This Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil recipe is the perfect answer for those times when you have a large tomato crop and want to preserve some for later. Sun-dried tomatoes go great in most pasta dishes, but I especially love them in my Easy Marry Me Chicken recipe and in lasagna.
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🧐Why This Recipe Works
- This homemade sun-dried tomatoes recipe is very easy to make.
- You can prepare this recipe in a variety of ways including in the oven, in a dehydrator, or outside, in the sun.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil have a long shelf life, as long as there is no cross-contamination.
🔖 Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tomatoes: I prefer to use grape or cherry tomatoes however, other types of tomatoes can be dried in the same way by slicing them into thin slices.
- Fresh Herbs: Besides basil and oregano, you can use thyme, rosemary, or your favorite herbs.
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil. It makes all the difference!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is added to each jar for additional flavor.
🍅How to Make This Recipe
STEP 1: Pick tomatoes, then wash and dry them.
STEP 2: Slice the tomatoes in half. Carefully remove the seeds without removing the pulp in between the seeds. Arrange the tomatoes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
STEP 3: Sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt, basil, and oregano.
STEP 4: Place the tomatoes on the dehydrator trays, allowing some room between the tomatoes for air circulation. Follow the temperature and times suggested by your dehydrator. It took my dehydrator eight hours to dehydrate the tomatoes to the right consistency.
STEP 5: Divide the tomatoes between two sterilized jars. Peel the garlic and cut it in half, then divide it between the jars.
STEP 6: Pour the olive oil over the tomatoes, making sure they are completely submerged. Seal the jar and store it in the refrigerator.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
So, you want to make sun-dried tomatoes, but don't own a dehydrator? No problem, you can simply roast the tomatoes in the oven (200 degrees for 6-8 hours) depending on the size of the tomatoes.
Another way to dry tomatoes is to place them on a baking sheet and leave them outside for 2 to 3 days, or until completely dry. The length of time it takes until the moisture is eliminated will depend on the weather conditions including the humidity.
Be sure to cover the tomato slices with cheesecloth to keep flies and other insects off of the tomatoes while they dry.
Sun-dried tomatoes can be used in all kinds of recipes! You can add sun-dried tomatoes to pasta dishes, soups, stews, dips, and pizza!
Or add sun-dried tomatoes to sandwiches and pestos. You can even blend them with mayo and other ingredients to make a sun-dried aioli!
Dehydrators come in a variety of styles and prices. Besides making sun-dried tomatoes, you can use the dehydrator to make many other things like pineapple chips, jerky, dried herbs, and fruit leather!
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Try sprinkling the tomatoes with other herbs that you may prefer, such as rosemary or thyme.
- Be careful not to over-dry the tomatoes. They should still be somewhat pliable and have a chewy texture.
- For longer storage, sterilize your glass jars and use a water bath to seal them. You might also consider adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to each jar prior to sealing them. The acid helps to preserve them even further.
- To avoid spoilage for longer storage, don't add garlic.
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📖 Recipe
Dehydrated "Sun-Dried" Tomatoes in Oil
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Roma tomatoes
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic
- olive oil
Instructions
- Pick tomatoes, then wash and dry them.
- Slice the tomatoes in half. Carefully remove the seeds without removing the pulp in-between the seeds. Arrange the tomatoes on a cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt, basil, and oregano.
- Place the tomatoes on the dehydrator trays, allowing some room between the tomatoes for air circulation.
- Follow the temperature and times suggested by your dehydrator. It took my dehydrator eight hours to dehydrate the tomatoes to the right consistency.
- Divide the tomatoes between two sterilized jars. Peel the garlic and cut in half, then divide between the jars.
- Pour the olive oil over the tomatoes, making sure they are completely submerged. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Try sprinkling the tomatoes with other herbs that you may prefer, such as rosemary or thyme.
- Be careful not to over-dry the tomatoes. They should still be somewhat pliable and have a chewy texture.
- For longer storage, sterilize your glass jars and use a water bath to seal them. You might also consider adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to each jar prior to sealing them. The acid helps to preserve them even further.
- To avoid spoilage for longer storage, don't add garlic.
Karla L Cole says
When you say vacuum seal, are you talking about canning them in water like with pasta sauce?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Karla,
I would absolutely recommend canning them in water for longer storage.