How to Freeze Fresh Tomatoes, the Quick, Easy Way
Fresh tomatoes are a summer staple throughout the U.S. Because they are highly perishable, they have the the best flavor when grown and consumed locally. Tomatoes shipped to U.S. markets in winter are often bland, so home cooks sometimes preserve fresh tomatoes for later use. Some cooks can tomato sauces and salsas, but the easiest preservation method entails freezing tomatoes when they are fresh. Frozen fresh tomatoes keep for 6 to 8 months, as long as you preserve them carefully to avoid freezer burn. Try this next time you have an excess of tomatoes on-hand. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Fresh tomatoes, any quantity
- Paper towels or clean dish towel
- Large saucepan
- Large bowl
- Serrated knife
- 1 cup solid measuring cup
- 1-qt. plastic bags, freezer-safe
Instructions
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Fill a large bowl about halfway with a mixture of water and ice. Set aside the ice water.
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Fill a large saucepan about halfway with water. Place on a stove burner, and turn to high heat. Let the water heat while you prepare the tomatoes.
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3
Wash a tomato by holding it under a stream of running water for 15 to 20 seconds. As you rinse, use your fingers to wipe away any grime or dirt attached to the tomato's surface. Repeat until you finish cleaning each tomato.
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Wipe each tomato with a paper towel or clean dish towel. Remove any stems by breaking them off with your fingers.
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Return to the water pot to check its boiling status. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium to preserve a medium boil.
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Dump as many tomatoes into the water as you can at one time without causing the water to overflow. Leave them for 30 to 45 seconds.
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Remove the saucepan from the heat, and pour the tomatoes and hot water into a colander.
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Plunge the tomatoes into the ice water bowl to stop the cooking process. Leave tomatoes in the cold water for about 5 minutes, until the centers become cool.
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Remove the whole tomatoes from the ice water. Dry with a paper towel or dish towel.
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Remove the tomato skins with your fingers. The blanching process helps them slide off gently.
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Dice or slice the tomatoes, and place about 2 cup tomatoes into a 1-qt. freezer bag. Press as much air out of the bags as possible, and seal them tightly. Repeat until you finish bagging all of the blanched tomatoes.
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Stack the bags of tomatoes in your freezer for later use.
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Tips & Warnings
If you like, you can skip the blanching and leave the skin on your tomatoes. This shortens the process considerably, but allows the skins to become chewy in the freezer. If you want your tomatoes to break down nicely for a sauce or soup, the chewy skins make them unsuitable.
If you have a vacuum sealer, use it in place of freezer bags. It lengthens the lifetime of frozen tomatoes, protecting them against freezer burn for up to a year.
Use the frozen tomatoes for pasta sauces, soups, salsas and any other recipes in your repertoire that call for fresh tomatoes.
Discard any tomatoes that develop freezer burn in storage. Freezer burnt tomatoes appear encrusted in a shell of crystal-like ice. Tomatoes may also appear discolored. They smell like mildew and are unsafe for consumption.
References
- Pickyourown.org: How to Freeze Tomatoes from Your Garden: Easy and Illustrated
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Freezing Raw Tomatoes With or Without Their Skin
- The New York Times; Freeze That Thought; Mark Bittman; May 2009
- Tomato Dirt: Freezing Tomatoes: What You Need to Know to Get Started
- Shelf Life Advice; Can I Freeze Raw Tomatoes?; John Gregerson; July 2009
- Iowa State University Extension: Canning and Freezing: Tomatoes
Resources
- Photo Credit Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
