Tomato passata recipe is made with only 1 ingredient: THE TOMATO. In fact, Italian passata is made from ripe, juicy, flavorful tomatoes cooked briefly and then removed from the seeds and skin.
The result is a pure tomato juice with its pulp and nothing else, used in Italy as a base for many traditional recipes.
Stored in glass jars or bottles WITHOUT the addition of preservatives, flavorings, salt or water. Sometimes it comes with some fresh basil leaves but nothing more.
Tomato passata or Passata di Pomodoro, as it's called in Italian, is prized for its vibrant red color, rich tomato flavor, and versatility in cooking. It serves as a convenient and quick way to add the essence of tomatoes to various dishes, especially when fresh tomatoes are not in season or readily available.
Tomato passata is often sold in bottles or cans at grocery stores and can be found in the pasta sauce or canned goods section. It's a popular ingredient in Italian cuisine and is a staple in many traditional recipes.
Traditionally in Italy tomato passata recipe is made right at the end of summer, when there’s a glut of ripe, juicy red tomatoes. Fortunately you can find red ripe tomatoes throughout the year. Just choose the best quality of tomatoes.
Making your own passata allows you to control the quality and flavor of the sauce, and it is a great way to use up any surplus tomatoes from your garden or local farmer's market.
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 20 Min
- Cook Time: 20 Min
- Servings: 10
- 2 Kg (4 lbs 4 oz) very ripe red tomatoes (San Marzano or cluster tomato)
Tomato Passata Recipe: Instructions
Step 1) - For this tomato passata recipe we opted for very red and ripe San Marzano tomatoes. Check the tomatoes one by one, removing rotten, stained or bruised ones. Then wash them very well under running water. Finally put them in a bowl and start cutting in half.
Step 2) - With a knife, remove the seeds and all the inner part of the tomato, as to make small tomato boats. This inner part is very watery, therefore it would make the tomato passata too liquid. So itàs better to remove it. Now place the tomatoes in a rather large pot .
Step 3) - Let them cook over low heat, covering the pot with a lid and stirring from time to time, until they are smashed. Do not add water, it is not necessary. The water you see in the picture is that of the tomatoes. Now take a tomato strainer machine and, with a ladle, begin to place the cooked tomatoes in the special slot.
Step 4) - Turn on the tomato strainer and with the help of the stomper apply some pressure on the tomatoes, to make them go down and enter the machine. As you can see on the left, the skins of the tomatoes and the residual seeds come out, which will be discarded. Instead, lower down, the tomato passata comes out ready to be used. If the passata is still too liquid, pass it through a fine mesh strainer, stirring with a tablespoon, until you get the consistency you want.
Tomato passata is ready! If you prefer you can add some fresh basil leaves.
You can use it immediately in your delicious recipes or keep it stored for when you need it. If you don't know how to properly preserve the tomato passata, in the next steps we are going to explain the most correct and used method.
Storage
Here is how to sterilize the jars for storing the passata:
Step 1) - Take a rather large pot, fill it with cold water, then put a kitchen towel on the bottom. Get hold of some glass jars with vacuum seal button lids. Immerse them in the cold water. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a boil. This way you'll sterilize the glass jars.
Step 2) - After about 10 minutes from the boiling, remove them with kitchen tongs (which you left a few minutes immersed in boiling water to sterilize them) and put the jars to cool on a kitchen towel.
Step 3) - Now, with the help of a funnel, start filling the jars with the tomato passata, but not to the brim. For 2 kg/4 lb+4 oz of tomatoes you'll get from 500 ml to 700 ml of tomato passata, based on its consistency.
The bump in the middle of the cap is a safety. Now if you press it, it sinks in and you feel it click. This means that the jars are not under vacuum, there is still air inside and bacteria could form.
So to preserve the tomato passata, you can do 3 things:
- freeze the jars, taking care not to fill them to the brim, and keep them for up to 3 months.
