10 Amazing Tomato Juice Substitute

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The easiest Tomato juice substitute is made from either tomato sauce, tomato paste, or canned tomatoes. Tomato juice finds its replacement in tomato sauce.

Tomato Juice Substitute

The best tomato juice substitutes are:

1. Fresh tomatoes
2. Tomato sauce
3. Tomato paste
4. Canned whole tomatoes
5. Canned diced tomatoes
6. Canned stewed tomatoes
7. Tomato puree
8. Tomato soup
9. Marinara sauce
10. Catsup or Ketchup
11. Vegetable Juice or V-8
12. Vegetable Broth
13. Juice from other vegetables

In the following paragraphs, I will discuss how each of these substitutes can be used and which recipes will benefit most from using them.

1. Tomato Juice Substitute Fresh Tomatoes

The best substitute for any tomato product is always going to be fresh tomatoes. While they require more work and are not as convenient as commercially prepared products, they are a healthier option. Using fresh tomatoes also allows you to be creative and add the spices and seasonings that you and your family prefer.

When substituting fresh tomatoes in a recipe that calls for tomato juice, you have the option of making your tomato juice or adding the tomatoes with the pulp intact.

2. Tomato Juice Substitute Tomato Sauce

Another exceptional substitute for tomato juice is tomato sauce. The two products contain the same basic ingredients, tomato puree, and water, but tomato sauce contains a few added spices that tomato juice does not have.

The primary difference between tomato sauce and tomato juice is the texture. Tomato sauce is significantly thicker than tomato juice but can be thinned to the same consistency. Simply add equal parts tomato sauce and water to reproduce the same texture as that of tomato juice.

3. Tomato Juice Substitute Tomato Paste

If I were ranking these substitutes for tomato juice, tomato paste would be third on my list. It has the same ingredients as tomato sauce, and although it is very thick, it can be thinned to either the texture of tomato sauce or tomato juice.

To reproduce the texture of tomato juice, simply add 4 parts water to every 1 part of tomato paste. That mixture can then be substituted for tomato juice in any recipe.

4. Canned Whole Tomatoes

The next best alternative to tomato juice is canned whole tomatoes. Here, again, you have a tomato product that contains only whole tomatoes, salt, and ascorbic acid. When using whole canned tomatoes as a substitute for tomato juice, even though there is a little more work involved, there should be no taste difference in the recipe you are making.

To substitute canned whole tomatoes, simply pour the entire contents of the can into a food processor or blender and process to the desired consistency. It can then be used with the seeds still included, or it can be strained to remove the seeds from the home-prepared tomato juice.

5. Tomato Juice Substitute Canned Diced Tomatoes

Canned diced tomatoes can be used as a substitute for tomato juice in the same way that canned whole tomatoes can be used. Here again, the canned diced tomatoes only contain salt and ascorbic acid in most cases.

To make a tomato juice substitute from canned diced tomatoes, pour the entire contents of the can into a food processor or blender and process them until they reach the desired consistency. They can then either be used with the tiny bits of seeds and peels, or they can be poured through a strainer to achieve the same texture as tomato juice.

6. Canned Stewed Tomatoes

Canned stewed tomatoes can also be used to make a substitute for tomato juice. However, since stewed tomatoes are made with onions, bell peppers, and celery, the taste of this substitute will be more similar to using vegetable juice such as V-8 than when using tomato juice. The additional flavor will be obvious when added to your recipe.

To make this substitute for tomato juice, simply follow the same steps that you would use for the other types of tomatoes and pour the entire contents of the can of stewed tomatoes into a food processor or blender and blend until it is the desired consistency. This substitute can be used as is or poured through a strainer to remove the seeds and any pulp that is still large enough to be removed by the strainer.

7. Puree Tomato

Tomato puree is very similar to tomato sauce and tomato paste. The only difference, or primary difference, is in texture. Tomato puree in thickness and texture falls between tomato sauce and tomato paste and can be made into a substitute for tomato juice by simply thinning it with 3 parts water to 1 part tomato puree.

8. Tomato Soup

Tomato soup can be used as a tomato juice substitute and is more similar in texture than most of the other substitutes. But tomato soup is typically sweeter and more highly seasoned than tomato juice.

