Passata vs Tomato Purée
Compare pourable tomato passata with concentrated tomato purée or paste, including naming differences on South African supermarket shelves.
Passata is sieved uncooked or lightly processed tomato with a pourable texture. Tomato paste is concentrated and used in tablespoons. Product names vary, so read the label.
Passata
Pourable sieved tomato
Forms the body of a sauce
Usually sold in bottles or cartons
Tomato paste or purée
Dense concentrate
Builds depth in small amounts
Should be cooked briefly before liquid
Which should you choose?
- Use passata when the recipe needs tomato volume.
- Use paste to deepen a sauce, not as a one-for-one replacement for passata.
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