This post contains affiliate links.
Learn just how easy it is to blanch tomatoes to make delicious sauces, soups, stews, and curries. Homemade blanched tomatoes always add so much flavor to any recipe, making it a great low-risk, high-reward situation. And don’t worry, we’ll walk you through how to make peeling their skin a breeze!
save this recipe!Tomatoes are one of the most utilized vegetables (well, fruits) when it comes to cooking. Am I right, or am I right? Whether you’re preparing a zesty tomato soup, a rich marinara sauce, or hearty stew, the tomato plays a key role in the overall taste and texture.
Blanching tomatoes is a technique used to quickly remove their skin and prepare them for canning. It’s often an overlooked skill, but it is so quick and easy! If you have about 5 minutes to spare, you can achieve perfectly blanched tomatoes.
How to blanch tomatoes
Following these simple instructions for how to blanch tomatoes, you’ll be well on your way to the smoothest, most flavor-rich sauces and soups. If you haven’t tried blanching and canning your own tomatoes, I highly recommend it! This is just an overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Boil the water: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. It should be large enough to hold however many tomatoes you’re blanching with about an inch of water on top.
- Score the tomatoes: In the meantime, use a paring knife to make a shallow “X” score on the bottom of each tomato. Scoring isn’t 100% necessary, but it helps the skin come off easier.
- Prepare an ice bath: Fill a large bowl with water and ice. This is important to stop the cooking process of the tomatoes once they’re done blanching.
- Blanch the tomatoes: Carefully lower the tomatoes into the pot of boiling water using a slotted spoon. Leave them for about 30-60 seconds, or until you can see the skin starting to loosen and wrinkle.
- Peel the tomatoes: Using a slotted spoon again, immediately transfer the tomatoes to the prepared ice bath. When they are completely cool, peel the tomatoes using your hands or a knife.
boil the water first
I’ve spent many hours over a boiling pot of water testing different ways to blanch tomatoes. Only add the tomatoes to the pot of water once it’s at a rolling boil. A rolling boil means the water stays bubbling, even as you stir it.
Tips for blanching tomatoes
- Use ripe tomatoes: Ripe tomatoes have a softer texture, meaning they’ll be much easier to peel once you finish blanching them.
- Score the skin: Scoring the bottoms with a shallow “X” also helps make the peeling process easier and quicker.
- Cool them quickly: To avoid mushy tomatoes, it’s important to transfer them to cold water immediately after the skin wrinkles.
How to use blanched tomatoes
Once you’ve blanched and peeled your tomatoes, you can cut them into halves, quarters, or crush them. Here are a few ideas to get you started using blanched tomatoes:
- Sauces: Blanched tomatoes are perfect for making vegan bolognese or roasted tomato sauce.
- Soups: They add so much depth to soups like tomato soup and taco soup.
- Stews: Elevate your favorite stews, like sweet potato black bean chili or vegan tempeh chili, with homemade blanched tomatoes!
- Curries: They’re also a delicious addition to curries like tofu curry.
How To Blanch Tomatoes (Peels Come Off Easily!)
Equipment
- Stockpot
- Paring knife
- Slottled spoon
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tomato
Instructions
- Prep: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. It should be large enough to hold however many tomatoes you’re blanching with about an inch of water on top.
- Score: In the meantime, use a paring knife to make a shallow “X” score on the bottom of each tomato. Scoring isn’t 100% necessary, but it helps the skin come off easier.
- Ice Bowl: Fill a large bowl with water and ice. This is important to stop the cooking process of the tomatoes once they’re done blanching.
- Parboil: Carefully lower the tomatoes into the pot of boiling water using a slotted spoon. Leave them for about 30-60 seconds, or until you can see the skin starting to loosen and wrinkle.
- Cool: Using a slotted spoon again, immediately transfer the tomatoes to the prepared ice bath. When they are completely cooled down, peel the tomatoes using your hands or a knife.
Notes
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
