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Home Ingredients

What is Tomato Passata?

By:Nagi
Published:15 Jan '16Updated:4 Aug '20
15 Comments

Tomato Passata is pureed strained uncooked tomatoes that is sold in tall bottles. It’s 100% tomato, no additives or flavourings. It’s smoother than crushed tomatoes and makes gorgeous thick tomato based sauces. It’s known as Tomato Puree in the US (here’s a photo).

Though more widely available nowadays, and around the same price as canned tomato, I sill regularly get asked questions about it so I thought it was worth doing a little FAQ.

What is tomato passata

Tomato Passata is an ingredient that I’m quite fond of, one I use regularly in tomato based sauces. Though increasing in popularly, it’s not as well known as crushed tomato and tomato paste so I though it would be helpful to do a little 101 on Tomato Passata. What it is, how to use it, why I love it so much.

What is Tomato Passata?

Tomato Passata is just plain tomato that’s been pureed and passed through a sieve to make it smooth. It doesn’t have any flavourings or salt added.

It’s essential canned crushed tomato that’s been pureed, but thicker. If you were to just puree crushed tomato, it would be thinner. You would have to press it through a sieve to achieve the same consistency.

A bottle and jug of tomato passata

How to use Tomato Passata

Tomato passata makes thicker, more intense tomato flavoured sauces than using the equivalent amount of crushed or diced canned tomatoes. It’s brilliant to use for making quick pasta sauces and soups, where you don’t simmer for a long time (30 minutes+) to allow chunks of crushed or diced tomato to break down and thicken the sauce.

Here are Italian Meatballs in a sauce made with Passata. The sauce is only simmered for 10 minutes, and you can see how much there is!

Close up of Italian Meatballs simmering in marinara sauce

Where to buy Tomato Passata

10 years ago, passata was relatively hard to find in Australia. Nowadays, it’s sold at major supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths) in the pasta section, as well as fresh produce stores like Harris Farms and of course Italian delis.

By weight, it’s usually slightly better value than canned tomato.

In the US, I’ve seen tomato passata even at Walmart! Also available on Amazon and of course, Italian groceries such as Eataly in New York.

Best Substitute for Tomato Passata

If you’re in American or Canada, the best substitute for tomato passata is tomato puree. Tomato puree is essentially the cooked version of tomato passata, and recipes I’ve made using tomato puree came out the same as when made using tomato passata.

To MAKE Tomato Passata using tomato paste, see this recipe – Tomato Paste Substitute for Tomato Passata and Canned Tomato.


Difference between Tomato Passata and….

  • Tomato paste – Passata is thinner and less intense flavoured than tomato paste which has a thicker consistency and is more sour. See how to make a Tomato Passata substitute using tomato paste.
  • Crushed canned tomato (or chopped) – Passata has a thicker smoother consistency, whereas crushed tomato has thick crushed bits of tomato in a thinner liquid. Crushed tomato needs to be cooked for a while to break down into a thick sauces, whereas tomato passata is already a thick sauce consistency.
  • Tomato Sauce (US) – Tomato passata is not tomato sauce in the US (which is pureed tomato like passata but with flavourings added). (Note: Tomato Sauce in Australia is like ketchup. In America, Tomato Sauce is liked a canned version of tomato passata)

Closeup of tomato passata being poured

I love using tomato passata, and you can see all my recipes made using passata here. Here are a few examples:

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

A slice of lasagne being lifted

Spinach & Ricotta Rotolo

Spinach & Ricotta Rotolo

Chorizo Risotto

A pot of Chorizo Risotto with Kale

Meatball Soup

Italian Meatball Soup

Meatloaf with Marinara Sauce

Italian Meatloaf in sauce topped with parmesan cheese

Seafood Spaghetti Marinara

Seafood spaghetti

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15 Comments

  1. Victoria Khera says

    October 12, 2020 at 4:09 am

    Hi Nagi, im from the US and new to your blog. Just wanted to say I am so excited to try your recipes. I have been looking online and found that passata is known as Strained Tomatoes here in the US. Pomi is one brand that sells them and is found in grocery stores.

