How to Freeze Tomatoes
Freezing tomatoes is a great way to preserve your garden bounty for your enjoyment all year round!
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 medium tomatoes (approximately for 1 gallon-sized freezer bag)
Instructions
- Wash and dry the tomatoes.
- Remove the stem and core (if desired).
- Cut tomatoes into fourths (or smaller), slice, or chop (if desired).
- Place on a baking sheet (or other firm surface), skin side down (if applicable).
- Freeze for at least one hour.
- Place tomatoes in freezer bags in a single layer, taking care not to overstuff the bags. (See notes for other container options.)
- Remove air using a vacuum sealer or the straw method.
- STRAW VACUUM SEALER METHOD: After filling your freezer bag with your frozen tomatoes, flatten the bag on the counter. insert a straw halfway into the bag. Zip the bag shut as much as possible while forcing as much air out of the bag as possible. Suck the remaining air out of the bag until the bag shrinks around the tomatoes. Quickly remove the straw from the bag and seal the bag.
- Store the bags flat on top of each other in the freezer.
Notes
Sliced, chopped, and diced tomatoes will take up a lot less room in your freezer than whole tomatoes will. However, you can also blend your tomatoes and then freeze them in ice cube trays, storing them in freezer bags after they are frozen.
Container Options: You can use other containers to store the tomatoes once frozen, but the bags are the easiest for compact storage and also for ease of removing excess air to prevent freezer burn.