If you want to preserve your tomatoes’ delicious flavor for a long time, dehydrating them is a great option. Plus, you don’t need a fancy dehydrator – you can simply use your oven!
Dried tomatoes combine perfectly with herbs, olive oil, pizzas, and salads, and you can also use them to make a tasteful red pesto.
In this article, we are going to explain a thorough process of dehydrating tomatoes in the oven. So, get ready to savor the intense taste of sun-dried tomatoes right from your very own kitchen!
How To Do It
Homegrown tomatoes that are low in water and have fewer seeds are perfect for dehydration. Ideal varieties are Roma, San Marzano, and White cherry, though you can use whichever variety you prefer.
Thoroughly clean your tomatoes and leave them to dry. Then, you can either slice them in half or simply cut them into smaller pieces. If there are any seeds you can gently scoop them out.
Before you put them in the oven, you should preheat it to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay your sliced tomatoes on a baking sheet but leave the cut side up. Now is the time to add a bit of olive oil, sea salt, and pepper (this is optional).
Put your tomatoes in the oven for about an hour. After that, take them out and add some fresh herbs (I usually go with basil or rosemary). Once you’ve added herbs, return them for an hour or two until they are completely dry.
Take them out of the oven and let them cool down. Then, put them in an airtight container – you can use ziploc-bags. Put them in the freezer and use them whenever you want. However, you can also immerse them into olive oil and keep them in a jar.
Also read: 8 Simple Strategies To Get More Tomatoes And Boost Your Harvest
How You Can Use Dry Tomatoes
If you need some ideas for how to use dehydrated tomatoes, we’ve got you covered!
Dried tomatoes have an intense and rich flavor. They are usually added to homemade pizzas since they combine perfectly with feta and prosciutto.
These dried tomatoes go well with other types of cheese: for instance, I add them to my sandwiches along with mozzarella and arugula – it tastes amazing!
Tomato soups can also be made with dried tomatoes; all you have to do is mix them in a blender to make a puree. You can stuff them in chicken breast, eggplants, or simply eat them with other veggies.
You can check out: 40+ Sun Dried Tomato Recipes (How to Use Them)