11.26.2010

how to replace nightshades part 4: tomatoes

In my little series on how to replace nightshades, I have left the hardest for last. Tomatoes perform a variety of roles in cooking. Raw, they provide a nice firm texture and a fresh, tart flavor. Cooked, they provide thickness, acidity, sweetness, and hearty flavors for sauces, soups, curries, spreads, pasta, and countless other dishes.

Tomatoes are probably the hardest nightshade to replace for two reasons: 1.) tomato products come in so many shapes and forms that they are useful in all kinds of recipes, and 2.) they are often a substantial part of the dish they inhabit. Think about it: tomato sauce, tomato salsa, minestrone soup. Tomatoes are not just ingredients in these recipes, they are the base of these recipes. But all is not lost! When you encounter a recipe with tomato in the ingredients list, ask yourself: what is the role of the tomato in this dish? Is it acting as the dish's acid? sweetener? thickener? is it, in the case of a salad, there for texture and color more than for flavor?

Before I start discussing replacing tomatoes, I want to introduce you to your two new best friends:

Umeboshi Paste
Tamarind Concentrate
On the left, umeboshi paste. I only know the Eden brand kind, and I get it from a health food store; you may be able to find some at an Asian grocery store, or you can just order it online. Umeboshi paste is made from a tart Japanese plum that is pickled in brine and then ground to paste. It is incredibly salty, and though it looks expensive, one little tub of this will take you months to finish off (and it keeps for years in the refrigerator). Umeboshi paste provides a bit of the texture cooked or reduced tomato products provide, as well as all of the zing and near-sweetness tomatoes have. Stir a little (meaning maybe half a teaspoon) into any recipe that would otherwise have tomatoes (cooked recipes are better, but I've stirred some into mango salsas), and taste to see if you want more. Reduce the salt in the recipe by a little. If you really, really can't find it, you can use a little umeboshi vinegar (which is easier to find, but not as good a tomato replacement) in its place.

On the right, Tamarind Concentrate. I like the Laxmi brand, but you can find this in any Indian/Southeast Asian or Latin American grocery stores, or in a well-stocked grocery store's "ethnic food" section. Tamarind concentrate may also seem a little expensive, but a little goes a long way, and though you should keep it in the fridge once you open it, this too will last forever. (I have used tamarind that has sat in a fridge for about a year. The sugar in it crystalizes around the edge a little, but it was fine to eat.) It resembles molasses in appearance, but is much much tarter. It has a little sweetness to it, but is mostly sour. Any time a recipe calls for tomato paste, I use at least half tamarind paste to make up for it, because it resembles tomato paste in terms of taste in a recipe.

If you want to substitute effectively, those are essentials. Below I will list how to substitute for (most) tomato products.

Replacing Raw and/or lightly-cooked Tomatoes

For the most part, raw tomatoes are often present in recipes to help add a bit of tartness, crispness, and color. To achieve similar flavor, you can use an under-ripe mango. I know this sounds crazy, but hear me out: an underripe mango has not ripened enough to be sweet, and it has a tartness and near-sweetness reminiscent of a tomato. Sliced, the fruit's texture is also similar to a thick slice of tomato. You want a mango that has only the tiniest bit of give when you squeeze it with your fingers--it shouldn't feel soft by any means, but it shouldn't be as hard as rock. Peel it, and either slice or cube it. This is perfect for sandwiches, salsas, and cold salads. You can also ad it last-minute to stir fries, but if you cook it too long, it will become sweeter. In a cold salad (grain, pasta or vegetable), you can also substitute raw zucchini or summer squash for raw tomato. Diced it small and add a small amount (about 1 tsp per tomato replaced by zucchini) of lemon juice to the recipe. Also consider substituting or adding cucumber, which provides the same watery, crisp texture as raw tomato.

For lightly-cooked tomatoes, like the kind you might have in an English breakfast or on Eggs [Tofu] Benedict or Florentine, lightly sautee sliced or fileted zucchini in a small amount of olive oil and vinegar over high heat until it begins to soften and brown on each side.

Replacing Tomatoes in Cooking

I have some bad news for you: if a recipe calls for an entire can or more of diced, crushed, stewed, peeled, ground, or pureed tomatoes, I can't help you. One can or more of tomatoes means that they are a significant part of the recipe that you are better off looking for a different recipe. But don't give up hope; lots of dishes that call for those ingredients are also available nightshade-free. For example, though minestrone soup usually calls for diced tomatoes, I have seen recipes without any. (Search engines' "advanced search" option lets you find recipes that don't include a word [like tomato].) You can find variations on curries that call for cans of tomatoes that instead call for a little tomato paste or a single chopped tomato (both of which are easier to substitute). Be creative, and don't despair.

