Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/14/23
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes

The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 1/2 cup

Traditional sun-dried tomatoes are a wonderful ingredient to have at hand as they can enhance the flavor or sauces, stews, dips, and soups, or serve as the base for small hors d'oeuvre when paired with Manchego cheese or small mozzarella balls.

Now you can enjoy the tangy flavor and chewy saltiness of sun-dried tomatoes without having to pay extra or eat unnecessary ingredients: most commercially available dried tomatoes have sulfur dioxide, a food preservative that helps with the shelf life and color of dried fruits, pickled vegetables, and processed meats. Although safe for human consumption, it's an unnatural ingredient that you can skip when easily making your own dried tomatoes.

Our easy recipe will yield flavorful tomatoes that you can use in your pizzas, pastas, sauces, salads, or anywhere else you'd use sun-dried tomatoes. These cherry tomato halves shrink to about three-fourths their original size, become a deep red in color, and have an intense real-tomato taste. They are a much brighter red than commercial sun-dried tomatoes and are an excellent accompaniment to all sorts of savory meals, from meat to eggs, plus keep well in an airtight container for one month in the fridge or three months in the freezer.

While it takes a few hours for the tomatoes to dry, there is very little prep time involved. This recipe by Shirley O. Corriher is used with her permission.

"I love sun-dried tomatoes, and I add them to just about everything! Now, I can make them at home with this easy, practically hands-off method! I used a serrated knife to halve the tomatoes, which worked very well. The resulting tomatoes were chewy and filled with umami!" —Diana Andrews

Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes ingredients

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  2. Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 200 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

    parchment lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  3. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and arrange them cut-side up on the baking sheet, touching each other. 

    tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  4. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

    salted tomatoes on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  5. Bake for 4 1/2 to 5 hours. The ideal oven-dried tomato is dry with a soft leathery texture.

    Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

How Do You Reconstitute Oven-Dried Tomatoes?

Because of their pungent, strong tomato flavor, these tomatoes are a great addition to many dishes but could be too strong-flavored if they aren't rehydrated. Reconstitute the tomatoes in water or oil, but in either case, don't throw the water or oil away after steeping the tomatoes in it; the flavored liquid is an exquisite base for sauces or soups:

  • To reconstitute in water: place the number of sun-dried tomatoes you require in a heatproof bowl. Cover them with boiling water and let steep for at least 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are pliable. Drain—reserving the water for other recipes—pat dry, and slice or use in whatever manner your recipe directs.
  • To reconstitute in oil: place the sun-dried tomatoes you require in good-quality olive oil and let steep at room temperature, covered, for 24 hours. Drain, pat dry, and use the tomatoes as your recipe instructs. Keep the flavored olive oil for cooking or dressing salads.

How to Use Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Oven-dried tomatoes are an excellent addition to a variety of dishes. Here are a few easy ideas:

  • Make a beautiful pizza by adding oven-dried tomatoes, mozzarella balls, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.
  • Use chopped oven-dried tomatoes as your star ingredient in a pasta salad. Add fresh arugula, cubes of Asiago cheese, and drizzles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  • Use a handful of sun-dried tomatoes in your favorite stew or goulash recipe on top of the fresh or canned tomatoes the recipe calls for. You don't need to rehydrate them for this purpose as the cooking liquid will do the job.
  • Rehydrate in oil a handful of tomatoes and process in a food processor with 8 ounces of full-fat cream cheese. Add pepper and chili flakes to taste. Use the mixture as a spread for wraps or sandwiches or as a dip for chips or crudités.
  • Make a version of the tortilla soup with a tomato base. Add a handful of chopped and rehydrated oven-dried tomatoes to your favorite homemade or store-bought tomato soup. Heat the soup, then top with crushed tortilla chips, slices of avocado, and crumbled queso fresco.

Additions and Substitutions

For a different flavor, try one of the following suggestions:

  • Use a light sprinkle of garlic salt instead of plain salt.
  • Add either black pepper, cayenne pepper, or chili flakes for spicy tomatoes.
  • Use dried oregano, basil, thyme, sage, or a combination of two or more for aromatic tomatoes.
  • Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, basil, oregano, and a bit of salt and pepper, for a herby variation.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
18 Calories
0g Fat
4g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 18
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 132mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 14mg 68%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 235mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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