Which Tomato Paste Is Best?

Tomato paste is an inexpensive, versatile flavor powerhouse. We typically use it in small amounts—a tablespoon here and there—deploying its concentrated sweetness and savory umami flavor to bring depth and complexity to both classic applications (such as sauces, soups, and pastas) and unexpected ones (such as beef stew or spice-rubbed steak).

Historically, tomato paste has been sold in cans in the United States, but over the past decade, tubed pastes have been popping up on supermarket shelves. Amore Tomato Paste was the first, but others have followed. When we studied the domestic tomato paste market, we found an intriguing pattern: Almost all the tubes are made in Italy, and all the cans are made in the United