One of our favorite vegetables is the tomato. It is used in cooking in many dishes, both in the first and second. And many more love tomato juice. If you have low hemoglobin, it is very useful to eat salads made from fresh tomatoes and drink freshly squeezed tomato juice.
Tomatoes are used to make lecho, adjika, ketchup, tomato paste and just borscht. For the winter, housewives preserve tomatoes in different ways and also freeze them. And today I want to tell you how to freeze fresh tomatoes for the winter. 
My recipe for freezing tomatoes and tomato juice is very simple, as you can see for yourself.
Let's say we want to fry eggs and tomatoes for breakfast. In summer it’s not difficult, but in winter the prices are fresh vegetables tall, and the taste of a greenhouse tomato is different. This is where the tomato slices come in handy. Considering that we need to cut the vegetable into rings, for this preparation we take not large tomatoes; cream is best. Washed cut into cutting board circles 7-8 mm. 
Place it on a plate wrapped in a plastic bag and place it in freezer to freeze for 3 hours. 
Frozen semi-finished products are poured into a bag and stored in the freezer.
But to prepare a stew, for example, we need chopped tomatoes without skins, then in this case the second freezing option is suitable. We will need tomatoes that are medium sized and firm to the touch.
Boil water in a saucepan, this is necessary so that the skin of the tomato can be easily peeled. Place the tomatoes in boiling water.
From my experience, I know that you need to cook them for no more than two minutes so that the tomatoes do not overcook.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes from the water. Leave to cool. Using a knife, peel the cooled tomatoes. Cut into large 1.5 cm cubes. 
Place on a plate in the same way and place in the freezer to freeze for 3 hours. We take it out and put it in a bag.
So, the question of whether it is possible to freeze tomatoes has been resolved, and now I will tell you how to prepare tomato juice by freezing.
It is very convenient to freeze freshly squeezed tomato juice in small portions. I will talk about this in the third freezing method. Cut the washed tomatoes into slices. 
Grind in any way convenient for you: using a sieve, blender, juicer. To freeze tomato juice, I usually use ice cube trays, you can use disposable cups or muffin tins.
Pour the freshly squeezed mixture into molds and place in the freezer until completely frozen. 
For this type
Tomatoes do not lose their value all year round. Although they are considered summer vegetable, are also in demand in winter. In winter, the taste properties are not as pronounced as in the summer, so resourceful housewives stock up on tomatoes from summer to winter. A common way to prepare tomatoes is freezing. Every housewife knows how to freeze tomatoes in the freezer for the winter.
Some people wonder whether it is possible to freeze tomatoes at all, whether they will lose their taste qualities. Tomatoes are allowed to be frozen, and even necessary. Yes, some nutrients lose their potency when frozen, but frozen vegetables are much healthier for the body than canned tomatoes.
Regular use tomatoes in food promotes positive changes in the human body:
- the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized;
- blood is purified;
- the functioning of the cardiovascular system is stabilized;
- the general condition of the body improves;
- efficiency increases;
- the functioning of the immune system improves;
- hair, nails, teeth are strengthened;
- the risk of cancer is reduced;
- metabolic processes are carried out correctly.
Freezing vegetables for the winter will always allow you to diversify the dish, making it tastier and healthier.
Studies have shown that when a product is frozen, it loses up to 30% nutrients. This happens due to the lack of professional freezing equipment. Enterprises use blast freezing products, which allows them to retain maximum nutrients and vitamins.
Most even modern freezers do not provide quick freezing. The process of freezing products occurs quite slowly, which affects the further content of vitamins and minerals in them.
When defrosted, the product loses its original shape, and all microelements leave along with the water.
- Only fresh vegetables should be frozen. The ideal time after the tomatoes are brought from the garden until freezing is 6 hours.
- Tomatoes should not be rotten, wrinkled or otherwise damaged.
- Tomatoes must be thoroughly washed under running water.
- Tomatoes should be frozen in small batches. One container should contain one serving.
- The container in which the tomatoes will be frozen must be sealed to prevent air from entering.
- It is strictly forbidden to defrost and refreeze the product. To do this, you should label the container where frozen vegetables will be stored so that, if necessary, you can remove the desired product from the freezer.
On store shelves, special bags or containers for freezing are sold to ensure tightness and quality of storage.
Selection and preparation of suitable fruits
To ensure quality freezing, you need to carefully select the fruits. Tomatoes should be fresh and meaty. Preference should be given to tomatoes of medium ripeness. If they are overripe, they will lose their density, which is necessary for freezing the fruit.
Green tomatoes are also not suitable for freezing, as they do not have pronounced taste properties, in addition, they can give the dish a bitter taste.
