Freeze This Food

Can You Freeze Tomatoes?

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Illustration of tomatoes

Yes, with the understanding that frozen tomatoes are a cooking ingredient, never a salad one. You can freeze them whole and raw — no blanching needed — and the skins even slip off easily once thawed. Expect them to thaw soft and juicy; they keep about 8 to 12 months for best quality, and when in doubt, follow USDA guidance.

Can you freeze tomatoes?

Yes — with caveats
How long it keeps frozen
Keep for 8 to 12 months at top qualityIn line with USDA FoodKeeper's vegetable range. Kept constantly frozen the tomatoes remain safe well past the window; the flavour is all that gives way, dulling slowly over the months.
How to freeze it
  1. Wash the tomatoes and cut out the cores; leave them whole, or chop them if you prefer.
  2. Spread whole tomatoes on a tray and freeze until solid so they do not clump.
  3. Pack the frozen tomatoes into bags, press out the air, label, and return to the freezer.
  4. Alternatively, cook them down into a sauce or passata first and freeze that in portions.
How to thaw & use
Drop frozen tomatoes straight into a simmering sauce, soup, or stew; if you want the skins off, run a thawing tomato under warm water and they peel away.
Texture & quality
Freezing bursts the cell walls, so tomatoes lose all firmness and weep liquid as they thaw — there is no using them raw afterwards. That same softening is a bonus for sauces, where they break down fast, and the easy skin removal is a genuine convenience.

More in this group: Freezing vegetables

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze whole tomatoes raw?

Yes. Whole, raw tomatoes freeze without any blanching — just core them and freeze them on a tray, then bag them. They thaw soft and are meant for cooking, but freezing them whole is about as low-effort as food storage gets.

Why do frozen tomatoes go mushy?

Tomatoes are largely water held in delicate cells. Freezing turns that water to ice, which ruptures the cells, so the thawed tomato collapses and releases juice. That makes them ideal for sauces but unusable in a fresh salad.

Do tomato skins come off after freezing?

They do, very easily. As a frozen tomato thaws, the skin loosens from the flesh; hold it under warm running water for a moment and the skin slips straight off, saving you the usual blanch-and-peel step.

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