You can freeze tomatoes that are still in your eyes. This is a great way to infuse bright summer flavors into winter dishes. You can freeze whole tomatoes, green tomatoes, or San Marzano tomatoes from your garden.
You can freeze them in whatever way you like.
- With and without their skins
- Raw or cooked
- Sliced or whole
- Pureed or chopped
The good news is that frozen tomatoes don’t lose any nutrients or colors.
However, frozen tomatoes can become mushy after being thawed. And this is not good news for salad lovers.
How To Freeze Whole Tomatoes?
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Wash and chop tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes and take out the stems. If you’re freezing cherry tomatoes, then cut an X in each tomato’s bottom with a paring knife.
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Blanch the tomatoes
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Broil a few tomatoes at once in the boiling water. Let the skin curl up just enough to cover the area you have scored. This will take about 30 seconds, depending on the size and shape of the tomato.
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Dip the tomatoes in ice water
Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes. Dip them in ice water and place them in a colander over a bowl.
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Take off the tomato skins.
Once the tomatoes have cooled enough to handle, you can remove the skins. To push cherry tomatoes out of their skins, you need to squeeze them gently. Make sure you catch any liquid that has accumulated.
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Place the tomatoes in jars.
You can pack your tomatoes in a tight package, either whole, half, or quarter, depending on their size, into freezer containers or straight-sided glass jars. Leave 1-inch headspace.
You will notice air pockets in the tomatoes when you use jars. This can cause a freezer burn. To remove these air pockets, a dinner knife is a good choice.
Make sure you completely cover the tomatoes’ tops in liquid. Push them down if necessary. Ripe tomatoes should be able to release enough liquid for the job.
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Close the jars
Place the lids on the jars and let them freeze.
Can You Freeze Cherry Tomatoes?
You can freeze your cherry tomatoes and make a delicious homemade “pizza.”
Freezing cherry tomatoes can be an easy process. Take the stems off and wash them. Then, flash-freeze them. You risk freezing your tomatoes if they are not dried before you put them in the freezer.
Place your cherry tomatoes on a baking tray to flash-freeze them. Freeze them for about 15-20 minutes or until they feel firm to the touch.
Once frozen, you can transfer them to a bag/container to freeze them again. Cherry tomatoes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months if they are frozen whole or two months if chopped.
How To Freeze Stewed Tomatoes?
- Select firm, ripe tomatoes for freezing. Sort the tomatoes and discard any that have gone bad.
- Gently rub tomatoes in cold running water and then dry with a clean cloth.
- After washing, remove the stem scarring and any surrounding areas and throw it away.
- To peel tomatoes, boil them in boiling water for 1 minute.
- Cut into quarters.
- Place tomatoes in a saucepan. Cover the saucepan and let it cook for 10 to 20 minutes.
- To cool, place the pan with tomatoes in cold water.
- Pack the following items into containers.
- if you are looking for alternatives for stewed tomatoes then read about it in this article.
Frozen Whole Tomatoes: How to Use It?
You will be disappointed if you’re looking for fresh tomato sandwiches this winter.
Tomatoes lose their shape and firm texture once thawed due to the high moisture content.
They are a little mushy and limp. They retain all the wonderful flavors if they are adequately frozen.
Use frozen tomatoes in recipes that call for canned or stewed tomatoes. Use them in soup, stew, and chili.
It’s not necessary to thaw tomatoes frozen for use in chili stews.
Frozen tomatoes can be used in your stew. Let the heat release summary flavors slowly.
They cook the same way as canned tomatoes but have a much better flavor.
For a thinner chili soup, you can also grate frozen tomatoes.
Grated tomatoes produce a delicate sauce that doesn’t contain large chunks of tomato.
You can also use grated frozen tomatoes in smooth marinara or pizza sauce.
Here Are The 4 Tips for Freezing Tomatoes
We’ve got four tips to help you freeze tomatoes.
Freeze Into Sauce: Tomatoes won’t freeze well, so make sure to turn your tomatoes into a recipe and freeze it. Pasta sauce is a great option. You’ll be able to cook the tomatoes so thoroughly that you won’t notice any texture change.
Avoid Eating Raw: Once frozen, tomatoes will turn mushy and soft. They won’t be suitable to be used in salads or eaten raw.
Avoid Freezing Fancy Tomatoes: You can spend a lot on expensive, rare, and unique tomatoes, but those shouldn’t be frozen. It’s a waste of money.
Use Rigid containers: To preserve your tomatoes, freeze them in rigid containers to prevent them from being crushed in the freezer.
How Long Do Frozen Tomatoes Last?
It is important to label your tomatoes as they won’t keep for long in the freezer. Remove all air from the bag to prolong the shelf life of fresh tomatoes.
Keep the freezer at a minimum of zero degrees Fahrenheit. If properly packaged, frozen tomatoes can last for 6-9 months in the freezer
When tomatoes lose their moisture, they can freeze and burn. The water crystals form because of the oxygen in the bag.
Before sealing the bag, you must remove as much oxygen as possible.
Your frozen tomatoes will only last for a short time in the freezer.
If you want your tomatoes to last longer in the freezer, a vacuum sealer will be your friend.
How do you defrost tomatoes?
It is very easy to make tomato sauce from frozen tomatoes. If the recipe calls for it, you can either defrost them completely before using them or freeze them.
To thaw whole tomatoes, heat them in a bowl of warm water for about a minute. Then add them to your recipe. You can add chopped or pureed tomatoes to your recipe.
To defrost tomatoes before you use them, place the container in the refrigerator and let it cool.
Can You Refreeze Tomatoes?
Refreezing tomatoes is not a good idea. Freezing tomatoes once will already ruin their texture. You’ll ruin their texture even more if you freeze them.
Instead, defrost only what you use at one time.
This exception is only if you freeze tomatoes and defrost them before cooking them into a sauce you want to freeze. This refreezing method is perfectly acceptable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Freeze Dried Tomatoes Taste Like?
It tastes like a bursting tomato flavor. This is especially true when you use tomato sauce, as the freeze-dryer has removed all the water.
Which tomato is best for freezing?
Wide varieties of tomatoes can also be frozen. You can achieve the best results with plums (roma), tomatoes, which have the most pulp. You can store your tomatoes at room temperature if you intend to wait to freeze them.
Can tomatoes freeze well?
You can freeze tomatoes to enjoy summer-ripened tomatoes throughout the winter. They will lose some flavor, but you can still use them in delicious recipes. Freezing tomatoes is the best and easiest way to preserve them.
Can freezing tomatoes cause nutritional problems?
Frozen vegetables and fruits can help retain their nutrients. Some nutrients can start to disappear if you keep frozen vegetables for longer than one year. During blanching, you might lose certain nutrients.
