How to Freeze Tomatoes

Freezing is one of the quickest and safest ways to preserve tomatoes, whether they come from your own garden or the farmers market. Freezing will lock in the summer fresh taste and nutrients so you and your family can enjoy tasty tomatoes in sauces, stews, and soups all throughout the cold winter months.

You should be sure to pick tomatoes that are tender, but not too soft or mushy. Take off the stems and clean the tomatoes by running them under water; gently rub them to get rid of any dirt. Fill a large pot with water and bring it up to a rapid boil. Put three or four tomatoes at a time into the water and remove with a slotted spoon when the skins begin to get loose. After that, immediately put the tomatoes into some ice water for about 30 seconds. This will stop the tomatoes from cooking and will loosen the skins even more. Take the skins off by using a serrated knife to remove bits of peel, and cut out the tomato's core.

At this point you are ready to freeze your tomatoes, either whole or cut into halves or quarters. Put the tomatoes in freezer bags, making sure to leave one inch at the top of the bag, remove any air in the bag, and close the top. You can save room in your freezer by putting the bags flat on the freezer shelf, and when they are frozen, you can stack them however you want in your freezer. Your frozen tomatoes will stay fresh in your freezer for up to one year, and will taste great in whatever you decide to cook.