These oven sun dried tomatoes are so easy to bake at home! Add them to salads, sauces, pastas, sandwiches, flatbreads and more!
If you love sun dried tomatoes and/or ever find yourself with grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes that didn’t get used up fast enough, this recipe is for you!
They’re actually crazy easy to make at home and the perfect way to rescue tomatoes that have gotten all wrinkled from living on your counter for too long.
You only need two ingredients: tomatoes and sea salt. That’s it!
For storing, olive oil comes in handy to extend their shelf life.
You can sun dry them in the actual sun outside as well (hence the title) but TX is so darn buggy I opt for the oven version.
Of course you can absolutely just buy a jar of these flavor packed tomatoes; however, they’re a little over-priced at well over $5 per jar/package. Girl math basically makes them free when you reach “OMG I NEED TO USE THESE UP TODAY!” status on your store bought, farmer’s market, or garden-grown grape and cherry tomatoes.
uses for sun dried tomatoes
These tasty tomatoes are so versatile! Add them to:
- salads
- pasta salads
- grilled cheese and paninis
- sun dried tomato biscuits
- pastas and sauces
- pizzas
- flatbreads
- and so much more!
I just made a big batch, so I’ll report back with all the new recipes I make with them!
Oven Baked Sun Dried Tomatoes
Just like raisins and other dried fruit, sun dried tomatoes have a sweet and intense flavor. They’re a great way to amp up the flavor in a variety of dishes. Making them at home is great because you’ll wind up with more fresh and juicy results that rival store bought varieties.
You can also season them any way you’d like! Opt for just a little sea salt, salt and pepper, or let some italian spices in on the mix with your favorite blend or individual spices like basil, rosemary, and oregano. Let your taste buds be your guide!
How Many Tomatoes do I Need?
This recipe below calls for one pint of tomatoes, which is around 10-12 ounces, but will work with more or less tomatoes.
Have less than a pint? That’s a-ok! This is more of a technique or tutorial sort of deal so use the instructions below to make as many as you need and lightly salt to taste.
Oven Sun Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pint grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (approx 10-12 oz)
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
FOR STORAGE (OPTIONAL)
- olive oil
- smashed or minced garlic
- fresh or dried herbs
Instructions
- Heat oven to 250°F. Optional: line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Slice each tomato in half lengthwise. Place cut-side-up on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours, or until the tomatoes are dried out, checking for doneness a few times towards the end.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Enjoy right away in your favorite salads, sandwiches, pastas, and more *OR* choose one of the storage methods below.
STORAGE OPTIONS
- FREEZER: arrange, spaced, on a parchment lined plate and freeze for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer sun-dried tomatoes to a freezer-safe bag for 3-6 months.
- FRIDGE: as is, they can be stored for up to 4 days or longer if packed in oil. Add tomatoes to a jar, cover with olive oil, and seal. Herbs and garlic may be added to the jar as well and leftover oil will be deliciously infused with flavor. If adding garlic, they will keep up to 4 days or 1-3 weeks without. After a day or two the oil will solidify in the fridge and return to liquid state at room temperature.
TOMATO TIPS
- Pulp content of different tomato varieties (grape, cherry, campari, etc…) vary and more watery/juicy tomatoes will take a little longer to dry out. Simply keep an eye on them and add any additional bake time needed to reach desired dryness. You can also opt to scoop the seeds and pulp out before baking, which helps dry them out faster. They can also be pressed flat with a jar or spatula at the halfway mark if desired.
- When using sun dried tomatoes in recipes they can be rehydrated to plump them up, yielding juicer tomatoes for sauces, salads, etc… To do this, soak dried tomatoes in hot water for 15-20 minutes then drain.
Notes
Nutrition
I’ve been trying different techniques for making these bad boys since first learning how via the lovely Ali from Gimme Some Oven. Her Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta is on my must-try list.
I’m going to use this batch to make a copycat version of that Sam’s Club salad with the pasta, kale, parmesan, pesto, and sun dried tomatoes. I’ll post it here once I perfect it!
did you try this recipe?
If you get a chance to try these oven sun dried tomatoes, let me know! Leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) and tag photos of your tasty creations with @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram.
I can’t wait to see what you add them to!
Questions & Reviews
I love sun dried/oven dried tomatoes. I love tomatoes, except I won’t eat a raw one, no thank you. I roast them in the oven all the time for soups, salsas & pasta sauces. I now have a easy way to make my own dried tomatoes & can’t wait make them. I get what you mean about TX being so buggy. Being from Houston it gets real buggy around here. Thank you again! I can’t wait to make these so I can take them on my upcoming camping/fishing trip along with making some of the sun dried tomato biscuits!!
Russ in Houston!
So excited for you to try them, Russell! Omg yes I have heard that about Houston too. We like to joke that the mosquito is the TX state bird. 😂
Thanks for breaking this down into easy-to-understand terms.
Of course! Happy to help!