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27/11/2025
Nature has naturally occurring MSG, and fruits like tomatoes embody it. A flavour enhancer, MSG lends dishes a meaty feel. Biting into a juicy and fresh tomato sort of feels like replicating the taste. Imagine what you could do with that by concentrating its flavours, in say liquid form like tomato water? Some chefs like to use it in soups, broths and more to make delicious delicacies.
If you enjoy tomatoes, especially their flavour more than the fruit, then you are in for a treat. Meet tomato water, nature’s natural MSG that has been taking over the culinary world and sneaking its way into soups, pastas and more. One downside to this natural ingredient is the taste. So, use it as a replacement or in a combination with sauces, broths and more that will give you deliciously flavourful dishes.
Tomato water is sometimes called concentrated natural MSG because it's packed with free glutamate, the amino acid responsible for umami. Tomatoes naturally contain glutamic acid in high concentrations, the same compound found in MSG, which is why they deliver that satisfying savoury depth that makes dishes taste more complex and complete. When you slowly extract juice from raw tomatoes, you're extracting the glutamic acid, sweetness, and acidity while preserving the fresh taste that cooking would eliminate.
Unlike cooked tomato products that develop caramelised flavours, tomato water maintains the integrity of the raw fruit. Tomato paste contains even higher concentrations of glutamates than fresh tomatoes, which explains its unique umami punch.
Tomato water is just the extracted liquid from it – the juice that oozes out when you slice into a juicy red one. The easiest way to get the most out of this liquid is to pick a couple of ripe tomatoes (remember the extracted liquid will be less than your typical tomato size) and blend them with a bit of salt. Leave the pureed tomatoes to drain through porous cotton cloth into a jar or container overnight in the refrigerator. You will have the dried pulp, but don't throw it away! The leftover tomato pulp can be blended with olive oil for pasta sauces, added to soups, or frozen for later use. Nothing goes to waste.
Once you've made your first batch of tomato water, the possibilities of adding it to dishes open up dramatically. You can add it to any dishes that will benefit from the subtle flavour of tomatoes.
Tomato water creates deeply flavoured pasta sauces, especially in tomato-rich sauces like marinara. With the addition of garlic, butter, and fresh basil, the pasta adopts the tomato water like it was made for it, creating a deeply satisfying dish.
Tomato water can also make refreshing savoury martinis when shaken with gin or vodka. It creates a lighter, more refreshing alternative to traditional Bloody Marys and Red Snappers, which are made with thick tomato juice. You could also add it to a cocktail made with prosecco for a spritz, or simply mix it with sparkling water for a non-alcoholic refresher.
Tomato water adds amazing flavour to vinaigrettes and salad dressings, lending an acidic edge and giving it an umami boost minus the thickness of tomato paste or juice. Just mix it with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs for an instant dressing.
Tomato water serves as a substitute for stock in various recipes, providing a more colourful and flavorful alternative to vegetable stock. Use it as a base for cold noodle bowls by pouring chilled tomato water over soba noodles with sautéed vegetables. It also works as a poaching liquid for shrimp or fish. You can use the liquid in combination if you are not certain of it.
Tomato water can replace regular water in bread dough, adding subtle flavour and a hint of colour to focaccia and flatbreads. The natural salinity and acidity interact with the dough in interesting ways, though bakers should adjust salt levels accordingly.
Reduce tomato water and whisk in butter to create an intensely flavorful tomato butter sauce. You can also set it with agar to make delicate tomato jelly, or dehydrate the pulp and grind it into tomato powder for seasoning.
Store tomato water in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze it in portions for longer storage. Some cooks prefer to freeze it in ice cube trays for easy portioning – just pop out a cube or two whenever you need a bit of tomato flavour.
Tomato water represents everything great about simple, ingredient-focused cooking. It takes a simple fruit at its peak and transforms it into something that punches far above its weight in terms of flavour. Whether whisked into vinaigrettes, mounted into sauces, or dried into seasoning powder, tomato water proves that the simplest ingredients can unlock the deepest flavours.
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