The Genius Tomato Paste Hack That Gets Every Bit Out Of The Can

Tomato paste is an easy way to add depth of flavor to your recipes. In addition, at just a few dollars for a small can, it's a great ingredient to keep on hand. However, using tomato paste can come with its share of irritations. It's thick and has a tendency to clump together and stick to utensils. This can make it difficult to stir around the pan after adding, as well as tricky to remove from the can. When scooping it out with a spoon, it's hard to get every last bit, and it subsequently gets stuck to the spoon. However, it turns out this may be a tomato paste mistake.

After all, there's an easier way to remove tomato paste that's less of a headache and not so messy. To cleanly remove the entire amount, open both ends with a can opener, then use one end of the can to push the paste through. This will result in a can that's scraped clean for less effort than digging in with a spoon.

Removing the tomato paste from a can doesn't have to be difficult, nor does it need to result in some of it being stuck in the can and wasted. On TikTok, user Laura Hickmon demonstrates this hack for cleanly getting it out. First, open one side of the can as normal, removing the metal top. Then, flip the can over and open the other side, leaving the metal piece in the opening after it is fully detached. Once both ends are unsealed, remove one of the lids from either side and simply push the metal lid you left on through. This will cause the tomato paste to slide out. If need be, use the end of a utensil to make pushing it through easier. Once the tomato paste is out of the can, don't forget to remove the other metal end.

Fellow social media users were mind blown. "I have learned more on TikTok in the past year than I have in my entire life," one exclaimed. As others pointed out, the trick can be applied to other thick canned ingredients, such as refried beans and cranberry sauce, to make cooking a variety of dishes much easier.

In the TikTok video, the trick is pushing the paste directly onto the pan. Unfortunately, many commenters pointed out this may not always work, particularly if you aren't planning on using the full can of paste. However, that doesn't mean you need to waste time scooping it out of the can either. Instead, push the tomato paste onto a plate. Then, separate the amount you plan to use and slide it into the pot. The portion you aren't using can be stored in the freezer until you need it. While a bit will be left on the plate, it's much less than would be wasted when trying to scoop it out of the can.

The same goes for soups or other dishes that would make removing that last metal piece difficult. When starting on a plate, you have a chance to take out that end of the can prior to adding it to your dish. This makes the hack more amenable to several dishes and easier for those who may be afraid to reach into the hot pan.