- keep them in the fridge and use the tomato passata within 1 week.
- make the vacuum: that is to completely remove the air so that bacteria do not develop. In this way you can keep the jars in the pantry for up to 1 year.
So now let's see how to vacuum seal jars:
Step 4) - Close the jars then bring a huge pot. At the bottom of the pot, put a clean cloth. Lean the jars on the cloth and try to wrap it around the jars (to not crash the jars during the boiling process).
Fill the pot with water. Make sure to completely cover the jars. Use a lid if necessary. Calculate 40 minutes from the moment of boiling. After this time, turn off the heat and let the jars cool in the water. Remove the jars from the pot ONLY when the water is cool.
Now the metal caps must appear slightly curved inwards and by pressing with your finger you should not hear the "click clack". The jars are now safe. It's possible to keep the jars of tomato passata in a cool dry place for one year.
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- Spaghetti al Pomodoro
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
Tomato passata recipe needs some specific kitchen tools. The first and most important is the tomato strainer machine.
There are several types on the market. Some are manual, others electric. Let's see some of them:
- The one we used is electric and is similar to Weston Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer, that includes 3 stainless steel screens to process tomatoes. So you can make a tomato passata with different textures.
- There is also the manual version to clamp to the table, for small quantities of tomatoes. Designed for manual use with an improved handle, you can replace that with the optional Electric Motor.
- For small quantities of tomato, you can also use a simple food mill. We recommend OXO Good Grips Food Mill that includes 3 stainless steel grinding discs for preparing tomato passata of fine, medium and coarse textures.
- If you want something more professional, for large quantities of tomatoes, we recommend this Electric Tomato Strainer Machine by Raw Rutes. All stainless steel.
- If you have the KitchenAid stand mixer then you can consider buying the Fruit & Vegetable Strainer Attachment, which has a food grinder with fine plate for meats and coarse plate for firm vegetables like tomatoes.
- Finally, you'll need a large pot to cook the tomatoes
- A fine mesh strainer. This kitchen tool is really useful for a tomato passata with the consistency you prefer. For example, if the tomatoes are rich in water, the passata comes out too liquid. Then with a fine mesh strainer you can remove excess water. The more water you remove, the more thick and dense the tomato passata becomes. We recommend Cuisinart Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers.
Variations
Passata Rustica
Passata Rustica is a rough, pulpy, coarse tomato passata that is excellent for making sauces to dress pasta. It has an excellent yield and cooks quickly with little loss of volume.
It's a perfect base for any recipe, it's great for making quick cooking sauces, adding ingredients directly as desired. In Italy, we also use it very often as a topping for pizza, meat and fish sauces, and to season pasta of all kinds.
To make passata rustica at home, you need ripe, juicy tomatoes, preferably of the San Marzano variety. These tomatoes are particularly good for making this sauce. To make an amazing rustic passata, the first step is to use excellent quality tomatoes!
Once washed and dried, cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and remove the seeds like in step 2. Then you need to cook them for a few minutes like in step 3.
The first trick is not to overcook them to mush. When the skin comes away from the pulp, they are ready.
Now you have to pass them. And here's the second trick: pass the tomatoes through a food mill using the disc with the largest holes.
This will give you a coarse-grained, full-bodied and fragrant passata rustica that will make the best tomato sauce makers in the world jealous!
Tomato Passata with Canned Tomatoes
If you want to make tomato passata for your recipes but you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can use canned peeled tomatoes.
Our recommendation is that they are of excellent quality, possibly San Marzano quality, without preservatives or additives. So read the label carefully. Then proceed following the recipe from step 4.
If it's a single can of peeled tomatoes, better to use a food mill.
Passata with Herbs and Spices
Sure! You can add herbs such as basil or oregano that flavor the passata wonderfully!
If you then make a soffritto of onion or garlic and add the passata flavored with your herbs, you will get a mouthwatering pasta sauce!
