How to Store Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes?

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It wasn’t the first time my mom made me my favorite pasta when I visited home! But suddenly I noticed, there was something off!

After staring at the bowl for 1 minute straight, I realized she didn’t add her amazing sun-dried tomatoes.

That’s what I miss the most when I make pasta for myself. So, I told myself, why don’t I just learn how to store homemade sun-dried tomatoes?

After a few messed-up efforts, I finally made it. But while researching, I thought, Why not write this down? So, here’s what I wanted to write down and what you were looking for.

Key Takeaways:
✅ You can use sun-drying, air-drying, dehydrator-drying, oven-drying, and freeze-drying methods to make dried tomatoes.
✅ There are three different methods of storing sun-dried tomatoes: oil method, dry storage, and freezing method.

Factors to Know Before Storing Sun-Dried

First thing first. to dry your tomatoes, you need to pick the right ones beforehand. Finding it a bit difficult?

Below is a list of the things you need to keep in mind:

Pick the Right Variety

You can go with anything like San Marzano, plum, or Roma tomatoes for sun-drying. I count these as great picks, as all of them come with more flesh but less water. And yes, you can pick cherry tomatoes as well. They, too, are perfect for quicker drying and have a sweet and intense flavor.

Check the Ripeness

When you’re getting tomatoes fully ripe, they come with the assurance of concentrated sweetness and flavor. Also, make sure those ripe tomatoes are free from any kind of bruise or blemish if you want to avoid potential spoilage.

Organic and Similar Size

Inorganic tomatoes may contain unwanted chemicals. So, try using the organic ones for the best outcome. Also, make sure the size of the tomatoes is even.

Check the Drying Method

Check if you’ve completely dried the tomatoes, whether sun-dried, oven-dried, or using dehydrators. 

If the drying is not even for the tomatoes, there’s a possibility, it’ll affect their shelf life when stored. 

Pick the Right Containers

When storing your dried tomatoes, make sure you are using clean and airtight containers. 

Avoid plastic or metal containers or jars, as they will change the flavor and taste. The smart call is to opt for a glass jar for a desired outcome.

Use Quality Oil

Make sure you’re using the best oil for storing the homemade sun-dried tomatoes. 

I recommend using good quality olive oil as it works best and also ensures the integrity of the flavors. 

Check for Spoilage

A little spoilage can damage the dried tomatoes you’re about to store. 

Also, when you’re using them, make sure there are no signs of spoilage like mold, fungus, etc.

Key Ingredients

For obvious reasons, you’re going to need a few things to complete the whole process.

So, here’s the list of things you need to put together for sun-drying fresh tomatoes.

• Tomatoes – Try picking Roma, Plum, and San Marzano varieties.
• Olive Oil – For flavoring and preserving (optional).
• Salt – Can be used for seasoning (optional).
• Fresh herbs – For seasoning (thyme, basil, or oregano).
• Garlic – For added flavor (optional).
• Sugar – To balance acidity (optional).
• Vinegar – For preserving (optional).
• Black pepper – For seasoning (optional).

3 Best Drying Methods to Preserve Homemade Tomatoes

Before learning how to store homemade sun-dried tomatoes, you need to know how to dry them properly in the first place, don’t you?

Here are the 3 most useful ones to get your delicious homemade sun-dried tomatoes:

Sun-Drying

Sun drying is the most common method for drying tomatoes. It’s indeed a time-consuming process, but it’s been working well for years in different corners of the globe.

Here’s what you need to do for sun-drying the tomatoes.

• Put the washed and sliced tomatoes on a clean tray, and season them with some salt or herbs if you like.
• Place the tray in a sunny spot. Make sure it’s well-ventilated too.
• To save from dust or dirt, cover the tray with mesh.
• Turn occasionally for better and even drying.
• Once the drying is done and the tomatoes are feeling leathery, put them in an airtight container.
• Put dried tomatoes in olive oil or store them in the fridge. You can keep the sun-dried tomatoes in the pantry if you’re using olive oil.

Dehydrator Drying

It’s a more effective and efficient method. It involves a dehydrator where you can use controlled air circulation and heat to dry the tomatoes efficiently.

All you have to do is this:

• Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and slice them evenly.
• Place the tomato slices on your dehydrator tray. Keep them in a single layer.
• Though it is optional, you can add some salt for better seasoning. Some herbs will also do the trick.
• Set the dehydrator at 125°F to 135°F and let the tomatoes dry for 6–12 hours.
• Check the tomatoes. They should be leathery and not have any visible moisture.
• Let them cool off on the tray.
• Now put the dried tomatoes in the refrigerator or a cool, dark place. Use an airtight container to hold the tomatoes.

