Dehydrated Tomatoes: Flavor-Packed and Ready for Your Pantry
Inside: There are creative ways to use dehydrated tomatoes, from making tomato powder to enhancing soups, sauces, and snacks.
I canned so many tomatoes this year. I didn't want to can anymore… nor did I want to buy more jars to can in. So I decided to try something different. Dehydrating tomatoes instead. They take up less space in my cupboards and have many uses. Bonus: it's easy to make dehydrated tomatoes.
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Dehydrated Tomatoes: Flavor-Packed and Ready for Your Pantry
I have two recommendations:
One, silicone/mesh sheets like those for making fruit wraps are great because the tomatoes are going to stick, they could potentially dry into the openings of your dehydrator trays.
Two, don't dehydrate something else under your tomato slices as the juices will drip down a little.
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What Type of Tomatoes Can Be Dehydrated?Â
All types of tomatoes can be dehydrated! That includes the little cherry tomatoes that you grow in your home garden, heirloom tomatoes from the farmer’s market, and plum tomatoes. They will all work!
How to Dehydrate Tomatoes
- Tomatoes need to be sliced into pieces to properly dry. Most cherry tomatoes can be sliced in half, although larger ones should be quartered. Bigger tomatoes should be cut up into slices no thicker than ¼ inch.
- You can remove some or all of the seeds & gel from the inside of the tomatoes using a small spoon. There is no harm in leaving them, but if you don’t want them, this is the time to remove them.
- If you’re using a tray that has large holes, line it with parchment paper or, better yet, a mesh liner cut to the size of your tray. Leave space between the pieces to allow air to circulate.
- If possible, place skin side down (ex. halved cherry tomatoes). Tomatoes contain sugar-rich juices which can cause them to stick to the try when dehydrated. So if possible, place them skin down, cut side up.
- Dehydrate at 125ºF (52ºC) for roughly 8-14 hours until the tomatoes are dry and leathery.
- Depending on your machine, you may need to rotate the trays every so often to promote even drying.
What to Do with Dehydrated Tomatoes
Make Tomato Powder
Grind the dehydrated tomatoes into a fine powder and use it to boost flavor in soups, stews, sauces, and even as a seasoning for meats and roasted vegetables. Tomato powder is great for adding a concentrated tomato flavor without the liquid.
Rehydrate for Recipes
Dehydrated tomatoes can be rehydrated by soaking them in water for about 20-30 minutes. Once softened, they can be used in sauces, pasta dishes, casseroles, or anywhere fresh tomatoes are called for.
More Ideas:
- Add to Soups and Stews
- Blend into Sauces
- Tomato Chips for Snacking
- Add to Salads
- Pizza and Flatbreads
- Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- Enhance Omelets and Frittatas
- DIY Flavored Olive Oil
- Toss into Trail Mix
- In Homemade Bread
These ideas should offer a variety of ways to use dehydrated tomatoes beyond just rehydrating them, making them a must-have pantry staple!
I store my dehydrated goods in mason jars, everything goes into mason jars. My cupboards and fridge are full of them.
I recently bought a Mason vacuum sealer. I love new toys. Every jar with dried goods in it has been sealed, including my dehydrated tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I salt my tomatoes before dehydrating? A light sprinkle of salt tastes great but also helps extract the water from the tomato.
How long are dehydrated tomatoes good for? Store dry tomatoes in air-tight freezer bags. Store in a cool (60 F), dark place or freeze. Be sure to press out the air of the bags. For best quality, use within 6 to 9 months.
Is it better to freeze or dehydrate tomatoes? Dehydrated tomatoes take up little cupboard space, preparing them requires minimal hands-on work, and, like other food preservation techniques, dehydration helps prevent food from going bad.
Want More?
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