First and foremost, if you're anything like me, you probably miss the occasional thick pasta sauce. I have a recipe for tomato-free marinara here, and you can find many others by a simple internet search. It may seem like a lot of work, but this stuff freezes well, and will help you out if you're missing this basic comfort food. You can also buy Nomato's nightshade-free marinara, barbeque sauce, or ketchup.

Mostly, though, in cooking, you'll need to replace a couple chopped tomatoes, or 1/4 C tomato paste, or a couple tablespoons of ketchup. Remember that tomatoes are primarily in these recipes to add some tartness, a hint of sweetness, and thickening properties. This is easy! And you have a variety of options. If the chopped tomatoes are supposed to remain whole throughout the recipe and not create a sauce, like in a sauteed pasta dish, you can substitute and equal amount of zucchini for the tomato. If the chopped tomato is supposed to cook down into a paste, treat it like tomato paste in a recipe, which you can substitute with:
  • Canned pumpkin puree, butternut squash puree, or sweet potato puree. Obviously not the kind with spices in it. These thicken a recipe, and with a tiny addition of vinegar (or ume plum paste!) also provide the sweetness and acidity of a tomato.
  • Umeboshi paste. I described this above, but this is great for adding to a tomato-textured thing, with tamarind to create the perfect fake-tomato paste taste, or by itself if you're just trying to replace the taste of tomatoes (like in salsa and other sauces, or curries).
  • Tamarind Concentrate. Again, I discussed this above, but it's great for adding the zing you miss with tomatoes to a variety of recipes. It is especially good in seitan, or other recipes in which tomato paste serves as a moistener and flavor enhancer. Works especially well with umeboshi paste. Tamarind and a little sweetener of some sort is the best substitute for ketchup in recipes.
  • Molasses. Molasses have such a strong, distinctive flavor that you only want to use a tiny bit of them, unless it's for something like BBQ sauce, which benefits from the taste of molasses. Combine this with one or more of the other options in recipes where tomato paste is added as a moistener and flavor enhancer.
  • Peanut butter. I know how crazy this sounds, but in certain recipes, especially in seitan or meatloaf-imitations, peanut butter adds a nice texture and interesting depth of flavor. Plus, it acts as a thickener.
The bad news with these is that with the exception of the purees (which still need you to add a bit of vinegar), they need to be used in some combination. The good news is that you can mix and match, and you can work on your ratios according to taste (ie, if you need 3 Tbsp tomato paste, you can use 2 T tamarind, 1 T peanut butter, etc). You'll need to do some experimenting, but at least you no longer have to overlook some of your old favorites.

In the case of sundried tomatoes, I know, I miss them too (especially the oil packed ones! yum). Consider using olives in their place.

And with pizzas, while non-tomato marinara can do the trick, if you're anything like me, you'll come to a new appreciation of white pizza. And of pesto as pizza sauce.

Tomato dishes are so ubiquitous that few of us can imagine comfort food without them. But like I said above, be creative, and don't despair! Nightshade-free doesn't mean comfort-free. You have options.

One final note on avoiding tomatoes. As with peppers and potatoes, tomatoes can sneak into unexpected foods. Many fake meat products, especially veggie hot dogs, bacon, deli-style slices, and Italian-flavored sausages, use tomato paste for color and/or texture, so as always for the nightshade-free vegan, read ingredient labels carefully before buying fake meats. Sweet-and-sour sauce, many other flavorful Asian stir-fry sauces, and barbeque sauce almost always contain ketchup or tomato paste, as do most homemade seitan recipes, so check ingredient labels and be sure to ask about these things if you're at a restaurant or friend's house.

67 comments:

Ginny said... Best Blogger Tips

I am totally going to try the "tomato" sauce. I do miss it a lot and this looks good!

Végébon said... Best Blogger Tips

Avoiding nightshade doesn't seem easy, congrats for whipping up this substituton list !

Tomato Replacement said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanks for the excellent article. Tomato replacement is a very interesting subject for me as I have allergies.
You can now buy a replacement for tomato cooking sauce in the UK called "Ally's No Tomato Sauce". Being allergic to tomatoes, its a godsend! The website is TomatoFree.co.uk

Michelle said... Best Blogger Tips

Very happy to read this post-great ideas!!!!

