Dehydrating tomatoes is a good way to preserve the fruit for food storage. It is such a great way to preserve the garden bounty. This recipe offers an overview of the super easy process.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time10 hourshrs
Total Time10 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course: DIY Projects, Recipes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dehydrating tomatoes, how to dehydrate tomatoes
Cut the tomatoes in desired size. The smaller they are, the quicker they will dry.
Set the dehydrator to 125° F. And the time set between 8-14 hours. The exact time depends on the size and type of tomato (water content), humidity, and other factors. If they are cut too large or thick, they can take upwards of 20-24 hours to dehydrate.
Add dried tomatoes to a mason jar and condition (check for doneness). See notes for more info on conditioning.
Notes
I like to chop the tomatoes large enough that they don’t fall through the holes of my trays. But also in a size/shape that I would use in my recipes. Of course, you could use a tray liner or parchment paper, but I don’t usually use them.If using cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, generally I will just slice them in half. If they are larger in size, I’ll cut them in thirds.I also really love using Roma tomatoes for dehydrating because it gives such a delicious flavor!You’ll want to make sure that you are cutting them in uniform size to ensure that they’re drying evenly.To condition:
place a lid on the jar or use another airtight container
shake the jar once per day over the course of a week
check the jar for moisture (if moisture is found, add to the dehydrator for awhile longer)
taking these steps will help prevent mold from ruining your dried tomatoes