You have to think of passata as a basic recipe made with just tomatoes, to add to your favorite dishes and ingredients!
There are many Italian recipes that require the use of the Tomato Passata recipe.
You can use it on pizza, which you can then season to taste.
You can make soups, like tomato soup.
Or you can just add it to many pasta sauces, such as Amatriciana, Penne alla Vodka, Bolognese sauce or Marinara, to name a few.
READ: Tomato Passata, Tomato Sauce and Tomato Puree. Do you really know the difference?
Tips and Curiosities
How to Choose the Best Tomatoes for Tomato Passata
To make a delicious tomato passata recipe, it would be best to use "San Marzano" tomatoes.
This quality of tomatoes is especially good for making passata. They have a firm pulp with the right percentage of water.
If you cannot find them, you can use other types of tomatoes, such as cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, as long as they are juicy and ripe.
Always taste the fruit! If you find particularly good tomatoes, don't pass them up. Use them to make passata. That way you will savor the fresh, intact taste of tomatoes for a long time!
What if the tomatoes are not ripe enough? Let them ripen in the sun for a couple of days.
Meaning of "Passata di Pomodoro"
"Passata" is an Italian word that comes from the verb "to pass." Passata is made through a mechanical process whereby tomatoes pass through the blades and holes of the machine used to make passata. This is where the Italian name Passata comes from.
Pomodoro is the rich, juicy fruit you know as "tomato."
Recipe Card

Tomato Passata Recipe (Passata di Pomodoro)
Ingredients
- 2 Kg Tomatoes ~4 pounds - very ripe red ones, such as San Marzano or cluster tomato
Instructions
- Check the tomatoes one by one, removing rotten, stained or bruised ones. Then wash them very well under running water. Finally put them in a bowl and start cutting them in half.
- With a knife, remove the seeds and all the internal part of the tomato, like to make small tomato boats. Now place the tomatoes in a rather large pot.
- Let them cook over low heat, covering the pan with a lid and stirring them from time to time, until they are smashed. Now take your tomato strainer machine and, with a ladle, begin to place the cooked tomatoes in the special slot.
- Turn on the tomato strainer and with the help of the stomper apply some pressure on the tomatoes, to make them go down and enter the machine. If the passata comes out too liquid, pass it through a fine mesh strainer, stirring with a tablespoon, until you get the consistency you want.
Jean-Francois ROSSI says
I remember my Mum doing something like this when I was little and after pouring the sauce in bottles, she used to top the sauce with some olive oil and then closing the bottles with nothing else than just paper and a string.
Laureen Romey says
I grew San Marzano tomatoes for the last two summers and used them to make this recipe. Absolutely delicious! Thank you.
George Rollings says
My wife and I fell in love with Cirio Passata Rustica while we were in Knightdale NC that we purchased from Food Lion that was imported from Italy. However, we are now in Albany OR and Passata is nearly impossible to find. Hence, I “googled” Passata recipe and found your recipe!
Annie says
I made this Passata yesterday and it turned out perfectly. You are definitely correct that by removing the seeds and the juice the sauce is thicker. I ended up giving the tomato halves a squeeze (like you do with lemons) and the process was quicker. I used my Moule on the finest attachment. It was all very very easy. I took photos to show you but I can’t upload them here .. wish I could. Give this a go, you’ll surprise yourselves. 10/10 and thank you so much for the recipe - very grateful xx
Emma says
Hello, I am wondering if the same results can be achieved by only using a metal sieve/strainer if you have no machine or mill? Thank you.
Barbara McMahon says
Yes. It needs to be fine to catch all the seeds
Yvonne says
We love your Passata recipe and have made it three times this year! It is so lovely. We followed your recipe with no changes each and every time--all jars sealed ----nothing broken and the taste is unbelievable! So much tastier than the jarred stuff I used to purchase! This recipe and your directions are keepers!!!!
