Drying tomatoes is not only easy, it is a great way to use surplus tomatoes from your garden and they taste amazing! Learn how to make sun dried tomatoes in the oven, in the sun or in a dehydrator to create a delicious ingredient that can be added to a variety of different dishes.
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Sun dried tomatoes retain their sweetness and nutrients while losing most of their water. What you are left with is a concentrated and intense tomato flavoured piece of flesh. They are amazing when added to dishes in which you want the tomato flavour to shine through.
What Tomatoes to use?
Though fleshier tomatoes work best due to having less water, any tomatoes can be sun dried. Just remember, the bigger the tomato, the longer it will take to dry.
I like to sun dry the smaller tomatoes that are still left towards the end of the season.
Using Sun Dried Tomatoes
There are many ways to use sun dried tomatoes:
- Salads such as Caprese salad and pasta salad
- Pesto
- Scrambled eggs
- On sandwiches, burgers and pizza
- Sauces, Dressings, Marinades and Dips
- Frittatas
- Soups and Stews
- Antipasto / Charcuterie / Cheese Boards and Platters
Sun Dried Tomato Notes
- For extra flavour, try sprinkling a small amount of dry herbs or spices over the tomatoes when sprinkling on the salt.
- Only use a small amount of salt or you may find that once dried, the tomatoes will be a little to salty.
How to Know when the Tomatoes are Done?
When they are done, they will be very dry, though still pliable. They will not be moist or squishy.
If they aren’t dried enough, they won’t last long, becoming mouldy very quickly.
If they are brittle and break, they have been dried too much, and can be made into tomato powder.
Ingredients for Sun Dried Tomatoes
To make around 1 cup of sun dried tomatoes, you will need:
- 900g (2 Pounds) Cherry / Grape Tomatoes
- 2 TBSP Olive Oil, as needed
- Salt, to Taste
Making Sun Dried Tomatoes
Sun dried tomatoes can be made using the oven, the sun and in a dehydrator.
In the Oven
Preheat oven to 102˚C / 215˚F.
Line two baking trays with baking paper or silicon baking mats.
Wash and slice the tomatoes in half.
Place the cut tomatoes, cut side up, over the prepared baking trays, leaving a space of around 1″ in between pieces to allow the tomato juices to evaporate.
Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
Bake for two hours, then turn the tomatoes over. Bake for a further two hours or until the tomatoes are dried.
Turn off the oven and allow the tomatoes to continue to dry in the oven overnight.
In the morning, place in a glass jar and store in the fridge.
In the Sun
Wash and slice the tomatoes in half.
Place the tomatoes on a raised screen that is set on blocks for good air circulation.
Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
Leave in the hot sun to dry.
Depending on the weather, the heat and the air, this may take some time – days or even weeks. You may need to bring the screens inside or place in a sheltered area overnight.
Also, keep an eye on critters. You may need to cover them with cheesecloth or something similar.
This method works well if you live in a warm, dry area with consistent weather. High humidity can make drying the tomatoes difficult.
In the Dehydrator
Set the temperature to 60˚C / 140˚F.
Wash and slice the tomatoes in half.
Place the cut tomatoes, cut side up, over the dehydrator trays, leaving a space of around 1″ in between pieces to allow the tomato juices to evaporate.
Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
Dehydrate until the tomatoes are dried. Turn them over after a couple of hours.
Storing Sun Dried Tomatoes
Place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Or, add additional olive oil with garlic and herbs if desired, to the jar with the tomatoes and they will last for up to four days in the fridge or can be frozen for a longer period of time. Layer the herbs and garlic between tomatoes and then pour olive oil over the top until everything is completely submerged. If using fresh herbs, the jars will only last a couple of days in the fridge. To help prevent the growth of bacteria, you can dip the dried tomatoes in bottle lemon or lime juice before adding them to the jar and pouring oil over them.
They can also be stored in a freezer safe container in the freezer for a few months.
Check for signs of mould and discard if needed.
Reconstitute Sun Dried Tomatoes
To reconstitute sun dried tomatoes, soak them in warm water, wine or broth for around 30 minutes. They will be soft and pliable when done. Remove from the water and pat them dry with paper towel. Use as per recipe.
The water that was used to soak the tomatoes can be used in soups or stews.
More Tomato Resources
- Tips for Growing Tomatoes
- How to Dehydrate Tomatoes and Make Tomato Powder
- Marinated Zucchini Tomato Salad
- Tomato-Spinach Pasta Salad
- Classic Greek Salad
- Tomato Bruschetta
- Simple Ways to Preserve Tomatoes
How to Make Sun Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 900 g Cherry / Grape Tomatoes
- 2 TBSP Olive Oil As needed
- Salt To Taste
Instructions
In the Oven
- Preheat oven to 102˚C / 215˚F.
- Line two baking trays with baking paper or silicon baking mats.
- Wash and slice the tomatoes in half.
- Place the cut tomatoes, cut side up, over the prepared baking trays, leaving a space of around 1" in between pieces to allow the tomato juices to evaporate.
- Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
- Bake for two hours, then turn the tomatoes over. Bake for a further two hours or until the tomatoes are dried.
- Turn off the oven and allow the tomatoes to continue to dry in the oven overnight.
- In the morning, place in a glass jar and store in the fridge.
In the Sun
- Wash and slice the tomatoes in half.
- Place the tomatoes on a raised screen that is set on blocks for good air circulation.
- Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
- Leave in the hot sun to dry.
- Depending on the weather, the heat and the air, this may take some time - days or even weeks. You may need to bring the screens inside or place in a sheltered area overnight.
- Also, keep an eye on critters. You may need to cover them with cheesecloth or something similar.
- This method works well if you live in a warm, dry area with consistent weather. High humidity can make drying the tomatoes difficult.
In the Dehydrator
- Set the temperature to 60˚C / 140˚F.
- Wash and slice the tomatoes in half.
- Place the cut tomatoes, cut side up, over the dehydrator trays, leaving a space of around 1" in between pieces to allow the tomato juices to evaporate.
- Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
- Dehydrate until the tomatoes are dried. Turn them over after a couple of hours.
Storing Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Or, add additional olive oil with garlic and herbs if desired, to the jar with the tomatoes and they will last for up to four days in the fridge or can be frozen for a longer period of time. Layer the herbs and garlic between tomatoes and then pour olive oil over the top until everything is completely submerged. If using fresh herbs, the jars will only last a couple of days in the fridge. To help prevent the growth of bacteria, you can dip the dried tomatoes in bottle lemon or lime juice before adding them to the jar and pouring oil over them.
- They can also be stored in a freezer safe container in the freezer for a few months.
- Check for signs of mould and discard if needed.
Reconstitute Sun Dried Tomatoes
- To reconstitute sun dried tomatoes, soak them in warm water, wine or broth for around 30 minutes. They will be soft and pliable when done. Remove from the water and pat them dry with paper towel. Use as per recipe.
- The water that was used to soak the tomatoes can be used in soups or stews.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. The values may vary according to the ingredients and tools that are used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed information.
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