How to Peel Tomatoes: 5 Easy Ways to Peel Tomatoes

5 Different Ways to Easily Peel Tomatoes

Peeling tomatoes is a pain in the neck. It’s time-consuming, messy, and can be frustrating if you don’t know what you’re doing. But peeling tomatoes doesn’t have to be a difficult chore, even if you’re growing heirloom varieties with unusual shapes. There are many options for peeling tomatoes efficiently and effectively without losing your mind, especially if you’re cooking in large batches for canning.

Try each of these methods and then decide which of these is the easiest and most natural for you to do. You’ll find one or two methods that you’ll like the best, but it’s different for everyone!

1. The Boiling Water Method to Peel Tomatoes

Two tomatoes are in boiling water in a stainless steel stockpot. The skin has already started peeling off of one of them.

1. Fill a pot with boiling water and set it on the stove to boil.

2. While the water is boiling, fill a bowl with ice and cold water and set it aside.

3. Wash the tomatoes you will be peeling in cool water.

4. Using a sharp knife, make an X on the bottom of each tomato. Cut out the stem and base at this point too.

5. Carefully lower the tomatoes into the boiling water using a spoon or tongs, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Boil the batch for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you see the skin around the X start to peel away from the flesh of the tomato.

6. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water using a spoon or tongs and immediately place them in the bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking further. Let them sit in the ice bath for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are cooled to the touch.

7. Peel the skin off of each tomato. It’s normal for some of them to have the skin fall off on their own in the water. If it doesn’t slip off easily, they didn’t get boiled enough and need to go through the process again.

8. Repeat this process until all of your tomatoes are peeled. Once you’ve got the water boiling, you can run through batches pretty quickly!

Three tomatoes sit in a metal bowl filled with ice and water. The tomatoes were boiled and are now cooling to facilitate peeling. The skins on the tomatoes are visibly pulling back.

2. How to Peel Tomatoes using the Microwave Method

  1. Cut a small X in the bottom of each tomato with a sharp knife.
  2. Fill a bowl with water and microwave on high for 10 seconds at a time. They should be easy to peel at 30 seconds max. If you overheat the tomatoes, you risk having them explode in your microwave, so make sure you err on the side of caution.
  3. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave (it will be hot!) and use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes to a bowl of ice water.
  4. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes, then remove and peel off the skin.
Three red tomatoes sit on a wooden cutting board. Two of the tomatoes are peeled with their skins laying behind them, and one in front is scored with an X on one end.

This method is quick and easy, and it doesn’t require any special equipment. However, not all tomatoes will peel easily using this method, and you may end up with some partially peeled or even unpeeled tomatoes that you have to re-microwave.

If you microwave your tomatoes for too long, you risk having them explode in your microwave or on you – so this method is less foolproof than the others.

3. The oven method: How to do it, Pros and Cons

One tomato is shown in a stainless steel baking dish, sitting on top of a wooden cutting board. The tomato is cored and ready to go be peeled in the oven.
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cut a small X in the bottom of each tomato with a sharp knife.
  3. Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the skins start to split.
  4. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl of ice water.
  5. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes, then remove and peel off the skin.

This method is quick and easy, and it works well for most types of tomatoes. You need to be careful not to overcook the tomatoes, or they will become mushy.

This is the most efficient method for doing large batches because you can put multiple sheet pans in the oven at a time and is one of the more hands-off methods you can choose.

Overcooking is a real concern though if you’re not paying attention or have tomatoes at different stages of ripeness.

4. Using the Steaming Method to Peel Tomatoes

  1. Fill a pot with enough water to come up just below the steamer basket.
  2. Bring the water to a boil, then place the basket over the pot and add the tomatoes (you may need to work in batches).
  3. Cover and steam for 5-10 minutes, or until the skins start to split.
  4. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water.
  5. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes, then remove and peel off the skin.

Steaming tomatoes is easy especially if you use a steamer frequently. This makes sense for small batches of tomatoes that you’re cooking with because you can only steam a few at a time.

