Tomato can be processed to yield different products.

You can buy these products at the grocery stores, where they may come packaged in jars or cans.

Passata and crushed tomatoes are great options to use for your soups, sauces and stews  

These tomato products also have different characteristics and are preferred in certain recipes due to these features. 

Passata is a form of pureed tomatoes which are sieved to remove the skin and peels, while crushed tomatoes are partly made up of pureed tomatoes.

The difference between both products ranges from their textures to their consistency.

In this post, we explore these tomato products and highlight what makes them different.

Difference between crushed tomatoes and passata

Crushed tomatoes are made from whole tomatoes which are ground, they appear as chunks of tomatoes within a thin tomato puree while tomato passata is a strained tomato puree.

Compared to crushed tomatoes, passata is smoother and more uniform texture 

Tomato passata is also thicker with a stronger flavor, The thickness of passata can be compared to Jam.

What is passata?

Tomato passata is a type of tomato puree where the seeds and the skin are removed. 

It is very popular in Southern Italian cuisine.

Passata is often packaged and sold in glass jars. It can also be found on the shelves in grocery stores in aseptic packaging  

Tomatoes like San Marzano tomatoes are used to make passata  

Passata can be made with a food mill. The tomatoes used are ripe, juicy and rich in flavor.

The process of making passata first involves cleaning the tomatoes  

After cleaning the tomatoes, they are heated until they soften. Then the tomatoes are passed through a food mill which crushes the tomatoes, as well as strains it to remove the seeds and peels.

Tomato passata is versatile; It can be used to make pasta sauce, soups, stews, as well as used as a filling.

Typically, no other additive is used in this sauce, salt may be added, and, in some versions, basil leaves are added after the sauce has been made.

Passata has a strong tomato flavor and also a smooth texture, 

What are crushed tomatoes?

Crushed tomatoes are made from whole tomatoes which are ground and then mixed with tomato puree.

This tomato product can be made with plum, Roma and San Marzano tomatoes 

The tomatoes are peeled, seeded and ground to make the crushed tomatoes. The crushed tomatoes are also mixed with tomato juice or tomato puree   

Crushed tomatoes have a chunky texture. They are not as smooth as a tomato puree, but they are less chunky than diced tomatoes 

In crushed tomato, you’ll find bits of tomatoes in a tomato puree, some brands may also mix diced tomatoes into the product.

Crushed tomatoes can be used in different recipes 

This tomato product can be used in pasta sauce, soups, stews. It can be used as casseroles and as a pizza sauce. 

The crushed tomatoes add body to these dishes  

In addition to their chunky texture, crushed tomatoes also have a rich flavor 

Crushed tomatoes are often available in cans and are a staple ingredient in many pantries.  

Can crushed tomatoes be used in place of passata

Crushed tomatoes could be used in place of passata, however, to make crushed tomatoes as thick as passata, they may have to be cooked a bit.

This could be done by blending the product until it has a more uniform consistency 

Then strain the crushed tomatoes and simmer them for some time until they are just as thick as tomato passata.