Tomato Concassé is one of the most useful preparations in a professional kitchen. Made with fresh tomatoes, aromatic vegetables, herbs, and quality olive oil, it creates a rich, flavorful tomato base that can be used in many different dishes.
In our kitchen, we use Tomato Concassé as an important base for pizza, pasta, lasagna, tomato sauces, and many other recipes. The combination of fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, celery, herbs, and slow cooking gives it a deep natural flavor that is much more satisfying than simply using ready-made tomato sauce.
What Is Tomato Concassé?
The word “concassé” comes from French and generally refers to ingredients that are roughly chopped. In classical cooking, tomato concassé is prepared by blanching fresh tomatoes, removing their skins and seeds when required, and chopping the flesh.
For our preparation, we take it one step further by slowly cooking the tomatoes with aromatic vegetables, tomato paste, herbs, and seasoning. This creates a rich and flavorful tomato preparation that can be used as a foundation for many recipes.
How We Make Our Tomato Concassé
Ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Bay leaf
- Fresh garlic, chopped
- Onion, chopped
- Celery, chopped
- Fresh thyme
- Tomato paste
- Fresh basil
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Sugar
Step 1 – Blanch the Tomatoes
We start with fresh, ripe tomatoes.
First, the tomatoes are placed into hot water and blanched. After blanching, we immediately transfer them into cold water.
This process makes it much easier to remove the tomato skins while helping to maintain the fresh quality of the tomatoes.
Once cooled, we remove the skins and chop the tomatoes.
Step 2 – Build the Aromatic Base
Heat olive oil in a suitable pot and add a bay leaf.
Next, add the chopped garlic and cook gently until it becomes golden brown. This helps develop a beautiful aroma and gives the tomato base more depth.
Then add the chopped onion and celery and cook them together.
Add fresh thyme and mix everything well, allowing the vegetables and herbs to release their flavors.
Step 3 – Cook the Tomato Paste
Once the aromatic vegetables are well combined, add the tomato paste.
Cook and mix the tomato paste for around 5 minutes.
This step is important because cooking the tomato paste helps develop a deeper, richer tomato flavor and removes some of the raw taste.
Step 4 – Add the Fresh Tomatoes
Now add the peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes.
Mix everything together and bring it to a gentle simmer.
We allow the mixture to simmer slowly for approximately one hour.
Slow cooking gives the tomatoes time to break down and allows all the flavors from the garlic, onion, celery, herbs, and tomato paste to come together.
Step 5 – Finish with Herbs & Seasoning
Once the tomato mixture has developed a rich consistency and flavor, we add:
- Fresh basil
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Black pepper
- A small amount of sugar
The sugar is not meant to make the sauce sweet. It helps balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes.
Finally, taste and adjust the seasoning according to the dish you are preparing.
And that’s it — our Tomato Concassé is ready. 
How We Use Tomato Concassé
One of the reasons we love this preparation is its versatility.
Pizza
Tomato Concassé can be used as a flavorful tomato base for pizza. Its rich tomato flavor works beautifully with cheese, vegetables, meats, seafood, and fresh basil.
Pasta
It can be used as a base for many pasta dishes. Simply adjust the consistency and seasoning depending on the pasta recipe.
Lasagna
A good tomato base is essential for a flavorful lasagna. Tomato Concassé can be incorporated into the tomato layer together with meat, vegetables, or other ingredients.
Tomato Sauce
It can also be developed further into different tomato sauces by adding ingredients such as garlic, herbs, vegetables, stock, cream, meat, or seafood depending on the recipe.
Other Recipes
Beyond pizza, pasta, and lasagna, a tomato preparation like this can be used in many dishes, including:
- Tomato-based meat dishes
- Chicken dishes
- Seafood dishes
- Vegetable preparations
- Baked dishes
- Soups
- Bruschetta and other starters
- Various Italian-inspired recipes
Why Fresh Basil Makes a Difference
Fresh basil is one of the key ingredients that gives this tomato preparation its fresh Mediterranean character.
Tomato and basil are a classic combination. The acidity and richness of the tomatoes are balanced by the fresh, aromatic flavor of basil.
For finishing, we can also add a few fresh basil leaves on top of the finished dish for both aroma and presentation.
Chef’s Tips
Use ripe fresh tomatoes:
The quality of the tomatoes has a major impact on the final flavor.
Don’t rush the simmering:
Slow cooking allows the ingredients to develop a deeper and more balanced flavor.
Cook the tomato paste properly:
Giving the tomato paste around five minutes of cooking helps develop its flavor before adding the fresh tomatoes.
Balance the acidity:
Fresh tomatoes can naturally be acidic. A small amount of sugar can help create a more balanced flavor, but it should not make the preparation sweet.
Taste as you go:
Salt, pepper, herbs, and acidity should always be adjusted according to the final dish.
From Fresh Tomatoes to a Versatile Kitchen Essential
For us, Tomato Concassé is more than just a tomato preparation. It is a foundation for many dishes.
Starting with fresh tomatoes and building the flavor step by step — from garlic, onion, and celery to tomato paste, herbs, and slow cooking — creates a versatile preparation that can be transformed into countless recipes.
Whether it’s spread over a pizza base, tossed with pasta, layered into lasagna, or developed into a rich tomato sauce, a well-made Tomato Concassé can bring freshness, depth, and natural tomato flavor to the plate.
Fresh tomatoes. Simple ingredients. Proper technique. Great flavor.
