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    Home » How to » How to Freeze Tomatoes – Without Blanching

    How to Freeze Tomatoes – Without Blanching

    September 16, 2020 , Updated August 1, 2022 Maria 38 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Frozen whole tomatoes in zip lock freezer bags.

    Freezing whole tomatoes is an easy and quick method to preserve fresh tomatoes. If you have ever wondered How to Freeze Tomatoes, this is for you. Spoiler alert: no blanching necessary!

    Packed tomatoes in a plastic zip lock bag, ready to go in the freezer.

    Growing up Italian meant that my parents made homemade passata and canned whole tomatoes every September. 

    These preserved tomatoes were stored among the jars of pickled eggplants, marinated peppers, giardiniera, and of course, lupini beans in a well-stocked cold room referred to as a cantina in Italian.

    If you were to look inside the reach-in freezer, you would find frozen cavatelli, basil pesto cubes, containers of well packaged frozen roasted peppers, and greens like escarole, Swiss chard, rapini, etc., all from the backyard garden. 

    You might be wondering, and rightly so, what about frozen tomatoes? 

    Surprisingly, there were no tomatoes in the freezer.

    This is a method I recently started practicing.

    Not only can you freeze tomatoes, but you will instantly adopt this process of preserving them. 

    If you are looking for the best way to freeze whole tomatoes, a way that is both fast and simple requires no blanching and can conveniently be used in stews and soups; this is for you. All you need is a freezer bag, a straw and some freezer space. 

    I think you are going to love this!  

    Rinsed tomatoes in a colander.

    Instructions

    Let’s begin by choosing the freshest and firmest, blemish-free tomatoes. There is no set quantity for this procedure. Feel free to preserve as many or as few tomatoes as you want. 

    Rub the tomatoes gently under cool running water to remove any dirt. Remove the stem.  As you can see, I am using plum tomatoes. 

    A Roma tomato is being dried in a tea towel.

    Use a clean tea towel to dry the tomatoes, one by one thoroughly. 

    Tomatoes spread out on a pan, ready to be frozen.

    Spread out the tomatoes on a baking sheet or pan in a single layer without touching each other. Place in the freezer for at least one hour.

    Roma tomatoes in a zip lock bag, ready to be frozen.

    Transfer to a zip lock freezer bag. Remember to label your bag with the date. 

    Use the straw method to remove the air from the freezer bag. 

    Place the bag in the freezer and use tomatoes when needed. 

    That’s it! It really is that easy! 

    Tips

    • When partially freezing the tomatoes, use a baking sheet that fits in your freezer.
    • Partially freezing the tomatoes before placing them in bags prevents them from sticking altogether. This, in turn,  allows you to remove the exact amount you need.
    • Properly sealed frozen tomatoes last up to 6 months.
    • Any recipe that requires canned tomatoes can be replaced with these—no need to thaw. 
    • All varieties of tomatoes can be frozen this way. 

    Size of freezer bags

    As you probably know, freezer bags come in a variety of sizes. Depending on the number of tomatoes you want to freeze and the amount of space available in your freezer, choose the size that meets your needs. 

    Type of freezer bags

    Since we are freezing our tomatoes, purchasing the right type of freezer bag is extremely important. This will ensure that the quality of the tomato is maintained throughout the time in the freezer. 

    Using a vacuum sealer vs. a straw

    If you have a vacuum sealer, you can definitely use it.

    However, I find the special bags almost impossible to reuse. Since I only use a few frozen tomatoes, I find it more convenient to use the straw method and a Ziplock bag and reuse the bag when I am done with it. 

    How does a straw remove air from freezer bags?

    Insert a straw in one corner of the bag. At the opposite end, start closing the bag while pushing out some of the air. When you are closing in on the area where the straw is placed, suck out the air. Then quickly withdraw the straw while completely closing the ziplock bag. 

    How to use frozen whole tomatoes

    Remove the required amount of tomatoes from the Ziploc bag. Be sure to reseal the bag properly using the straw method before placing it back in the freezer.

    If desired, the tomato skin can easily be removed by placing the frozen tomatoes in a bowl of warm water. After just a few minutes, the skin will peel right off. 

    Recipes with frozen tomatoes

    You can now substitute frozen tomatoes in any recipe that calls for canned tomatoes. There is no need to thaw. Some of my favorites include lentil soup, egg drop soup, this cod recipe and these green beans with tomatoes. You can also use them to make my mom’s no-cook pizza sauce! 

    Frozen whole tomatoes on a sheet pan.

    Recipe inspiration

    I live in such a wonderful neighborhood. So much so that it feels like they are part of my extended family.

    Since everyone in my neighborhood has backyard gardens and clotheslines, the conversations as we hang up our clothes often revolve around our kids and our gardens.

    A few years ago, after my husband and I finished making our yearly homemade passata and canning whole tomatoes, my neighbor, Terry, shared her method of preserving tomatoes.

    I have to say I love this freezer method of preserving tomatoes. 

    Naturally, if you are looking at large quantities to preserve, you need to have a lot of freezer space. But for a small amount, this is truly a quick and efficient method.

    Terry, thanks so much for sharing your freezer method for preserving tomatoes.

    I finally got a chance to try it out and I must say I am a big fan!   

    My freezer is now full of tomatoes, parsley, green beans and strawberries! 

