A genius way to store Tomato Paste
Every time a recipe calls for just a teaspoon of tomato paste, I feel like the rest of the can is destined for the trash. It used to drive me nuts. Now, whenever I open a new can, I portion out the leftovers into a silicone ice cube tray. Each cube holds about a tablespoon, which is perfect for most recipes. I freeze them, then pop the cubes into a zip-top bag once they're solid. When a recipe needs a bit of tomato paste, I just grab a cube or two and toss it straight into the pan—no thawing needed.
This trick works for soups, stews, or even a quick pasta sauce. Sometimes, I sauté a cube with garlic and onion as a base for chili or curry. The flavor is more concentrated than tomato sauce, so it adds a nice depth. I’ve also stirred a cube into canned soup to make it taste less like, well, canned soup. It’s a small thing, but it cuts down on waste and saves a few bucks over time.
If you don’t have an ice cube tray, spooning little dollops onto parchment and freezing works too. T
#Kitchen hacks #tomatopaste #Food storage#foodwaste #Cooking