Freezing Tomatoes the Easy Way
Learn all about freezing tomatoes to preserve this incredibly versatile kitchen staple. A freezer stash of frozen produce opens the door to amazing and speedy meals.
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If your garden is producing faster than you’re able to can, freezing is the quickest and easiest way to preserve tomatoes. You only need a baking sheet, some parchment, and a freezer! Check out my complete guide on how to freeze fresh produce.
In a pinch, I have even frozen them and then used them for canning during the winter when I have more time and the kitchen isn’t 400 degrees. More about canning tomatoes can be found in these posts: Canning Tomato Soup, Canning Whole Tomatoes, and Canning Stewed Tomatoes.
What Can Frozen Tomatoes be Used For?
They are not good for fresh eating, salads, and you definitely can’t just slice one up for a delicious BLT. But they’re amazing for sauces (related: Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce) or homemade tomato soup.
Do You Have to Blanch Tomatoes Before Freezing Them?
Nope! You can freeze them with the skins on which makes your life 300x easier. The skins will slip right off when the tomatoes thaw. If you need to speed that process up, you can soak the frozen tomatoes in warm water for ~10 minutes.
If you do want to blanch them, rinse your tomatoes and core them. Gently drop them in a pot of boiling water for one minute. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl of ice water. Now the skins will slip off easily. Yay!
How Long Can You Keep Fresh Tomatoes in the Freezer?
If they’re stored in freezer-safe packaging, they’ll be good for 9-12 months. We love these reusable silicone bags for storing all our frozen produce.
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A freezer stash of frozen tomatoes opens the door to amazing meals.
- 1 cutting board
- 1 paring knife
- 1 rimmed baking sheet
- 1 silpat or parchment
- freezer bags {strive for reusable}
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment.
Rinse and pat tomatoes dry.
Using a paring knife, remove the stem and core.
Place tomatoes on the baking sheet with enough space so they're not touching, and freeze for 4 hours.
Break apart any tomatoes that may have stuck together and transfer to freezer-proof storage.
Freeze for 9-12 months.
If you'd like to chop the tomatoes prior to freezing, store in smaller bags or 16 oz wide mouth canning jars (leave 1 inch of headspace).
If you do want to blanch them, rinse your tomatoes and core them. Gently drop them in a pot of boiling water for one minute. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl of ice water. Now the skins will slip off easily.
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