15 Ways to Preserve Tomatoes for Winter

This post is all about 15 ways to preserve tomatoes for winter.

If you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with, this list is for you.

Tomato season always seems to happen all at once.

You wait and wait for the first tomatoes to ripen, and then suddenly there are baskets of tomatoes sitting all over the kitchen counter.

It’s a good problem to have.

But when you’ve already eaten all the fresh tomato sandwiches you can handle, it’s time to start preserving them.

There are so many ways to preserve tomatoes for winter beyond simply canning whole tomatoes.

You can can them, freeze them, dehydrate them, turn them into sauces, make tomato powder, and preserve them as ready-to-use pantry staples.

Here are 15 of my favorite ways to preserve tomatoes so none of that summer harvest has to go to waste.

What to Do With Too Many Tomatoes

If your garden is overflowing with tomatoes, don’t feel like you have to preserve everything the same way.

I actually prefer having several different tomato products in my pantry and freezer.

Whole canned tomatoes are incredibly versatile.

Marinara sauce gives me an almost instant dinner.

Pizza sauce makes homemade pizza night easier.

Frozen tomatoes are perfect when I don’t have time to deal with the harvest immediately.

And dehydrated cherry tomatoes take up hardly any pantry space at all.

Using several preservation methods also means you’re not spending an entire weekend standing over the canner.

Let’s put those tomatoes to use.

1. Can Whole Tomatoes

One of the simplest ways to preserve a large tomato harvest is to can whole or halved tomatoes.

I love this option because you aren’t deciding exactly what those tomatoes need to become yet.

Later, you can turn them into:

• Soups
• Chili
• Pasta sauce
• Stews
• Casseroles
• Tomato soup
• Braised dishes

My Canning Tomatoes guide walks you through preparing, acidifying, packing, and water bath canning whole or halved tomatoes using a tested method.

If you’re new to home canning, this is a great basic tomato preservation skill to learn.

2. Can Homemade Marinara Sauce

If your family eats a lot of pasta, homemade marinara sauce deserves a permanent spot on the pantry shelf.

Instead of opening a store-bought jar, you can grab your own homemade sauce.

Pair it with pasta and dinner is halfway finished.

Marinara sauce is also useful for:

• Lasagna
• Baked ziti
• Meatballs
• Chicken Parmesan
• Stuffed shells
• Casseroles

If you have a large amount of tomatoes to process at once, check out my Canning Marinara Sauce recipe.

3. Can Pizza Sauce

Homemade pizza sauce is one of those little pantry staples that makes homemade meals so much easier.

I love having jars ready to grab whenever we’re making pizza.

You can also use pizza sauce for:

• Pizza rolls
• Calzones
• Stromboli
• Pizza quesadillas
• Dipping breadsticks

My Canning Pizza Sauce recipe is based on a tested canning recipe and is a great way to turn ripe tomatoes into something you’ll actually use throughout the year.

4. Freeze Whole Tomatoes

Sometimes the best preservation method is simply buying yourself more time.

That’s where freezing comes in.

If tomatoes are piling up but you don’t have time for a full canning day, freeze them.

Wash the tomatoes, remove any damaged areas, and freeze them for later use.

Once thawed, the texture will be much softer than a fresh tomato.

That means I wouldn’t use them for sandwiches or salads.

But they’re great for cooked recipes like:

• Tomato sauce
• Soup
• Chili
• Stew

Freezing can also give you time to collect enough ripe tomatoes to make a larger batch of sauce later.

5. Dehydrate Cherry Tomatoes

This has quickly become one of my favorite solutions for an overflowing cherry tomato plant.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them in the dehydrator.

Once dried, the flavor becomes incredibly concentrated.

You can use dehydrated cherry tomatoes in:

• Pasta
• Homemade bread
• Soups
• Pizza
• Eggs
• Sauces
• Casseroles

They’re also much smaller to store than whole jars of tomatoes.

Read my complete Dehydrating Cherry Tomatoes guide for the temperature, drying time, storage tips, and step-by-step instructions.

6. Make Tomato Powder

Don’t overlook this one.

Tomato powder may be one of the most space-saving ways to preserve tomatoes.

Take completely dehydrated tomatoes and grind them into a fine powder using a blender, food processor, or spice grinder.