Pro Tip:
Get rid of the seeds to shorten the drying time a bit and also reduce the bitterness.

Oven Drying

When you’re asking for a faster way where your tomatoes will dry evenly, this is your catch.

But how do you pull this off?

Simple! Just follow these steps:

• Set the oven to 200°F or 95°C.
• Wash and dry up the tomatoes. Then slice the washed tomatoes into halves. Make sure you’re picking tomatoes that are ripe and have a low water content.
• Pat dry the tomatoes with paper towels to get rid of any extra moisture.
• Take a baking sheet and put the tomatoes on it. Keep them lined with parchment paper.
• Now put the baking sheet into the oven and leave the oven door slightly open to let the moisture escape.
• Continue to dry the tomatoes for 6–8 hours at least. If they’re not shriveled, leathery, and slightly pliable, keep them there for a bit longer.
• Keep the tomatoes in check and see if they’re drying properly. For even drying, rotate the baking sheet.
• Once tomatoes are dried, let them cool down completely. After that, put the tomatoes into the jar you’ve kept for them. You can pour olive oil or use fresh herbs or garlic to preserve tomatoes in a better way.

How to Store Homemade Sun-dried Tomatoes?

There are a bunch of ways to preserve sun-dried tomatoes for the long term, and here they are:

Oil Method

In this method, you need to place the sun-dried tomatoes in a clean and sterilized jar. After that, you have to cover them completely with olive oil. 

Some might prefer to keep dried tomatoes in oil mixtures. But that, too, has to be based on olive oil.

The good side of this method is that it adds more richness to the tomatoes while also preventing mold growth. So, if you want to instantly pack the tomatoes and store them for a few months, this one is perfect for you.

But know that, apart from taking up more space, olive oil adds extra calories to the tomatoes.

Dry Storage

I call it the ‘less messy’ technique. Here, you have to store sun-dried tomatoes in an airtight container and put them in a cool, dark place. You can use both jars and cloth bags here.

This method can extend the shelf life of your dehydrated tomatoes by up to a couple of months. Don’t worry; that won’t mess up the flavor.

There’s bad news too. You can’t use your sun-dried tomatoes without rehydrating them.

Freezing Method

In this technique, you have to put the dried tomatoes on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once they’re solid, put them in a freezer-safe bag.

You can keep these sun-dried tomatoes in the freezer or refrigerator for around 12 – 18 months, maintaining similar flavor and texture. But that depends on the quality of the tomatoes and the drying process.

Benefits of Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Probably you were thinking about using those fully dried tomatoes just to make the food taste better. But that’s not the only benefit they’ve got in their bag.

There are more, such as the following:

• Nutrient: If you want something that can get you a pile of lycopene, which is an antioxidant, vitamins C and K, and potassium.
• Flavor Booster: Thanks to the deep umami of the delicious sun-dried tomatoes, they add zinc to pasta, dips, sauces, etc. This is what works as the intense flavor booster you’re looking for.
• Extended Shelf Life: Who doesn’t want perfect deliciousness over the year? Sun-drying tomatoes stay that way without any preservatives.
• Budget-Friendly: Storing dried tomatoes would serve you better, from both a taste and budget perspective.

How to Freeze Sun-Dried Tomatoes?

If you find it boring to make or buy sun-dried tomatoes again and again, freezing is probably the best option for you, and this is how you pull that off:

• Dry up the tomatoes completely before freezing.
• Put them on a single layer of a baking sheet.
• Place them in the freezer and wait till they’re firm. Waiting for 1-2 hours should be enough.
• Once the tomatoes are frozen, shift them into an airtight freezer bag or container. Make sure you’re removing as much air as possible.
• Put a label on the freezer bag with the date you’re freezing it, and store it for up to 6-12 months.

Pro Tip:
Try using a vacuum sealer, as that will protect the tomatoes from freezer burn.

Final Words

Yes, we’re done!

And I hope now the last thing on earth you’ll have to worry about is how to store homemade sun-dried tomatoes in the first place.

In this blog, I’ve tried to tell you everything from how to make sun-dried tomatoes at home to storing them in different ways.

I guess now you won’t have to miss your mom’s sun-dried tomatoes like I do.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)