How to Freeze Fresh Whole Tomatoes for Preservation

Our tomatoes are starting to trickle in and while I have too many to eat before they go bad, I don’t have enough to make a run of salsa just yet. Learning how to freeze tomatoes has been the answer!

It’s easy, quick, and effective. This is my preferred method for short term preservation and it allows me to save up enough garden tomatoes to make a run of sauce, tomato soup, or salsa.

This post may contain affiliate links. I may make a small commission on sales at no extra cost to you

This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on sales at no extra cost to you

Why I love to freeze tomatoes in the Summer

Freezing tomatoes is actually very easy and takes very little time or effort.

This method is also a great way to preserve the tomatoes during a heat wave and revisit them after it cools down to can them.

The tomato skins fall right off after they are thawed out which makes for a much easier canning experience!

Try my Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe

My favorite way to can tomatoes is to make salsa which requires several tomatoes. By freezing them, I can get enough ahead to get a good run of salsa!

The extra perk to this method is that once you thaw out the tomatoes they are super easy to peel! That’s a win/win for me!

What you need to freeze tomatoes

• Fresh whole tomatoes – You can use any variety of tomato. I use San Marzanos (my favorite kind of tomato:) or Roma tomatoes as well as Beefsteak, Yellow, and even cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes! Pretty much whatever summer harvest of tomatoes I have will be frozen. If you don’t grow tomatoes, head out to the local farmers markets and grab a lot of tomatoes to freeze for later use.
• Sheet Pan – You will need a sheet pan or baking sheet to allow the tomatoes to freeze before putting them in bags to store.
• Freezer bags – You can use a plastic freezer bag, vacuum seal bag, or a freezer safe airtight container.
• Paring Knife – A paring knife is the perfect tool for removing the tops of the tomatoes.

How to freeze whole tomatoes for preserving later

To get started with this easy method, you will need ripe tomatoes.

Wash tomatoes under cool running water and allow to dry completely. It’s important to cut out any bad spots and to core them.

I just use a paring knife to cut the cores out.

Larger tomatoes may need to be cut in half.

You could also slice tomatoes for the same results.

Once you core the tomatoes, place them on a baking sheet or sheet pan in a single layer. Make sure they are not touching each other.

I love this USA pan baking sheet

Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 24 hours.

Transfer the frozen tomatoes to freezer bags and remove the excess air.

You can also use a vacuum sealer to store the tomatoes in which will reduce the possibility of freezer burn.

To thaw them, place them in the fridge overnight or until thawed completely.

If you need them thawed quickly, consider putting them in a bowl of cold water to thaw.

Peel the tomatoes and proceed with your recipe. You will see that they are super easy to peel and the skins fall right off after they are thawed.

I feel like this is the perfect solution during tomato season for me!

I know that I will get to them eventually and I don’t have to worry about losing any of the tomatoes while I wait to get enough to can.

What to do with thawed fresh tomatoes

My personal favorite is to peel them, cook them, put them through a food mill, and make salsa to can.

You can use them to make tomato sauce, pizza sauce, tomato soup, or spaghetti sauce.

I also add them to soups and stews.