Thank you again for sharing this great recipe Barbara.
Yvonne
Barbara says
Thank you for your comment Yvonne!
Leonard R Ciancaglini says
most italians i know that do this every summer don't boil the tomato in the jars. after step one of cutting and heating and step two putting them through the machine, they cook the pulp again up to one hour and then to the jar. they do not boil the tomato in the jar. they cover with a blanket and let them sit overnight upside down.
Dick doman says
HI PAUL I agree if the jars are sterilised its the same as making chutney,keep it simple. DICK
Mr Paul Freeman says
If you are putting it in sterilized jars, then boiling the jars until the contents are sufficiently hot to be rendered sterile, why would you not just bring the sieved mixture in the pan gently to a boil and jar it with screw sealed lids like you would jam?
A lot less fuss!
pandy says
The jars will have germ on, sterilising them is the only way to make sure your passata stays fresh, that goes with anything you wish to keep in a jar for a long time. An easy way to sterilise a jar is to put it in a hot oven for 20 mins. Make sure the jars are safe to do this, ie made for the job
Stef says
That is not a safe way to process jam, either! When making jam you need to sterilize the jars before filling with the hot jam and then still process them in a water bath for 10-15 minutes depending on the recipe. The only difference I see in this recipe and the standard for safe jam processing is the type of jar lid used. (New button-topped one-piece lids are a completely valid option, although less common and pricier than two-part flat lids and collars)
More of a concern is that not all tomatoes have the correct ph for safe water bath processing, and it is very difficult to test for in a home setting. This can be offset by the introduction of citric acid, bottled lemon juice, or vinegar, but that would impact the flavor.
Freezing or fridge-storing for shorter periods may be the best options if you want to avoid adding acid to the passatta.
Rosemary M says
As a retired (FDA recognized)) thermal processing specialist, I am very concerned by the individuals suggesting not processing the passata after putting it in a jar. I agree with Stef that if one is not going to acidify the passata (and confirm the pH is less than 4.0), only freezing or refrigerating is approriate for storage. While it is true that our grandmothers were able to safely store hot filled tomatoes, the pH of today's tomatoes (particularly the hybirds most people grow today) are not acidic enough for that treatment.
Virginia Bird says
I am using Glass Jars with Metal Plastisol Lined Lug Lids - do I follow the same procedures for the water bath?
Marina says
The jars are no longer sterile if removed as shown, with one blade inside and one outside. Better to have a pair of tongs that has a wide enough spread to grab on both sides of the jar.
SJ Stewart says
Sterilize the tongs
Headley T. says
Also, sterilize the hand that holds the tong
Cheryl says
LOL yes, do!
Mary says
Thank you for sharing!
John says
I quarter the tomatoes, taking out most of the seeds to dry and keep for the following year... I grow Pera D'Abruzzo tomatoes in my garden here in the UK to use, cook as above but I also add a fresh basil leaf to the jar before pouring on the hot tomato passata then sterilising in a hot water bath.
I also use a hand mill which, by the end of the day has given you a good workout!
Barbara says
Great John! Thank you for your comment!
Matthew Wood says
I also quartered the tomatoes and then after removing the insides I blended them and drank the result - Lovely:)
Maria Theresa says
I'm afraid of doing the boiling of tomatoes in glass jar, they may explode or crack. Haven't done it before, just wanted to be safe in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing your tips here. Appreciate it!
Rosemary M says
Always use jars specifically labeled for canning. Never use jars from commmercial products such as pickles, relishes, mayonnaise, etc.!
Anita Smith says
I use 1/4 teaspoon of ascorbic acid per pint (1/2 teaspoon per quart). This will not affect taste but will keep pH at low enough level.
Matt says
Great recipe! Just wondering if there are any tips for what to do with the discarded tomato? Obviously, we can compost, but wondering if there are any useful cooking tips for stocks etc.
