A quick and simple DIY for how to make ‘sun-dried’ tomatoes at home either in the oven or a dehydrator. All you need are tomatoes and a little patience – for delicious, flavor-packed, tangy semi-dried tomatoes!
Whether you grow your own tomatoes, have been receiving an abundance of them in recent produce boxes, or just love them – homemade ‘sun-dried’ tomatoes are a delicious way to use your tomatoes today. Unlike with store-bought varieties, this homemade version is cheaper (significantly so), and customizable with additional herbs and spices.
Unfortunately (but not really), these ‘sun dried’ tomatoes aren’t dried in the sun. If you live here in the UK, then you’ll probably understand why: the sun is less than reliable, and we couldn’t be described as a warm climate. With that in mind, I’m providing methods that I know will work every single time, regardless of the weather and humidity!
Within this post, I’ve included methods for oven-dried tomatoes and using a dehydrator. All you need is just one ingredient, too: tomatoes! (with some optional extras).
The Ingredients
Fresh Tomatoes: I like to use either grape, Campari, or cherry tomatoes for their smaller size – which means faster dry times, and their flavor.
However, you can really use any ripe tomatoes that you have available to you- with fleshier varieties being best (as there’s less liquid to dry out within them). However, as long as you use tomatoes that are relatively the same size (that way they’ll dry out at the same rate), then it should work.
If using tomatoes that are juicy and have a lot of flesh inside, like Plum (Roma) tomatoes, then it can be best to scoop out the flesh before drying. You can then use that in other recipes, so it doesn’t go to waste.
Optional Ingredients
Salt (sea salt, kosher salt, etc.): Sprinkling a tiny amount of salt over the tomatoes before drying can help to bring out the flavor within the tomatoes. However, be very light when doing this as the plants lose around 90% of their water content/ weight during the drying process, so if you’re not careful, it’s easy to over-salt the tomatoes.
Fresh Herbs: If you want to customize different batches with extra flavors, then you can with the addition of herbs and seasonings. Add these within the last hour or two of baking/dehydrating. You can use fresh or dried herbs for this.
Alternatively, if storing the dried tomatoes in a jar of oil, then you can infuse the oil with herbs, garlic, chili, etc.
The Step By Step Instructions
Wash the tomatoes and remove their stems.
Cut them in two or cut them into slices if using bigger tomatoes. Then place on a baking sheet or a dehydrator tray, cut side upwards.
If using a dehydrator, dry them at 68ºC/155ºF for between 7-9 hours. The overall drying time will depend on the tomato freshness, size, as well as overall humidity.
If using an oven, either dry them at about 70ºC/160ºF for about 7 hours or select the lowest possible temperature and dehydrate for about 4 hours. It’s best to prop open the oven door with a heat-proof wooden spoon so steam is released from the oven.
The tomatoes are ready when they are dry (not squishy) but bendy/pliable still rather than snappable. Pay attention to them towards the end of the drying time to make sure they aren’t dried too long (which can make them tough).
How to Use:
These flavor-packed goodies can be used within tons of recipes- here are a few of my top suggestions.
- Toss into salads for little flavor-packed bites (like this Easy Potato Salad With Egg (Mashed Potato Salad), Vegan Feta Cheese Greek Salad, or Simple quinoa salad with walnuts and avocado)
- Within baked goods (like these Sundried Tomato Savoury Muffins & Rainbow Hummus Frosting)
- Mix into pasta dishes (like this Easy Vegan Bechamel Pasta Bake or Vegetarian One-Pot Pasta bake)
- Top soups, stews, and even pizza (like Creamy Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup, Sweet Potato Crust Rainbow Pizza, or Butternut Squash Pizza)
- Mix into sandwiches, wraps, and other ‘bread’ dishes (Homemade Easy Falafel wrap)
- Use within pesto, dips, sauces, and marinades (like Rainbow Hummus 6 ways)
- Add to a homemade antipasto/cheese platter (with dairy cheese like Goat Cheese or dairy-free like this Simple Homemade Vegan Cashew Cheese, Simple Smoky Vegan Cheddar Cheese )
- Add to burgers, for additional flavor (like this Mushroom ‘bun’ burger)
- Mix into scrambled eggs/ scrambled tofu
- Use to flavor compound butter
- Use as a filling for quiches and tarts
Plus, the little jars make for a great gift for foodies!
