Green Talk®

Whole Body, Healthy Home, and Sustainable Garden Inspiration

  • About
    • Press
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
  • New Here?
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Hire Me
  • 5 Reasons to Subscribe!
  • Build Green
  • Gardening
  • Green Business
  • Green Living
  • Green Home
  • Recycling
  • Tech

Leftover Tomato Paste: Easy Waste & Plastic Free Way to Save. {+Video}

December 14, 2012 By: Anna8 Comments

How to save leftover tomato paste

You know you have  made it when you friends refer to you as the Un-Waster.  I can’t bear to compost old food.  Well add tomato paste to the list of rescue food behind celery leaves, tomato skins, apple cores, etc.  How many of you only need one tablespoon of tomato paste per recipe?  Me. Waving hand.  Then, how many never use that rest of the paste until it goes moldy?  Me. Again. Waving hand.  Complete waste of perfectly good tomato paste.

You Use a Can Paste?

Anna, you use a can tomato paste?   You don’t make your own paste?  Thought you grow millions of  tomato plants.

Wow.  Thanks for watching all my gardening videos where I gush about my garden.  And no I don’t grow millions of tomato plants.  Sometimes 15.  But to make paste you use a lot of tomatoes. I can mine whole since I use whole tomatoes more than tomato paste. (See my canning tomato video here.)

Plus, I had these cans forever.  Hubs thought he would buy a ton on sale. (Hence the completely cluttered pantry I fix every year.)  Yeah, so we can have an endless supply for our entire lives.

So, glad we were able to clear this up.  Let’s move on to save the tomato paste discussion.

How to Save Tomato Paste Waste and Plastic Free.

All the tutorials I saw used plastic to save excess tomato paste.  Some used plastic ice cube tray while other used wax paper.  (Here is my issue with plastic.)  Despite my issues, I wouldn’t use ice cube trays since they would stain.

Going the waste free route eliminated the use of  wax paper.  So, what should a green girl do?  Use her cookie sheets!  Watch the video below so you can see my beautiful  tomato mounds.  Martha would be proud.

Instructions:

1.  Scoop out 1 level tablespoon of tomato paste.  (If you don’t care if it is level or not, skip this direction.)

2.  Put in on the tray in a little mound.  I did use my fingers to get all of the tomato paste off.

3.  Do this until the can is empty.  Use a knife to get the rest out.  Some people take of the bottom and work the can both ways.  I was afraid the paste would push out as I was scooping.

4. Pop the tray into the freezer.

5. 24 hours later take the mounds and stick them in a glass jar for later use.  It is very easy to pop off the mounds of the tray.

Done with no more waste.  Whew.  Saved another food. I can take off my cape now.

Join the Conversation:

  • How do you save your tomato paste?
  • Do you just chuck it when it gets moldy?
  • Any other food you like to save?

Similar Posts:

  • 16 Ways to Reuse Your Food Scraps and Leftovers
  • Canning Tomatoes Recipe–A Better Way.
  • Planting Tomato Plants on Their Sides. Easier to Plant!
  • How to Harden Off Seedlings. Get Them Ready to Plant in the Garden
  • Freeze Your Tomatoes to Reduce Spoilage and Save Cash.

Grow From Seed Mini Course

Grow From Seed Mini Course

About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

Chat with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , and Google+.

Comments

  1. 1

    Jacko says

    December 14, 2012 at 8:49 am

    Why not just make more sauce with the paste or another meal?

    You can take the paste and mix it in with oregano, parsley, and pasta. Add some shrimp and tomatoes and onions and mushrooms and now your talking about a meal.

    Reply
    • 2

      Anna@Green Talk says

      December 17, 2012 at 10:41 pm

      Jacko, recipes tend to only ask for 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. It allows others to save their tomato paste from when the recipe only calls for a little amount. That being said, your recipe sounds yummy! Anna

      Reply
  2. 3

    Margaret says

    November 18, 2016 at 9:47 pm

    I buy tomato paste in glass jars, once opened I keep it in the freezer. It doesn’t freeze solid so can still be spooned out next time it’s needed. I’ve never had a jar crack & break in the freezer, so that’s not a concern. I do the same with yeast to keep it fresh.

    Reply
    • 4

      Anna@Green Talk says

      November 18, 2016 at 10:37 pm

      Great idea, Margaret. What brand do you get that comes in a glass jar? Anna

      Reply
      • 5

        Margaret says

        November 19, 2016 at 12:37 am

        I’m in Australia, we can get several brands in glass..Coles & Leggo’s are 2 that come to mind. If you can’t find any already in glass you can always transfer into empty ones. Plastic containers would be ok too, but with the ‘squeeze tube’ ones you’d probably find it too hard to get out. I used to do it with the foil top containers, but it’s chesper to buy in larger amounts.

        Reply
        • 6

          Anna@Green Talk says

          November 19, 2016 at 9:04 am

          Margaret, I am anxious to try your idea. We don’t have glass brands here. I wish. Anna

          Reply
          • 7

            Margaret says

            November 19, 2016 at 6:50 pm

            Just transfer from plastic to glass, no need to buy in glass.

          • 8

            Anna@Green Talk says

            November 19, 2016 at 8:44 pm

            Great ideas, Margaret. Thanks so much for commenting! Anna

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shop from Anna’s Farm– The Naked Botanical– Farm Fresh Teas, Salts & Body Products

The Naked Botanical Click HERE

Save Money By Growing Your Plants Indoors.

Three Must Have Equipment "

Grab My Free Mini Course

Connect with Me

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Posts

  • Organic Color Systems: Wash those Grays Away with a Safer Hair Color

  • Coffee Grounds in the Garden: Friend or Foe?

  • Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?

  • Freeze Cucumbers & Learn How to Use Them.

  • Hydrogen Peroxide + Ears = Bye to Colds. A Remedy that Works

  • Orange Peel Vinegar Cleaner. Make Your Own Green Cleaner

  • 15 Ways to Recycle or Repurpose Your Underwear

Recent Posts

  • How to Grow Grains in a Small Garden
  • Proper Lighting to Grow Seeds Indoors.
  • Gone Vegan: And Loving My New Life
  • Sleep On Latex: A Healthier Mattress to Sleep Better
  • Eco-Friendly Multi-Use Yard Living. Eat and Enjoy.

Popular Posts

  • Organic Color Systems: Wash those Grays Away with a Safer Hair Color

  • Coffee Grounds in the Garden: Friend or Foe?

  • Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?

RSS Green Talk TV

  • Hibiscus in the high tunnel and some discoveries I found.
  • Turmeric indoor sowing time!
  • Short snippet of creating a rose hydrosol
  • Elderberry, more uses than just for health
  • The Naked Botanical's Gift Boxes

Copyright Green Talk © 2025 · Website Designed by Clever Kiwi