How to Freeze Tomatoes

Guide Note

Freezing tomatoes properly will ensure you can use them months later, sealing in freshness as if you just plucked them from your garden and added them to a rich sauce.

Table of Contents

Tomato Freezing Tips

  1. Before doing anything, rinse tomatoes and remove their stems by hand or with a knife.
  2. Boil tomatoes so that removing their skins is easy.
  3. Drain off excess water and remove seeds so tomatoes will remain fresh once frozen.
  4. Only use freezer-safe plastic bags for storage to seal in freshness, and remove all air bubbles before adding to the freezer.

More Mahalo Food How Tos

Newest How To Guides

Relax with a delicious apple martini

Travel sane by avoiding air travel delays

Why not learn how to belly dance?

Know how to sew and never by stymied by a falling hem again

Enjoy some delicious antioxidants by brewing a cup of white tea

Introduction

  • Whether you grow your own tomatoes in the backyard, enjoy visiting your local farmer's market for fresh-from-the-vine tomatoes or simply want to freeze a few you've bought from the store, freezing tomatoes is worth doing to enjoy the tastes of summer long into the following seasons. Though beefsteaks and romas are favored varieties for freezing, if you follow the directions below, you should be able to freeze most types of tomatoes.1

Step 1: Clean and De-Stem

(CC photo by Zed.Cat)
(CC photo by Zed.Cat)
  • You'll need to prepare your tomatoes for freezing, not just throw them in among the ice cream cartons and the frozen peas.
  1. Rinse tomatoes under running water and clean off any dirt.2
  2. You may wish to use a fruit and vegetable cleaner like Veggie Wash.3
  3. Then, remove stems from your tomatoes, using a knife if necessary.2

Step 2: Boil and Prep Tomatoes

(Creative Commons photo by Jennifer)
(Creative Commons photo by Jennifer)
  • If you take the time to remove skins and prepare tomatoes for the freezer, they'll taste better when you finally take them out again.
  1. Fill a stockpot with water and heat until boiling.
  2. Add a few tomatoes at a time to boiling water, waiting until skins loosen before removing from the boiling water and placing in a bowl filled with ice and water.2
  3. You should only need to boil tomatoes for about a minute or less before skins begin to fall away.4
  4. Once the tomatoes are boiled and their skin is loose, it should be fairly easy to remove, but use a knife to cut away any skin that is still adhered to the tomato.2
  5. You'll also want to cut tomatoes in half and then remove seeds to prime them for freezing.1
  6. You can then compost the tomato waste!
  7. Put tomatoes in a colander or strainer to drain off any extra water.1

Alternative Method

Place in Bags

  1. Find freezer-appropriate plastic bags to put your tomatoes into, like these made by Ziploc.5
  2. Before sealing, squeeze any extra air to eliminate air pockets.1
  3. If possible, use a vaccuum sealer to get rid of excess air.1

Step 3: Store in the Freezer

(Creative Commons photo by arifm)
(Creative Commons photo by arifm)
  • You'll also want to be a bit careful when initially freezing your tomatoes.
  1. Lay bags of tomatoes flat at first, but once they are frozen, feel free to stack them however you please to make room for other items.2
  2. Tomatoes should take about two to three hours to freeze, so don't move them until that time has elapsed.1
  3. Experts vary in how long they believe tomatoes can be stored in the freezer. The average length of time recommended is eight months before using.4
  4. Remember that fresh tomatoes aren't the only way to freeze tomato flavor: try freezing leftover tomato paste in ice-cube trays for single-servings of paste for future sauces or recipes. After sauce has frozen, you can remove the cubes from the tray and put in a plastic freezer bag for half a year's time.6

Conclusion

  • Now that you've got a freezer full of frozen tomatoes, you'll have them on hand for all kinds of delicious recipes. Keep in mind that frozen tomatoes are best used in cooked dishes like soups, sauces and stews as opposed to salads or other dishes that call for raw tomatoes.4 In the latter case, fresh is best. But, if you're cooking, than those frozen tomatoes are a treasure. So, enjoy!

Subscribe to Mahalo's Weekly How To Email Newsletter

  • Get our best How To tips and ideas in your inbox each week

References for How to Freeze Tomatoes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 PickYourOwn.org: How to Freeze Tomatoes from Your Garden
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 eHow.com: How to Freeze Tomatoes
  3. ↑ Official Site: Veggie Wash
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Freezing Raw Tomatoes
  5. ↑ Official Site: Ziploc
  6. ↑ MarthaStewart.com: Canned Tomatoes