r/Cooking • u/Hobbsie_1 • 2d ago
So many tomatoes!!
I have so many garden tomatoes and I don’t want them to go bad. I have large heirlooms, Romas and sungolds. I am pregnant and struggling with heartburn, so eating them raw has not been an option. My husband is also not a fan of raw. Any recommendations for how to turn them into something we would eat later?
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u/Fluffy-Revolution- 2d ago
You can make tomato sauce (with onions and oil) and freeze it in portions, or tomato jam (sugar) or ketchup (sugar vinegar, salt) if you don't have freezer space. Just put them in a slowcooker for 6-8 hours then strain into jars that you've sterilised by baking in the oven in a tray with water for 20-30 minutes.
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u/4cupsofcoffee 2d ago
quarter them, roast them on a sheet pan, push through a food mill for tomato puree. freeze it for sauce or whatever. If you want, when roasting them, add onion/garlic cloves/sweet peppers. i wouldn't use the sungolds for this as they might make the puree too sweet.
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u/vegmunkee 2d ago
Roasted tomatoes!! Literally theowhtem in a pan/casserole dish and roast them.. then you can smash and freeze portion sizes.. use in soups and stews and sauces.
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u/Any-Zucchini8731 1d ago
"sundried" tomatoes cut tomatoes in half or quarters, toss with salt and olive oil, roast in 300F oven for half an hour, then lower temp to 250F until they are dry, this will take all day. You can store them in your freezer forever
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u/Actual-Bid-6044 1d ago
A gardener friend of mine taught me to quarter and roast with olive oil, salt & pepper. No need to peel. Then freeze in maybe 2 cup portions. They cook down some when they roast so take up less space in the freezer, and you can add them to soups & chili etc all winter long.
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u/thewholesomespoon 2d ago
Soup, then freeze it! I’m pregnant too and I feel this in my soul! I just recently made a fresh salsa with them too but yeah, tomatoed out lol
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u/No_Big_bear_here 1d ago
Dehydrate them. Then break apart & store in any old glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add to soups, stews, marinades, pasta sauces, chili, etc. you can probably find a dehydrator in a local thrift shop.
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u/No_Bluebird7716 1d ago
Try your local food pantry, there are many people depending on them these days.
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u/faerystrangeme 1d ago
How cooked do they need to be? I’ve been dicing and pan frying tomatoes before adding them to grilled cheese or cheesy scrambled eggs. If they need to be REALLY cooked I’d follow other people’s suggestions about roasting before using in eggs or grilled cheese.
Also could sautee with asparagus or with olives and put on top of pan fried chicken.
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u/Melora_T_Rex714 1d ago
Blanch and skin, then turn them into spaghetti sauce. It freezes wonderfully!
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u/InjuryForsaken6220 1d ago
I just freeze them! Add to soups or make tomato soup or whatever. Just put whole or cut up in baggie till you feel like using them.
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u/CatWizardCloset 1d ago
Freeze them separately (without peeling) on a baking tray. When they are completely frozen, put them in zip-top bags in 2-3 lb batches. This winter, when you are ready to use them in a sauce, that them. The peels will slip off easily, so you can cook them however you choose.
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u/Wild_Pomegranate_845 1d ago
I have terrible acid reflux but love raw tomatoes. Make pasta sauce and freeze it. Also, you can freeze diced tomatoes to throw in recipes later. And honestly, not having to cut up tomatoes for meals saves a step when you’re exhausted with your new little one when they arrive.
ETA: I totally forgot… one of my favorite snacks is broiled Roma tomatoes with a little olive oil and salt and pepper on top and then put some Parmesan on at the last minute or so. Sooo good and a healthy snack.
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u/Some_Swimming1030 1d ago
wash and throw them whole in the freezer. Thaw a bit, peel and use them in recipes later. The fresh taste is amazing.
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 1d ago
Save your seeds!
I lost my sungolds this dinner but those are heritage
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u/Krickett72 1d ago
Up until this season I would throw them in a blender, then put in quart freezer bags. Lay flat in freezer. Use in soups, stews, casseroles, etc. This year i opted to start canning.
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u/AtheneSchmidt 20h ago
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
4 cups chopped Tomatoes (with seeds and skin)
1 sliced Onion
4 whole cloves Garlic
3 TBS fresh Basil, or 1 TBS dried Basil
2 cups Chicken Broth (or 1 can)
3 dashes Woodsmoke, optional
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
2 tbs flour
2 teaspoons Sugar
Oil, high heat
Instructions
Chop Tomatoes and Onions, Peel Garlic
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper, place chopped onions in 1 layer. Add some oil to prevent burning. Bake at 450 for 50-60 minutes, until translucent or caramelized (your preference.)
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper, place chopped tomatoes and garlic in 1 layer. Add some oil to prevent burning. Bake at 450°f for 30-40 minutes.
In a stock pot, add roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic, bring to boil
Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, woodsmoke, and dried basil, boil for at least 20 min.
Add fresh basil
Blend/puree all (blender, immersion blender, or food processor)
Mill, return to pot
Add salt and sugar (always taste as you add, it may need more salt than the 1/2 tsp.)
If consuming immediately, pull some soup from the pot, and blend in flour until smooth. Add this back to the pot and blend
I like to add some cream when I eat it. Also, this recipe can be made exactly the same way without roasting the veggies first. I just prefer the flavor after they are roasted. (Though it does, admittedly, take a lot of time.)
If canning this recipe for eating throughout the year, do not add flour or dairy to the recipe. They do not can safely. I waterbath for 60 minutes.
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u/northman46 2d ago
Easiest is to peel and freeze to use in various cooked dishes and sauces later