Luckily, long ago I discovered a budget-friendly and simple pantry ingredient that takes my beef stew to the next level. A ...

This concentrated tomato product adds a caramelized richness to countless dishes. Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali A little tomato paste goes a long way.

Basically, tomato paste is what happens when you cook down tomatoes for a long time, removing as much water as possible, as well as their seeds and skin. It's just super concentrated tomato.

Tomato paste is one of those essential ingredients, and a pantry just wouldn’t be complete without at least one can of it. At least I know mine isn’t. But when talking to friends about my great love ...