How to Dehydrate Tomatoes {And Make Tomato Powder}

We have had a bumper tomato season. With so many tomatoes, I decided to dehydrate some and make tomato powder. By adding a little warm water to your tomato powder, it can be used in soups, sauces, pasta dishes, pastes and more. We go through a lot of tomato based products, so by dehydrating tomatoes and making tomato powder, we are also saving a lot of valuable space in our pantry. Read on to learn how to dehydrate tomatoes and make tomato powder with your excess tomatoes too.

How to Dehydrate Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one vegetable that we are able to grow. And we grow a lot of them as we use them in so many dishes. 

To dehydrate tomatoes, first make sure to wash and dry the tomatoes you are going to use.

Next, slice the tomatoes into ¼ ” slices. 

Arrange the slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer.

Place the trays in the dehydrator and set to 51 – 55˚C (125 – 135˚F) for 12 to 15 hours. Depending on where you live, the current conditions and the humidity, they may take a little longer to dry.

They will be dry when they are brittle.

Once the tomato slices are dry, remove them from the racks. They can be conditioned and stored in a glass jar at this point, or you can turn them into tomato powder.

Dehydrate Cherry Tomatoes

We grow a lot a cherry tomatoes, so we have been dehydrating them as well.

To do this, wash the tomatoes and cut them in half.

Place on the dehydrator with the skin side down on the tray.

Dry at 52˚C (125˚F) for around 10 to 18 hours.

When dry, condition and store in an airtight container for up to one year.

Drying Tomatoes in the Oven

If you don’t have a dehydrator, then you can dry tomatoes in the oven.

To do this, wash and dry the tomatoes.

Slice up the tomatoes using large tomatoes, or cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

Place the tomatoes slices / cut cherry tomatoes skin-side down on baking paper lined trays.

Dry in the oven that is set at its lowest temperature – or 77˚C (170˚F) – leaving the door slightly ajar. Place a heat-proof spoon in the door if possible.

Dry for around 4 to 8 hours, until dry. Make sure to keep an eye of them for any burning or browning.

Condition and store in an airtight container for up to 12 months.

Conditioning Dried Tomato

Once the tomato has been full dehydrated, it will need to be conditioned to be kept without going off.

Fill a jar about two-thirds full and seal the lid. Over the next week or so, shake the jar a couple of times a day.

If you start to see mould, they will need to be thrown out. If you see moisture, they are not dried enough, and need to be placed back into the dehydrator. 

Once they have been conditioned, the jars can be fulled completely and stored in a cool, dark place. If they do start to have a strong smell or you can see moisture in the jars, it is time to dehydrate another batch of tomatoes.

Using Dried Tomatoes

Dried tomatoes can be used in many ways including:

• in salads
• as a snack on their own
• used to make sun-dried tomatoes – store in the fridge
• added to spaghetti sauces, stews, chillies or casseroles
• added to breads, muffins, and other baked dishes
• in pasta dishes
• as a pizza topping
• mixed through egg dishes such as scrambled eggs
• to make pesto

Make Tomato Powder

To make tomato powder, grind down your dried tomato slices until you have a nice, fine powder. A blender, food processor or coffee grinder work well for this. If using a food processor to powder the tomato, you may need to pour the powder through a fine-mesh strainer to sift the coarse bits out and reprocess.

Store the powder in a mason jar and keep in a cool, dry place. For long term storage, you can seal the jar with a Foodsaver.

Dehydrate other Fruits and Vegetables

• Apples
• Bananas
• Lemons
• Mulberries
• Oranges
• Garlic
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Calendula
• Basil
• Pumpkin

Using Tomato Powder

Tomato powder is so very handy. It is easy to make, has a long shelf life, is inexpensive and is so very versatile. Here are some ways to use tomato powder.

Paste

To make a paste with the tomato powder, use a ratio of 1:1. Therefore 1 teaspoon of tomato powder to 1 teaspoon of warm water. A little salt can be added to taste. If you find that it is not thick enough for you, try using another part of powder (2:1).

Sauce

To make a sauce, use a ratio of 1:2. Therefore 1 teaspoon of tomato powder to 2 teaspoons of warm water. Again, a little salt can be added, if desired. To make around 1 cup of sauce, mix ¼ cup of powder with ½ cup of water.

For a simple tomato sauce recipe add a little salt, onion powder, garlic powder, honey and white vinegar and simmer for around 20 minutes.

For a pizza sauce, make the sauce as above, and add your favourite herbs such as Italian herbs, basil, thyme, or oregano.

Soup

To make tomato soup use 1 teaspoon of tomato powder, 1 teaspoon of warm water and 2 teaspoons of cream.

To thicken a soup, stir through a little powder until you get your desired thickness.

Juice

To make tomato juice, use 1 teaspoon of powder to ½ cup of water

Additional Uses

Tomato powder can also be used as a thickener in chill’s, and stews.

It will also add a delicious flavour to meatloaves, taco meat seasoning, pizza sauce and more.