Learn all about freezing tomatoes to preserve the amazing star of summer produce. A freezer stash of frozen tomatoes opens the door to amazing and speedy meals.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time5 minutesmins
Freezing Time4 hourshrs
Total Time4 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course: How To
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Can you freeze fresh tomatoes?, how to freeze stewed tomatoes, how to freeze tomato paste, how to freeze tomato sauce, how to freeze whole tomatoes
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment.
Rinse and pat tomatoes dry.
tomatoes
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.
Freezing Peeled Whole Tomatoes
In a large mixing bowl combine water and ice.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove.
Using a paring knife, remove the stem/core from the tomatoes – OR – cut an “x” on the bottom of the tomato.
Add the tomatoes to a pot of boiling water and boil them until you see the skins start to come off (about 1-2 minutes).
Use a slotted spoon and remove the tomatoes and place in the ice water.
Working with the cooled tomatoes one at a time, remove any skin that hasn’t already slipped off.
Place the peeled tomatoes in a strainer for a few minutes to drain any additional water.
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.
Freezing Tomato Sauce or Spaghetti Sauce
Allow tomato/spaghetti sauce to fully cool.
Transfer sauce to freezer-safe containers. To freeze tomato sauce in canning jars, use only wide-mouth jars. Allow for 1 inch of headspace, which is the space between the top of the food and the top of the jar.
Transfer containers to the freezer. Store for 6-9 months.
Freezing Tomato Paste
Transfer cooled tomato paste to freezer-safe containers.
You can also freeze in small plastic freezer bags or even “dollops” of tomato paste frozen on parchment.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and spoon tomato paste onto the parchment. Freeze for 2-3 hours and then remove the individual portions of frozen paste to freezer bags.
Notes
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).
To use tomato sauce frozen in canning jars, do not thaw the cold jars in hot water or the microwave. This can lead to cracking. Instead, allow it to sit at room temperature on the counter for a few hours, or overnight in the fridge.