Every summer, there comes a day when the tomato vines finally get the upper hand. They are loaded. Tubs of grape and cherry tomatoes fill the shelves at the produce market. Maybe you have a garden that's overflowing. Good! Lucky you!
While fresh tomatoes are wonderful sliced on a sandwich or tucked into a salad, one of my favorite ways to preserve summer's abundance of small tomatoes is to dry them slowly in the oven.
Hours later, those juicy little cherry tomatoes have become sweet, chewy bites bursting with rich tomato flavor. One taste, and you'll understand why I always try to tuck away a jar or two before the season is over. Sun-dried tomatoes taste amazing, even when you dry them in your oven instead of under the Tuscan sun. If you end up with a bumper crop of cherry or grape tomatoes, do this!
Homemade sun-dried tomatoes are far less expensive and taste much better than anything you can buy from a store! Use these sweet, chewy tomatoes in everything from salads to pizza to sandwiches and dressings.
Sun-dried cherry tomatoes are packed with flavor and concentrated nutrients, including vitamin A, potassium, and lycopene. Packed in olive oil, they're also a delicious way to enjoy the benefits of healthy unsaturated fats. Eat them straight from the jar like candy (I do!), or tuck them into your favorite recipes for a burst of sweet, concentrated tomato flavor.
You will only need cherry tomatoes and fine salt. If you prefer, you can sprinkle the tomatoes with Italian seasoning or herbs of your choice.
Small tomatoes, such as cherry or grape tomatoes, are perfect for sun-drying. You don’t need to spread cheesecloth on the ground and hope for sunny days, nor do you need to buy a dehydrator.
I started my experiment with a pint of grape tomatoes, and now I am hooked on the process because it’s easy and extremely rewarding! (And, oh so delicious!) These wee little tomatoes are fantastic candidates to dry in the oven.
Begin by cutting each tomato in half. Place them, cut side up, on a rimmed parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle them with salt. Take it easy on the salt because the tomatoes will shrink to about half (or less) of their original size.
Salt helps draw moisture out of the tomatoes and enhances the flavor. As the cherry tomatoes roast in the oven, their water content decreases markedly. When it happens, the flavor of the tomatoes is greatly enhanced, and they become sweeter, rather leathery, and more intensely “tomatoey.”
Bake them in a low oven at 250 degrees for about two and one-half to three and one-half hours or until they are as dry as you like. You don’t need to turn them or stir them; they will take care of themselves in the oven. I will caution you to keep an eye on them after the first two hours because they can burn.
The chewiness of dried tomatoes adds an interesting texture to salads, dips, pizza, scrambled eggs, and my favorite - avocado toast. Do you want more ideas on incorporating them into your cooking? Here’s a lovely article with 26 ways to fall in love with sun-dried cherry tomatoes.
When your cherry tomatoes are as dry as you’d like, you can freeze them. When they have cooled, slip the whole pan into the freezer, let them freeze solid, and then scoop them into a freezer bag or suitable freezer container.
They will keep in the freezer for about three months. You can take out as many as you want at a time and plop them into your sauce right from the freezer. They will thaw very fast if you chop them fine for a pizza or salad! You can also thaw them and pack them in olive oil.
My favorite way to keep these little bites of summer is to tuck them into a small jar of olive oil with a clove of garlic and a bay leaf. If you like a little heat, add a dried chili pepper. After a few days in the refrigerator, the flavors mingle beautifully, and the tomatoes are ready to brighten pasta, pizza, salads, sandwiches, and so much more.
You can make delicious sun-dried tomatoes in your oven, then freeze them or pack them in olive oil. They are so much less expensive and better tasting than "store-bought."
Grape or cherry tomatoes dry down to approximately one-fourth of their volume.
I am a big believer in waste not, want not, as corny as it sounds- but then, I'm corny! 😉 We love canning and freezing at our house!
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How To Freeze Bell Peppers - Learn how to freeze peppers without blanching so they stay fresh and flavorful for soups, stews, casseroles, and stir-fries all year long.
Freezing Vegetables for Short-Term Storage - Learn how to freeze vegetables so they stay fresh, colorful, and flavorful — perfect for soups, casseroles, stir-fries, and quick weeknight meals all year long. No special equipment needed! This is meant for short-term freezing, such as three or four months. Perfect for cleaning out the crisper before going on vacation.
Farmhouse Herb Salt - A fresh blend of garlic and herbs that gives ordinary kosher salt a delightful Mediterranean flavor profile. A great way to make use of extra basil, sage, and garlic.
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.
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