How to freeze tomatoes for the winter in the freezer + methods for freezing tomatoes

What tomatoes can be frozen

First, it’s worth determining which tomatoes are suitable for frozen storage. There are no special restrictions here. It is important to select ripe fruits, since green tomatoes do not retain their taste when frozen and subsequently thawed. In addition, you need to immediately separate overripe vegetables that are starting to spoil.

If the fruit has bruises, cracks on the surface of the skin and is soft enough, it should be stored in a mashed, pureed form. Therefore, before freezing tomatoes, divide them into groups according to their degree of ripeness.

For placing in the freezer whole or cut into slices, it is necessary to select fruits, guided by the following recommendations:

• tomatoes should not be very large;
• they must have a strong skin and be quite fleshy, which guarantees a small content of water inside;
• the fruits must be ripe;
• It is necessary to choose those varieties that have small seed chambers.

If you plan to freeze whole tomatoes, you'll need ones with firm skin. If you want to store them cut, you can use oval-shaped fruits.

Varieties suitable for this type of storage:

• Cherry;
• Rio Grande;
• De Barao;
• Sanka.

As well as other small varieties with elastic fruits.

Video on how to properly freeze tomatoes at home

Watch the video so that you definitely don’t have any questions about freezing tomatoes for the winter. Everything is very accessible and understandable. There is also another interesting way to store it in a bag. You might also like it.

I think it's worth spending quite a bit of time preparing the vegetables. After all, this is not at all difficult, but how can you praise yourself in winter when you always have delicious tomatoes at hand. So don't be afraid, you will succeed! Try it and choose your favorite option.

Bon appetit!

Preparing tomatoes for freezing

If you do not want to be disappointed with the result, then when preparing fruits for freezing you must strictly follow certain recommendations:

1. Tomatoes should be washed well with water.
2. After washing, the fruits must be thoroughly dried. You can wipe them with a towel or soft paper. Make sure the vegetables are completely dry, as the slightest amount of water can cause them to warp in the freezer.
3. Prepare in advance all the tools necessary for freezing: a well-sharpened knife, cutting board, containers or bags for pre-treatment at low temperatures.
4. You can also use some spices.
5. Label containers to be frozen with the processing date.
6. When cutting tomatoes, it is recommended to use a serrated knife. It is more suitable for these fruits because it does not wrinkle their skin.

It is better to place prepared vegetables in small containers or bags. This will allow the fruits to be stored longer, it will be more convenient to place them in the refrigerator, and use them for cooking after defrosting.

I always take special bags designed specifically for freezing food, as I am confident in their strength. Remember that moisture trapped inside containers can damage your freezer, so it is important to take care to prevent this from happening. Air from the refrigerator should not get inside containers or bags so as not to harm the vegetables.

Benefits of freezing

Tomatoes contain a lot of useful vitamins and microelements that are so necessary for the body during the winter. Regular consumption of tomatoes allows you to get rid of most diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Of course, in winter you can buy tomatoes brought from other countries or grown in greenhouses. But fruits harvested in summer are much tastier. This applies to both canned and frozen tomatoes . In the freezer, tomatoes grown in a field under the sun retain their taste and aroma.

Freezing tomatoes can be called one of the simplest processes for preparing vegetables for the winter, because nothing is required except the fruits themselves and a minimum of time.

Frozen tomatoes are used to prepare various dishes, as they are completely ready to eat.

Watch the video! How to freeze tomatoes for the winter in the freezer

Slicing methods

It is worth deciding in advance what dishes you want to add frozen tomatoes to - the type of cutting of vegetables will depend on this.

If you plan to use them in hot dishes, for example, in soups, vegetable stews, omelettes, then it is better to immediately cut the tomatoes into square slices.

For sandwiches and pizza, cutting into slices is more suitable.

The fruits, crushed to a puree consistency, will be ideal for the subsequent preparation of a variety of sauces, soups, gravies and main courses.

Whole frozen tomatoes are convenient for preparing various stuffed dishes and casseroles.

If you can’t decide in advance which recipes you’ll later need frozen tomatoes in, don’t worry - if you freeze the fruits whole, you can chop them after defrosting.

On our website you can also find useful information about what you can cook from tomatoes.

What to look for when buying in a store

Housewives who have not yet acquired a refrigerator with a blast freezing function prefer to purchase frozen vegetables in the supermarket. There are five basic rules for a successful purchase.

