Dehydrating Tomatoes & Make Tomato Powder:
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If you’re new to dehydrating, tomatoes are a great place to start! If you’ve got a big tomato harvest dehydrating is another way to preserve it. In this guide, you’ll learn how to dehydrate tomatoes step-by-step, make your own tomato powder, and learn how to use it in your kitchen. Keep reading to find out how easy it is!
What is the best tomato for dehydrating?
When dehydrating tomatoes you can use any type of tomato. It is best to use a meaty variety. Using full size tomatoes gives you bigger pieces.
Roma, cherry tomatoes, and grape tomatoes are favorites for drying. They are always plentiful and they dry into bite size snacks. No matter what type you use always choose firm, ripe but not overripe tomatoes.
How to Dehydrate Tomatoes
Start by washing your tomatoes. After washing, slice your tomatoes into even pieces. No peeling needed! The more uniform your slices are the more evenly they will dry.
There are tomato slicers available, you can use a mandolin slicer if it is nice and sharp and your tomatoes are meaty enough not to just mush up. But a good sharp knife will work just fine. Try to keep your slices about 1/4-inch thick for best results.
If you are dehydrating small cherry tomatoes simply slice them in half. Or I’ll even slice some into thirds depending on the size of the tomato.
Arrange on Dehydrator Trays
Lay the slices out on your dehydrator trays. Cherry tomatoes go cut side up. Make sure there’s a little bit of space between each piece for air to flow. This makes drying happen a bit faster too. If it is overcrowded they’ll simply take longer.
Set the Temperature and Dehydrate
Set your dehydrator to 145°F. Dehydrating tomatoes can take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours which is a wide time range. Don’t depend on time.
A good rule of thumb is to check your trays every couple of hours, and rotate them if you notice one side is drying faster than the other.
Tip; Turn your tomatoes over after 2 or 3 hours. This will help them to not stick to the trays.
Tip: The tomatoes are done when they’re crispy and brittle to the touch.
Store Your Dehydrated Tomatoes
Once completely dried, store your tomatoes in an airtight container. I like to use recycled glass jars like mayonnaise or canning jars. Make sure the container is sealed tightly to keep out moisture.
A good idea is to use a jar vacuum sealer. I’ve got a hand held unit that I reviewed here. It helps the product last longer on the shelf but is not required. I dehydrated food for years without a vacuum sealer.
How to Make Tomato Powder
One of the best ways to use your dried tomatoes is to turn them into tomato powder. This flavorful powder can be used to make tomato paste, sauce, or as a thickener for soups and stews.
Making Tomato Powder:
Grind the Dried Tomatoes: Place your fully dried tomato slices into a blender. Blend until you have a fine powder. You may need to stop occasionally to scrape the sides, but the tomatoes should pulverize fairly easily.
Tip: If your tomatoes aren’t blending down to a powder, it could be a sign they weren’t dried enough. Try drying them a bit longer if needed.
Storing Tomato Powder:
For long-term storage, just like the dehydrated tomatoes, keep the powder in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
How to Use Dehydrated Tomato Powder
Tomato powder combined with a bit of water can be thick or thin.
- Tomato Paste: Mix tomato powder with water in a 2:1 ratio (two parts powder to one part water) to make a quick, flavorful tomato paste.
- Tomato Sauce: For a simple tomato sauce, mix it in a 4:1 ratio (four parts water to one part powder). Sprinkle in your favorite dried or fresh herbs like basil, garlic, or oregano to customize it to your taste.
- Thickener: Add tomato powder directly to soups, stews, or sauces to enhance the flavor and thicken the consistency.
- Pizza Sauce: Combine tomato powder with water and add garlic, oregano, and other seasonings for a quick, delicious pizza sauce.
Recipe Card
Dehydrating Tomatoes
Equipment
- Sharp Knife or tomato slicer
Ingredients
- Tomatoes
Instructions
- Wash and evenly slice tomatoes.
- Lay slices on a dehydrator tray, allowing space between pieces.
- Dehydrate at 145 degrees F until crispy (6-12 hours), rotating trays if needed.
- Store in an airtight container.
Related Pages
Dehydrating Food
Learn everything you need to know about dehydrating food at SimplyCanning.com.
Dehydrating Vegetables
Learn how to dry veggies, peppers, tomatoes, and more.
Dehydrating Zucchini Chips
Learn how to dry zucchini, both in chips and dices.
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How long will the dehydrated tomato slices last in the airtight jar?
They will last several months in an airtight jar. I’ve kept them up to 6 months. If you are keeping them longer a freezer is a good idea.