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Wondering whether you can freeze tomatoes? This trick preserves that taste of summer: no canning or cooking required.
Got ripe tomatoes and not sure what to do with them? The easiest way is not cooking and canning them: it’s throwing them in the freezer! Freezing tomatoes whole helps to keep their structure in tact, and makes them easy to peel when defrosted. Chop them up and pop them into soups, stews and pasta sauces: you can use them similar to how you would canned diced tomatoes! Here’s how to freeze tomatoes and pull off this quick trick!
Can you freeze tomatoes?
Conventional wisdom says to preserve tomatoes you should cook them, like simmering them into sauces or canning them into cooked salsa. But you can freeze tomatoes too! While you can’t eat them raw, frozen tomatoes work similar to canned diced tomatoes: use them in soups, stews, sauces and more! This method is more versatile and easier: because you don’t have to decide the final form before you preserve them.
Here’s how to freeze fresh tomatoes:
- Use a paring knife to cut around and remove the core from each tomato.
- Place the tomatoes in a sealable freezer-proof plastic bag. Freeze for 6 to 8 months.
- To defrost the tomatoes, place them in a large bowl and cover with warm tap water. Wait 1 minute, then remove skins by squeezing from the bottom until they pop off. Thaw completely at room temperature, about 30 minutes, then chop. Use the chopped tomatoes in soups, stews, and pasta sauces. (Do not eat raw or use in salads, as the texture does not hold up in the same way after freezing.)
Ways to use frozen tomatoes
Frozen tomatoes work similarly to diced canned tomatoes in recipes, so use them in cooked recipes only. Keep in mind: one 15-ounce can diced tomatoes equals 2 cups chopped tomatoes, and one 28-ounce can equals 4 cups chopped tomatoes. The texture isn’t the same after freezing, so don’t go trying to use them in a Caprese Salad! Here are some great ways to use frozen tomatoes:
- Sauces like Quick Tomato Basil Sauce or Easy Marinara Sauce
- Soups like Minestrone Soup, Classic Bean Soup, Creamy Tortellini Soup, Best Ever Lentil Soup
- Stews like Moroccan Chickpea Stew or Hearty Lentil Stew
And that’s it! Let us know how you plan to use your tomatoes in the comments below.
More freezing methods
Want to freeze other fruits and vegetables? We’ve been using these methods on our end of summer fruits and veggies. Here are a few other methods to try:
- Learn how to freeze veggies like Corn, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Potatoes, or Green Beans
- Go for fruit like how to freeze Peaches, Blueberries, Bananas or Strawberries
- Opt for How to Freeze Pizza Dough or How to Freeze Bread
How to Freeze Tomatoes
Wondering whether you can freeze tomatoes? This trick preserves that taste of summer: no canning or cooking required.
Ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes
Instructions
- Use a paring knife to cut around and remove the core from each tomato.
- Place the tomatoes in a sealable freezer-proof plastic bag. Freeze for 6 to 8 months.
- To defrost the tomatoes, place them in a large bowl and cover with warm tap water. Wait 1 minute, then remove skins by squeezing from the bottom until they pop off. Thaw completely at room temperature, about 30 minutes, then chop. Use the chopped tomatoes in soups, stews, and pasta sauces. (Do not eat raw or use in salads, as the texture does not hold up in the same way after freezing.)
Let us know if you have any questions!