Tuckers said... Best Blogger Tips

Thank you nightshade guru.

Just found an amazing tomato-free salmon curry recipe on youtube using "Advanced Search". Just need to lose the chilli's and I'm there.

imviolin said... Best Blogger Tips

this is so helpful!
isn't tamarind is a nightshade?
thanks!

Sarah P said... Best Blogger Tips

imviolin, you're in luck--tamarind is not a nightshade!

Agnes Applehill said... Best Blogger Tips

I once created a simmer sauce using cooked beets, apple cider vinegar, and a bit of oregano. It turned out great, and it provided the color, texture, and tartness that I was looking for. Not everyone likes beets though, so I have to be careful when cooking for others. (At that point I usually opt for recipes which don't use tomatoes to start with.)

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

The Nomato BBQ sauce is not nightshade-free. From their website:

Ingredients: Organic Carrots, Water, Beets, Organic Onions, Cider Vinegar, Molasses, Brown Sugar, Kosher Salt, Onion*, Garlic*, Ginger*, Mustard*, Chili*, Cayenne Pepper* (*dry).

Chili and Cayenne Pepper are nightshades.

SarahB said... Best Blogger Tips

wow thank you for this, really helpful!! Funnily enough, on the nightshade free diet I have already started using some of these ingredients more without realising why!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

This article is much appreciated! I just made lentil sloppy joes without the 2 cans of tomatoes or any of your substitution ideas and they weren't so moist...
I will give your ideas a try and hope to have some more comfort back in my food!

Ericka H said... Best Blogger Tips

3 medium beets
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1-2 Tbsp Italian seasoning, if desired
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
water

Cook beets until tender (45-60 min). Skin them, and then puree in food processor.
Pour pureed beets into saucepan.

Mix in pumpkin puree, cider vinegar, and seasonings to taste.

Add water to desired consistency.
Simmer 20 minutes, or as long as desired. Add more water as needed.
Use immersion blender to make smooth, if desired.

Ericka H said... Best Blogger Tips

Ooops! I forgot to say that I made this sauce up last night with things I had on hand. The resulting sauce was used for a recipe that called for 2 (28oz) cans of crushed tomatoes, along with leeks and sausage. Turned out to be much like an Italian spaghetti sauce. It was good, albeit fairly sweet. I think next time I'll add some rhubarb to cut down the sweet a bit. Kids and hubby all approved. :)

Sarah P said... Best Blogger Tips

@Ericka H That sounds fantastic! A replacement for a whole can of tomatoes, I'm impressed! I never would think to add rhubarb; let me know how that turns out!

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Stumbled upon your cite today HOORAY!!
I also have a nightshade allergy.
Being part of a large Italian family kinda puts a damper on my dinnertime :(

Out of pure necessity and a ton of trial and error. I have come up with a Mean Nightshade Free Marinara Sauce, that even our 102 year old Italian granny enjoys.

We start by bringing to boil a large pot of pealed and sliced carrots in water.
Boil the carrots until they are mush
Strain out the water (this gets rid of the sugary sweetness that carrots bring to the table.)
Replace the water with your favorite Nightshade free broth. (adds savoriness to the sauce.)
Bring back to a boil, and toss into a blender and blend to desired consistency.
Once i have the consistency i like i put it back on the stove to simmer.
Season with the Italian spice staples, Oregano, Basil, garlic, onions... etc
I prefer a chunky hearty sauce, so I like to add Olives, Artichoke Hearts, Mushrooms, Zucchini, and whatever else i have laying around.
Sauce turns out perfect and delicious every time.
2 problems; the whole recipe is to taste, I never use measurements :( so sorry
And Second, it doesn't have that beautiful red tomato-y color

Bonnie said... Best Blogger Tips

Tamarind is a legume and I for one, being allergic to nightshade foods including beans(legumes) of all kinds and potato will NOT eat tamarind. Licorice is a legume, rooibos used in tea blends, guargum etc. Commercial sweet potato fries are almost 100% mixed with regular white potato. Potato and soya starch is everywhere, even in meds ad fillers.
I get a shock reaction. Know your lists!

Sarah P said... Best Blogger Tips

Hi Grandma Bonnie, I think you're confusing two common intolerances. You may be intolerant to both legumes and nightshades (in which case you're right, tamarind isn't an option for you), but the two are not the same thing. Nightshades (including potatoes) are not legumes and legumes are not nightshades; there isn't any overlap in the two families of foods. I don't envy you not being able to eat nightshades or legumes; good luck!

