The usage of tomato juice is so versatile that it has become one of the best refreshing drinks all around the globe. It is used in drinks, cooked dishes, sauces and salads as a condiment and dressing.
The fresh flavor, bright red color and earthy flavor of tomato juice mixed with sweet and fruity touches have made it a great ingredient for pasta sauces, meatball dishes, soups, and even cocktails.
Just a pinch of salt or sugar into it and its purpose of usage can vary from desserts to savory meals.
If you wonder whether there are substitutes for tomato juice or not, then you are in the right place.
Let’s see which are the best alternatives to tomato juice: fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato passata, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, ketchup, tomato soup, marinara sauce, V8 juice, roasted red peppers and tamarind.
1. Fresh Tomatoes
The best thing about tomato juice is that you don’t always need to buy it from a store if you have fresh tomatoes in hand. You can make your own homemade tomato juice out of them.
Remove the peel and the seeds, chop them into smaller pieces and blend with little water in a blender. Add either salt or sugar according to your taste and your recipes.
Enjoy this super healthy alternative of store-bought tomato juice and keep this recipe in mind to use any time you need fresh tomato juice.
2. Tomato Paste
As for tomato paste, it’s a thicker version of concentrated tomatoes. Compared to fresh options, it undergoes a cooking process and cooks down until it becomes dense. So, the result is the paste-like consistency that doesn’t differ much from tomato juice in taste.
You can dilute it with water and use it instead of tomato juice in many dishes, sauces and drinks. You can get this paste from stores in a canned version.
3. Tomato Passata
Compared to tomato paste, tomato passata is a 100% pure blend of pureed and strained tomatoes. It doesn’t contain additives and flavorings and is a perfect option for those who want to get a healthy bottle of tomato juice substitute from stores.
Tomato passata is used as a base for pasta sauces, stews, soups, stews and other cooked dishes. You can use it the same way as tomato juice.
4. Tomato Sauce
While tomato paste has a higher nutritional value than tomato sauce, the store-bought version of it may also contain additives.
Tomato sauce, in its turn comes with a thinner texture and contains a bouquet of various flavors that make it rather as a part of the dish than a condiment.
It is used with pastas, meatballs, soups, and many other cooked dishes. You can consider it for savory dishes and sauces because the additional flavors such as garlic and peppers go well with savory flavors.
5. Canned Tomatoes
Canned tomatoes come in several forms: those with peeled whole tomatoes in tomato juice and those with peeled and chopped tomatoes again in tomato juice. Both are processed by heat and are stored in cans.
If you want to use canned tomatoes the same way as tomato juice, you may just blend it all in a blender and add to your drinks and dishes. If the blend seems thicker, you can add a little water to thin it out.
Besides calcium chloride, which keeps them firm, it doesn’t contain additives and other flavors that can change its taste.
6. Ketchup
Of course, ketchup is a mix of a variety of spices and flavors but since the main ingredient in it are tomatoes, you may use it in place of tomato juice in savory dishes just to keep the flavor of tomato juice.
You can mix it with some water to get a similar consistency to tomato juice as well as neutralize other flavors. Anyway, the spices will still keep its flavor different from what you need, but it will taste good with pastas, pizzas, sandwiches, salads and many more.
7. Tomato Soup
There are canned tomato soups in grocery stores that contain tomato puree, tomato paste as primary ingredients and some other ingredients such as wheat flour or corn flour that make it denser.
There are also condensed tomato soups that come with most of its water removed.
Whichever you choose, the purpose of tomato soups differs from the one of tomato juice. But, if you look for a replacement for tomato juice in soups and cooked dishes, this substitute can be a good idea.
You may skip this option if you have allergies from gluten.
8. Marinara Sauce
Marinara is a light tomato-based sauce originating from Italian cuisine. It is used as a dressing for pizzas and pasta dishes.
If you need tomato juice to make sauces for savory dishes, then marinara sauce is just on point. It’s one of the best tomato-based sauces that comes with a well-balanced mix of flavors.
9. V8 Juice
V8 juice is a savory juice made of tomato concentrate, other vegetable juices including beets, carrots, lettuce, celery, watercress, parsley and spinach. Since 87% of the total drink is made up of tomato juice it is a great alternative to tomato juice for cooked dishes and other savory meals.
You can drink it as a mix of healthy vitamins or add to salads, soups, casseroles, pastas and as a sauce thickened with other ingredients. It can also serve as a great ingredient in cocktails including the Bloody Marys.
10. Roasted Red Pepper
Don’t have any of the above alternatives? No worries! You can still use another food instead of tomatoes to reach that bright red color and similar earthy flavor in any savory meal. The thing is about roasted red peppers.
They come with a neutral and mild taste that allows you to get either a sweet or a savory taste.
So, peel roasted red peppers and blend them with the same spices and seasonings as tomato juice to get a sauce for pastas, meatballs or any other hot dish. You can add them to salads instead of tomato juice too.
11. Tamarind
Tamarind can be your final choice just to bring a sour-sweet combination of flavors to the dish. Based on the recipe you can blend it with different seasonings to reach the desired taste close to tomato juice.
Of course it doesn’t carry the bright red color as tomato juice, but It will taste tangy and slightly sweet just like tomato juice.
FAQs on Tomato Juice
Is V8 tomato juice good for you?
Since V8 tomato juice is a mixture of various nutritious vegetables, it is a rich source of vitamins. So, it’s a healthy drink and is good for you if you choose the organic and 100% pure version of it.
Is tomato juice keto?
No, tomato juice is not keto. You should avoid using it in your keto diet because it is very high in net carbs.
Is tomato juice good for weight loss?
It is safe to drink at least 2 glasses of tomato juice a day and it will also help you lose weight and fight against body fat.
Conclusion
Is there anything we have missed? If yes, then share your experience with us. We have collected the most appropriate substitutes for tomato juice both for mixed drinks and cooked dishes.
While some of them have the exact taste and flavor of tomato juice, others offer unique flavors that can be adjusted with the help of seasonings and other components.