A bunch of tomatoes sit on a wooden surface. The tomatoes are cored and scored. The tomato in the middle is being peeled with a butane torch, which is causing the skin to peel back.

5. The Fun but More Dangerous Flame Method to Peel Tomatoes

  1. Cut an x in the bottom of each of your tomatoes.
  2. Using tongs or a fork, hold the tomato over the flame on a gas stovetop or fire.
  3. Slowly turn the tomato until the skin at the x starts to pull away
  4. Put the tomato in a bowl of ice water for 1-2 minutes until it becomes cool to the touch.
  5. Peel the skin off.

This is a nice method and quick to do, but if you have multiple batches of tomatoes that you need to peel, this ends up taking a long time. This method is best when you only need to peel a few tomatoes at a time.

The flame method can also add a nice fire-roasted flavor to the tomato if you put the flame on high.

Bonus: How to Peel Tomatoes using the Freezer Method

The freezer method is a great way to peel tomatoes quickly and easily. However, freezing tomatoes changes the chemical composition of the tomato and can cause issues with canning and long-term storage. If you’re freezing tomatoes, use them directly from the freezer rather than trying to water bath can them afterward.

  1. Simply place the tomatoes in the freezer for a few hours (or longer)
  2. Remove them and let them thaw. The skin will peel right off as they thaw!

The freezing process breaks down the cell walls of the tomato, making it easier to peel off the skin. Again, this method is NOT recommended for peeling tomatoes if you plan on canning them.

Why you should peel tomatoes

Tomato skins are just not very palatable when they’re cooked. The skins separate from the flesh and end up as tough, stringy bits in your meal. Tomatoes should be fully ripe but firm for the best results so that the flesh doesn’t fall apart after peeling.

When to peel tomatoes for canning

It’s best to peel your tomatoes just before cooking them down to can them. Once you peel the skins off, the tomatoes will be more likely to grow mold and get mushy if they’re not used quickly.

Since you’re canning for long-term storage, you want to use the freshest tomatoes for those batches and not ones that have sat around in the fridge.

I don’t recommend using frozen tomatoes for canning.

A bunch of red tomatoes sit on a countertop, still attached together by a vine.

How to store peeled tomatoes

Peeled tomatoes can be stored in the fridge

Peeled tomatoes can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. Store them in a covered container and make sure to put them in the crisper drawer so they don’t get too cold.

Peeled tomatoes will last for four days in the fridge. After that, they’ll start to spoil and should be thrown out.

Don’t forget the freezer!

Peeled tomatoes can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. To store, place the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for two to three hours or until solid. Once frozen, transfer the tomatoes to a freezer-safe bag or container.

Frozen peeled tomatoes will last for up to six months in the freezer. Frozen peeled tomatoes are best used in cooked dishes, such as soups, stews, and sauces. They’re not great for canning at this point.

Using Peeled Tomatoes for Canning

Once peeled, tomatoes can be canned into sauces, whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, etc. I recommend canning tomatoes right after peeling to preserve their freshness, both for food safety and flavor purposes.

Dehydrating Peeled Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be dried using a dehydrator or by air-drying.

To dehydrate tomatoes, slice them in half and place them cut-side up on a dehydrator tray. Set the dehydrator to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and dry the tomatoes for eight to 10 hours, or until they are leathery.

To air-dry tomatoes, slice them in half and place them cut-side up on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Place the rack in a sunny spot and allow the tomatoes to dry for two to three days, or until they are leathery. This also makes them sun-dried tomatoes!

Once dried, my favorite way to store the tomatoes is in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, with a desiccant packet added if you have one. Dried tomatoes will keep for up to six months.

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There you have it! Five ways (plus a bonus!) to peel tomatoes, depending on your needs. Whether you’re cooking them or eating them raw, these tips will help you get the most out of your tomatoes. If you want to learn more ways to use your tomatoes, find me on Facebook at Rhythm and Moos.