making pasta by hand and are about to begin preparing the sauce for dinner, you might want to think about adding some sun-dried tomatoes to the mixture. After all, its one-of-a-kind flavor contributes an exceptionally potent and concentrated tartness that is difficult to imitate.
However, if you don’t have any on hand, you shouldn’t worry about it! You just need to use some ordinary components in their place to achieve the same flavor, and the greatest part is that this is something that can be done in a pinch!
However, the recipe itself will dictate the substitution that works best.
You might, for instance, experiment with alternative choices such as canned tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, and tomato purée. Alternatively, you could use veggies such as roasted bell peppers or tamarind instead. They are all effective in the same way!
Tomates en conserve
Tomatoes from a can, served alongside fresh tomatoes on the side.
The first item on the list is canned tomatoes that have been peeled. They are an excellent substitute in a variety of recipes, but they shine brightest when used to make sauce. They are reminiscent of sun-dried tomatoes in terms of their flavor characteristics.
When making adjustments, you should strive to keep the ratio of 1:3 intact. That refers to each sun-dried tomato that takes up a half cup. You will need one and a half cups worth of canned tomatoes. It is important to read the labels on the cans you purchase because this could also change based on the brand you use.
Because using canned tomatoes can result in a sauce that is less thick, you may find that you need to add more tomato purée in order to achieve the desired consistency.
Tomato Paste
a jar containing tomato paste
Cooking tomatoes for a long period of time until much of the water is evaporated results in a concentrated form of tomato known as tomato paste. After removing the skins and seeds, you put everything back in the pot and continue cooking it until all of the water has evaporated.
Tomato paste has a flavor that is intensely reminiscent of sun-dried tomatoes due to the manufacturing process that goes into making it. Because it imparts flavor without contributing unwanted textures, it works particularly well in soups and curries. Approximately five sun-dried tomatoes are equivalent to one spoonful of tomato paste. It is possible to create a direct 1:1 swap with them, depending on your personal choice.
If you wanted to construct a dish that highlighted the chewiness of sun-dried tomatoes, you might choose to use a different alternative or combine a few different ingredients instead of using sun-dried tomatoes. The peppers contribute the texture, while the paste is responsible for imparting flavor.
Tomato Purée
A jar of tomato paste stored in glass.
The process of making tomato purée is identical to that of making tomato paste; the only difference is the amount of time spent cooking the tomatoes. After the tomatoes have been cooked for an adequate amount of time to evaporate some of the water, you put them in a blender and purée them until they become a liquid.
The end product is a liquid that is less viscous and has a flavor that is less robust and more sweet than tomato paste. Tomato purée can serve as a foundation for a variety of sauces and condiments, including pizza sauce and salsa.
Because tomato purée lacks nearly the same amount of flavor as whole tomatoes, you cannot make a 1:1 substitution with it. You are free to change the amount of water or stock that goes into a dish that calls for a relatively small amount of liquid if you are utilizing that recipe. It is possible to use less in order to compensate for the purée.
It is possible to mimic the texture and flavor profile of sun-dried tomatoes quite successfully by combining tomato purée and canned whole tomatoes.
Roasted Red and Green Bell Peppers
Paprika roasted in the oven
The term “roasted bell pepper” refers to a fresh bell pepper that has been roasted in the oven, as the name suggests. The natural sweetness of vegetables may often be brought out by roasting, while also providing the vegetables a crisp skin. This is also the case with bell peppers, which is why they are a suitable alternative in this context.
The two have a flavor that is very similar to one another, and their textures are also very similar. When compared to a tomato, a bell pepper will have more crunch, but it won’t be an intolerable amount. You can substitute them for the sundried tomatoes in virtually any recipe that calls for them. To bring out the full flavor profile of the pepper, the best dishes to pair it with are pasta or pizza.
You can use the same ratio of one to one for both of these. Instead of using one pepper for every tomato, you should use a ratio of one tablespoon of peppers to one tablespoon of tomatoes.
Tomatoes that have been recently picked up.
Tomatoes in their fresh cherry form
If you don’t have any sun-dried tomatoes, you can substitute fresh tomatoes instead. They are more comparable to one another than the other tomato alternatives in terms of flavor and texture. Because they are not in a concentrated form, their flavor is not as potent, but the fact that there is more of it to chew on makes up for it.
Because fresh tomatoes contain more liquid than canned tomatoes, you might need to modify your recipe to make up for the difference. They go particularly well with sandwiches, pizza, and pasta meals, in addition to salads. You can also consume them in their unseasoned form as a snack.
In principle, they could be added to soup, but the result wouldn’t be representative of their greatest work. If you cut them, they will disintegrate into pieces. If you add them in their whole form, the cooking process might not go smoothly.
It might be best to use the Roma tomatoes, which are smaller. However, the other tomato varieties will be superior selections when it comes to soup.
If you have the opportunity and the time, you could dry fresh tomatoes on your own. They can be dried in the sun, in the oven, or in a dehydrator, all of which are viable options. It is likely that the oven will be the most practical option.
You should halve your tomatoes and then sprinkle them with a little bit of sea salt. Roast them at a low temperature in the oven for 2.5–3.5 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
