Tomatoes are a key ingredient in chili, but not every recipe calls for them. When tomatoes are omitted from the recipe, what can be done to make the sauce taste good?
We found out that there is an easy way to get the flavor of tomatoes without using them. The key ingredients are onions, garlic, and cumin.
These ingredients add a nice tomato-like flavor without the use of tomatoes. Here are some ideas to try that work well in chili recipes that call for tomatoes.
The tomato paste alternative
We hear about tomato paste all the time, but before you start using it, there are a few things you need to know.
Tomato paste contains 4% moisture, which is less than water or any other ingredient. Tomato paste also contains a lot of sodium, so be aware of that when choosing.
As an alternative to tomato paste and water, add 1/4 cup of chicken broth or vegetable broth to taste in place of the tomato paste for tenderness and flavor.
Doesn’t work well if the chicken broth is too salty? Use something like water instead.
Tomato paste substitute
If you don’t want to use tomatoes in your chili because of their strong flavor, try substituting tomato paste for the tomatoes.
This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get the taste of tomatoes without them.
You can also use this method if you have a very high-quality canned tomato product (such as Rotel® brand) that works well in your recipe.