    Next on my to-do list is to make tomato jam and roasted tomatoes, but for now, since I still have a few garden tomatoes left, I am enjoying a marinated tomato salad. 

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

    ★★★★★ If you have preserved tomatoes by freezing them, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the method.

    Frozen whole tomatoes in a freezer bag.

    How to Freeze Tomatoes

    Freezing whole tomatoes is an easy and quick method to preserve fresh tomatoes. If you have ever wondered How to Freeze Tomatoes, this is for you. Spoiler alert: no blanching necessary!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 18 servings
    Calories: 22kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 18 tomatoes fresh, firm and blemish-free tomatoes
    • water

    Instructions

    • Remove the stems from the tomatoes.
    • Rub the tomatoes gently under cool running water to remove any dirt.
    • Use a clean tea towel to thoroughly dry the tomatoes, one by one. 
    • Spread out the tomatoes on a baking sheet or pan in a single layer without touching each other. Place in the freezer for at least one hour.
    • Transfer to a freezer bag. Remember to label your bag with the date. 
    • Use the straw method to remove the air from the freezer bag. 
    • Place the bag in the freezer.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Notes

    • Total time includes time spent in the freezer.
    • When partially freezing the tomatoes, use a baking sheet that fits in your freezer.
    • Partially freezing the tomatoes, before placing them in bags, prevents them from sticking all together. This, in turn,  allows you to remove the exact amount you need.
    • Properly sealed frozen tomatoes last up to 6 months.
    • Any recipe that requires canned tomatoes can be replaced with these. No need to thaw. 
    • All varieties of tomatoes can be frozen this way. 
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Filed Under: How to

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. tonya

      October 15, 2022 at 6:22 pm

      thank you for this. even with the drought in our area this year – our tomatoes have done so well this year. thank you for that jesus… anyways we have been bringing in 50lbs to 100lbs of tomatoes each week since around august. and there are still so so many green ones outside. we have started watching for our first frost, so we can try to pick them. hubby and i each have our own little gardens. we have gave lots away and cooked with them and ate them fresh and made salsas and sauces. we did some canning but do not have lots of pantry space. we got to talking and wondering if we could freeze them. this article explained it beautifully. going to get some in the freezer tomorrow. today i made a big pot of stewed tomatoes and zukes.

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 15, 2022 at 8:39 pm

        My pleasure Tonya! Wow! What a blessing! Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Bruna Procopi

      September 14, 2022 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      My mother has been using this method for years now..ever since she stopped canning them. You know getting older and too much work. So she does the freezing and I do the canning. Haven’t bought passata in years. Love it.
      Thanks for sharing, Ciao for now
      Bruna

      Reply
      • Maria

        September 16, 2022 at 9:28 am

        God bless her ♥ Thanks for sharing Bruna!

        Reply
    3. Kathy

      August 31, 2022 at 1:05 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Maria, I absolutely love your recipes. You are talking about freezing food, this year I froze sweet sliced onions with the same method as your tomatoes. I just take them out of the freezer and use them in any dish that calls for cooked onions. They are great in sauce, a french onion soup, etc.

      Reply
      • Maria

        September 13, 2022 at 1:09 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing Kathy! I love this idea!

        Reply
    4. Mary

      August 28, 2022 at 10:22 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Maria,
      This is exactly what I did today, in addition to dicing some (I drain them and reserve the liquid for soups), and packaging them too! I have used this method ever since Ziplock bags were invented! For short term, I have even pulsed them with fresh basil or parsley, into a puree, in my food processor, and Ziplocked them. Love all your recipes! I like your tip of freezing them for an hour before bagging them.

      Reply
      • Maria

        September 13, 2022 at 1:12 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing your tips Mary! I love these food prep hacks!

        Reply
    5. Tom

      August 28, 2022 at 7:32 pm

      When its time to use them how do you recommend thawing them out?
      Can you use them in salads or are they for cooking after they have been frozen?

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 29, 2022 at 10:24 pm

        Thanks for your interest Tom. They usually thaw to a semi frozen state within 10 minutes at room temperature. The tomato skin easily slips off and you can use them in soups, stews, and sautees with other vegetables. They are great in quiches, to make a quick little tomato sauce, etc… I don’t use them in salads as the texture is completely different.

        Reply
    6. Nickie M.

      July 26, 2022 at 3:38 pm

      Hello, can I use the frozen tomatoes to make pasta?

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Nickie M

        July 26, 2022 at 3:40 pm

        Hi there, I meant passata, spell check keeps correcting me. Thanks

        Reply
      • Maria

        August 01, 2022 at 8:14 pm

        Thanks for your interest Nickie. Yes, you can make passata. Have fun!

        Reply
    7. connie

      July 24, 2022 at 9:59 am

      thanks for all your great tips . I have been freezing cherry tomatoes and San Marsano for a couple of years in the same method you suggested . When I make a sauce in december it tastes likes tomatoes I just picked in august . I love your recipes & your RD knowledge is absolutely helpful .

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 01, 2022 at 8:11 pm

        My pleasure Connie! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Connie, I appreciate it!

        Reply
      • Bettyjo

        August 12, 2022 at 7:05 am

        Hi Connie – when you make the sauce using the freezer tomatoes do you need to take the skins off of them?

        Reply
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    Maria from She loves biscotti

    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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