How to Store
Advice on storing ‘sun dried’ tomatoes differs, depending on the source- so I’ll provide what I know to be correct, to the best of my knowledge. I usually use my tomatoes within a week anyway – so have never dealt with them spoiling.
You can freeze freshly dried tomatoes in a freezer-safe bag for between 3-4 months. Simply lay in a single layer on a sheet to freeze before transferring to another bag/container (that way they won’t stick together while freezing).
You can also store in an airtight jar within the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Alternatively, place the tomatoes in a large jar and drizzle with olive oil until they are fully submerged. If you’re using plain oil, then these will be fine for between 1-2 weeks (though a friend told me she once had hers for three months, with no issues). If you decide to infuse the oil with fresh herbs, chili, or garlic- then the tomatoes will need to be eaten within 4 days.
Tip: To further extend the shelf life of the tomatoes, dip them in a little lemon/ lime juice before submerging in olive oil. This will help to prevent bacteria growth.
Recipe Notes
- You may be able to ‘pressure can’ these for long-term storage. However, it isn’t something I have experience doing, so I don’t know the best practice.
- If you’d like to rehydrate the tomatoes slightly before using, soak them in hot water or vegetable stock for 15-20 minutes. The soaking liquid can then be used within soups, stews, etc.
- Allow the tomatoes to cool completely in the oven, with the door propped open. This will help them to dry further as they cool down.
- Feel free to chop up the tomatoes before storing in the fridge/ freezer if you want to use them I recipes where they’ll always be chopped. That way, they’re ready to go!
- With sun-dried tomatoes, the flavors will improve over time as they sit. Especially if you add dried herbs to the oil, allowing them to marinate for at least a day before using will increase the flavor a lot.
If you try this sun dried tomato recipe, then let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
How to Make “Sun-Dried” Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2.2 lb tomatoes I use cherry, grape, and campari most often. However, you can also use roma tomatoes too or larger ones, sliced thinly rather than halved.
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes and remove their stems.
- Cut them in two or cut them into slices if using bigger tomatoes. Then place on a baking sheet or a dehydrator tray, cut side upwards.
- If using a dehydrator, dry them at 68ºC/155ºF for between 7-9 hours. The overall drying time will depend on the tomato freshness, size, as well as overall humidity.
- If using an oven, either dry them at about 70ºC/160ºF for about 7 hours or select the lowest possible temperature and dehydrate for about 4 hours. It's best to prop open the oven door with a heat-proof wooden spoon- so steam is released from the oven.
- The tomatoes are ready when they are dry (not squishy) but bendy/pliable still rather than snappable. Pay attention to them towards the end of the drying time to make sure they aren’t dried too long (which can make them tough).’
How To Store
- You can freeze freshly dried tomatoes in a freezer-safe bag for between 3-4 months. Simply lay in a single layer on a sheet to freeze before transferring to another bag/container (that way they won't stick together while freezing). You can also store in an airtight jar within the fridge for 1-2 weeks.Alternatively, place the tomatoes in a large jar and drizzle with olive oil until they are fully submerged. If you're using plain oil, then these will be fine for between 1-2 weeks (though a friend told me she once had hers for three months, with no issues). If you decide to infuse the oil with fresh herbs, chili, or garlic- then the tomatoes will need to be eaten within 4 days.Tip: To further extend the shelf life of the tomatoes, dip them in a little lemon/ lime juice before submerging in olive oil. This will help to prevent bacteria growth.
Video
Notes
- You may be able to ‘pressure can’ these for long-term storage. However, it isn’t something I have experience doing, so I don’t know the best practice.
- If you’d like to rehydrate the tomatoes slightly before using, soak them in hot water or vegetable stock for 15-20 minutes. The soaking liquid can then be used within soups, stews, etc.
- Allow the tomatoes to cool completely in the oven, with the door propped open. This will help them to dry further as they cool down.
- Feel free to chop up the tomatoes before storing in the fridge/ freezer if you want to use them I recipes where they’ll always be chopped. That way, they’re ready to go!
- With sun-dried tomatoes, the flavors will improve over time as they sit. Especially if you add dried herbs to the oil, allowing them to marinate for at least a day before using will increase the flavor a lot.
Lori Costley Diehl
Just made these yesterday. I used Campari tomatoes cut them about a fourth of an inch thick took out the seeds and then laid them in my dehydrator. It took approximately 5 to 6 hours when I took them out while they were still a bit playable.
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Thank you for your comment, Lori. Glad you gave this recipe a try.