How to freeze fresh tomatoes to make them healthy: tips from Yevhen Klopotenko

Tomatoes are vegetables without which it is hard to imagine a summer salad that is tasty and healthy. They are also used to make delicious sauces, adjika, canned salads, ketchup, and tomato juice. Tomatoes are also dried, dried, and even frozen.

Culinary expert Yevhen Klopotenko has shared tips on how to freeze fresh tomatoes on his website.

1. What tomatoes can be frozen

– Only ripe, unripe, and undamaged vegetables are suitable for freezing.

– It is also important to use new, small, airtight bags measuring 20 by 40 cm.

For freezing, it is best to use fleshy and firm tomato varieties, such as cream or bull's heart. They keep their shape better.

– Before freezing, wash the tomatoes well and place them on a towel to dry.

2. How to freeze whole and halved tomatoes

Wash the tomatoes well, and tear off the green tails. Make cross-shaped cuts with a knife on the bottom of the tomato, put no more than three pieces in a saucepan, and cover with boiling water. Wait 30-40 seconds, then remove and carefully peel off the skin.

Place in a colander to drain.

Prepare a cutting board or large freezer-safe plate. Cover it with parchment paper. Place the tomatoes so that the distance is at least 2 cm. Put in the freezer until frozen. Then remove, transfer to a resealable bag, and return to the freezer.

3. How to freeze tomatoes in rings and half rings

Wash the tomatoes, cut them into rings or half rings, and place them on a plate lined with parchment paper so that they do not touch each other, and put them in the freezer to freeze. Then transfer them to resealable bags.

Tip: use frozen tomatoes in this way to make pizza, and add them to soups and omelets.

4. How to freeze tomatoes in the form of puree

Wash the tomatoes, cut them in half, cut out the stem, put them in a blender, and blend until smooth. Put the prepared puree immediately into airtight bags, but make sure that there is only one portion in each bag. You can also pour the puree into ice cube trays, freeze it, and then transfer the frozen puree to the bags.