    Reply
  2. Rosa says

    June 8, 2020 at 10:08 am

    Hi! I’m from California. I haven’t heard of pasaata (sp) but I will be on the look out for it. I am trying your recipe for a few adaptations. I only had tomato paste so I used that. I also added sun dried tomatoes and kalamata olives. It smells delicious! Looking forward to dinner! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Andie B says

    June 6, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    Hi Nagi. Normally I buy Australian grown tinned crushed tomatoes. A few weeks ago I was excited to find jars of Australian grown tomato passata. (Here in Sydney).
    Great product. Yes it is slightly different from the crushed tomatoes. Australian grown. Hooray.
    You do such a good job on this website. Thanks.

    Reply
  4. Claudette Hendricks says

    May 14, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    Hi, thanks so much for explaining what Passata is. I feel very squared away on the fact that it’s simply tomato purée in the USA. I just thought that I should mention that in your final notes you state “ Note: Tomato Sauce in Australia is like ketchup. In America, Tomato Sauce is liked a canned version of tomato passata”, perhaps you should edit that statement to say that in America, Tomato Purée is like a canned version of tomato Passata. Thank you again!

    Reply
  5. Cat says

    May 12, 2020 at 10:12 am

    Superb as usual, Nagi!!

    My little family loved this meal (my wee 19 month old boy was wolfing it down).

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 12, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      That’s great to hear Cat! N x

      Reply
  6. Tom Hackim says

    December 31, 2019 at 10:47 am

    I have been a big fan of yours for a few years receiving your weekly Emails and print at least 40% of your recipes and cook them too. I came across a recipe calling for “tomato passata”… with no idea what it was. I Googled it and “Recipe Tin Eats” was the second entry… of course. Thanks for the information on passata…

    Reply
  7. Gary says

    September 28, 2019 at 9:37 am

    I’m cooking 2 of your recipes for lunch today. Realised that I was out of ketchup so substituted with passata for the slow cooked beef brisket… then I did a search for the difference and came back to your site. Not sure how it will go. Probably won’t be as sweet, but still has the brow sugar. What do you think?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 28, 2019 at 12:59 pm

      Hi Gary, that’s fine, you can just add a little salt and sugar to balance out the passata! – N x

      Reply
      • Gary Ong says

        September 29, 2019 at 9:20 pm

        Thanks Nagi. It turned out quite nice. I didn’t any extra sugar or salt. It did taste different, but it was a nice substitute.

        Reply
  8. Suzy says

    April 29, 2019 at 9:37 am

    I am on a diet (sigh) but I am drooling at your inviting photos. Your videos and photos are not only helpful they are truly beautiful and so professional.

    So if I am on a diet, why am I scouring your wonderful and tempting website? I’m hooked on your personality, notable talents, and down-to-earth approach to creating fabulous meals.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 29, 2019 at 8:48 pm

      Thanks so much Suzy that’s so kind of you!!! ❤️

      Reply
  9. JoJo says

    March 21, 2019 at 5:13 pm

    Always looove to see passion in cooking (anything) I use your recipes a lot I must say ur explanation about products/ingredients helps me a lot. Together with those info, your recipe, other references, and my recipe- I often get the best (of course not the best for everyone but for me and my boyfriend) outcome. Thank you for posting and sharing recipes. Your passion, love, effort, and time are much appreciated! What a wonderful girl! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 21, 2019 at 8:05 pm

      Thank you so much for the great feedback ❤️

      Reply
  10. Deirdre O'Malley says

    October 26, 2018 at 11:54 pm

    I love your recipes! I make your mac & cheese and every time it’s a great hit! It’s the most requested dish at my husband’s monthly pot luck luncheon at his firm. And I’ve converted a few mac & cheese haters into mac & chrese lovers worth it.

    Reply

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