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Tomato juice substitute

Sauces, wine and pantry liquids · Checked against 2 sources · Updated November 4, 2026

Quick answer

For 1 cup of tomato juice, mix half a cup of tomato sauce with half a cup of water. Season to taste. This works in soups, stews and braises. It is thicker than juice, so thin it to taste. Season with salt, since sauce is usually less salty than canned juice.

How much do you need?

Fractions work: 1 1/2, ¾, 0.5. The amounts below update as you type.

What to use

  1. Tomato sauce and water

    • Vegan
    • Dairy-free
    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • ½ cup 120 ml tomato sauce
    • ½ cup 120 g water
    Best for
    Soups and stews.
    What changes
    Thicker.

Diet labels describe the ingredients as normally made. Check packages for gluten and allergens. Some refined sugar is filtered with bone char, which matters if you eat vegan.

Which swap for which job

UsePickWhy
StewsTomato sauce and waterStandard.

Do not substitute here

  • Bloody Marys. This mix.

Questions

Is tomato juice salted?

Often. Check the label.

Sources

Ratios come from these sources, in our words. Where they disagree, we say so or pick the amount that matches tested results. Ratios are a starting point. Taste and adjust.