Sometimes when we go to the Dallas Farmer’s Market or another local one, we get a bit carried away. I love tomatoes and perhaps I get a bit too excited and buy a tiny bit too many at once.
It happens!
Tomatoes are one of my favorite ingredients in any dish! I simply love the tanginess and freshness that they bring to various dishes such as curries, soups, and stews.
Do try this delectable grilled tomatoes recipe, which is one of my favorite side dishes to have with grilled meat! There’s just something so mouthwateringly refreshing about the juiciness of fresh tomatoes that I can’t resist.
With that said, sadly, like all delicious fruits, tomatoes do go bad and out of season locally.
However, that doesn’t stop me from having my favorite fruit and adding it into countless dishes all year long.
Just because I can’t have fresh local tomatoes during the winter, doesn’t mean that I stop having them altogether. I simply buy lots of tomatoes during the summer and preserve them in various ways to use later on. By far, the best method of preserving tomatoes is freezing them.
If you want to learn how to freeze tomatoes, then read on!
Can You Freeze Tomatoes?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze tomatoes!
Freezing tomatoes is a super easy task that helps you enjoy them long after the peak season. Tomatoes are in peak season from the starting of June through all of September.
During these months, look for the freshest of tomatoes at your local farmer’s market and store, or harvest your own and freeze them!
This way, you’ll be able to enjoy the summery, juicy deliciousness of tomatoes throughout the gloomy winter days.
How to Freeze Tomatoes
Freezing tomatoes is an uber-simple task that doesn’t take too long. There are two ways in which you can freeze tomatoes – freeze whole peeled tomatoes or peeled and diced tomatoes. Let’s start with freezing whole tomatoes:
Freezing Whole Peeled Tomatoes
Here’s how you can freeze whole tomatoes:
Things You Will Need
- Tomatoes
- A sharp knife
- A bowl with cold water
- A pot of boiling water
- Freezer bags
- A cookie sheet
- A slotted spoon
Instructions
- Select the best tomatoes possible. Make sure that they are ripe and firm and avoid tomatoes that have bug spots on them or appear to be mushy.
- Thoroughly wet each tomato with running water. Gently rub its surface and use a paper towel to dry it.
- Use a sharp knife to cut away the stem scars of the tomatoes and discard them before freezing the tomatoes.
- Before you peel the tomatoes, blanch them. To blanch the tomatoes, dip them in boiling water for around 1 minute or until you see the skin splitting.
- Use a slotted spoon to take the tomatoes out of hot water and throw them in a bowl full of ice and cold water. This makes peeling the tomatoes with your fingers super easy.
- Place the whole and peeled tomatoes on a cookie sheet and put the sheet in your freezer to flash freeze the tomatoes.
- Once the tomatoes have frozen completely, take the cookie sheet out of your freezer and transfer the tomatoes into heavy-duty freezer bags and put the bags in your freezer.
Freezing Peeled and Diced Tomatoes
Here’s how you can freeze diced tomatoes:
Things You Will Need
- Tomatoes
- A slotted spoon
- A cutting board
- A sharp knife
- Freezer bags
- A bowl of ice water
- A pot of boiling water
- A large colander
- A glass
Instructions
- Select and wash the tomatoes as mentioned above.
- Blanch the tomatoes for 60 to 90 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes from the boiling water into a bowl of ice water.
- Peel off the skin from each tomato and use a knife to remove the stems and core.
- Use a knife to take some of the seeds out of the tomato. This step will help you make the smoothest tomato puree with frozen tomatoes!
- Place a colander over a jar or glass container and put the tomatoes in it. The container will collect the residual juices from the tomato, which you can save separately or even drink right then and there.
- Place the peeled tomatoes on a cutting board and chop them into medium-sized pieces.
- Transfer the chopped tomatoes into heavy-duty freezer bags.
- Push out the air out of the bags before you seal them shut.
- Transfer the bags into your freezer.
Tips on Freezing Tomatoes
Here are some solid tips on freezing tomatoes:
- A reason to pick Roma tomatoes for freezing, is they are the meatiest and contain the least amount of water.
- Make sure that the tomatoes you choose are ripe, firm, and don’t have any bruises or bugs on them.
- Always wash the tomatoes as thoroughly as possible to remove any dirt or debris from them.
- Always cut the stem and throw out the core before you dice the tomatoes.
- Make sure to use a straw to seal the freezer bags so that no air is left in the bags.
- If you want the tomato skin to peel easily, then don’t forget to blanch them.
Can You Freeze Tomatoes Without Blanching Them?
Yes, you can totally freeze tomatoes without blanching them. I prefer to blanch them as it makes it easier to peel off the skin. However, if you plan on freezing the tomatoes with their skins, then go ahead and wash and dry them and chuck them in the freezer as is.
You can also choose to not blanch your tomatoes for the methods mentioned above. The only real difference it’s going to make is that instead of peeling the skins with your fingers, you’ll have to use a knife to peel off the skin.
How Long Can You Keep Frozen Tomatoes in the Freezer?
It’s best to use frozen tomatoes within 6 to 8 months of freezing them. With that said, you can use them till 12 months as well, just make sure that their flavor is intact and they stay in an airtight container so that they don’t get freezer burn.
To use frozen tomatoes, make sure to take them out of the freezer and thaw them on the counter for about 30 minutes.
How to Use Frozen Tomatoes
While frozen tomatoes retain the fresh flavor of tomatoes, their texture does get mushy, which means that having them raw isn’t such a good idea.
With that said, you can use frozen tomatoes in various dishes and recipes that call for the use of tomatoes, such as tomato sauces, tomato purees, and tomato soups.
You can also add frozen tomatoes to various curries, soups, and stews for their signature flavor. Moreover, they also make a great addition to chili and salsas and taste just as good as fresh tomatoes in these dishes. My personal favorite is using frozen tomatoes to make delectable pizza sauce!
The Bottom Line
I hope you enjoyed this guide on how to freeze tomatoes. Whether you choose to blanch them before freezing or not is completely up to you. Make sure to use frozen tomatoes in various dishes throughout winter and enjoy the deliciousness of this juicy fruit!
How to Freeze Tomatoes in Two Different Ways
This is how to freeze whole tomatoes so you can enjoy cooking with it all round the year.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes
- Sharp knife
- Bowl with cold water
- Pot of boiling water
- Freezer bags
- Cookie sheet
- Slotted spoon
Instructions
- Select the best tomatoes possible. Make sure that they are ripe and firm and avoid tomatoes that have bug spots on them or appear to be mushy.
- Thoroughly wet each tomato with running water. Gently rub its surface and use a paper towel to dry it.
- Use a sharp knife to cut away the stem scars of the tomatoes and discard them before freezing the tomatoes.
- Before you peel the tomatoes, blanch them. To blanch the tomatoes, dip them in boiling water for around 1 minute or until you see the skin splitting.
- Use a slotted spoon to take the tomatoes out of hot water and throw them in a bowl full of ice and cold water. This makes peeling the tomatoes with your fingers super easy.
- Place the whole and peeled tomatoes on a cookie sheet and put the sheet in your freezer to flash freeze the tomatoes.
- Once the tomatoes have frozen completely, take the cookie sheet out of your freezer and transfer the tomatoes into heavy-duty freezer bags and put the bags in your freezer.
Notes
- Choose Roma tomatoes for freezing because they are meatiest and contain the least amount of water.
- Make sure that the tomatoes you choose are ripe, firm, and don’t have any bruises or bugs on them.
- Always wash the tomatoes as thoroughly as possible to remove any dirt or debris from them.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g