Before purchasing a specific variety of tomatoes, you should choose the method in which the tomatoes will be frozen. For example, the cherry variety is suitable for freezing whole fruits.
High-quality freezing also depends on careful preparation of vegetables for it. When preparing tomatoes, you should follow a number of simple rules:
- Rinse the tomato fruits thoroughly under cool water;
- Place the tomatoes on paper towels to dry thoroughly;
- choose a freezing method.
When placing tomatoes in the freezer, place them on top of other foods to prevent them from losing their shape.
The freezer must maintain the optimal temperature for freezing vegetables. First you need to pre-freeze the vegetables, spreading them out on cling film, then distribute the tomatoes into portioned vegetable freezer bags and place in the freezer for long-term storage.
You should first prepare the place for freezing tomatoes in the freezer. Vegetables should be placed on top of other foods so that they do not lose their shape.
The best ways to freeze tomatoes at home
To prevent tomatoes from becoming shapeless and tasteless when frozen, you need to learn how to store them correctly. There are many in a variety of ways freezing tomatoes at home:
- Whole fruits.
- Slices without peel.
- In pieces.
- As tomato puree, frozen in molds.
- Stuffed tomatoes.
- Freezing tomatoes and peppers.
- In the form of tomato juice.
Each housewife has her own freezing method. It is important to choose the best one for yourself, which will help diversify your favorite dish.
Whole fruits
Freezing whole fruits is quite simple. Cherry and Slivka tomato varieties are suitable for this freezing option.
Simply wash the vegetables under cool water and place them on paper towels to absorb the moisture. You can pre-freeze tomatoes. Then you should put the tomatoes in bags designed specifically for freezing and put them in the freezer for storage.
Slices without peel
The red vegetable can also be frozen without the peel. This method is used because after freezing the peel becomes harder, some people do not like this.
To properly freeze peeled tomatoes, do the following:
- wash the vegetables thoroughly;
- remove stems from vegetables;
- Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for half a minute, then rinse them with cold water;
- peel tomatoes;
- place the vegetables on film, covering the top with cellophane;
- pre-freeze vegetables in the freezer for 24 hours;
- Pack the frozen tomatoes in portions into freezer bags and place them in the freezer for further freezing.
In the future, frozen vegetables can be used to prepare first courses and salads. And also for stuffing.
Freezing tomatoes in slices is very useful for making pizza, sandwiches a quick fix. For this freezing option, it is enough to rinse the tomatoes well under cool water and let them dry. Then prepare the slices into thin circles, place them on cling film in the freezer. After pre-freezing Place the circles in special bags for long-term storage.
Pieces
For this freezing method, you need to choose fleshy tomatoes with a hard skin. Cutting is done into cubes or thin slices. If you wish, you can peel the tomatoes. Vegetables are immediately distributed into freezer bags. Frozen tomato pieces are added directly to dishes without requiring prior defrosting.
Tomato puree, frozen in molds
For this method When frozen, juicy, even slightly overripe, tomatoes are used. Tomatoes are crushed in a meat grinder or using a blender. The finished tomato puree is poured into molds. Ordinary silicone molds for cupcakes or ice are used as molds.
To avoid the tomato leaking out of the mold, do not pour the puree to the very edge. Tomato puree is frozen for 8-10 hours, then removed from the molds in the form of frozen pieces and placed in portioned bags.
Freezing stuffed tomatoes
Fruits are suitable for stuffing durum varieties. Stuffing tomatoes begins with cutting out the core of the fruit. For stuffing, any filling is used, at the request of the hostess. It can be meat, mushroom, vegetable filling.
Stuffed tomatoes are laid out on a board, placed in the freezer, and pre-frozen. Then the vegetables are put into bags and placed in the freezer for further freezing.
In the freezer with pepper
Very tasty addition the food will include tomatoes and peppers together. They can be stuffed and frozen together, they will turn out awesome preparations. The same steps are carried out with peppers as with tomatoes. It should be thoroughly washed, dried, cored, and placed in the freezer. Since peppers are much firmer in texture than tomatoes, you don't need to freeze them first.
Before freezing tomatoes and peppers, you should perform a number of steps:
- Prepare juice from tomatoes.
- Grind the pepper.
- Combine pepper with tomato juice.
- Pour into molds.
- Store in the freezer.
Tomato juice
Most resourceful housewives immediately turn the tomatoes into tomato juice and freeze it. To do this, whole tomatoes are washed well under running water, cut into pieces and crushed using a blender. The finished juice is poured into molds and placed in the freezer.
Tomato juice perfectly diversifies any dish. In liquid form, tomatoes retain much more vitamins and beneficial properties.
How long and how are frozen tomatoes stored?
The duration of storage of vegetables depends entirely on the power of the freezer and the temperature maintained in it. Optimal temperature for long-term storage of tomatoes – 18 degrees below zero. This temperature will allow frozen tomatoes to last for 10-12 months. If the temperature is lower, the shelf life will be reduced to 4-6 months.
Tomatoes are stored in special bags where air access will be limited.
Defrosting frozen fruit
The principle of defrosting tomatoes will depend on what method was used to freeze them. Tomatoes frozen as whole fruits are thawed at room temperature. After the tomatoes have melted a little, you can cut them in a way convenient for you.
If the tomatoes are intended for salad, they do not need to be thawed. Just cut them into thin slices and add to the salad.
If you want to add peeled tomatoes to a dish, place them in a container of boiling water for a few seconds, then easily remove the peel.
Red vegetables frozen by other methods are added to dishes only in frozen form and are not previously defrosted.
What can you cook
Frozen fruits are used to prepare various delicious dishes. Exactly the same as tomatoes in fresh, freezing vegetables can be useful for preparing any dish. Frozen whole fruits are added to first courses, vegetable stew, salads and others.
Tomato puree makes good cold vegetable snack, if you add caviar from zucchini and eggplant to it. Tomato puree is also used as a sauce or instead of ketchup.
Tomatoes, chopped into pieces, are useful for adding to pizza, scrambled eggs, hot sandwiches and other snacks using tomatoes.
So, tomatoes are suitable for consumption not only fresh, but also frozen. It is important to choose a convenient way to freeze tomatoes for yourself, and then use them for a variety of your favorite dishes. Tomatoes should be prepared for the freezing process, stored properly, defrosted, and prepared as a delicious meal.
Tomato is a vegetable that will enrich the body with essential vitamins and decorate any dish!
How to freeze fresh tomatoes in the freezer for the winter and what to cook from them later, we’ll talk in this article. If you adhere to the technology, the tomatoes will turn out fresh and very tasty.
Benefits of freezing
Tomatoes contain a lot useful vitamins and microelements that are so necessary for the body in winter period. 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 most simple processes harvesting vegetables for the winter, because nothing is needed except the fruits themselves and a minimum of time.
Frozen tomatoes are used for cooking various dishes, as they are completely ready to eat.
Watch the video! How to freeze tomatoes for the winter in the freezer
Which tomatoes are suitable for freezing?
Not all tomatoes can be frozen. Green fruits are not suitable for such preparation, since it is impossible to cook from them tasty dish. Also, you should not take overripe or rotten tomatoes; after defrosting, they will turn into porridge with an unpleasant taste.
Before the procedure, tomatoes must be sorted and sorted by degree of ripeness.
To freeze tomato puree, you can choose slightly bruised, not very smooth, but soft tomatoes.
To freeze whole or cut into pieces tomatoes, you need to take dense ones. ripe fruits. Tomatoes are suitable for this:
- Small size;
- Dense and fleshy;
- Ripe, but not overripe;
- With small seed chambers;
- With a small amount of juice.
Advice! For freezing whole, it is better to choose tomatoes with thick skin, and for slicing - oblong ones.
The most suitable varieties:
- Cherry (all types);
- Rio Grande;
- De Barao;
- Sanka.
However, you can also harvest other varieties of tomatoes, the main thing is that they are dense, small or medium in size.
Preparation
How to freeze tomatoes for the winter at home? To do this, you must first prepare them. Having chosen the appropriate fruit, wash it well under running water and lay it on a towel to dry. You can immediately wipe each tomato with a paper towel to remove excess water.
Important! It is not recommended to freeze wet tomatoes, as they will stick together and become deformed, which is undesirable.
Freezing options
There are several ways how correctfreeze tomatoes for the winter in the freezer so that they remain fresh and retain their taste.
Whole fruits
Is it possible to freeze whole tomatoes for the winter?? Yes. This is the easiest method for freezing tomatoes. The main thing is to choose a dense and ripe vegetables with thick skin. Slivka or Cherry varieties are suitable for this.
To freeze tomatoes in this way, follow the instructions:
- Wash and dry small or medium-sized tomatoes.
- Place them on a tray in one layer.
- Place the tray in the freezer to freeze the vegetables.
- When the tomatoes are well frozen, they are laid out in containers or bags.
- In the bag, it is important to create a vacuum inside, removing all the air.
- Place the preparations in the freezer for storage.
Whole tomatoes can also be frozen without the skin. For this:
In winter, what tomatoes can be used for making soups, salads, main courses and stuffing.
In circles
For such freezing, it is better to choose fleshy fruits with thick skin.
