Tomato paste, and to a lesser extent, pepper paste, are concentrated products obtained by evaporating water from vegetables like tomatoes or peppers. A gift of sunshine and warm climates, paste has been used for thousands of years in various cultures' kitchens to add flavor, color, and umami depth. It's not just an ingredient but a reflection of culinary heritage and regional palates. 1. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Cuisine: The Heart of Paste Culture This region has traditions of concentrating vegetables for preservation long before tomatoes arrived in Europe. With the advent of the tomato, paste culture reached its peak here.
  • Türkiye: Paste is a cornerstone of Turkish cuisine and one of the most commonly consumed culinary ingredients. Both tomato paste and pepper paste (with sweet and hot varieties) are widely used.
  • Uses: Found in almost every pot dish (vegetable stews, meat dishes), soups, pilafs, sauces (especially in çiğ köfte and kısır – bulgur salads), breakfast sauces (like menemen), and pasta dishes. It imparts a deep red color, intense tomato or pepper flavor, and umami to meals.
  • Production: Typically produced in homes using traditional methods (sun-drying) or industrially.
  • Italy: Italian cuisine is one of the most intensive users of tomatoes, and tomato paste (directly translated as "concentrato di pomodoro") is also important here.
  • Uses: Used in long-simmered meat sauces (ragù), to deepen the flavor of tomato sauces, in lasagna, and other baked dishes. It's usually used in small quantities to intensify flavor, rather than as a main ingredient like in Turkish cuisine.
  • Greece: Tomato paste is used in stews, meatballs, and some traditional sauces.
  • Middle East (Levant Region - Lebanon, Syria, Palestine): Tomato paste is commonly used in stews, pilafs, and stuffed vegetables (dolma). In Palestinian cuisine, tomato paste adds color and flavor to dishes like maqluba (upside-down rice dish).
  1. European Cuisine: The New World of Tomato
With the arrival of the tomato from the Americas to Europe, its use became widespread, particularly in Italian and Spanish cuisines.
  • Spain: Tomatoes are very popular in Spanish cuisine. While not as concentrated as paste, tomato purees and concentrates are used in some sauces (e.g., sofrito) and stews to add depth of flavor.
  • France: Tomato concentrates are used in some meat and vegetable stews, especially in dishes from the Provence region (e.g., ratatouille), to add flavor depth.
  1. Asian Cuisines: Fusion and New Flavors
In Asian cuisines, paste found its place more recently due to Western interaction and is mostly used in specific dishes.
  • India: While not as common as fresh tomatoes in tomato-based sauces and curries, tomato paste is sometimes used to enhance color and thickness. It is seen more frequently in Westernized kitchens or restaurants.
  • China: In some regional Chinese cuisines, particularly where tomatoes are locally grown or Western influence is present, tomato paste might be used. However, it does not play a dominant role in traditional Chinese cuisine.
  • Southeast Asia: Tomato paste might be used in some fusion dishes or Western-style recipes, but the region's local herbs and spices are generally more prominent.
  1. Latin America: The Homeland of the Tomato and Intensive Use
Despite being the homeland of the tomato, concentrated products like "salça" (tomato paste) are not as prevalent in Latin American cuisine as they are in Europe. Instead, fresh or canned tomato purees and sauces are more dominant.
  • Mexico: Tomatoes are fundamental to salsas and sauces. Fresh tomatoes or canned tomato purees are typically used. Some recipes, like "Pibil" sauces, feature intense tomato flavor.
  • Brazil: While tomato sauces and purees are common in meat and vegetable dishes, a product as concentrated as paste is not widespread.
  1. Africa: Sun-Kissed Flavors
In African cuisines, particularly in North Africa and West Africa, tomato use is common, and products similar in intensity to paste can be achieved through sun-cooking techniques.
  • North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia): Tomato paste or tomato concentrates are used in tagines, couscous dishes, and soups. They add depth and color to meals.
  • West Africa: Tomato paste is used in some stews and rice dishes (e.g., Jollof rice) to provide tomato intensity.
Tomato paste serves as a powerful umami and flavor enhancer in global cuisines, finding its most prominent and widespread use in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, where sunshine and tomatoes are abundant. The special place of pepper paste is particularly unique to Turkish cuisine.