Allie said... Best Blogger Tips

This is possibly the best thing I have ever seen on the internet. I have a nightshade intolerance but luckily love to cook so most of your substitutions for potatoes, eggplants and peppers I've used before. (although I've never heard of adding cloves in place of chili peppers...I'm definitely trying that next chance I get.)
But tomatoes are a different story and I generally just avoid them. (Mustard or mayo in place of ketchup, pesto on pasta, etc.) I've had both umeboshi and tamarind paste before and love them both but would never have thought to use them in place of tomatoes. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the great ideas!

Riana Eiren said... Best Blogger Tips

_Thank_you_ so much for this information! I've been so limited for so long because of my tomato allergy -- even wound up in the ER because of it. I've missed certain dishes for so long! I knew about Nomato, but haven't gotten to try it yet since it's not at our normal market. I've saved your post!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Lately, as they're in season, I've been using fresh persimmons to sub for tomatoes in salads, salsa, etc. They are actually pretty close, though sweeter. I may try a puree soon to see if it could work as a "tomato sauce." You never know till you try!

Colleen said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanks! I have a roommate who's got various food allergies and I'd love to cook things she could eat, but it's not always easy. I found a great soup mix, but it calls for a can of tomatoes and I've been puzzling over what to substitute for it.

Jen said... Best Blogger Tips

@Jessica George
Artichokes are not a night shade, but they do have a glyco-alkaloid called solanine that is found in all nightshades. Apples and okra also have solanine, possibly blueberries.

myfairhands said... Best Blogger Tips

I have a more difficult problem. I seem to have a problem digesting fructose in my older age, so things like too much squash or too many carrots or onions are no good for me either. I am looking for something to replace a can of tomatoes when I am in a rush. Tomatoes are so good for throwing in the pot with whatever you are cooking for a quick easy meal.
Any ideas anyone?

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Yes, the soft persimmons work really nice for replacing tomatoes. I've used them for homemade spaghetti sauce. It turns out a little sweeter with persimmons, but leave out any sugar called for in a traditional tomato sauce recipe.

Also, in soups like lentil soup, where tomatoes are a main ingredient, but not overpowering. I use persimmons and it worked great! I found that adding a few tablespoons apple cider vinegar and mix that with the persimmons first works best. It sort of helps add a tangy flavor like some tomatoes have.

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

@GinnyPureed carrots and beets, makes a good substitution base for spaghetti sauce, etc. 2 parts carrot to one part beets. I have used fresh and canned. After seasoning it tastes as intended.

Archana said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanks for your article. Very informative. I have Vitamin A allergy. So can't replace tomatoes with carrots, beets, pumpkin etc. Any other ideas?

Archana said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanks for your article. Very informative. I have Vitamin A allergy. So can't replace tomatoes with carrots, beets, pumpkin etc. Any other ideas?

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

"For lightly-cooked tomatoes, like the kind you might have in an English breakfast or on Eggs [Tofu] Benedict or Florentine, lightly sautee sliced or fileted zucchini in a small amount of olive oil and vinegar over high heat until it begins to soften and brown on each side"

Am I missing something but isn't zucchini a nightshade?

Sarah P said... Best Blogger Tips

@Anonymous

Zucchini is not a nightshade! Perhaps you are confusing it with eggplant, which is a nightshade.

Archana, what you use to substitute depends a bit on what you're looking to make. For example, zucchini is pretty good as tomatoes in cases where tomatoes remain whole. I am not sure about suggestions for tomato sauces, though.

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

@GinnyI'm very allergic to tomatos and I use red peppers as a substitute.it has the colour and if u put it in the blender it can be used as diced tomatos.

KarinIsHere said... Best Blogger Tips

I just came across this page after being told to eliminate nightshades (amongst many other things) in my diet over the past 2 years due to eczema. People always find it odd when I tell them that tomatoes are by far the hardest thing ever and I find giving up dairy, wheat, soy and even sugar easier than this. Tomatoes are in just about everything I love (Mexican food, Indian food, soups, sauces, chip/cracker flavourings, etc.) and it's hard to avoid once you start reading ingredient labels. I am excited to discover that you have substitutions because until now I just avoid them altogether (or cheat and break into rash). I'm looking forward to reading all your nightshade blog entries and to hopefully revamping my diet with some exciting options. Thank you!

