Best Way To Freeze Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Best Way To Freeze Tomatoes? ›

Place the tomatoes in a gallon-sized zip-top freezer bag. Force out as much air as possible and tightly seal the bag. Freeze the tomatoes. Lay the bag flat in the freezer and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.

Dip tomatoes in boiling water for about 1 minute or until the skins split to peel easier. Place the whole tomatoes on clean cookie sheets and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the tomatoes from the cookie sheets into freezer bags or other containers. Seal tightly and freeze.

Whole tomatoes tend to crack and collapse when they thaw. To successfully freeze fresh raw tomatoes, you can: Slice tomatoes into at least 1/2-inch slices.

If you plan on using your frozen tomatoes within a month or two, you can quickly freeze them without much prep (no need to peel them). Just follow our instructions for how to freeze tomatoes without blanching: If you're using roma tomatoes, core them and remove the seeds. Chop your tomatoes into ½- to 1-inch pieces.

The best methods for the long-term storage of tomatoes are canning, drying, or making canned preserves like salsa, pasta sauce, relish, or ketchup. Once the tomatoes are sealed in an airtight jar, they'll last you all winter and beyond.

Use a paring knife to remove the woody core from the top of each tomato. Bag the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in a gallon-sized zip-top freezer bag. Force out as much air as possible and tightly seal the bag.

Stick whole tomatoes in the freezer and let them freeze. Once the tomatoes are frozen and you're ready to can them or cook them, take them out of the freezer and let them thaw completely. The tomatoes will look slightly wrinkly once they've thawed entirely. From there, the tomato skins will peel right off.

Does freezing tomatoes change the flavor? While the freezer does impact a tomato's texture, it doesn't ruin its vibrant, acidic flavor. Some diehard canners will argue that canning tomatoes preserves more of the fresh flavor, and they may be right. But freezing tomatoes is a great alternative, and it's so much easier!

Freezing tomatoes whole requires very little effort. No blanching or peeling required! After a year in my freezer, my frozen whole tomatoes have great flavor. They are So easy to use.

How Long They'll Last. Make sure you keep the temperature of the freezer at 0°F or below to ensure proper freezing. Frozen tomatoes will retain their flavor for 12 months. This gives you plenty of time to thaw them to use in your favorite sauce, stew, or soup recipes.

When freezing tomatoes, do you add salt? ›

Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on the cooling rack and season them. I recommend keeping it simple with just salt and pepper, but if you want to add spices, chopped garlic, or dried herbs, go for it.

Tomatoes can be frozen whole, stewed, or as plain tomato sauce. You can use plastic food storage containers with tight-fitting lids or straight-sided mason jars. The jars must be straight-sided.

To defrost frozen tomatoes, either allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge, at room temperature for about an hour, or under warm water. (You may not need to defrost them at all – could be used frozen whole or grated, depending on the recipe and called-for process.) Once defrosted, the skins should slip right off.

Canning tomatoes results in vacuum-sealed jars which are stored in cool, dry, dark locations. There is also an initial investment in equipment to process and store the harvest. A canning pot is needed for hot water bath processing of high-acid recipes. Low acid recipes require a pressure canner.

Crush the tomatoes by hand or in a food processor or blender, depending on the consistency you're going for. Add the crushed tomatoes to an airtight, freezer-safe container, and transfer it to the freezer.

How Long They'll Last. Make sure you keep the temperature of the freezer at 0°F or below to ensure proper freezing. Frozen tomatoes will retain their flavor for 12 months. This gives you plenty of time to thaw them to use in your favorite sauce, stew, or soup recipes.

Slice, dice, or blend the tomatoes and place onto a freeze dryer tray that fits inside of your machine. Do not overfill the trays. Only fill them in a single layer diced or sliced, and no more than half full of tomato sauce. Prefreeze the tray of tomatoes for at least 24 hours.