This year I attempted to grow a garden with my kids. It was a lot of work, and most of the growth came from lessons learned. Sadly, most of our veggie plants died. However, our tomatoes did really well, and we’ve loved having fresh tomatoes all summer. We’ve eaten them fresh like an apple, had tomato wedges in our salads, and sliced thin on sandwiches and burgers. But as our summer harvest nears the end, we’re beginning to have more tomatoes than I know what to do with. Enter the freezer. At seven months pregnant I feel like a squirrel storing up for winter as my freezer fills with something new almost daily! If you also have an abundance, let me teach you how to freeze tomatoes. The frozen tomatoes can then be used in place of canned tomatoes in recipes like chili, vegetable soup, marinara, or pizza sauce.
How to Freeze Tomatoes
- Prepare by starting a pot of water boiling on the stove and filling a large bowl (or clean kitchen sink) with cold water and lots of ice.
- When water is is boiling, drop whole tomatoes in water and boil about 45 seconds.
- Remove from boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately submerge in ice water.
- When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, use your fingernails to peel the skin. It should slip right off.
- Chop the peeled tomatoes and portion into freezer bags or containers.
- Lay flat to freeze.
- Use in place of canned tomatoes and enjoy your summer harvest year-round!
6 Comments
Join the discussionCan u freeze whole tomatoes?
Nancy, sure! You could just skip number 5 in the steps listed above. Enjoy!
Do you have to peel the skin off?
See step #4. Good luck!
I’ve never peeled them and they still work nicely for my purposes during the winter. What’s the purpose in peeling them?
Hi Nicole! It is simply a matter of doing the work now vs later in peeling them. This way they are ready to use! If freezing with the skin on works for you and your purposes – that’s awesome!