Sundried Tomatoes Recipe

Learn 3 easy ways to make sun-dried tomatoes at home. Perfect for pastas, pizzas, salads and preserving excess garden tomatoes!

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Bowl of sun-dried tomatoes with fresh whole tomatoes and herbs in the background.

This sundried tomatoes recipe shows you how to transform fresh summer tomatoes into intensely flavorful, chewy gems with your choice of three easy drying methods! Seasoned with salt, pepper, and a kick of crushed red pepper, these versatile preserves elevate pastas, pizzas, salads, and egg dishes with a savory-sweet punch. Make a batch today and enjoy that concentrated sun-ripened taste all year long.

Sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl. Fresh tomatoes in the background.

These homemade sundried tomatoes don’t need to be daunting or difficult to make. In fact, anyone can make these! To help you, I’ve listed three drying methods that you can choose from. Try the one that best fits your setup and schedule. This sundried tomatoes recipe also walks you through packing your finished tomatoes in olive oil with garlic and fresh herbs for refrigerated storage, ready to use whenever a recipe calls for that intense, savory burst of flavor!

Learn how to make sundried tomatoes at home and instantly transform your egg breakfast, pasta salad, pizza, and appetizers (like my Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta), with intense, savory flavor. Plus, they’re the ideal way to preserve an overabundant garden harvest so not a single tomato goes to waste.

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🫐 Ingredients:
Substitutions and Variations
🔪 Instructions:
Recipe Tips for Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Fun Fact
Recipe FAQs
Recipes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sundried Tomatoes Recipe

🫐 Ingredients:

These homemade sundried tomatoes contain a number of basic ingredients, and all of them are easy to find at your local grocery store. Let’s talk about the most important ingredients.

Tomatoes – You can use Roma, Capri, cherry, or plum tomatoes for this sun-dried tomatoes recipe.
Seasonings – a mix of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Packing oil – a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs (oregano and basil) are used to store sun-dried tomatoes in when storing in the fridge. This is optional and not needed when storing outside the fridge.

For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Equipment Needed:

If you want to dehydrate your tomatoes, you’ll need a dehydrator.

Substitutions and Variations

Type of tomatoes – The best tomatoes for this sun-dried tomatoes recipe include Roma, Capri, cherry, or plum. Feel free to use any of these options.
Packing oil – Swap out the fresh basil and oregano for other favorite herbs. Thyme and rosemary are also great options.
Spicy kick- Sprinkle more crushed red pepper on the prepared tomatoes for a spicier version. You could also use cayenne pepper to take it up a notch.

🔪 Instructions:

PREP: Wash, dry, and slice the tomatoes lengthwise (halving or quartering them as needed), then remove the seeds, excess pulp, and any tough stems before arranging them cut-side up on trays and seasoning with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.

Sliced fresh tomatoes on a wooden kitchen board with seasonings in small bowls and a basket of fresh whole tomatoes in the background.

Halved tomatoes on a mesh rack for sun-drying.

METHOD 1: SUN-DRYING

Step 1: Place tomatoes on mesh racks in direct sun.

Halved and seasoned tomatoes on a mesh rack.

Step 2: Cover with cheesecloth or a mesh screen to keep insects away.

Tip: Make sure to bring the trays indoors overnight. Morning dew can reintroduce moisture and ruin your batch.

Sun-dried tomatoes that appear leathery and pliable on a mesh rack.

Step 3: Sun-dry for 3-7 days, or until leathery and pliable.

Sliced tomatoes arranged cut-side up in a single layer for dehydrating.

METHOD 2: DEHYDRATOR

Step 1: Arrange tomatoes cut-side up in a single layer. Set the dehydrator to 135°F (57°C).

Dehydrated tomatoes on a mesh rack. Fresh tomatoes and spices in the background.

Step 2: Dry for 8-14 hours, until leathery but not brittle.

Halved tomatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

METHOD 3: OVEN

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C). Place tomatoes on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Baked and dried tomatoes on a parchment-lined sheet.

Step 2: Bake for 4-6 hours, rotating trays occasionally, until leathery.

Collage of the steps for packing the sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil.

PACKING IN OIL (FOR SHORT-TERM STORAGE)

Step 1: Pack the cooled dried tomatoes into clean glass jars with whole garlic cloves, fresh oregano, and basil, then cover completely with olive oil (ensuring everything is submerged), seal, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Pro Tip: Packing your sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil is not shelf-stable due to the use of fresh garlic cloves and herbs. As a result, do not store it in the fridge for more than 2-3 weeks.

Bowl filled with sun-dried tomatoes. Fresh whole tomatoes and fresh herbs in the background.

Recipe Tips for Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-drying works best if you live in a hot, dry climate. It will take a long time in a humid climate and the tomatoes may develop mold. Keep this in mind when choosing your preferred method.
Press down on the tomatoes to help squeeze out extra pulp when using the oven method.
Choose uniformly sized tomatoes (Roma or plum work best) so they dry at the same rate. Cherry tomatoes should be halved, but Roma can be quartered if very large.
Don’t skip removing the seeds and pulp as the excess moisture significantly extends drying time and can make the final texture mushy rather than chewy.
Don’t be heavy-handed with the salt. Since drying concentrates flavors, the 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt is plenty. Over-salting now will make the tomatoes inedibly salty later!
For the oven method, keep the oven door slightly ajar (propped with a wooden spoon) to allow moisture to escape. If you don’t, the tomatoes will steam rather than dry.
Always use a clean, dry spoon when removing tomatoes from the oil-packed jar to avoid introducing contaminants.

Fun Fact

Despite their name, most “sun-dried” tomatoes sold in grocery stores today are actually oven-dried or dehydrated. True sun-drying is rare because it requires a specific hot, dry climate, and even then, it can take up to a week.- Homestead And Chill

Sun-dried tomatoes in a jar packed in oil with a spoon. A jar of olive oil and fresh whole tomatoes in the background.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use the oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes straight from the fridge?

I recommend bringing it to room temperature before serving. The cold oil dulls the flavor, and the tomatoes taste far more vibrant when warmed slightly.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely. 3-4 pounds of fresh tomatoes shrink dramatically, so you should expect about 1-1½ cups of sun-dried tomatoes, which is perfect for one pint jar when packed in oil. If you need more, double the recipe, but rotate trays accordingly to avoid overcrowding.

What are the other ways to store my sun-dried tomatoes?

If you don’t want to use the oil-and-jar method, you have several excellent alternatives:

Airtight container (pantry): Store completely cooled, bone-dry tomatoes in an airtight glass jar with an oxygen absorber in a cool, dark place for 6 months to 1 year.

Freezer (without oil): Pack fully dried tomatoes in a freezer-safe bag with as much air removed as possible and freeze for up to 18 months, pulling out just what you need without thawing.

Vacuum-sealed bags: Seal bone-dry tomatoes in a vacuum bag to remove all oxygen and store in the pantry for 1-2 years or in the freezer for 2+ years for maximum shelf life.

What are some ways to use sundried tomatoes?

Sun-dried tomatoes add a delicious punch of savory flavor and hearty texture to countless dishes. Think pasta, sandwiches, pizza, or eggs like quiche and omelets. They’re just as great in salads too, from simple green salads to cold favorites like quinoa, rice, pasta, or potato salad.

Recipes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

If you tried this Sundried Tomatoes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.

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Created by: Stefanie