1. Packing date. It should fall at the end of summer - beginning of autumn, when the largest tomato harvest is observed. If vegetables are packaged in winter or spring, it means they have been in the warehouse for a long time before freezing. And it’s not a fact that storage rules were followed.
2. Best before date. Do not buy a product whose expiration date exceeds six months. Most likely, it contains preservatives.
3. Friability. Feel and shake the bag of tomatoes well. The contents should be crumbly. If the pieces stick together into several or one large lump, it means the product is frozen. Snow inside the package is also a sign of re-cooling.
4. Storage conditions. There are usually thermometers on refrigerators in supermarkets. They should show a temperature no higher than -18°C.
5. Package. The bag of tomatoes should not have mechanical damage, should not be wrinkled or foggy. A sign of package integrity is slight swelling.

Having selected quality frozen tomatoes, place the packaging in a plastic bag. Tie it so that an air cushion is formed inside. This will keep the product at a low temperature while you take it home.

Tomatoes appeared in Russia in 1780 at the instigation of Empress Catherine. However, the bright red fruits brought from Europe did not impress the nobles. They found the vegetables “not to taste right.” But after a few years, agronomist Andrei Bolotov convinced people that tomatoes were not only harmless, but also healthy, and their taste was easy to get used to. Since then, the fragrant red fruits have become firmly established in Russian culinary traditions. Recipes for frozen tomatoes for the winter will help you enjoy vegetables with an interesting history and rich aroma all year round.

Storage temperature

It is believed that the optimal temperature for this type of tomato storage should not exceed -20°C. If your freezer allows it, freezing can be done at -30°C. In any case, it is recommended to select the lowest possible temperature.

If you decide to store whole vegetables in the refrigerator, you must first freeze them completely and then place them in special containers. Fruits cut into slices do not need to be subjected to additional freezing, but can be immediately placed in containers and then placed in the freezer.

Freezing whole tomatoes

So, you have selected tomatoes that are small in size, regular in shape, and have thick skins to freeze whole. Now the fruits must be washed well and dried thoroughly.

After these simple operations, the tomatoes can be evenly distributed in one layer on any type of tray or tray and placed in the freezer.

It usually takes one day for the fruits to completely freeze.

If you wish, you can freeze the tomatoes without the skins. To do this you need:

• make a small cut crosswise at the stalk of the tomato, being careful not to damage its flesh;
• place the fruit first in boiling water for 30 seconds, and then in cold water for a few more seconds;
• Carefully remove the loose skin;
• place the peeled tomatoes on a prepared tray covered with cling film, so that the fruits do not touch each other;
• place the tray in the freezer for 12-15 hours.

The frozen tomatoes can then be distributed into special food bags suitable for use in the refrigerator. Try to remove as much air as possible from bags or containers and close them very tightly.

Preparation

Can tomatoes be frozen? Of course yes! Some may argue that deep freezing destroys the structure of the vegetable, making it too soft after defrosting and depriving it of its basic taste. In fact, these fears are exaggerated. The tomato almost does not lose its useful and pleasant properties.

What will you need to freeze? Just any amount of tomatoes and, in some cases, optional seasonings. The fruits should be ripe but firm. Naturally, damage should not be allowed, especially rotten sides. Be sure to wash the tomatoes under cold running water.

For freezing, choose small, ripe tomatoes with firm flesh.

Prepare suitable storage containers. These can be sealed bags or special plastic containers that can withstand low temperatures.

Freezing in slices

There are no special size requirements for freezing slices - you will still need to cut them before storing. It is best to select the meatiest tomatoes.

Cutting into small pieces

You choose to freeze tomatoes in cubes or slices, based on your preferences and the dishes for which you plan to use the preparations. Whether to leave the skin on the tomatoes or not is also a matter of taste. Personally, I try to remove it in advance because it will most likely separate from the pulp when cooking and will not look very good when served.

The juice that remains after cutting tomatoes can be collected in a separate container and used independently.

The crushed fruits should be immediately placed in containers and placed in the freezer.

Slicing

If you want to freeze tomatoes cut into slices, then choose medium-sized fruits and try not to make the slices too thin, because they may fall apart. I believe that the most optimal thickness for this type of cutting is about one centimeter.

Place the round slices on a tray or tray so that they do not touch each other. You can lay out the tomatoes in two or three layers if you have too many of them. In this case, it is recommended to cover each layer with cling film so that later the slices can be easily separated.

