Freeze tomatoes - 8 simple ways

I harvest a plate of tomatoes almost daily! I freeze tomatoes that we don't manage to eat in time. Keep reading to learn how to do it!

Summer and fall are the best seasons for homegrown tomatoes. Whether you grow them in beds, in a greenhouse, on the balcony or in a sunroom – once they start ripening, there’s usually plenty of them! If you can’t eat them all at once, it's a great idea to freeze tomatoes so nothing goes to waste!

Here I’ve collected different ways to freeze tomatoes. I hope these tips will inspire you, whether you grow your own or buy fresh tomatoes at the grocery store. Tomatoes are everyday staples in our kitchen, and it's always worth having a batch in the freezer.

Read more: Ripen tomatoes indoors

Freeze small tomatoes

Whole in bags
Small tomatoes are perfect to freeze whole. It’s quick to prepare and easy to just put them straight into the freezer. Remove the stem, rinse if needed and let them dry before packing them into small or large freezer bags.

Whole in jars
If you have freezer space, it’s practical to use jars that can be reused, like old ice cream tubs or glass jars. Prepare the tomatoes as above, fill the jars, put on the lid and freeze.

Mixed with other vegetables
Blend small tomatoes with onion, zucchini or other vegetables from the garden. Freeze in portion-sized bags or jars. This mix is ready to use for stews, soups, sauces and casseroles – a great way to make use of many vegetables at once.

Read more: Delicious tomato and zucchini salsa

Freeze large tomatoes

Whole large tomatoes
When you don't have much time, the easiest way is to simply put whole large tomatoes in a big freezer bag. They are not so practical to use frozen, but if you plan ahead, they work fine for sauces, ketchup or other cooked dishes. They freeze individually in the bag and don’t stick together.

Chopped large tomatoes
If you have a little more time, chop large tomatoes into smaller pieces before freezing. Freeze in smaller bags or jars, best in portion sizes. It’s then easy to take out just what you need.

Freeze tomatoes in sauces

Fresh blended tomatoes
Blend fresh tomatoes to a puree and freeze in milk cartons, jars or bags. When thawed it’s watery – I usually boil it down a bit when cooking to make it creamier.

Read more: How to winter-sow tomatoes

Cooked tomato sauce
Cooking tomatoes before freezing removes some of the water and concentrates the flavor. Use a large pot, add tomatoes and a little water, and let them cook until they fall apart. Boil until the sauce has the thickness you want. Blend if you like it smooth. Let cool, then freeze in jars, cartons or bags.

Oven-baked tomatoes
Baking the tomatoes in the oven brings out a rich, deep flavor. Cut large tomatoes into pieces, place in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Add onion, garlic or chili if you like. Roast at about 300 °F (150 °C) until soft and slightly browned. Blend if you want a smooth mix, cool and freeze.

Using frozen tomatoes

Frozen tomatoes are easy to use. A block of puree frozen in a milk carton might take sometime to thaw, but you can rinse the carton in warm water, and then tip the block into a saucepan and let it melt while you prepare the rest.

Small frozen tomatoes are perfect for quick meals. I often toss them straight into a pan with onion, garlic and chili to make a quick tomato mix – delicious on bread or as a side dish.

Cooked frozen tomatoes can be refrozen if needed, and used in preserves. If you want to ferment tomato sauces, you’ll need to add fresh vegetables since the lactic acid bacteria disappear when the tomatoes are frozen and cooked.

I hope you try to freeze tomatoes at home!

Sara at Skillnadens