Today I'm going to show you the steps for how to peel tomatoes as a way to preserve the fresh taste of summer all year long.
With this step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to peel tomatoes to use for canning, making sauces or adding them to your favorite recipes.
This process requires little effort, but the results are amazing! You can easily create a delicious homemade marinara sauce as a part of your Weekly Meal Plan for a satisfying dinner.
Is there anything more colorful and flavorful than a garden fresh tomato, still warm from the sun? Whether you're picking them straight off the vine or sourcing them from your local grocer, one of the most rewarding parts of working with tomatoes is peeling their delicate skins.
With a few tricks up your sleeve, you can learn how to peel tomatoes quickly and easily so that you can get on to all those delicious recipes!
Once the tomatoes are peeled, you can either can them as they are or prepare an easy Canned Marinara Sauce recipe.
Looking for more Family Dinner Ideas that use fresh peeled tomatoes? Try my Homemade Marinara Sauce with Meatballs, Easy Homemade Salsa or my Pasta Fagioli Soup.
Table of Contents
Peeling Tomatoes for Canning
The most common and efficient way to peel tomatoes is by using the blanching method.
This is the way my cousin, Traciene, taught me how to peel tomatoes over 20 years ago. She also taught me how to preserve the tomatoes by canning them in mason jars using the water bath method in her "Italian kitchen" in the basement.
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How to Boil Tomatoes
- Step 1: Prepare the tomatoes by giving them a good wash.
- Step 2: Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove top. Place a small "X" in the bottom of each tomato.
- Step 3: Submerge a few of the tomatoes at a time in the boiling water. Allow the tomatoes to boil for 30 seconds.
- Step 4: Immediately place the tomatoes in a bowl of ice water.
How to Skin Tomatoes
- Step 1: Gently lift the tomato out of the ice water.
- Step 2: Find the "x" and start peeling back the skin. Look how easy it comes off!
Easiest way to Peel Tomatoes
This is the easiest way to peel tomatoes so you can get them ready to cook down and then preserve for future use:
- After the tomatoes have been peeled, I like to cook them before canning or freezing by placing the peeled tomatoes in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or until the fall apart and are fork-tender.
- At this step, you can either place the tomatoes in mason jars and proceed with the canning process according to the manufacturer's directions.
- You can also place the cooked tomatoes in freezer-safe containers.
Canning Tomatoes Recipe
If you decide to can the tomatoes, make sure you follow the complete instructions for canning tomatoes using the water bath method.
Freezing Tomatoes vs Canning
- Freezing tomatoes is a convenient method, particularly when you have an excess of them. It is a quicker and less labor-intensive process than canning.
- Frozen tomatoes are great for adding to soups, stews, sauces, and other cooked dishes. Furthermore, freezing helps preserve the texture of the tomatoes better than canning.
- However, thawed tomatoes may not have the same appealing texture as fresh ones.
- Canning tomatoes preserves the fresh flavor better than freezing and can be stored at room temperature for an extended period.
- However, canning tomatoes requires more time, equipment, and effort compared to freezing.
Place tomatoes into boiling water and let them simmer for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. The exact time may vary based on the tomato's size and ripeness.
The easiest way to remove skin from tomatoes is to boil the tomatoes for about 30 seconds. First place an "x" in the bottom of each tomato, then place in boiling water. Add the tomatoes immediately to cold, ice water and then you'll be able to easily slip the skin off of the tomatoes.
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Easy Family Meal PlannerClick HERE for More Information
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How to Peel, Cook and Preserve Fresh Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 12 Garden fresh tomatoes
Instructions
- How to Peel Tomatoes
- Wash the tomatoes.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove top.
- Place a small "X" in the bottom of each tomato and submerge in boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Immediately remove the tomatoes from the hot water and place in a bowl of ice water.
- Carefully pick up a tomato and begin to pull the outer layer of skin off.
- The outer layer of skin comes off very easily.
- How to Cook the Tomatoes
- Place the peeled tomatoes in a blender or food processor.
- You can also chop them by hand.
- Depending how you like your sauce, you will either blend or process the tomatoes for a few seconds for a chunky, thick sauce or for a few minutes for a smooth, thinner sauce.
- Place the processed tomatoes into a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
- You can also cook them in a large stock pot on top of the stove for up to 2 hours depending again on how thick or thin you like your sauce.
- Cooking the tomatoes longer will give you a much thicker sauce.
- How to Preserve the Cooked Tomatoes
- After the tomatoes have cooked down in the crock pot, you are ready to preserve or can them following the method for hot water bath with sterilized glass jars.
- You can also freeze the cooked tomatoes in plastic containers or freezer bags.
- How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce from the Tomatoes
- After the tomatoes have cooked down to the consistency you like, you can season them with your favorite seasonings for homemade sauce.
- Serve over pasta or in your favorite recipes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional estimates are provided using an online calculator and is an estimate per serving. Calorie accuracy isn't guaranteed.
This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2014 with new photos, information and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Anonymous says
this method works with peaches as well!
Cynthia Landrie says
You peeled many more tomatoes than I did! Thanks for linking to the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party!
Kimberly Lewis says
Great post.Looks so good! Pinned. We appreciate you being a part of our party. I hope to see you tonight at 7 pm. We love to party with you! Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
Maria says
Oh wow... those tomatoes look BEAUTIFUL! And a great way to peel them!
Tracy Fredrychowski says
Peeling tomatoes is so easy this way...I use this method for peaches as well.
jayashree says
Useful tip..I do it this way and it's very easy. Stopping to say hello
Julie V says
Well, that looks easy! Thanks for sharing a simple way to do a normally obnoxious task.
Joanne DiPalo says
Great tip for peeling tomatoes. Your harvest looks awesome. It's great to have fresh tomatoes all year.
Catherine says
Dear Lois, You certainly had a good harvest!! Not so much luck here though. This is a helpful and good tip. You will have lots of delicious sauce over the cold winter months.
I hope all is well. Blessings dear. Catherine