Freezing Tomatoes: How to Freeze Tomatoes

Freezing Tomatoes

If you want to store or preserve your excess home grown tomatoes then freezing them is the simplest and by far the safest method of doing so.

By freezing tomatoes you will retain all the flavour and all their beneficial nutrients allowing you to continue to enjoy rich and tasty sauces and soups throughout the colder winter months when tomatoes are out of season.

To start freezing tomatoes you will need a pot of boiling water, a bowl of ice water, a paring knife and some freezer bags…did I forget to mention that you’ll need some tomatoes too!

How to Freeze Tomatoes for storage

  1. Only use vine ripened, full coloured, tender tomatoes for freezing those that are soft should be discarded.
  2. Clean each tomato individually under a running tap, ensuring to remove any soil. If the tomatoes are not organically grown it is advisable to use a mild vegetable cleaner which will help to remove any residual pesticides and herbicides that may be coating the skin.
  3. Remove the stem from each of the tomatoes.
  4. Place two or three tomatoes at a time into boiling water, remove the tomatoes from the water after about 30 seconds the skins will have begun to loosen after this amount of time.
  5. As soon as the tomatoes are removed from the boiling water place them immediately into the bowl of iced water, this will loosen the skins further.
  6. Once the tomatoes have cooled remove them from the iced water remove and discard the skins and remove the core.
  7. The tomatoes are now ready to be frozen and you can now cut them up however you wish or you can leave them whole it doesn’t matter and is down to personal preference.
  8. Pack the tomatoes into freezer bags leaving about an inch of space at the top of the bag.
  9. Squeeze air out of freezer bags before sealing them.
  10. Write the date or place a label showing the date on the bag.
  11. Your tomatoes are now ready to be frozen, which should be done immediately.

Frozen tomatoes remain fresh for a year and are excellent used in soups, sauces and stews.