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Tamarind paste

Tamarind paste is a concentrated sour ingredient used in sauces, marinades, curries, soups, and chutneys.

Tamarind paste — illustrative ingredient image

About Tamarind paste

Tamarind paste is a concentrated tamarind preparation made by extracting or softening fruit pulp and removing some or all seeds and fibres. It is used in sauces, marinades, curries, soups, dipping condiments, drinks, and chutneys, where a small amount supplies sourness and fruity depth.

Its flavour is tart and concentrated, often with mild caramel-like fruitiness. The texture is typically thick and spoonable, although commercial products may be smooth or retain fine pulp. Product strength varies, so a labelled paste is not always interchangeable measure-for-measure and recipes may dilute it before use.

The paste is brown to very dark brown and is sold in jars, tubs, or other prepared containers. Commercial versions may include water, salt, preservatives, or sweetener. Preparation can make it thinner and easier to distribute, while products resembling pressed pulp may remain fibrous; the exact degree of concentration and cleaning is not standardized.

Ingredient type
paste

Forms & related ingredients

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Where tamarind paste appears

29 linked foods

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Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for tamarind paste

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Tamarind paste

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Tamarind paste nutrition & diet

Tamarind paste nutritional value

Tamarind, paste, pure

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the stated food form.

Calories
250.5kcal
Protein
2.8g
Carbs
57.4g
Fat
0.6g

Reference values apply to the named food form, not every preparation, variety or brand. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AFCD Release 3, food F009081. Available carbohydrate excludes sugar alcohols; energy converted from kJ to kcal (÷4.184). Australian data may not be appropriate for use in other countries. There are limitations associated with food composition databases. Food composition data used in the database or databases may represent an average of the nutrient content of a particular sample of foods and ingredients, determined at a particular time. The nutrient composition of foods and ingredients can vary substantially between batches and brands because of a number of factors, including changes in season, processing practices and ingredient source, and methods of calculation. Data licensed under the FSANZ Data User Licence Agreement, based on CC BY-SA 3.0 AU: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/monitoringnutrients/afcd/datauserlicenceagreement.

Portions & preparation

Confirm whether the product is seedless tamarind paste, concentrate, block softened with water, or a seasoned sauce. Measure the amount actually used in the recipe, and record added sugar, salt, preservatives, or thickeners. Dilution changes the served form, while accompanying ingredients determine the finished dish.

Compare the right form: Match seedless tamarind paste, concentrate, softened block, or seasoned product exactly, including dilution and added ingredients; brand and recipe matter.

Diet considerations

Tamarind paste is plant-derived when made from tamarind fruit, though formulations may add sugar, salt, preservatives, or starch. Compatibility changes with meat, fish, dairy, cereal ingredients, and sweetened sauces. The paste’s carbohydrate pattern depends on formulation and portion, while the dish often contributes most additional ingredients.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Depends on the version
  • Vegetarian
    Depends on the version
  • Pescatarian
    Depends on the version
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Depends on the version
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Depends on the version
Check the version or source of: Sugar. Check the refining process and processing aids for the particular producer.
Vegetarian · Depends on the version
Check the version or source of: Sugar. Check the refining process and processing aids for the particular producer.
Pescatarian · Depends on the version
Check the version or source of: Sugar. Check the refining process and processing aids for the particular producer.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Depends on the version
Optional or variable recorded ingredients: Sugar. This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar). Recipes and products can differ.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3, 2025 — Tamarind, paste, pure ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .