Can You Freeze Cherry Tomatoes? Do’s and Don’ts

Cherry tomatoes can be the most fertile plant that one can have in their garden. But can you freeze cherry tomatoes? The short answer is YES. The plant’s vines will provide hundreds of juicy and ripe tomatoes in a single growing season. If you have grown different varieties of tomatoes, it is crucial to prepare to store or preserve them correctly after you harvest the the tomatoes.

While preserving the tomatoes, ensure you are going for the cherry ones to reap their sweetness throughout the year. When you freeze these gems, you can have the same taste of fresh tomatoes, no matter what the season is. Tomatoes are one food item that is easy to freeze, and there will be no discoloration.

You may have decided to freeze the tomatoes, but how do you accomplish the task? More importantly, have you ever wondered why people even store these tomatoes for the entire year? Let’s dig deep into this and clarify the queries.

What Things Do You Need to Freeze the Tomatoes?

Every kitchen has all the essential equipment required for the quick freezing of these cherry tomatoes. All you need is a little effort and guidance to achieve the goal. Following is the equipment that you must possess for freezing these tomatoes with perfection.

• Baking Tray
  
  You must use the baking tray when it comes to freezing cherry tomatoes. All you need to do is spread these tomatoes in one layer. After that, one can use a plastic serving tray or another large fat surface containing sides.
  
• Colander
  
  It may not be an essential process, but using the Colander will make it easy to wash the cherry tomatoes. If someone does not want to use the Colander, soak the tomatoes in the container, wash the dirt, and then rinse properly.
  
• Freezer-friendly Bags
  
  Zip-top freezer-friendly bags are mostly preferred when it comes to storing. If the bags are unsuitable, you can consider getting an airtight container.

Ingredients Which You Need

Cherry tomatoes are the sole ingredient on which the entire process of freezing the tomatoes depends. One crucial aspect of the process is choosing fruitful cherry tomatoes.

The selective tomatoes should be bright orange in color and firm in shape. Of course, when you freeze the tomatoes, that may cause a change in their shape, but it is still necessary to start with the finest quality tomatoes, which have no wrinkles or the wrong color.

If you have found some cherry tomatoes in the right shape, then it would be ideal to use them for other purposes.

Another crucial aspect you must consider is that the tomatoes’ texture will change drastically once frozen or defrosted. Therefore, you will be unable to use them for raw purposes such as salad.

Steps to Freeze Cherry Tomatoes

The process will be pretty straightforward if you want to freeze the cherry tomatoes. There is no need for you to blanch, peel or chop. However, these are the simple steps that people need to keep in mind while freezing these tomatoes.

Step 1. Prepare your tomatoes

First, choose fresh tomatoes that will come without any blemishes or bruises. Then, you need to rinse them under the running water and let them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 2. Freeze the tomatoes

You need to line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the cherry tomatoes in just one layer on the baking sheet.

Then, there will be a need to freeze that there for an hour or two or until the tomatoes are frozen completely. It is crucial to do that so you can avoid them sticking together once it is frozen.

Step 3. Store them properly

Once the tomatoes are frozen, you can put them into the airtight container and freezer bag and then just put them back in the freezer.

How Can You Use the Frozen Cherry Tomatoes?

Cherry tomatoes can be vibrant and add flavor to cooked dishes. Once you are done with the process of freezing, then you need to understand their exact uses.

• Cherry tomatoes may lose their firmness on defrosting, so it will be better to use them directly in stews, omelets, or casseroles.
  
• Cherry tomatoes have thinner skin than other tomatoes, becoming thick and rigid when the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (or 10 degrees Celsius). That is why when you freeze the late-season cherry tomato, you need to label them and use them to make tomato soup or pasta soup.
  
• Use these tomatoes to make the tomato sauce. It would be best to defrost the cherry tomatoes and Sautée the thawed tomatoes to get the quick sauce from it. All you need to do is add some fresh herbs and ingredients.

Benefits of Freezing

These tomatoes are tiny, and if you are peeling them for conservation, that would be impractical. However, even if someone does, few tomatoes will be left after discarding the peel. Therefore, freezing cherry tomatoes can be quite beneficial and will make sense.

• Convenient And Neat – No need to look around your basement to find the canning equipment or have the lemons to add acid when water bath canning.
  
  But there will be a better situation here because the required things will be available in the kitchen. Moreover, freezing is quick and does not create any mess because there is no peeling.
  
• Resourceful – Freezing will help you manage the cherry tomato overload or when it is impossible to give them to the neighbors anymore. Now, that will be a situation when you can use the cherry tomatoes and freeze them so they can be used later in the off-season.
  
• Practical – Like any other tomatoes, cherry tomatoes’ shape, texture, and taste will also change when you keep them in the freezer. But you can reserve frozen tomatoes for soups, casseroles, sauces, and other cooking recipes.
  
• Nutritious – Freezing the cherry tomatoes will also preserve the nutrients in the skin. With no loss of nutrients, the availability of these tomatoes for the entire year is a step forward to enjoying healthy and delicious food.
  
• No Need for Equipment – Freezing tomatoes will take much more than the airtight container and space in the freezer. These vacuum sealers will be terrific only if people put a little effort into preparing the tomatoes.

Common Questions Related to Freezing Cherry Tomatoes

Is it possible to Freeze the Cooked Cherry Tomatoes?

Yes, you can freeze the roasted cherry tomatoes, having a delicious flavor and some additional herbs or species. You can just toss the cherry tomatoes in olive oil and add flavors such as garlic, oregano, or rosemary.

After that, you can cool them and store them in a freezer-friendly or airtight container.

For How Long Can You Freeze the Cherry Tomatoes?

You can freeze the cherry tomatoes for about six months. After that, it might not be safe for you to eat. However, the flavor may degrade and not be sweet and intense anymore.

Can You Refreeze the Cherry Tomatoes?

Yes, you can refreeze the cherry tomatoes. However, the texture and shape may not remain the same and will change drastically. It may also become soft and mushy.

What is the Perfect Way Through Which You Can Preserve Cherry Tomatoes?

The ideal way to preserve these tomatoes is by drying them in the sun. If you live somewhere dry or sunny, then you can use a baking sheet to place the cherry tomatoes outside halved.   

What About the Taste of these Frozen Tomatoes?

Without any doubt, on freezing, these tomatoes will not taste like the original ones. Some amount of flavor is lost, but they are still pretty handy when it comes to cooking delicious food items. Freezing tomatoes is a convenient process of preserving, and you must apply it.

Final Thoughts

These colorful orange fruits will make your whole season flavorful, so preserving them is always the best option. Indeed, these tomatoes may even lose their firmness, but they can still be used in different recipes, which you must try.

However, selecting quality tomatoes (preferably home-grown tomatoes even in the winter) and following the proper freezing process is critical.