To substitute tomato soup for tomato juice, thin the soup with 3 parts of water to every 1 part of the soup and substitute that mixture for tomato juice in your recipe.

Tomato Juice Best Substitute Tomato Soup Recipe (Homemade & Easy)

Ingredients

For Soup

• 2 tablespoons Butter or olive oil
• 2 bay leaf or tej patta (small to medium-sized) – fresh or dried
• ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 medium onion
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic or 2 to 3 small to medium garlic cloves
• 500 grams tomatoes or 6 to 7 medium to large tomatoes
• 1 cup water or low-sodium vegetable broth
• Salt as required
• 1 teaspoon raw sugar or white sugar
• Freshly crushed black pepper – as required

The Croutons

• ½ cup bread cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 light pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 pinch freshly crushed black pepper 

For Garnish

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream – optional

Instructions 

Cooking Tomatoes

• Heat butter until it melts in a saucepan or a pot. Keep the heat to low or medium-low.
• Add bay leaves and sauté for a few seconds. Add chopped onions and garlic. Stir and sauté until onions soften for about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Mix well.
• Cover pan and simmer on low to medium-low heat until tomatoes soften or for about 8 to 10 minutes.
• There is no need to add water. But do keep an eye out when the tomatoes are simmering. If the liquids dry up then add a splash of water and continue cooking.
• After the tomatoes have softened, remove them from the heat and cool. Take out the bay leaves and discard them.

Blending And Straining

• Once the tomato mixture has cooled to a point that’s safe to work with, add it to a blender jar. You can also use an immersion blender.
• Blend to a smooth consistency.
• You have the option of straining the puree through a strainer for an even smoother soup, but this step isn’t necessary.
• If you do choose to strain the puree, move a spoon through it so that everything is strained except the seeds. 

Simmering Further

• Pour the tomato puree back into the pot, and add water and sugar. Mix and stir well.
• Simmer on low heat until the soup becomes hot but not boiling.
• Season with freshly crushed black pepper and stir.
• Turn off the heat and stir in, 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, depending on desired richness.
• Mix well, taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Toasting Bread

• When the tomato mixture is cooling, you can make the bread croutons. Mix together the bread cubes, olive oil, salt, and freshly crushed black pepper in a baking tray. Toss to coat.
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 3 to 5 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit) until bread cubes are golden and crisp. Or, you can toast the bread cubes in a skillet until golden brown on all sides.
• Pour the hot tomato soup into bowls. Add the croutons directly on top of the soup, or serve on the side. You can also garnish the tomato soup with a bit of freshly chopped parsley or coriander leaves (cilantro) or basil sprigs or mint leaves.
• This soup is great served fresh but also keeps well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

9. Marinara Sauce

If you are making a recipe that calls for tomato juice and the only tomato product you have in the house is a jar of marinara sauce, that sauce can be substituted for tomato juice in your recipe. Just keep in mind that most marinara sauce recipes call for additional herbs and spices, such as oregano and basil. Depending on the ingredients called for in the recipe that you are making, there may need to be some adjustments made to the seasonings added to your dish.

To substitute marinara sauce for tomato juice, simply thin the marinara sauce by adding equal parts sauce and water and adding that mixture to your recipe.

10. Ketchup

I hesitated to add catsup to this list of substitutes for tomato juice because of the flavor differences. Catsup/Ketchup has sweeteners and spices that tomato juice doesn’t have. But catsup is a condiment that almost everyone keeps on hand at all times, so I can see this as the only tomato product in the house from time to time.

Because of its thickness, catsup should be thinned at the rate of 1 part catsup for every 6 to 8 parts water, depending on the brand of catsup you have on hand. Some are much thicker than other brands

Conclusion – Tomato Juice Substitute

The easiest Tomato juice substitute is made from either tomato sauce, tomato paste, or canned tomatoes. Tomato juice finds its replacement in tomato sauce. Best tomato juice substitutes are Fresh tomatoes, Tomato sauce, Tomato paste, Canned whole tomatoes, Canned diced tomatoes, Canned stewed tomatoes, Tomato puree, Tomato soup, Marinara sauce, Catsup or Ketchup, Vegetable Juice or V-8, Vegetable Broth, Juice from other vegetables.

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