Can green tomatoes be frozen? - What you should know

There is no reason to waste green tomatoes. If it’s late in the season, or if you have some unripe tomatoes left in the fridge, the last thing you want to do is throw away the green tomatoes and waste food.

To save green tomatoes for later use, can they be frozen? Yes, it is possible to freeze green tomatoes, but freezing them limits what you can use them for later. As with most foods that are frozen, green tomatoes will be soft and almost slimy when thawed from the freezer.

Let’s dive into the process of freezing tomatoes and what you can do with frozen green tomatoes when you’re ready to thaw and cook with them.

Limitations of Freezing Green Tomatoes

Ice crystals form on green tomatoes while they are in the freezer, and these ice crystals break down the cell walls, which in turn means that the green tomatoes will not have their firm quality as they were before freezing.

In the case of green tomatoes, this is not so bad, as green tomatoes can continue to be fried after being frozen , and they turn out almost as good as if they had been fried fresh.

You won’t be able to use frozen green tomatoes in a salad or eat them as is, as they will have a soggy, mushy consistency.

How to Freeze Green Tomatoes

When freezing green tomatoes, you should choose to freeze high-quality tomatoes. This will prevent the tomatoes from getting too mushy in the freezer, and they should be fine to use for frying or in a sauce when thawed.

Once you have chosen your high-quality tomatoes to freeze, you should wash them, remove the core and cut them into ½ or ¼ thick slices.

How you prepare and package green tomatoes will also depend on what you plan to do with them. Here’s how to freeze green tomatoes for different purposes:

to fry

The best way to freeze tomatoes for frying is to package individual tomato slices in containers, separating the slices with wax paper or freezer plastic. Leave a ½-inch gap for the tomatoes to expand slightly.

Peeled, whole or unpeeled tomatoes

To freeze whole, unpeeled, or peeled tomatoes:

• You will have to wash and heart them previously.
  • You can also submerge the tomatoes in boiling water for half a minute, then submerge them in cold water for easier skin removal.
• Place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet in the freezer.

• Once the tomatoes have been individually frozen, you can place them in a plastic bag, seal and label it, and return it to the freezer.

  • Freezing the tomatoes individually first prevents them from sticking together when frozen in the plastic bag, making it easy to remove individual servings when it’s time to thaw them.

puree or juice

If you want to puree or juice your green tomatoes after freezing them:

• You must wash, clear and cut the tomatoes into quarters.
• These quarters should be packed in freezer-safe containers, tightly closed and labeled with the freeze date.

Choice of container to freeze green tomatoes

The containers you choose to freeze green tomatoes make a big difference in the quality of the tomatoes once thawed.

You should use freezer containers or bags that are resistant to steam and moisture and can resist breaking and cracking at low temperatures.

This Rubbermaid set that you can buy on Amazon is perfect for this.

These containers or bags should protect the green tomatoes from absorbing other food odors and flavors from the freezer, and the containers should be easy to label.

Suitable types of containers for green tomatoes are rigid plastic containers, freezer-safe glass containers, heavy-duty aluminum foil, or freezer-safe plastic bags.

Freezer-safe plastic bags are a good choice for smaller freezers, as they can be laid flat to save space. You can also use reusable silicone bags. I got them from Amazon and I love them.

However, glass and plastic containers are a better choice for the more eco-friendly, as they are reusable over and over again.

How long can green tomatoes be kept in the freezer?

Green tomatoes, if stored correctly, can remain good quality in the freezer for up to 12 months.

The tomatoes will still be good to eat after this, but the quality will degrade as more ice crystals form, destroying the cell walls and making the green tomatoes mushy.

How to thaw frozen green tomatoes

How you thaw frozen green tomatoes will greatly influence the outcome of your green tomatoes. The best and safest way to defrost green tomatoes is to leave them in the fridge overnight.

This will slowly thaw the green tomatoes without allowing them to reach a temperature that allows bacteria to grow.

Also, you won’t be adding extra heat to the green tomatoes, which could make them moister. Place the green tomatoes in a bag or bowl to contain any juices that may escape during thawing.

You can also place the tomatoes in their freezer bag or container, in a sink filled with cold water . This will thaw the green tomatoes a little faster than if they were left in the fridge, but will keep them at a cool temperature.

However, thawing green tomatoes in the fridge is the safest option, if you can plan time to let them thaw overnight before cooking.

Fry frozen green tomatoes

If you plan to fry your green tomatoes, you should follow the freezing steps above. The good news is that you don’t have to thaw frozen green tomatoes to fry them.

You can simply place the frozen green tomatoes in the hot skillet and cook from there. Defrosting green tomatoes first can mean a loss in quality, and can be quite cumbersome.

You’ll get the best results if you fry the green tomatoes from freezing, rather than letting them thaw first and trying to transfer the soaked tomatoes to a hot pan.

If you want to coat the green tomatoes for frying, you can do so before freezing to make it much easier when it comes time to fry them.

• Wash and cut the green tomatoes and place them on a plate.
• Pour the coating or yellow cornmeal onto a shallow plate, and coat the tomatoes well.
• Pile the coated green tomatoes in a freezer-safe container, separated by parchment paper or plastic wrap, and freeze.
• When it’s time to fry, you can place the frozen coated green tomatoes directly in the pan.
• You can add salt and pepper once the tomatoes are fried.

refrigerate green tomatoes

Tomatoes keep well if they are not stored below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. To keep green tomatoes fresh longer, store them at room temperature, stem-side down, individually wrapped in newspaper.

Place these wrapped green tomatoes in a box that allows for adequate air circulation. Stored like this, green tomatoes will keep for 3 to 5 weeks.

Related questions

How do you prevent green tomatoes from ripening too quickly?

To prevent green tomatoes from ripening too quickly, you should wash them and let them dry completely.

For small amounts of green tomatoes , you can place them inside a paper bag with a banana, stored at room temperature and out of direct sunlight.

For a larger quantity of green tomatoes , you should store them in a cardboard box. Try to keep the tomatoes out of high humidity and away from fruit flies, if possible.

Can green cherry tomatoes be frozen?

It is possible to freeze green cherry tomatoes. You don’t even have to blanch them before freezing.

• Wash and dry the green cherry tomatoes and place them on a baking tray.
• Put the tray in the freezer and wait for the cherry tomatoes to freeze.
• Once they are completely frozen, you can place them in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag to return to the freezer.

What can I do with green tomatoes?

The most popular cooking method for green tomatoes is frying, and there’s no question why, as fried green tomatoes are delicious. However, there are other ways to take advantage of green tomatoes.

You may choose to pickle the tomatoes, as green tomatoes are firm and often hold up well in a vinegar brine. You can make jam from green tomatoes, bake them in a gratin, fill a pie with them, or even add them to sauces and stews.

Freeze Green Tomatoes

It is quite possible to freeze green tomatoes for later use, and still enjoy them by frying, juicing, or using them in soups and stews. As long as you follow a few simple steps on how to safely can and store green tomatoes, you can successfully freeze them for later use.