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

you have done an amazing job here on nightshades!! so happy I came across your blog. have had to cut out nightshades on elimination diet. I really appreciate your substitution ideas & recipes. many thx!

Josh said... Best Blogger Tips

I've heard of replacing tomatoes with strawberries because they have a similar tartness to them. You could even add a bit of miso in order to alter the flavor to your liking if you do a puree.

I've never done that before, but it's worth a shot. :D

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Great ideas!
For those who were concerned about reducing the sweetness, what I gave used in traditional recipes is some good quality cheddar cheese. I cooked the dish until the tomatoes lost their raw flavor then added a nice chunk of cheese right at the end, stirring just until it melts into the sauce.
Now that I'm trying to avoid nightshades, I'm going to try that same tactic.

Jeny said... Best Blogger Tips

@KarinIsHere

I'm with you! After years of issues, my son and I both just received the list of everything we're allergic to (which feels like all food), and we are finding tomatoes and garlic the hardest to give up too! We are allergic to all grains, legumes, nightshades, citrus, nuts, etc, etc, etc....but out of everything, the tomatoes and garlic have been the WORST.

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

@Anonymous
Red pepper is a nightshade

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

@Jessica George

Brilliant thank you so much for sharing this tip. X

Virstyne Henry said... Best Blogger Tips

You're a Godsend. Thank you for the information. ;-)

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Hi Sarah
You are amazing. I am so Glad I came across your site. I like your style and adivise to approach the substitution exercise keeping in mind the end result of what we want to achieve. Really sound & practical advise. Keep exploring & keep sharing. Thank you so much.
Warmest regards

veedgo said... Best Blogger Tips

I have recently been experimenting with substituting pumpkin puree for tomatoes. What I do instead of adding vinegar is adding honey and lemon juice. With the addition of typical sauce spices, it actually pulls off pretty well. It isn't exactly tomato sauce, but it is satisfyingly close, especially with garlic added.

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

I've been working with traditional Sicilian dishes, and I found a combo that covers a lot of the flavor combination that tomatoes provide:

lemons (the tart part)
raisins or diced apricots or currants (the sweet part)
capers or minced olives or minced anchovies (the savory part)

You could probably use this combo, along with a veggie like zucchini, to make a very good replacement for cooked semi-solid tomatoes, such as diced or stewed. It goes amazingly well with fish, even the fishiest fish, also beans, and greens, and tofu.

I think that to approximate 2 cans of diced tomatoes, I'd lightly stew two diced zucchini with the juice and zest from one lemon, a 15oz jar of green olives - minced (or one tin of anchovies), and a half cup of raisins. This is based on proportions from other recipes that "hit the tomato spot", with zucchini for filler. Broil the zucchini for 5 minutes first to get that fire-roasted tomato flavor.

I'm going to try some of these pumpkin-based sauce ideas :-9

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

I'm a carnivore but have been looking for a good tomato replacement for years. This post and the comments have given me hope, esp. as I have stores where I can get umeboshi and tamarind nearby.

I will eat a salad and maybe some seitan mock duck in your honor.

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanks! I'm going to try mixing the tamarind or umeboshi sauce with applesauce in meat for tacos.

Martha

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I have used apricots with horseradish and balsamic vinegar as a tomato sauce substitute. A friend asked about one slow cooked recipe and was sure it had to have tomatoes in it. The apricots gave the texture and sweetness and the horseradish and vinegar the spicy acid taste.

Amandula said... Best Blogger Tips

Thank you so much for your blog. I have been recently told to completely cut out all nightshades, corn and potatoes, as I have rheumatoid arthritis. Everything has been easy to do except tomatoes and bell peppers!!

Thank you for the suggestion of umboshi and tamarind pastes. I will try these. Also the use of mangoes for sliced tomatoes.

Teresa Y Green, L. Ac. said... Best Blogger Tips
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah said... Best Blogger Tips

I have had some success with pureed watermelon and about a tablespoon of vinegar. So far I have made enchiladas that worked out really well. I look forward to trying the other suggestions too.

Jacqueline said... Best Blogger Tips


So glad, my "tomato replacement internet search" brought me to this article.
Due to acid re-flux, I have to avoid, tomatoes. Your suggestions will
help me, make a vegetable curry dish, sans tomatoes...

Thank you!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

@Sarah P Maybe you missed it. Maybe Grandma has allergies/sensitivities to both nightshade family & legumes as well.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Thank you so much for this article! How do I find "how to replace nightshade parts 1-3"?

