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Freezing Tomatoes
About this Tip
Tomatoes rarely ripen all at once. Throughout the season I harvest what we can eat fresh, then freeze the extras as they ripen. If tomatoes on the counter are getting a little too ripe to enjoy fresh, those go into the freezer too.
I keep a freezer bag going all season long. Whenever I need tomatoes for soup, sauce, or another cooked recipe, I simply pull out what I need. There's no pressure to cook everything the day it ripens, and I have homegrown tomatoes available year-round.
How I Freeze Tomatoes
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Harvest fully ripe tomatoes.
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Wash and dry them.
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Place them directly into a freezer bag.
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Keep adding tomatoes throughout the season until you have enough for your recipe.
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That's it. No blanching or peeling first.
Using Frozen Tomatoes
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If you need peeled tomatoes, run them under warm water. The skins slip right off.
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For soups or sauces, I usually add them whole and blend them with an immersion blender once they've softened.
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If your recipe calls for diced tomatoes, let them thaw just enough to cut. Waiting too long makes them soft and difficult to dice.
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If a recipe calls for a can of diced tomatoes, weigh out approximately the same amount of frozen tomatoes.
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If a recipe calls for seasoned tomatoes, simply add the seasonings to suit your recipe.
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Using plain frozen tomatoes lets you control the salt and seasoning in every dish.
Notes
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I freeze all my tomatoes together. Cherry tomatoes, paste tomatoes, and slicers all go into the same bag.
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If tomatoes on my counter are getting too ripe before I can use them, they go straight into the freezer.
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I originally froze tomatoes individually on a tray before bagging them, but eventually realized it wasn't necessary. I simply add them directly to the freezer bag.