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If you’re a salsa lover, you’ll surely want to keep a container of tomato sauce.
Refrigerating it will certainly retard spoilage, but not for too long. Then, freezing becomes the next option, but is it even possible? Can you freeze tomato sauce?
Short answer:
Yes, you can freeze tomato sauce. It is a general fact that freezing is one of the best methods to extend the shelf life of any type of food.
To help you understand you’ll learn every vital information, including:
Table Of Contents
- Can You Freeze Tomato Sauce?
- How Long Does Tomato Sauce Last In The Freezer?
- How to Freeze Tomato Sauce
Keep reading to learn more!
Can You Freeze Tomato Sauce?
Our traditional salsas give us pure nostalgia for our homeland. Unfortunately, this indispensable flavoring poses a cause to worry in terms of preserving it.
Surely, you may not always use all the whole sauce while cooking your next big meal, so what’s the fate of the leftover?
As earlier responded, yes, it is possible to freeze tomato sauce.
At 0° F, the tomato sauce’s molecules are considerably stalled.
In other words, freezing will prevent the further growth of microorganisms that causes spoilage. (*)
The growth activity of bacteria, yeasts, molds, or any other microbes is stopped, keeping the tomato sauce safe.
How Long Does Tomato Sauce Last In The Freezer?
Typically, an unopened commercially-canned tomato sauce can stay from 18 to 24 months as in its expiration date.
This date is more of a “best before” date, so it remains safely consumable for a month later.
Moreover, you can further extend its shelf life up to two or three months on freezing.
However, when frozen, the quality will drop after three months but will remain safe for consumption indefinitely.
When stored in proper containers, it will also last as long as needed.
Its peak quality will gradually deteriorate after the 3rd month of freezing.
Lastly, a homemade tomato sauce at 0° F in airtight containers will likewise be safe, with gradual quality drop indefinitely.
Learn more: Does Tomato Sauce Go Bad? How To Tell
How to Freeze Tomato Sauce
Commercially-bought tomato sauce
Follow these simple steps to freeze your commercially-bought tomato sauce correctly.
- First, seal the excess sauce in the opened container and ensure it’s airtight. Don’t tamper with the factory seal in an unopened one.
- Label the containers with dates.
- Place them in the main freezer body away from fish, meat, or other foods with a strong odor.
Homemade tomato sauce:
For the homemade tomato sauce:
- First, pour it into heavy-duty freezer bags.
- Place the bags until solid on their side. Ensure that they’re on a flat surface to avoid leaking.
- Like a book on a shelf, stand the frozen sauce at the end for more space
- Lastly, ensure it is away from foods with strong odors.
Confirm the steady temperature continually.
- Note: Your tomato sauce quality declines over time, so we advise freezing it only when necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tomato Sauce Freeze Well?
Yes. At constant 0° F, it should take only an hour to solidify.
It will be safe to consume as long as necessary if well-frozen. However, expect that the quality will steadily decline each day.
Does freezing tomato sauce affect flavor?
Yes, freezing tomato sauce for three months can cause changes in its flavor.
So carefully think over the necessity to freeze them.
If you’re aware and comfortable with its possible outcome, give it a go.
What Will Happen If I Refreeze Tomato Sauce?
Refreezing tomato sauce, especially in large portions, affects its texture and color.
As a result, it will also lose more quality through moisture lost while thawing.
Hence, we highly advise against refreezing. You’ve already compromised its quality, texture, and flavor by freezing and thawing. There’s no need to undermine it much more.
Be it homemade tomato sauce in freezer bags or commercially-canned ones, be sure that you need to consume everything that you thawed.
Overall, it’s a no-no to put the thawed leftovers in the freezer or refrigerator!
Interesting Facts:
What Is Tomato Sauce?
Tomato sauce is practically any sauce made primarily of tomatoes, hence tastes like them.
To be clear, it differs from tomato paste and tomato puree, being the thinnest & the least intense in flavor.
Salsa Roja or Sugo, its other common names, can be homemade or bought commercially.
On the other hand, commercial buyers feel lucky to find its bottles on almost every supermarket store shelf.
You’ll surely agree that the soothing aroma & taste are mostly incomplete without tomato sauce!
Additionally, spirited cooks are always very creative with their recipes at home, given the absence of any hard-and-fast preparation rules.
What are the uses of tomato sauce?
As a matter of fact, tomato sauce is just as common as tomato fruits – the most-produced fruit globally.
Almost every culture around the world has at least one of its traditional delicacies that use tomato sauce!
In Mexico, employing tomato sauce dates far back to the 16th century. Dishes made with it are classified as entomada.
Italian chefs are some of the most inventive in cooking with tomato sauce.
They use them for pasta, meats, and pizzas preparation.
In Australia, India, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, ketchup has become the more common term for the sauce.
What are the health benefits of tomato sauce?
While you’re relishing tomato sauce for its sweetness, it provides benefits that can improve your heart, gut, and digestive health.
Tomato sauce contains properties that can strengthen your bones and provide your body with bountiful vitamins.
Since it is essentially tomatoes, it retains its efficacy in reducing cancer risk.
It promotes diabetes management and healthy skin & eyes.
Final Thoughts
Freezing tomato sauce is a long-lasting storage technique, which is luckily effortless.
Various factors like a damaged freezer bag or unsteady temperature can cause alter the sauce’s freezing.
If you notice any signs of its spoilage, please don’t hesitate to dispose of it.
Up Next: Can You Freeze Tomato Paste?
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