I freeze tomatoes in two ways - whole with skins and stems on and cut with the juice and seeds partially squeezed out. You may find you have one method you like better depending on how you plan to use the tomatoes. I like to freeze some both ways for different uses.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cuisine: American
Keyword: freezing tomatoes, how to freeze cherry tomatoes, freezing whole tomatoes, freezing ct tomatoes
Servings: 12
Calories: 20kcal
Author: Mirlandra
Ingredients
3poundstomatoes
Instructions
Freezing Whole Tomatoes: This is the best method if you want to can the tomatoes later in the fall when you have more time and the weather is cooler. It is also the fastest way to save tomatoes for winter cooking.
Use firm tomatoes that are fully ripe and not damaged.
Wash each tomato and set it on a towel to dry.
Leave the skins and stems on! (no blanching - woohoo!)
Fill gallon freezer bags with dry tomatoes one layer thick.
Label the bag with the year and lay flat in the freezer for up to a year.
When you are ready to use them, hold each tomato under cool running water. The skin and stem will slip right off in a second!
After peeling thaw in refrigerator or add to frozen to soups and stews.
Freezing Cut Tomatoes: I like this method for preserving tomatoes that have a little damage or one end didn't get fully ripe etc. I will use these tomatoes in places where I plan to puree them during cooking so the skin won't matter. (For example I use these in my homemade cream of tomato soup where they get pureed with an immersion blender.)
Wash tomatoes.
Cut away any damage, the stem, and any part that didn't ripen (such as a yellow top on a red tomato).
Slice the tomato in half across the wide part - like you were slicing for a sandwich.
Gently squeeze each half over a bowl to remove some juice and seeds (this is optional but gives you a denser, less watery final product good for homemade spaghetti sauce).
Place squeezed halves into a quart bag until the bag is full. Tip: Stand the bag upright in a bowl with the top sides folded down for filling!
Remove as much air as possible, label the bag with the year, and freeze for up to a year.
Thaw and use wherever you would want cooked or canned tomatoes!
Freezing Cherry Tomatoes: This is my favorite way to use the extra cherry tomatoes that my garden is always full of!
Use cherry tomatoes that are ripe and not split.
Wash the tomatoes and remove the stems.
Leave tomatoes on a towel to dry.
Fill gallon freezer bags with dry tomatoes 1-3 layers thick.
Label the bag with the year and lay flat in the freezer for up to a year.
Thaw bag in a bowl in the refrigerator or add frozen handfuls to soups and stews and curry.