Store the finished powder in an airtight container away from heat, light, and moisture.

Then use a spoonful whenever you want concentrated tomato flavor.

Try adding tomato powder to:

• Soups
• Chili
• Sauces
• Taco meat
• Stews
• Rice
• Homemade seasonings

You can even use it to help thicken certain tomato-based dishes.

A huge bowl of fresh tomatoes can eventually become a surprisingly small jar of tomato powder.

7. Dehydrate Tomato Slices

Cherry tomatoes aren’t the only tomatoes you can dehydrate.

Larger tomatoes can be sliced and dried too.

Slice the tomatoes evenly and arrange them in a single layer on your dehydrator trays.

Dry until properly dehydrated for storage.

You can keep the slices whole or break them into smaller pieces.

I like this method because dried tomato slices can be rehydrated later or added to recipes where they’ll absorb liquid as they cook.

8. Freeze Tomato Sauce

Not everything needs to go into a canning jar.

If you make homemade tomato sauce but don’t want to can it, freezing is a very simple alternative.

Prepare your favorite tomato sauce and let it cool.

Portion it into freezer-safe containers in amounts your family will actually use.

I like the idea of freezing some in:

• 1-cup portions
• 2-cup portions
• Family-size dinner portions

That way you’re not thawing an enormous container every time you need a little tomato sauce.

Just remember that a tomato sauce designed for freezing doesn’t automatically become safe for shelf-stable canning. For canning, always use a tested recipe.

9. Freeze Tomato Paste

Tomato paste is one of those ingredients where you often need only a small amount.

Making or portioning tomato paste for the freezer can make it much easier to grab exactly what you need.

Freeze it in small portions.

Once frozen, transfer the portions to a freezer-safe container.

Then you can grab a small amount whenever a recipe calls for tomato paste.

This works especially well for:

• Soups
• Chili
• Stew
• Pasta sauce
• Braised meat
• Casseroles

10. Make and Freeze Salsa

If your garden is producing tomatoes and peppers at the same time, salsa is an obvious choice.

You can make fresh salsa and freeze it for later.

The texture may soften after freezing, so it won’t be exactly the same as freshly chopped salsa.

But it’s still useful for tacos, burrito bowls, casseroles, eggs, and other cooked dishes.

If you want shelf-stable canned salsa, use a tested canning recipe rather than changing the amounts of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and acid in a recipe on your own.

11. Can Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is another classic way to preserve a large amount of tomatoes.

It can be enjoyed as a drink or used as an ingredient later.

Keep it on the pantry shelf for:

• Soups
• Chili
• Stews
• Sauces
• Cooking grains

Because tomatoes require proper acidification and processing, use a current tested tomato juice canning recipe and follow the specified amounts of bottled lemon juice or citric acid.

12. Can Crushed Tomatoes

If you don’t want to keep your tomatoes whole, crushed tomatoes are another versatile pantry staple.

These are especially convenient when you already know you’ll be using your tomatoes for cooked dishes.

Open a jar and add them to:

• Chili
• Soup
• Pasta sauce
• Stew
• Casseroles

As with whole tomatoes, use a tested canning method and don’t skip the required acidification.

13. Make Tomato Soup for the Freezer

There is something especially satisfying about turning summer tomatoes into winter comfort food.

Homemade tomato soup freezes beautifully when prepared with freezer-friendly ingredients.

Make a large batch during tomato season and portion it into containers.

When winter comes around, you’ll already have the base of an easy meal.

Add grilled cheese and dinner is done.

If your recipe contains dairy, I often prefer adding it after thawing and reheating rather than before freezing.

14. Roast and Freeze Tomatoes

Roasting tomatoes concentrates their flavor and is perfect when you have tomatoes that are getting a little too soft for fresh eating.

Cut them up and roast them until they’re soft and caramelized.

Once cooled, freeze them in useful portions.

Roasted tomatoes are delicious blended into:

• Pasta sauce
• Tomato soup
• Pizza sauce
• Dips
• Soups

You can also add them directly to pasta dishes and casseroles.

This is one of my favorite ways to rescue tomatoes that need to be used quickly.

15. Freeze Tomatoes for Future Canning or Sauce Making

This one deserves its own spot because it can save your sanity during harvest season.

You do not have to process every ripe tomato the day you pick it.

