How to dehydrate tomatoes at home | The Ultimate Guide
To dehydrate tomatoes at home, wash and halve or quarter them, sprinkle on a little salt to draw out moisture, then dry them in a dehydrator at 55 to 60°C (130 to 140°F) for 8 to 12 hours, until they are dry and flexible but not brittle. Once cooled, you can eat them as a snack or pack them into a sterilized jar under olive oil to keep for months.
Dehydrating tomatoes is one of the easiest ways to hold on to their sweet, concentrated flavor long after tomato season ends. It is a hands-off method that turns a big batch of ripe tomatoes into an ingredient you can drop into soups, stews, sauces, and pasta all year round. In this article, I will explain how to dehydrate tomatoes (and my go-to technique that works every time), how to store dehydrated tomatoes, and, of course, what to do with dehydrated tomatoes so you can enjoy their amazing taste all year long. Let’s begin!
Why dehydrate your own tomatoes?
Drying tomatoes concentrates their sugars and deepens their flavor, so a small handful adds a big savory punch to whatever you are cooking. Homemade dried tomatoes also give you full control: you decide how much salt goes in, which spices join them in the jar, and what oil you preserve them in. They store compactly, they travel well, and they save the flavor of a summer glut for the middle of winter. If you grow your own tomatoes and hate to see any go to waste, this is the method for you.
What you need
- 1 kg cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 300 ml extra virgin olive oil (for storing the dried tomatoes in a jar)
- Optional: oregano, basil, garlic, or pepper to layer in the jar
Cherry tomatoes are my pick here because they are naturally sweet and dry evenly, but the same method works for larger tomatoes too. The olive oil is not part of the drying itself; it is what keeps the finished tomatoes soft and protected once they go into the jar, so reach for a good extra virgin one.
My tip: if you want to preserve the color and freshness of your tomatoes, choose ripe ones at peak ripeness so they stay bright and flavorful after drying. Underripe tomatoes tend to taste flat once the water is gone.
How to dehydrate tomatoes at home, step by step
Now that you know why dried tomatoes earn their place in the pantry, here is my dried tomatoes recipe from start to finish.
- Wash the tomatoes well.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters. You can scoop out the seeds if you prefer, which helps them dry a little faster.
- Sprinkle salt over the tomatoes to help draw out the moisture.
- Arrange the tomatoes on the dehydrator trays, leaving space between them so air can circulate.
- Set the dehydrator to 55 to 60°C (130 to 140°F).
- Dehydrate for 8 to 12 hours, until the tomatoes are dry and flexible but not brittle. The exact time depends on the thickness of the pieces and how juicy your tomatoes are.
- Check on them now and then, and take them out once they are completely dry.
If you are working with big beefsteak tomatoes instead of cherries, cut them into even slices. You can use a sharp knife, but I recommend a mandolin so every slice is the same thickness; uniform pieces dry at the same rate and you avoid ending up with some brittle and some still damp. I use a dehydrator with several evenly spaced trays, which gives me enough room to dry big batches at once, and I love that I can dry herbs and all sorts of other fruits and veggies in it too.
Tips for perfectly dried tomatoes
A few small habits make the difference between chewy, jammy tomatoes and a tray of unevenly dried pieces:
- Cut everything to a similar size so the whole batch finishes together.
- Do not crowd the trays. Air needs to move around each piece.
- Aim for flexible and leathery, not crisp. Over-dried tomatoes turn brittle and lose that pleasant chew.
- Start checking toward the earlier end of the time range, since thinner pieces can be done well before 12 hours.
- Let them cool completely before you jar them, or trapped warmth can create condensation.
While an oven set to its lowest temperature can also dry tomatoes, I definitely recommend using a dehydrator. It holds a low, even heat all around the trays, which is exactly what you want for slow, gentle drying.
How to store dehydrated tomatoes
My favorite way to store dried tomatoes is in a jar with olive oil. Once the tomatoes are completely cool, sterilize your jars and lids by boiling them or running them through the dishwasher. Arrange the tomatoes in layers in a clean jar, tucking in a little oregano, basil, garlic, or pepper between the layers if you like. Pour extra virgin olive oil over the top until the tomatoes are fully covered, then gently shake the jar or slide a knife down the side to release any trapped air bubbles.
