How to Dehydrate Tomatoes and Make Tomato Powder or Sauce

How to dehydrate tomatoes is easier than you might think—and once you’ve done it, you’ll never look at store-bought sun-dried tomatoes the same way again!

Whether you grow your own or buy in bulk, drying tomatoes helps you preserve their bold, tangy flavor for months. From olive oil-packed slices to powdered tomato for sauces and soups, this guide shows you how to do it all.

Tomato Trio: on the vine, in a bowl, and sundried

Whether you grow your own or prefer to buy from grocery stores or roadside vegetable stands, after you've seen how easy it is to make dried tomatoes, you'll wonder why on earth you didn't start sooner!

Just Like Sun Dried!

Yes! How to make delicious sun-dried tomatoes is right at your fingertips!

Pack dehydrated tomatoes in a light extra-virgin olive oil and add herbs and garlic to help it along. These taste every bit as good (if not better) as the sun-dried tomatoes you buy in jars at the grocery store!

Suggested herbs to try:

  • Basil - The classic complement to tomatoes. Its sweet, peppery flavor balances the richness of the oil and sweet tomato flavors. Pairs well with balsamic too.
  • Oregano - Earthy, zesty oregano is perfect with olive oil and brings out the savory side of rehydrated tomatoes.
  • Thyme - Offers a woodsy, citrusy aroma that infuses olive oil nicely. It also stands up well to the richness of oil-infused tomatoes.
  • Rosemary - Rosemary works excellently with fruity olive oils and tastes wonderful when paired with sun-dried tomatoes too.
  • Parsley - Its fresh flavor is a nice palate cleanser against the richness of the olive oil, and brings a vibrancy to dried tomatoes.

You really can't go wrong blending any combination of classic herbs like garlic, parsley, oregano and fresh peppers too for an oil-and-tomato-dressing bursting with flavors.

Tomato Nutrition Info.

Did you know this? When dehydrating tomatoes, their Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, and Niacin, along with Folate, and Choline, content increases!

VITAMINS: Vitamin A, followed by Vitamin C, and Choline. Trace vitamins are Niacin, and Vitamin E, along with Thiamine, Betaine, Pantothenic Acid, Folate, and Vitamin K.

MINERALS: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Calcium. There are trace amounts of Iron, Zinc, Manganese, and Copper.

Tomatoes contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Step-by-Step: How to Dehydrate Tomatoes Properly

Whole and sliced tomato

Let's get busy learning how to dehydrate tomatoes!

  1. Wash and slice the tomatoes into 3/8" slices. You can dip them into boiling water to make skin removal easier if you wish to skin them. For cherry tomatoes, cut in half - no skinning is required.
  2. Arrange the tomatoes on your food dehydrator trays, making sure the tomato slices don't overlap—or if using the cherry tomato halves, place them cut side up to prevent dripping to the lower trays.
  3. Turn on your food dehydrator and set the temperature between 125°F and 135°F (or per your food dehydrator's instructions).

💡 Tip: Outside the U.S.? Most dehydrating temps here are listed in Fahrenheit — use our quick converter to see the Celsius equivalent for your machine.

  • Tomatoes will be leathery or brittle when fully dried.
  • Drying time for tomatoes: between 5-12 hours.
  • Please remember to rotate your trays for even drying.

For dehydrating tomatoes in a regular oven, see the FAQs on how to do that at the top of the page!

How to Use Dried Tomatoes for Pizza and More

freshly baked pizza on a pizza paddle

When you've finished dehydrating tomatoes, you'll find that dried tomatoes are great to use in many recipes and are excellent in sauces and puréed.

Make Easy Tomato Sauce with Dehydrated Tomatoes

Tomato Sauce simmering in a pan, by Chef JohnTomato Sauce by Chef John at Allrecipes

Try this great tomato sauce by Chef John, over at Allrecipes.

Make your dehydrated tomatoes into a powder in your blender. When ready to use, simply add water to make a paste (or add extra water to make a sauce).

This way, you can store the tomato sauce for use later - for pizza or for spaghetti!

This just in from Linda M on Facebook:
"I can tomatoes, and dehydrate the skins to make tomato powder. Great to thicken sauces up with."

Linda, thanks for sharing!

How to Make Tomato Leather at Home

Try pouring your homemade tomato sauce onto solid fruit roll-up sheets and make a 'tomato roll up/leather.' 

For more on "leathers" check out this "dehydrating fruit rolls" page.

Tomato Soup Nostalgia: A Sweet Memory

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 one of those things that I will always remember. It was over 50 years ago... how time flies.

Dehydrated tomatoes in a bowl

Why Dehydrated Tomatoes Pack Extra Flavor

NOTE:

When dehydrating tomatoes, like sun-dried tomatoes, look out for them imparting a stronger 'tomato' taste in your recipes.

As mentioned at the top of the page: Pack your dehydrated tomatoes in a light extra-virgin olive oil too and add some herbs and garlic.

You've just created your own version of store-bought sun-dried tomatoes in oil - and wasn't it a lot of fun? Hey, give away jars of your tomatoes as gifts!

A TIP sent 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 tenfold 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!

FAQs About Dehydrating Tomatoes and Tomato Powder

What’s the best temperature to dehydrate tomatoes?

Set your dehydrator between 125°F and 135°F. Drying time usually ranges from 5 to 12 hours depending on thickness.

Can I dehydrate tomatoes in a regular oven?

Yes, you can dehydrate tomatoes in the oven. Here's how:

Ingredients:

  • Fresh tomatoes, cored, seeded, and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
  • Optional: Fresh herbs like oregano, basil, thyme

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 170°F-200°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange racks to accommodate multiple trays.
  2. Wash and slice tomatoes. Spread out slices evenly in a single layer without overlapping on the prepared baking sheets.
  3. Optionally, sprinkle thinly sliced fresh herbs over the tomatoes for more flavor.
  4. Place trays on oven racks. If possible, prop the door open slightly with the handle of a wooden spoon to allow moisture to escape.
  5. Dehydrate tomatoes for 6-8 hours until no moisture remains. Flip slices halfway through. Start checking at 5 hours.

Fully-dried tomatoes will be shrunken down, darker red, and leathery. They won't be crunchy or brittle when fully dry.

Turn off the oven and allow the tomatoes to cool before handling. Store in airtight food vacuum-sealer bags or Mason jars.

How do I make tomato powder?

Once tomatoes are fully dried, grind them using a blender or spice grinder until they form a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar.

How should I store dehydrated tomatoes?

Keep them in airtight containers like vacuum-sealed bags or Mason jars. For added flavor, store in olive oil with herbs and garlic.

What can I use tomato powder for?

Tomato powder can thicken sauces, add rich flavor to soups, and make quick tomato paste or pizza sauce with just water.

Now that you know how to dehydrate tomatoes, you're set to make the most of your tomato harvest or grocery haul. Whether you're blending them into powder, turning them into sauce, or packing them in olive oil for gifts, the possibilities are delicious and endless.

Keep experimenting—and don’t forget to grab your free copy (below) of 5 Dried Food Recipes You’ll Actually Love to put your dehydrated goodies to tasty use!

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