When tomatoes are coming in faster than you can handle them, freeze suitable tomatoes for an appropriate later use.

Then when you have enough time—or enough tomatoes—you can make a large batch of sauce or another product using a method appropriate for previously frozen tomatoes.

Freezing first also makes tomato skins easier to remove after thawing.

Just remember that freezing changes the texture and structure of tomatoes. If you plan to can the thawed tomatoes later, follow a tested canning recipe or extension guidance that specifically permits previously frozen tomatoes for that product rather than assuming they can replace fresh tomatoes in any canning recipe.

What Is the Easiest Way to Preserve Tomatoes?

If you’re brand new to food preservation, I’d start with freezing or dehydrating.

Both require very little hands-on work.

For the absolute easiest method: freeze whole tomatoes.

For saving pantry space: dehydrate tomatoes.

For a shelf-stable pantry: learn to can tomatoes using a tested recipe.

For convenient dinners: preserve marinara or pizza sauce.

There’s no rule that says you have to choose just one.

I usually think it’s much more useful to preserve tomatoes several different ways.

What Is the Best Way to Preserve Tomatoes for Winter?

That depends on how you plan to use them.

If you make a lot of chili, soup, and sauce, canned whole or crushed tomatoes are incredibly useful.

If you make pasta frequently, marinara sauce makes sense.

If you have limited pantry space, dehydrating tomatoes or making tomato powder is hard to beat.

If you’re short on time during harvest season, freeze them.

Think about what your family already eats and preserve your tomatoes in a form you’ll actually use.

How to Preserve Tomatoes Without Canning

You definitely don’t need a canner to preserve tomatoes.

Some of the easiest options include:

• Freezing whole tomatoes
• Freezing tomato sauce
• Dehydrating tomatoes
• Making tomato powder
• Freezing tomato paste
• Roasting and freezing tomatoes
• Freezing tomato soup

This is especially helpful if you’re just beginning to preserve food and aren’t ready to start canning yet.

How to Preserve Tomatoes Without Freezing

Don’t have much freezer space?

Canning and dehydrating are your best options.

You could:

• Can whole tomatoes
• Can crushed tomatoes
• Can tomato juice
• Can marinara sauce using a tested recipe
• Can pizza sauce using a tested recipe
• Dehydrate cherry tomatoes
• Dehydrate tomato slices
• Make tomato powder

One reason I love dehydrating is that an enormous amount of produce can fit into a surprisingly small pantry container once all that water is removed.

My Favorite Tomato Preservation Method

It’s hard for me to choose just one.

But if I had a huge tomato harvest, I’d probably divide it between several methods.

I’d can some whole tomatoes because they’re so versatile.

I’d turn a big batch into marinara and pizza sauce.

I’d freeze some tomatoes for later when I was tired of canning.

And every extra cherry tomato would go straight into the dehydrator.

That gives me a pantry and freezer filled with ingredients I’ll actually use rather than 50 jars of exactly the same thing.

More Food Preservation Ideas

If you’re trying to make the most of your garden harvest, you may also like:

100 Foods You Can Can – A huge list of foods you can preserve using water bath and pressure canning methods.

Water Bath Canning for Beginners – Start here if you’re completely new to water bath canning.

Pressure Canning for Beginners – Learn the basics of safely pressure canning low-acid foods.

Dehydrating Food for Beginners – Everything you need to know to start preserving food with a dehydrator.

25 Foods You Should Be Dehydrating Instead of Throwing Away – Easy ideas for turning extra food into shelf-stable pantry ingredients.

15 Ways to Preserve Apples – More ideas for making the most of a big fall harvest.

Don’t Let Your Tomato Harvest Go to Waste

If your kitchen counter is covered in tomatoes right now, that’s a good problem to have.

You don’t have to turn all of them into sauce.

And you definitely don’t have to spend three straight days canning.

Can some.

Freeze some.

Dehydrate some.

Turn the smallest tomatoes into tomato powder.

Make sauce with the really ripe ones.

The goal is simply to make the most of what’s abundant right now so you can enjoy it later.

That’s one of my favorite parts of preserving food.

A basket of tomatoes that could have gone bad on the counter becomes food sitting in the pantry or freezer waiting for us months from now.

And when you’re opening one of those jars in the middle of winter, you’ll be very glad you took the time to preserve the harvest.