Close the jars tightly with the sterilized lids and keep them somewhere cool and dark. Stored this way, tomatoes preserved in oil keep for several months. Once you open a jar, move it to the refrigerator and use it up within a few weeks. If you would rather not use oil, fully dried tomatoes also keep well on their own in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot.
Ways to use your dehydrated tomatoes
Once you have a jar of these on hand, they turn up everywhere in my kitchen. They are lovely straight from the jar as a snack, and I also blitz them into a dried tomato powder to season soups and dressings, or simmer them into a quick dried tomato soup when I want something cozy. Chopped, they melt into sauces and stir into a vegan roasted tomato risotto beautifully.
For something quick, toss a few into creamy avocado pasta with basil and tomatoes, or blend them into a batch of homemade salsa. And if you grow your own tomatoes, you will want to check my guide on how to save tomato seeds so next summer’s crop is ready to dry all over again.
If you make a batch of these dehydrated tomatoes, I would love to hear how you used your jar. Leave a star rating and a comment below and tell me whether you turned yours into powder, stirred them into soup, or just snacked on them by the handful.
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Dried tomatoes in olive oil recipe – How to dehydrate tomatoes at home
Ingredients
- 1 kg cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 300 ml olive oil
Instructions
Tomatoes prep:
- Wash the tomatoes well.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters. You can remove the seeds if you prefer.
- Sprinkle salt over the tomatoes to help draw out the moisture.
Dehydration:
- Arrange the tomatoes on the trays of the dehydrator, leaving space between them to allow air circulation.
- Set the dehydrator to 55-60°C (130-140°F).
- Dehydrate the tomatoes for 8-12 hours, until they become dry and flexible, but not brittle. The time may vary depending on the thickness of the slices and the water content of the tomatoes.
Checking the tomatoes:
- Periodically check the tomatoes during the dehydration process. Take them out when they are completely dry.
- Let the tomatoes cool down completely before putting them in the oil.
Preservation in olive oil:
- Sterilize jars and lids by boiling or washing in the dishwasher.
- In a clean jar, arrange layers of dehydrated tomatoes.
- Optionally add spices such as oregano, basil, garlic or pepper between layers for extra flavor.
- Pour extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes until they are completely covered. Make sure there are no air bubbles by gently shaking the jar or using a knife to remove the bubbles.
Storage:
- Close the jars well with the sterilized lids.
- Keep the jars in a cool and dark place. Tomatoes dehydrated and preserved in oil can be kept this way for several months.
- After opening, keep the jars in the refrigerator and consume them within a few weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Set your dehydrator to 55 to 60°C (130 to 140°F). At that low, steady heat, cherry tomatoes take roughly 8 to 12 hours to dry. The exact time depends on the thickness of the pieces and how much water the tomatoes hold.
They should feel dry and flexible but not brittle, a bit like soft leather. Start checking toward the earlier end of the time range, since thinner pieces finish sooner. If they snap and crumble, they have gone slightly too far, though they are still fine to use.
No, removing the seeds is optional. Scooping out the seeds and juicy centers does help the tomatoes dry a little faster and more evenly, so it can be worth it with larger, wetter tomatoes. With small cherry tomatoes you can simply halve or quarter them and leave the seeds in.
Packed in a sterilized jar and fully covered with olive oil, they keep in a cool, dark place for several months. Once you open the jar, store it in the refrigerator and use it within a few weeks. Tomatoes dried thoroughly and kept dry in an airtight container also store well without oil.
Yes, an oven on its lowest setting can dry tomatoes, but a dehydrator is my preferred method. A dehydrator holds a low, even temperature all around the trays, which is ideal for slow, gentle drying. A convection oven helps if you go the oven route, since it circulates the heat more evenly.
No, oil is just my favorite option because it keeps the tomatoes soft and adds flavor. If you use oil, make sure the tomatoes are completely cool and fully submerged, and release any air bubbles for safe storage. Otherwise, keep fully dried tomatoes in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Beautiful recipe with simple ingredients and amazing results.
Great guide!