How To Freeze Tomatoes (Without Blanching)

This post may contain affiliate links, my full disclosure can be read here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Learn how to freeze tomatoes the easy way for use later in the year.

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by your garden harvest that you just couldn’t keep up?

When your garden starts producing heavily in the late summer you can find yourself with so many tomatoes you can’t process them for canning fast enough.

Instead of letting the tomatoes go bad, freeze whole tomatoes for canning or cooking later when you have more time.

This easy no fuss way of freezing tomatoes has worked successfully for me for years making it easier to deal with large harvests of tomatoes and not having to cook them in the summer heat.

Pros Of Freezing Tomatoes

1. Tomatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to freeze. You can do small or large batches without needing to blanch.
2. No special equipment is needed just freezer bags and your freezer.
3. Freezing tomatoes is the easiest way to remove the skins without blanching.
4. Freezing tomatoes lets you can them later in the year when the cooler weather arrives.
5. Freezing tomatoes lets you enjoy the taste of homegrown tomatoes all year.
6. Reduces food waste because freezing tomatoes is so easy you can get them all done before they go bad on the vine or in your fridge.

Cons Of Freezing Tomatoes

1. Tomatoes don’t hold their shape or texture once thawed. After thawing they are pretty mushy and can’t be used in recipes that you would use fresh tomatoes in. Instead use them in cooked recipes like tomato sauce, chili, soups, and casseroles.
2. Freezing tomatoes can take up a lot of room in your freezer. This is something to keep in mind if you have a tiny freezer.

How To Freeze Tomatoes

Supplies

• Gallon Sized Freezer Bags – I like to buy these commercial grade freezer bags to keep on hand for food preservation. I love how thick they are and the large-sized boxes mean I don’t have to buy them as often.
• Vacuum Sealer – If you want your tomatoes to last as long as possible vacuum sealing is a great method to use. I’ve started using my sealer on all my produce and I’m loving the results.
• Permanent Marker – For labeling the bags. Always do this so you know the contents and date they were frozen.

Step 1. Sort

Sort your tomatoes and discard any that have bug bites or have cracked open.

Step 2. Wash

After sorting your tomatoes you rinse them off to remove any dust that could be on the skins. The easiest way is to place them in a sink of warm water and just move them around a little bit.

Then set them on a towel to fully dry before moving to the next step.

Step 3. Bag Them Up

Before freezing decide what you want to do about the stems. You can take a second and pull or cut them off the tomatoes before freezing.

This is my preferred way. But you can also leave them on and they will easily pop off when you remove the skins after thawing later.

Fill your freezer bags with whole tomatoes and then seal the bag removing as much air as possible.

I love to use my foodsaver to vacuum seal bags of tomatoes but normal freezer bags work well too.

Then place the bags of tomatoes in your freezer in a single layer this helps them to freeze faster. Once they are fully frozen (normally by the next day) you can stack them up or tuck them in any space in your freezer.

How Long Do Frozen Tomatoes Last?

Frozen tomatoes will keep for 6 to 9 months in your freezer as long as they are packaged well and your freezer is at the ideal temperature for frozen food.

How To Use Frozen Tomatoes

When you are ready to cook with your frozen tomatoes simply remove a bag from the freezer and place the tomatoes in warm water.

Wait for 3 to 5 minutes then pull the skin towards the blossom end (bottom) of the tomato and the skins will slip off easily.

Alternatively, you can place the frozen tomatoes in a bowl in your fridge and let them thaw overnight. The skins will still slip right off.

I do find letting the tomatoes thaw before using them to be a little messier though.

From here process the tomatoes just as you would normally do with tomatoes that you had just blanched to remove the skins.

How To Freeze Tomatoes

Kim

4.47 from 45 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Freezing

Ingredients

  

• Tomatoes

Instructions

 

• Sort the tomatoes and remove any damaged ones.
• Rinse the tomatoes in warm water to remove any dust on the skins.
• Pat them dry or lay them on a towel until fully dry.
• Once the tomatoes have fully dried place them into large gallon-sized freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible and seal.
• Label the bags and place them in a single layer inside your freezer. Once they are fully frozen (normally in 24 hours) they can be stacked to save freezer space.
• When ready to use simply remove a bag of tomatoes and place them in warm water for 3-5 minutes to loosen the skins. They will slide them off from top to bottom easily.

Notes

With proper storage, frozen tomatoes will keep for 6-9 months.

Thawed tomatoes are best used in cooked dishes like sauces and soups. Their consistency will not be the same as a fresh tomato.

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate, this information is for informational purposes only please consult a nutritionist for more information and guidance.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Kim

Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.