First, the workpiece must be placed in the freezer for half a day, and then it should be divided into separate bags or containers.

Tomatoes in the form of tablet puree

Slightly overripe fruits may be suitable for this recipe. It is even allowed to use fruits with a pre-cut area of ​​damage (substandard). To prepare the puree, the fruits are passed through a meat grinder, and the puree is poured into molds and frozen.

Silicone trays or ice trays are used as molds. The main thing is not to pour the puree to the very edge of the mold, since the liquid expands during freezing.

When the tomato juice freezes (8–10 hours), remove the tomato cubes from the molds and place them in bags. They are then sent to freeze completely. In winter, such puree is used to create sauces.

Freezing stuffed tomatoes

Stuffed tomatoes are a tasty and fairly simple dish that always produces a positive effect on guests. If you like tomatoes prepared this way, you can make frozen ones and enjoy them even in winter.

Select the strongest tomatoes with the correct shape and large enough size. Carefully cut off the bottom of the tomato and remove the core. Then place the minced meat inside the fruit - depending on your preferences, it can be meat, vegetable or even mushroom.

Such semi-finished products are frozen in two stages: first on an open tray, then in special containers.

Remember that you cannot salt the dish before freezing - all seasonings are added during the cooking process in the oven.

Stuffed tomatoes

Only dense fruits are suitable for this method, since their walls must withstand the filling. Cut off the top of the tomato and remove the pulp with a spoon, leaving it around the edges so that the walls are not too thin.

How to fill the vegetable pot:

• minced meat;
• minced meat with rice boiled until half cooked;
• rice with mushrooms;
• vegetable mixture with herbs.

Stuffed tomatoes should be cooked within 2-3 months.

Freezing tomato puree

Freezing pureed tomatoes is a great option if you have a lot of irregularly shaped or bruised tomatoes. In winter, such preparation will be a good help for the housewife in preparing tomato paste and many hot dishes.

To make tomato puree:

• remove the stalk and those parts of the fruit that have already begun to deteriorate;
• cut the pulp into slices;
• grind the slices in a blender;
• place the resulting mass in small containers, such as ice trays, cookies or jelly;
• place the containers in the freezer for 12 hours;
• transfer the frozen puree into special bags or containers and place them back in the freezer.

If you don't have enough ready-made molds, you can make them yourself from food-grade plastic. Take cups or bottles and cut them into containers of the required volume.

Ways to freeze tomatoes for the winter

Kitchen utensils and items that are useful for preparing crops for freezing:

• plastic bags;
• plastic containers for the freezer;
• tray for workpieces, cutting board for chopping;
• sharp knife;
• blender;
• disposable or reusable ice trays.

Frozen tomato puree

During vegetable season, you can take care not to buy tomato paste. This preparation requires a blender and suitable plastic containers with lids.

The advantage of this recipe is that you don’t need to boil the tomato mass for hours, wasting valuable time and running up your electricity bills.

Required:

• blender (stationary or immersion),
• disposable plastic containers,
• tomatoes (any quantity).

Defrosting rules

When defrosting whole tomatoes, place them in the bottom compartment of the refrigerator used for storing fresh vegetables and fruits. In this case, you will retain the maximum amount of vitamins and juice contained in the fruits. Defrosting at room temperature will only take about half an hour, but the beneficial substances will be partially lost.

Frozen slices or tomato puree do not need to be specially defrosted - they can be immediately added to the prepared dish.

Remember that thawed tomatoes must be used immediately for food, since freezing them again is not recommended: this will not only lead to a complete loss of taste and beneficial properties, but will also be dangerous to your health.

How to defrost tomatoes correctly

At room temperature, tomatoes will defrost in 10-20 minutes, but at the same time they will lose some of their vitamins and juice. Therefore, it is better to defrost tomatoes on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Fruits cut into circles or pieces are not defrosted; they are placed in a frozen dish, just like tomato puree.

To make tomatoes more juicy and tasty, you can sprinkle them with lemon juice.

To remove the peel from frozen fruits, they are immediately dipped from the freezer into boiling water for a few seconds. This procedure will help you easily peel the tomatoes.

Frozen tomatoes are not very suitable for making salad. But if necessary, they are cut frozen and placed in a salad just before serving.

Thawed fruits must be used immediately. They cannot be re-frozen as they will lose their color, taste and structure.