Can you Freeze Tomato Juice? Here’s How to Do It Right
Updated on March 2, 2023
Tomato juice is good in so many things, from various recipes to cocktails, to straight out having it as is. If you find that you only have it occasionally and don’t want to waste it, you could consider freezing it.
As always, freezing anything you don’t use can help you save money and, when it comes to cooked dishes, time. But can you can freeze tomato juice? Let’s find out.
Can You Freeze Tomato Juice?
Tomato juice is awesomely delicious and we can see why you wouldn’t want to see any of it go to waste. Our readers have been asking about freezing tomato juice too. Here’s one of the messages we received:
I like to use tomato juice in a variety of ways, from drinking it by itself, to mixing it in cocktails or using it in recipes such as soups. However, I find that I rarely use a whole container of tomato juice at a time, and the leftovers tend to go to waste. I don’t want to have to purchase a whole new container every time I want to use some tomato juice, but I don’t know how to preserve it to last longer. I know you can freeze tomato sauce, but I’m not sure if it will work as well with tomato juice. Will freezing tomato juice change the flavour or texture? Can you freeze tomato juice?
Yes, you can freeze tomato juice! Since most people only use a small quantity of tomato juice at a time, it makes perfect sense to freeze the rest for later. That way none goes to waste and you save money in the process. Win-win!
How to Freeze Tomato Juice?
It sounds as though you purchase your tomato juice, but if you’re making your own from home, make sure to strain the juice through a fine sieve before freezing it. This helps the consistency upon thawing.
If you’re using commercially prepared tomato juice, there’s no need to strain. Just make sure to give the juice a good stir before freezing to incorporate all the ingredients and to avoid any sediment from settling at the bottom of the container.
To freeze, choose hard-sided freezer-safe containers or freezer bags.
- For hard-sided containers, simply pour the desired amount of tomato juice into each container, leaving some space at the top for expansion.
- Close tightly, then label and date the containers and place them in the freezer.
- To freeze tomato juice in freezer bags, sit the freezer bag in a bowl and fold the top of the bag over the rim. Pour the tomato juice in the bag, then seal tightly.
- Label and date the bags, and then store in the freezer laying flat, stacked on top of each other.
If you are freezing the tomato juice in very small serving sizes, you may want to freeze them in ice cube trays.
- Pour the tomato juice into clean ice cube trays and place in the freezer until frozen.
- Then, pop the cubes out and place into freezer bags.
- Seal the bags, then label and date them. To use, simply pop a few cubes out of the bag and add to your favorite recipe.
How to Keep Tomato Juice for Longer?
One of the things you can do to make sure the tomato juice keeps for longer in your freezer and doesn’t have a different taste when you take it out, is to use a food saver. These appliances provide a perfect seal to your bags and containers by sucking out all the air. This means that your food keeps for longer and has the same taste for longer periods of time than if you just threw them in the freezer with a regular bag or container.
We love the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine because it works with different types of bags and containers, which is plenty versatile.
How to Thaw Tomato Juice?
When you want to use the tomato juice, you have to consider all the steps and time it takes to thaw it out.
- To thaw tomato juice, remove the container or bag from the freezer and place in the fridge to thaw.
- It can also be thawed by running the container under cool water until liquid.
- If using in a recipe, the frozen tomato juice can be added directly to the recipe and will thaw as the recipe is cooking.
Do not refreeze previously frozen tomato juice.