How Long Does Tomato Paste Last?

Opened tomato paste shares canned tomato sauce's 5-7 day fridge window, but in practice a can of paste is far more likely to sit unused past that window simply because so little gets used per recipe — that's the real argument for freezing leftover paste rather than treating the fridge window as the only plan.

The same acidity that helps canned tomato sauce resist bacteria somewhat also applies to paste, but paste's much higher concentration means any spoilage that does happen tends to be more visually obvious — a distinct darkening at the surface, a fermented smell stronger than paste's normal tangy aroma, or any fuzzy mold growth are all signs to discard the remainder rather than scrape around a spot.

A thin layer of oil sometimes rises to the surface of an opened can or jar of tomato paste, which is a normal separation of its concentrated oils rather than a spoilage sign — stirring it back in is fine, distinct from an actual mold spot, which should never simply be stirred under and eaten around. Tomato paste sold in a resealable tube rather than a can shares the same basic 5-7 day fridge guidance once opened, though the tube's design, which limits air exposure with each use better than a can with plastic wrap over the top, can help a tube-packaged paste hold its quality slightly more consistently across that window.

See Tomato Paste's full storage & shelf-life guide (with spoilage signs) →