Pasta and pizza are immediately associated with Italian cuisine. It’s not news anymore that these two foods are staples in Italian food. To put this into perspective, pizza and pantry are essentials in Italian cooking, just as rice is for most Asians. To this end, passata (or simply tomato passata) or tomato has become a pantry staple in Italy. No Italian pantry is truly Italian if it doesn’t have pasta and a bottle or two of tomato puree.

What is passata? Italian passata provides rich tomato sauces for some of your favorite Italian meals. These are only a few of the most popular uses for this ingredient. This ingredient can be used in a variety of ways. You can use this as a base to make soups or stews. You can use it in anything that contains tomato sauce.

Do you still need to understand the hype? Continue reading to learn all you need to about this Italian ingredient. We’ll cover what it is, the best way to make it, and some great recipes you can use at home.

What is Passata?

Passata de Pomodoro sounds expensive and fancy. Like any other foreign food or ingredients, many think preparing is challenging. Passata, as its name implies, is uncooked tomato purée deseeded and skinned. It’s then packed in jars or bottles. Some people season their tomato purée with sugar, salt, and basil leaves. The authentic recipe, however, only contains plain tomatoes. Despite its lengthy process, you’ll soon discover that this tomato puree is easy to make.

Despite its similarity in appearance to other tomato sauces, the tomato passata is different. Consistency is an excellent way to distinguish them. The consistency and texture of passata are thicker and smoother because the excess water has been removed. Also, the flavors are different. This Italian staple is fresher because it was not cooked before being processed, strained, and stored in jars.

Italians also prefer this variety because of its thick and intense consistency, making it ideal for quick meals. You must first reduce the water content to reduce the prep time of crushed or diced tomatoes. This can be achieved by simmering watery tomatoes in a sauce and cooking them thoroughly. Can tomatoes still be used as a passata alternative?

Passata vs. Other Tomato Sauces

We know it is easy to mix up tomato sauces based on their names and because they look very similar in the bottle. We’ve listed the most common tomato sauces to help you better understand how passata differs from other spices. You can use them to replace passata sauce in your dishes.

Canned TomatoesThis tomato sauce is available in three different varieties: diced, crushed, and whole. Canned tomato sauce is usually heated and peeled before sealing. They are watery and contain chunks of tomato rather than a smooth puree.

Marinara Sauce This tomato sauce is made from garlic, onions, and herbs such as basil or parsley. Its consistency is slightly thicker than that of passata. If you want to use it as a replacement, you can thin the sauce to make it more like passata.

Tomato PasteTomato Pastes are thicker and have a more concentrated taste than passata. This can be achieved by boiling tomatoes over several hours. They are sourer because tomato paste has more potency.

Enjoy Delicious Tomato Paste Recipes at Home

It’s a no-brainer to use tomato passata instead of the usual tomato sauces you make at home! It can be used in any recipe as any other tomato sauce. Suppose the recipe does not call for chunky tomato sauces like this. Use them in any recipe if you don’t care about the tomato pieces.

Here are some recipes that you can make at home. We’ve collected recipes that use tomato passata to replace tomato sauces in everything from hearty stews to delicious pasta bowls.

Veal Parmigiana recipe This is a classic Italian meal made with oven-baked veal sat on top of rich tomato sauce. This dish is topped with generous amounts of mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Classic Lasagna Recipe – Here is another traditional Italian recipe we love. Enjoy this stack of flat pasta stuffed with a meaty tomato sauce and ricotta.

Copycat CPK Margherita Pizza — Margherita Pizza has all you want. If you’re looking for a pizza, you can whip it in a snap! Passata is the perfect tomato sauce to use for this recipe. Spread it with fresh herbs, mozzarella, and parmesan on your pizza crust.

Spaghetti Bolognese recipe — This rich tomato-based, cheesy sauce is thick and creamy. This spaghetti bolognese will be a hit with meat lovers!

Beef Stew — Have you ever needed a bowl of hearty soups or stews? This beef stew recipe has lean chunks that melt in your mouth with a thick, heavily spiced broth.

Read Also: 50 Different Types of Pastas and Their Best Matching Sauce

How to make your passata

Passata can be prepared with little effort despite their brutal nature. Before you start, note that the secret to making a good passata or any tomato sauce is to use ripe San Marzanos. San Marzano tomato sauces are also sweeter and have less acidity. Its dense consistency and low-seed count make it perfect for spices used on pizza or pasta.

Make passata in just a few easy steps:

Check your tomatoes. Remove any rotten or bruised tomatoes, and wash the rest of your tomatoes under running water.

Remove tomatoes from the water. Cut tomatoes in half and transfer to a bowl.

Remove all inner and outer parts with a knife. They are very watery, and adding them to your tomato sauce will make it too runny.

Transfer tomatoes to a large pot and simmer on low heat. You can now heat the tomatoes until they break into pieces. Remember to stir the tomatoes from time to time. This will help break down any chunks. Turn off the heat once the tomatoes’ water and inner portions have broken down.

Grab your food mill or strainer machine. Pour your tomatoes into the slot of your strainer machine and begin processing them. Use pressure on the stomper to assist the engine. You can use a food grinder to crush tomatoes. Pour the tomatoes into the food processor, grip the lever at the top, and turn the mill.