Hunt's Tomato Puree: Complete Usage Guide & Benefits

Hunt's tomato puree is a smooth, unseasoned tomato product made from ripe tomatoes with seeds and skins removed, offering consistent texture and rich flavor for sauces, soups, and stews without added sugar or preservatives. It contains 100% tomato solids with a pH between 4.1-4.3, making it ideal for both everyday cooking and canning applications.

Discover why professional chefs and home cooks consistently choose Hunt's tomato puree as their foundational tomato ingredient. This comprehensive guide reveals exactly how this pantry staple elevates your cooking while providing practical usage tips you won't find on the can label.

What Sets Hunt's Tomato Puree Apart From Other Tomato Products

Understanding the difference between tomato products prevents recipe disasters. Hunt's tomato puree occupies a specific niche in the tomato product spectrum:

Product Type	Solids Content	Texture	Common Uses
Hunt's Tomato Puree	8-10% solids	Smooth, pourable	Sauces, soups, stews
Tomato Paste	24-30% solids	Thick, concentrated	Flavor base, small quantities
Crushed Tomatoes	8-10% solids	Chunky texture	Pasta sauces, chili
Tomato Sauce	6-8% solids	Thin, seasoned	Ready-to-use applications

Unlike many competitors, Hunt's maintains consistent quality through their proprietary steam-peeling process that preserves natural tomato flavor without artificial additives. The USDA's National Nutrient Database confirms Hunt's puree contains only tomatoes and calcium chloride (as a firming agent), with no sugar, salt, or preservatives added.

How Hunt's Tomato Puree Transforms Your Cooking

Professional kitchens rely on Hunt's tomato puree for specific culinary advantages that home cooks can leverage:

Texture Control Without Dilution

When thickening sauces, many home cooks reach for tomato paste but end up with overly concentrated flavor. Hunt's puree provides the perfect middle ground - adding body without requiring additional liquid adjustment. For every 1 cup of tomato sauce needed in recipes, substitute ¾ cup Hunt's puree plus ¼ cup water for superior texture control.

Acidity Balance for Safe Canning

Home canners appreciate Hunt's consistent pH level (4.1-4.3), which meets FDA requirements for safe water bath canning without additional acidification. The National Center for Home Food Preservation verifies that Hunt's puree maintains proper acidity throughout shelf life, unlike fresh tomatoes which vary by variety and ripeness.

Practical Usage Guide: Maximizing Flavor and Shelf Life

Storage Best Practices

Unopened Hunt's puree maintains quality for 18-24 months in your pantry. Once opened, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in ice cube trays then transfer cubes to freezer bags - each cube equals approximately 2 tablespoons. This method preserves flavor better than keeping leftovers in the original can.

When Hunt's Puree Shines: Contextual Applications

Not every recipe benefits from tomato puree. Understanding context boundaries prevents culinary missteps:

• Use Hunt's puree when: You need smooth texture without seeds/skins (béchamel-based sauces, veloutés)
• Choose paste instead: When building deep flavor foundations (sofrito, arrabbiata sauce)
• Opt for crushed tomatoes: When texture matters (chili, rustic pasta sauces)
• Substitute fresh tomatoes: During off-season or for consistent results (winter soups, year-round pizza sauce)

Nutritional Profile and Health Considerations

A ½ cup serving of Hunt's tomato puree provides 35 calories, 0g fat, 8g carbohydrates, and 2g fiber. It's an excellent source of lycopene (22.8mg per cup), with research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing processed tomatoes like puree offer higher lycopene bioavailability than fresh tomatoes due to the heat-processing breaking down cell walls.

All Hunt's tomato puree cans feature BPA-free linings since 2014, addressing consumer health concerns documented in FDA safety assessments. The product contains no added sodium, making it suitable for controlled-sodium diets when used appropriately in recipes.

Three Chef-Tested Applications You'll Use Weekly

Weeknight Pasta Sauce Upgrade

Combine 1 cup Hunt's puree with 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, and fresh basil. Simmer 15 minutes for restaurant-quality sauce. The puree's consistency prevents watery results common with tomato sauce.

Flavor-Boosted Soup Base

Add ½ cup puree to vegetable or chicken stock before adding other ingredients. The natural pectin improves mouthfeel while the concentrated tomato flavor enhances overall depth without overpowering.

Meatloaf Moisture Secret

Mix ¼ cup puree with breadcrumbs instead of milk. The acidity tenderizes meat while maintaining proper moisture balance - a technique professional chefs use to prevent dry meatloaf.

Evolution of Commercial Tomato Processing

Understanding how Hunt's developed their puree reveals why it outperforms generic brands:

• 1920s: Manual peeling and seeding created inconsistent texture
• 1950s: Introduction of steam-peeling technology improved efficiency
• 1980s: Hunt's implemented flash-pasteurization preserving fresh flavor
• 2000s: Development of specialized tomato varieties for puree production
• Present: Hunt's uses optical sorting technology ensuring only perfectly ripe tomatoes enter production

This evolution, documented by the Food and Agriculture Organization, explains why modern tomato puree maintains consistent quality impossible in earlier decades.

Common Questions About Hunt's Tomato Puree

Can I substitute Hunt's tomato puree for tomato sauce in recipes?

Yes, with minor adjustments. For every 1 cup of tomato sauce, use ¾ cup Hunt's puree plus ¼ cup water. This maintains proper consistency while providing richer tomato flavor without added seasonings found in most tomato sauces.

Why does Hunt's tomato puree have calcium chloride?

Calcium chloride is a natural firming agent that helps maintain tomato structure during processing. The FDA recognizes it as safe, and it's used in minimal amounts (less than 0.1%) solely to preserve texture without affecting flavor. Hunt's uses it because it prevents the puree from becoming watery during storage.

Is Hunt's tomato puree suitable for canning tomatoes at home?

Yes, Hunt's puree meets FDA pH requirements (4.1-4.3) for safe water bath canning without additional acidification. The National Center for Home Food Preservation confirms its consistent acidity makes it reliable for home canning projects when used according to standard guidelines.

How does Hunt's tomato puree compare nutritionally to fresh tomatoes?

Processing increases lycopene bioavailability by 3-4x compared to fresh tomatoes, according to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Hunt's puree contains 22.8mg lycopene per cup versus 8.9mg in equivalent fresh tomatoes. The heat processing breaks down cell walls, making this antioxidant more accessible to your body.