Nobody plans their first batch of frozen grape tomatoes. For a cook named scootermom, a pint went into the freezer by accident while groceries got put away.
That poster knew the texture would not survive thawing for a salad. A plan formed instead: slow roast the thawed tomatoes with olive oil and herbs. Kalamata olives, garlic, feta, leftover chicken, and wilted spinach over pasta rounded out the dish.
Most gardeners freeze grape tomatoes on purpose, usually because a plant will not stop producing. The method is the same either way. What differs is what a grape tomato actually is, and that matters before assuming it behaves just like a cherry tomato in the freezer.
The short version
Yes, you can freeze grape tomatoes whole, skins and all, with no blanching required. The method matches cherry tomatoes closely: wash, dry, freeze on a tray, then bag.
Grape tomatoes are not just small cherry tomatoes with a different name, though. They are oblong rather than round, with a noticeably thicker skin built for handling and transport.
That thicker skin is the real difference worth knowing before freezing a batch. A meatier, less juicy flesh comes with it.
What actually makes a grape tomato different
University of Illinois Extension draws a clear line between the two fruits. Grape tomatoes are oblong, sized and shaped closer to an actual grape, while cherry tomatoes are round.
Grape tomatoes carry thicker skin than cherry tomatoes. Illinois Extension notes that trait makes them hardier to pack and transport without splitting.
That same source calls grape tomatoes meatier than a cherry tomato, with less sweetness and less juice by comparison. A cherry tomato and a grape tomato are the same species underneath, botanically, but those structural differences are real.
Why the thicker skin is worth knowing before freezing
Cornell’s Small Farms Program documents a related breeding effort, though not about grape tomatoes specifically. Traditional cherry tomatoes crack easily in heavy rain and again after harvest, since their skin runs thin.
Cornell AgriTech bred a newer cherry variety called Cherry Ember for exactly that reason. Horticulturist Phillip Griffiths gave it a firmer composition, thicker skin, and meatier flesh. The goal was resisting splitting and extending shelf life.
That breeding goal describes, almost trait for trait, what a grape tomato already has naturally. Neither Illinois Extension nor Cornell tests how that thicker skin behaves through an actual freeze and thaw cycle, though. That is an honest gap in the university record, not a claim this guide will paper over.
The whole tomato method, unchanged from cherry tomatoes
Freezing grape tomatoes uses the same no fuss method as cherry tomatoes. Wash them and let them dry completely, since there is no coring step for fruit this small.
Spread them on a baking sheet, not touching, and freeze solid before bagging. That tray step keeps a bag of loose, individual tomatoes all winter instead of one fused clump. This site’s cherry tomato freezing guide covers that tray method in more detail: our freeze cherry tomatoes guide.
Skins on or peeled first
Freezing with skins on is the standard, fastest approach. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension’s freezing guidance confirms tomatoes may be frozen with skins on. The skin slips off easily once thawed.
Nothing in the university record suggests a thicker skin causes trouble in the freezer specifically. Peeling first is possible either way, but it rarely pays for itself on a fruit this small.
How long frozen grape tomatoes actually keep
Nebraska Extension’s freezing guidance recommends eating frozen vegetables within about eight months for the best quality. That window applies to tomatoes generally, grape included, since no extension source breaks the timeline out by tomato type.
A freezer running at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below helps hold that quality. Freezer safe bags, with the air pressed out before sealing, help a tray frozen batch reach the full eight months.
Do not can them later
Iowa State University Extension’s AnswerLine service flags a real limit that applies here too. Tomatoes frozen whole should not later be canned whole or quartered.
Frozen tomatoes pack more tightly into jars than fresh ones do. That changes how heat moves through them during processing. Pick freezing or canning for a given batch, not both in sequence.
What to actually do with thawed grape tomatoes
A thawed grape tomato has already lost the firmness that makes it good raw. Scootermom’s fix on GardenWeb points at the real answer. Cooked dishes that lean into the softer texture work, rather than fighting it.
Slow roasting thawed tomatoes with olive oil and herbs concentrates their flavor as the excess liquid cooks off. Scootermom built the roasted batch with kalamata olives, garlic, feta, and wilted greens over pasta, turning a kitchen accident into a real meal.
Soups, sauces, and pan dishes work just as well for a batch frozen on purpose. Illinois Extension documents grape tomatoes as meatier and less watery than cherry tomatoes. That texture holds up a little better in a simmering pot.
Frequently asked questions
Can you freeze grape tomatoes whole?
Yes. Wash them, dry them, and freeze them whole on a tray before bagging. No blanching or coring is needed, since grape tomatoes have no tough core to remove.
Are grape tomatoes different from cherry tomatoes for freezing purposes?
The freezing method is the same for both. Grape tomatoes carry thicker skin and meatier, less juicy flesh, which university sources document as real structural differences. Neither trait has been tested specifically through a freeze and thaw cycle, though.
Do you need to peel grape tomatoes before freezing?
No. University guidance confirms tomatoes can be frozen with skins on. The skin slips off easily after thawing or under warm running water.
How long do frozen grape tomatoes stay good?
About eight months at best quality, the same window university guidance gives for frozen tomatoes generally. A freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below, with air pressed out of the bag, helps hit that mark.
What can you make with frozen grape tomatoes?
Anything cooked, including soups, sauces, and pan dishes. Slow roasting thawed tomatoes with olive oil and herbs is one real fix. Adding olives, garlic, feta, and greens over pasta turns that roasted batch into a full meal.
Bottom line: you can freeze grape tomatoes the same way you freeze cherry tomatoes, wash, dry, tray freeze, and bag, skins and all. What differs is the fruit itself. Grape tomatoes carry a thicker skin and meatier, less juicy flesh than cherry tomatoes, per university sources, even though neither has tested that skin through an actual freeze and thaw cycle. Frozen grape tomatoes keep for about eight months at best quality and should not be canned afterward. For a thawed batch, a roasted pasta dish makes better use of the texture than a salad ever could. For the cherry tomato version of this method, see our freeze cherry tomatoes guide, and for the fuller freezing picture, see our how to freeze tomatoes guide.
SOURCES
University of Illinois Extension: Is it a Grape or Cherry Tomato? https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/simply-nutritious-quick-and-delicious/2018-04-27-it-grape-or-cherry-tomato
Cornell University, Cornell Small Farms Program: New Cherry Tomatoes Have a Thick Skin. https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2021/01/new-cherry-tomatoes-have-a-thick-skin
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Freezing Raw Tomatoes With and Without Their Skins. https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2019-10/312322.pdf
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, AnswerLine: Remove Tomato Skins Before Preserving. https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2025/07/08/peel-tomatoes-before-preserving/