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Making your own sun-dried tomatoes with aromatic herbs has never been easier! Only a few easy steps and a dehydrator and you can make healthy and insanely delicious sun-dried tomatoes at home!
You guys, I have a confession to make, I’m completely obsessed with sun-dried tomatoes! :)
I just LOVE using them to create all kind of delicious recipes or as a complementary ingredient to add a little bit of that extra something some recipes might need. They are amazing with pasta, a little bit of olive oil and some basil or oregano, their rich flavor is totally addictive!
Even though they are among my favorites, I usually have a hard time finding them in the stores nearby. Did that ever happen to you? And sometimes when I do find them, they are really expensive! Or seasoned with herbs and spices I don’t really enjoy.
So you can only imagine my excitement when my friends from Froothie sent me a dehydrator for testing and reviewing! I was over the moon and I knew I would be making my own version of sun-dried tomatoes with aromatic herbs! LOTS of sun-dried tomatoes! :)
Of course they are generically named ‘sun-dried’ tomatoes, because obviously there isn’t any sun involved in drying them. Only the Optimum P 200 dehydrator from Froothie, a mean machine that is now officially my new best friend! :) This dehydrator uses a new Parallex drying system that basically uses low temperatures and allows air to circulate throughout all trays top to bottom, front to back. It will remove moisture from food and it will dry it without destroying its properties. After dehydrating, the food will preserve its enzymes, vitamins and minerals and it will keep for months and even years. Plus it won’t take too much of your storage space and you can always have it on hand, just ready to be used! You can find my review for the Optimum P200 here and even some other amazing and super healthy foods I’ve dehydrated with it.
I found online that Roma and Cherry tomatoes are best for dehydrating because of their firm texture, but I used all types of tomatoes. All that I could find! Some from our garden, some from the farmers market and even though the dehydrating time was different, the final result was the same. They all tasted like heaven! :)
I used a wood board and sliced the Roma tomatoes lengthwise in 4-8 equal parts (depending on their size). I sprinkled some fresh thyme and some dried oregano. Aromatic herbs are my favorites when it comes to giving an exquisite taste to any food and I usually keep them around, whether in their fresh or dried form! I also added a little bit of salt, a store bought version which was a mix of Himalayan salt with herbs de Provence. The more aromatic the better! :)
I put the tomato slices with their skins down on the dehydrator’s trays and dehydrated them for about 10-12 hours or until completely dry, but still pliable. I checked on them from time to time to see how things were going. And ate an entire tray as snacks, in the first night, with Mr Dreamy :) The house smelled amazing, by the way, that tray had it coming! :)
Remember that moisture is our number one enemy here! If not completely dry, the sun-dried tomatoes or any other dehydrated food will develop mold and you will not be able to consume it.
The dehydrating time will vary depending on many factors – the types of tomatoes you are using, the thickness of the slices and even the humidity in the air. So just practice until you get some tasty sun-dried tomatoes with aromatic herbs, dehydrated to perfection!
And perfection it is! :) They look appetizing, don’t you think?
- all the tomatoes you can find
- your favorite aromatic herbs (oregano, basil, thyme)
- Himalayan salt with herbs de Provence or regular sea salt
a dehydrator
- Cut the Roma or Cherry tomatoes in halves, quarters or eights and slice other tomatoes into 1/4 '' slices. Regardless on what types of tomatoes you are using and how you cut them, it is best that the slices have the same thickness so they dry evenly.
- Arrange them on the dehydrator tray making sure they do not touch.
- Dehydrate for 10-12 hours or until completely dry but still pliable.
- Remove from the dehydrator and let them cool and aerate for a few hours before storing them in airtight containers.
I used paper bags to store the sun-dried tomatoes I planned on using withing the next couple of weeks and measured about 1 cup per bag. I put some other batch in simple airtight jars from Ikea.
I decided to also try the method that requires covering the tomatoes with olive oil. I measured again 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, put it in an Ikea jar and covered it with olive oil. Best decision ever! :)
When you want to use them, you simply take them out of the jar, pulse them a few times in your food processor or blender and use them as you wish. The oil can also be used to flavor food, because after a few days it will be infused with a rich and dense sun-dried tomatoes aroma!
You can also turn your sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces by using a food processor or a blender or even turn them into powder by using a grinder or a powerful blender. Take your favorite foods like pasta, omelettes, soups, muffins, tarts, salads, hummus, crackers and many more to a whole new level, the sky is the limit here!
You must give my sun-dried tomatoes with aromatic herbs a try, you will thank me later! :)
Or my sun-dried tomato chips with sea salt, cashew and herbs.
And if you have a favorite recipe, please do share, I’m finding more excuses ways to use these goodies!
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Don’t forget to smile,
Diana
If you make some projects inspired by any of my posts, please use them for personal use only. And don’t forget, on Instagram you can hashtag them using #bydreamsfactory or tag me using @bydreamsfactory. Have fun! :)
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so you can easily find the products I love. See more of my favorites {HERE}.
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Chloe Crabtree
Thanks so much for sharing these yummy sun dried tomato recipes over at Celebrate Your Story!
Julie
I love to slice the tomatoes fairly thin and put a nice layer of olive oil and herbs on them. Because of the olive oil I don’t can them. Instead I bag them in freezer bags. Then I take some out when making pasta and add them to the dish. It is so yummy. I have a bumper crop of Heirlooms and Romas this year so I know whatsis my future :)
Diana / Dreams Factory
That sounds amazing, Julie!
I haven’t tried drying Heirlooms, but Romas are definitely my all time favorites!
yvonne
thank you for this post. I was looking for a sun dried tomato and herb product that I had purchased in Canada. Loved it but cannot find anything like it here in US. SO, I will try to make our own. Got tomato plants producing now that looks like more than we can eat. Dried tomatoes do add such an intense flavor boost. Can’t wait to try this.
Diana | Dreams Factory
Happy you like this recipe, Yvonne!
Hopefully it will turn just like the one you were looking for… if not even better! :)