Barbara Lucchini says
Hi Metthew,
Thanks for you comment.
Tomato passata waste is made up of skin and seeds. With tomato skin you can make a powder that will flavor or decorate your dishes. Due to the presence of the seeds I do not believe that the result can be satisfactory. In any case you can use a vegetable dryer machine or place the tomato skins in a lined baking tray and let them dry at 100°C for about 2 hours until they are completely dehydrated. Then grind the tomato leaves and reduce them to a powder.
Jules says
I have all that I need to get started on this recipe. I have just one question, if I may? When you put the tomatoes in the saucepan on a low heat on the stove, do they need any additional liquid in the pan or will they create their own juices?
Many thanks in advance
Barbara Lucchini says
Hi Jules!
Don't worry, if they are really ripe they will create a lot of juice.
Any doubt, you can always add half a cup of water at the beginning of cooking...
Cheers! 🙂
Barbara McMahon says
I make tomato passata the way you have described. But to preserve it, I like to dehydrate it to a crunchy bark, blitz it to a powder, and vacuum seal it.
It rehydrates in a flash, and you can vary the consistency by adjusting the amount of liquid (stock,wine,or water) that you use when rehydrating. You can sprinkle it on top of pasta or vegie bakes for a bit of a zing. It is the best way to take tomatoes camping.
Joe says
I'm sure that the Passata recipe is just fine ( though if I have a Victorio food strainer, I'd skip your first 3 steps, run the tomatoes thru the strainer and let it do it's job and then just low heat cook down the remainder to desired consistency) but the preservation technique that you are describing is vague at best and potentially dangerous if people do it wrong. If I understand correctly, you're talking about a hot water bath for preservation:
- Get hold of some glass jars with caps. These need to be canning jars (Mason in the US) with unused caps ... preferably with a separate ring to secure them - otherwise they stand the chance of shattering during processing and making a mess.
- Do NOT boil the new caps / lids! This will serve to soften them enough that they may not take a seal when you actually need to use them. Heating them a bit is all good and fine but a boil will cause you problems.
- Please don't cool the jars after boiling - leave them in the hot water until you need to use them. This way, you're putting like temperatures together and minimizing the chance of cracking the jars when you'd add hot tomato liquid to a cold jar
- For canning, size does matter - both headspace (next comment) and processing times depend on whether you are using pint / quart / larger jars. 40 Minutes might be fine for one but overkill (thus effecting the flavor) or underkill (resulting in lids that pop up rather than stay down due to infection) for another container.
- Headspace - critical for canning ... in this application I'd probably be going with 1/2 inch from liquid to rim but it is also totally dependent on jar size.
- Please suggest to your readers that they just go out and spend a little money on a jar lifter. That way, they can take the jars out of the hot water bath while hot (after boil), put them on a towel and then watch / listen for the signature "ping" when the lids go from flat to concave and show that a good seal has been achieved. If a lid doesn't seal, just use the product like a normal bit of sauce ... it's not worth getting sick if it doesn't.
Passata is great and a totally flexible base - well worth making
Barbara Lucchini says
Hi Joe!
Thank you for your comment. Really useful!
Nigel Darling says
Hi Barbara, love the recipe, I was just wondering if this passata would suit a pizza sauce (Garlic, sugar, olive oil, salt, black pepper and chopped basil added). This sauce recipe tastes great with shop-bought passata but i would love to make it all from scratch!
Thanks,
Nigel
Barbara Lucchini says
Hi Nigel! Tomato passata is a basic recipe suitable for any type of pizza sauce, so I would say it is perfect for your recipe. Thanks for your comment!
Mario Gravina says
Although I used to watch mum make this Passata it was a very long time ago and would like to thank you for reminding of how it's made great memories.
And now I'm back home in Italy i think it's about time I had a go in making it.
Thank you ounce again.
Mario.
Barbara Lucchini says
Thank you for your comment Mario!