Sarah P said... Best Blogger Tips

The “How To” page has links to each of the parts in the series (peppers, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes): http://vegetalion.blogspot.com/p/how-to.html

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Overconsumption of sugar or alcohol destroys B Vitamins, which are the antidotes for these conditions. The antidotes for nightshade 'allergies' include Royal Jelly (500 mg Pantothenic Acid, which is Vitamin B-5, and 500mg Niacinamide, which is Vitamin B-3, in each 100mg capsule), Phosphorus, and L-Glutamine. Royal Jelly contains both Vitamin B antidotes together and is most easily absorbable. They do not have to be taken together. Try each one to see which works best for you or muscle test yourself to find the definitive choice from your body. The muscle testing point for B Vitamins is the Solar Plexus (abdomen area of the body above the navel), so you can hold the Royal Jelly container in your hand (in the store aisle if necessary), place your hand at your gut with feet facing forward and comfortably apart, tap your thymus a few times with your other hand to clear the body, and relax. If you naturally begin to fall forward, you need it or if backward, you do not need it (attraction is positive/forward, repulsion is negative/backward). Google "Sway Test" for details. You can muscle test for the other two antidotes as well. Read the book The Ultimate Healing System by Donald Lepore. See pp. 13 & 22 for the information referenced here. Bless you as you learn to heal yourselves and thank you all for great ideas on subs for tomatoes! I am going to try zucchini, persimmons, and eventually the half beet/half carrot sauce idea! YUMMM!

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

mango puree is a great substitute for tomato sauce in pizza :)

Anonymouse said... Best Blogger Tips

Papaya and lemon work well as a tomato replacement

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Thank you and I’ve successfully used thick yogurt added at the end of cooking a soup that required tomatoes.

Lioness said... Best Blogger Tips

Me to I have Fibromyalgia and nightshades hurt more

Emily said... Best Blogger Tips

I totally feel with you. I think I have fibro and nightshades hurt me the most of anything that makes me hurt. You're not by yourself in this journey.

Emily said... Best Blogger Tips

Indeed. Avoiding them is very very hard because I estimate that they're in just as many food products as gluten is. Paprika, oleoresin of paprika, extract of paprika...I really miss it.

Emily said... Best Blogger Tips

Has anyone ever tried making nomato sauce at home with watermelon, beets and carrots? It sounds promising, but a strange combo.

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Thank you for this article!! I am allergic to tomatoes (not all nightshades, fortunately, just tomatoes) and have really been struggling with replacing some of my favorite foods. I've found that pickled beets make a good replacement on burgers and sandwiches, but haven't had much luck replacing it elsewhere.
I'd also like to add that people should be wary not just of bbq sauce and ketchup, but also non-liquid things containing tomato, such as BBQ chips and Doritos, both of which have tomato powder. It's also in most dry BBQ rubs. Never assume that red stuff is paprika.
Thank you again!

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I was wondering why me why me? I have never encounter anyone els with Tomatoes alergies.. nice to know there are others with that problem and others an help you bare your pain.. thank you for sharing the Website.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Omg!! This article had been so helpful! I play a RPG game and my crew just found it in allergic to tomatoes today. They have swamped my inbox with articles, but this one definitely seems to be what im looking for!!! I'm so excited to try to make an Italian style spaghetti sauce. I haven't had spaghetti in 15 years.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

I too am allergic to tomato. I make a great pasta sauce by sautéing Italian sausage with whatever veg I want and then I add roasted red peppers, cream and Parmesan cheese. The peppers break down and make a great sauce.

Tt said... Best Blogger Tips

Great info. Thanks

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Hey, I just stumbled upon your page be cause I was looking for tomatoe substitute.
I'm so grateful that you have this still up. My hubby has Celiac disease and he can't do nightshade at all.
Thank you for the recommendation for tomatoes.

Tracy LC said... Best Blogger Tips

Fabulous info for someone with a tomato allergy. I'm going to have to look at more of your posts!

EO4Wellness said... Best Blogger Tips

@Unknown
Thanks for posting your marinara sauce. I want to give it a try after reading about it here. Just wanted to point out, as this is a new discovery some brands of jarred atichokes now also have nightshades in their ingredients. they look like the old-school ones we've had for decades with a clear jar, oil, and the precious artichoke hearts inside--but they have additional ingredients now, some including paprika or other nightshades.