Get busy dehydrating tomatoes, whether you grow your own, or are in abundance at the grocery stores or roadside vegetable stands! :-)
Just Like Sun Dried!
And what you'll end up with is just like sun-dried tomatoes.
After the how-to instructions farther on down the page, see how you can add oil to make them taste as good as the ones you buy in jars at the grocery store!
Did you know this: While you are dehydrating tomatoes, their vitamin C, vitamin K, Thiamin, and Niacin, along with Folate, and Choline, content increases!
Tomatoes are a fantastic source of vitamin A, followed by vitamin C, and Choline. Trace vitamins are: Niacin, and vitamin E, along with Thiamine, and Betaine, Pantothenic Acid, Folate, and vitamin K.
Minerals to be found in tomatoes are: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Calcium. There are trace amounts of Iron, Zinc, Manganese, and Copper. Tomatoes contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
When you're done dehydrating tomatoes, you'll find they are great for many recipes, and for sauces, and puréeing. Try this great tomato sauce by Chef John, over at Allrecipes.
Make them into a powder in your blender and add water to make a paste (or add more water to make a sauce)! This way, you can store the tomato sauce for use later, maybe as a pizza or as spaghetti sauce!
When made into a sauce, consider pouring the sauce onto the special roll up sheets and make a 'tomato roll up/leather.'
For more on "leathers" check out this "dehydrating fruit rolls" page.
Memories: As a young girl of eight or nine, I used to walk barefoot down our tree-lined avenue where mum and dad's bungalow was, to visit my friend, Gillian, down the road. I always looked forward to seeing Gillian.
Her mum used to serve us hot, delicious tomato soup for lunch! It's just one of those things that you'll always recall. It was over 50 years ago... my how time flies.
NOTE:
When dehydrating tomatoes, like sun-dried tomatoes, look out for them imparting a stronger 'tomato' taste in your recipes.
Consider packing your dehydrated tomatoes in a light extra-virgin olive oil too and add some herbs and garlic to help it along.
You've just created your own version of 'store-bought,' and wasn't it fun?
This just in from "Mj" regarding her dehydrated tomatoes:
I also was wondering if you ever turn tomatoes into powder, I dehydrate whole tomatoes sliced (skins and seeds included), and then put it through my grinder.
I found it is a cheater's way of thickening tomato juice for soup and sauces, and I find that not cooking my juice down to a sauce and just adding a little tomato powder has ten fold the flavor.
Last year for holiday gifts I made friends a jar of "All Michigan Vegetable Soup" and the big question from everyone was "where did the awesome tomato flavor come from?"—I told them it was my little secret!
This just in from "Mj" regarding her dehydrated tomatoes:
I also was wondering if you ever turn tomatoes into powder, I dehydrate whole tomatoes sliced (skins and seeds included), and then put it through my grinder.
I found it is a cheater's way of thickening tomato juice for soup and sauces, and I find that not cooking my juice down to a sauce and just adding a little tomato powder has ten fold the flavor.
Last year for holiday gifts I made friends a jar of "All Michigan Vegetable Soup" and the big question from everyone was "where did the awesome tomato flavor come from?"—I told them it was my little secret!
Read More Good Stuff In Our Blog Posts Right Here