The Ultimate Guide to Preserve Tomatoes

Summer tomatoes are sweet and juicy but they disappear quickly. Luckily, you can preserve their flavor for winter with a few simple methods.

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You can choose to can, dry, freeze them, or make tomato confit, sauce, ketchup, or paste and savor their tangy flavor later.

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Here are some of the simple methods to preserve tomatoes that don't require special skills:

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Canning tomatoes

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Canning tomatoes is a straightforward way to preserve the taste of fresh, ripe tomatoes year-round. All you need are tomatoes, a large pot, and sealable jars. This method allows you to capture the peak flavor of summer tomatoes. It's best to remove the skins before canning and use new jars to ensure a proper seal. Once processed, home-canned tomatoes can last up to a year if stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.

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Making tomato sauce

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Making tomato sauce is a straightforward way to preserve tomatoes. This ultra-simple sauce, essentially a cooked-down tomato purée with salt, is perfect for canning. You can add herbs, spices, or other flavors later, depending on how you plan to use them. For deeper flavor, you can use a pressure cooker, which infuses more taste in less time. Toasting umami-rich ingredients like miso paste or tomato paste in olive oil before adding them to the sauce can also enhance its depth. Smooth, blended sauces freeze well and can be stored in ice cube trays or small containers for convenience.

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Freezing tomatoes

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Freezing tomatoes is the simplest way to preserve them. You don't need to peel them beforehand, as freezing makes them easy to peel later. Simply store whole tomatoes in a zip-top bag in the freezer, scoring the bottoms with an X and removing as much air as possible. For better results, use a food vacuum sealer. Frozen tomatoes work great for cooking and sauces but are less suitable for salads and sandwiches.

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Making oven-dried tomatoes

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Oven-dried tomatoes are partially dried tomatoes that can be stored in olive oil in the fridge for a long time. They're versatile for adding to salads, pasta, stews, or roasts, bringing a concentrated flavor to dishes.

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Making tomato paste

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Tomato paste, a rich and flavorful concentrate, is made by cooking down pureed tomatoes for hours. Though time-consuming, it's a worthwhile process that adds depth to many dishes. Stored correctly, it lasts for months in the fridge.

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Making tomato confit

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Tomato confit involves slow-cooking tomatoes in oil with herbs and garlic, creating sweet and mellow flavors. Once done, store the tomatoes and oil separately in the fridge to prevent spoilage. The infused oil can be reused for other culinary applications.

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