Frozen tomato slices are perfect for making pizza, hot salads or sandwiches.
Pieces
This freezing method is as simple as the previous two.
- Dense fruits are washed and dried. If desired, you can remove the peel by immersing the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Cut into equal pieces or cubes.
- Place in portions into bags and place in the freezer.
Advice! Don't worry about the cubes sticking together. This is not scary, since they are added to ready dish without defrosting.
Tomato cubes are used to make soups, sauces and gravy.
Tomato puree in molds
To freeze tomato puree, you can use overripe and very juicy tomatoes With thin skin. You can also take damaged tomatoes, but first cut off all excess.
- Washed and dried tomatoes are twisted through a meat grinder or crushed in a blender.
- The resulting puree is put into molds and sent to the freezer. For this you can use Silicone forms for cupcakes or for ice.
Advice! It is recommended to pour the puree not to the edge of the mold, as the liquid will expand when frozen and the puree may leak out.
- After 8-10 hours the mixture will freeze. Then the tomato cubes are removed and put into bags.
- Sent to the freezer for storage.
This preparation is suitable for preparing various sauces.
For stuffing
To make it possible to stuff tomatoes in the future, choose strong and dense fruits for freezing.
These tomatoes are suitable for stuffing. You can use mushrooms, meat, pumpkin, cucumbers or cheese as filling.
Shelf life
- Tomatoes are stored for up to 1 year at a temperature of -18°C, after which their quality deteriorates, although they do not spoil.
- At temperatures down to -18°C, it is better to store tomatoes for no more than 6 months.
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.
What can you cook
Frozen tomatoes are used to prepare various recipes. They are suitable for soups, stews, pizza, different sauces, baked dishes. They are used in the same way as fresh ones.
Freezing tomatoes at home is not difficult, the main thing is to choose the right fruits and follow the recommendations proposed in this article. This will allow you to enjoy the taste and aroma of summer tomatoes in winter.
Watch the video! Freezing tomatoes. 3 ways
In contact with
Tomatoes are a vegetable that itself does not tolerate frost. The fruits begin to turn black and become tasteless. This will happen with whole fruits that you want to freeze in the freezer, but in any situation there is a way out - just cut the tomatoes into cubes and they will easily be preserved for a year in your freezer. The taste and color of the frozen product will not change from this!
This tomato slice can be added to soups, borscht, main courses and even casseroles - you will be guaranteed the taste of juicy ripe summer!
Ingredients
- 2-3 tomatoes
Freezing tomatoes at home
1. For freezing, choose fleshy varieties of tomatoes so that they contain less juice. Ideal option will become the “Slivka” variety. Rinse the vegetables in water and cut them into halves - you will need to use a knife to remove the black cores.
2. Then cut the tomatoes with the same knife large pieces. There is no point in chopping the product too much, since the slices lose their density when frozen and the crushed tomatoes will simply turn into tomato porridge. If you plan to use only the mass without the skin, then before freezing and slicing, scald the tomatoes and quickly transfer them to cold water, and then peel them off by cutting them crosswise.
3. Prepare freezer bags or containers in advance. Roughly divide the tomato slices into pieces and place them in bags.
4. Release the air and tie the bags as tightly as possible to prevent juice from escaping.
Autumn is the time to make “tomato” preparations and dressings for sauces and first courses, for pizza and baking. How to freeze tomatoes, preserving as much as possible all the useful components of the vegetable? Eat different ways. We offer the simplest and most affordable ones.
How to freeze tomatoes in slices
Wash the tomatoes. Dry on a paper towel. Cut into circles no more than 1 cm thick.
Place on a flat surface in one layer. Place in the freezer for 1.5 hours.
Once frozen, place in a bag or container with a lid. Store in the freezer.
How to freeze tomatoes as puree
Cut the tomatoes into pieces and place in a blender cup.
Puree until smooth.
Pour into molds and freeze.
Carefully remove frozen tomato puree. Place in a slider bag or resealable container and store in the freezer, using as needed.
Freezing tomato paste
Place tomato paste in ice cube trays. Place in the freezer at a temperature no higher than – 18 o C for 1.5 hours.
Get it. Fold into Plastic container or in a resealable bag. Store in the freezer.
Another option: Spread the pasta in portions on a flat surface.
Freezing time in the freezer is 1.5 hours.
Place the finished “tomato cakes” in a ziplock bag and store. Use as needed.
Freezing tomato juice
Pour into plastic bottle(the glass will break) with a closing lid. Place in the freezer.
Or pour the juice into plastic bag. Release the air, tie it up and place it in the freezer for storage.
Freezing tomatoes for the winter is practical, rich in vitamins, healthy and... convenient.
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