How to Make Tomato Powder (& Sundried Tomatoes)

Packed with flavor, tomato powder is a delicious, versatile addition to many recipes. It’s easy to make and is perfect for conserving tomatoes in a space-saving way.

In summer, many people plant tomatoes. It’s easy to end up with so many at once that you don’t know what to do with them all.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to save those delicious tomatoes for the fall and winter?

Conserving tomatoes

I’ve found 2 favorite ways to conserve all that tomato goodness long-term and save space!

I’ve already shown you how to make an easy tomato paste that can be frozen or canned.

Today, I’ll show you another great way to conserve tomatoes, drying them. They can then be used whole in recipes, or ground into a powder. This may be my favorite way to save them because there is no need to freeze or can them. Plus, it saves a ton of space!

Ingredients

This simple recipe only uses one ingredient, tomatoes, and you can use any variety you like.

Keep in mind that some varieties, generally the rounder, flatter tomatoes, have more water content and will take a bit longer to dry. Taller oval tomatoes like Roma tomatoes generally have more meat and less water so they take less time to dry.

Procedure

First, we need to prep the tomatoes by rinsing them and removing the stems.

Once clean and dry, slice the tomatoes thinly and as evenly as possible. By using thin, even slices, you ensure that the tomatoes will dry more quickly and evenly.

Place the tomato slices on baking sheets or dehydrator trays. Ideally, they should be spread out so that they are not touching each other. At least ensure that they aren’t stacked on top of each other.

Oven method

If using an oven, bake the tomatoes at the lowest temperature for your oven. Use the fan setting if you have one to help dry them faster. Some people like to leave the door slightly ajar to allow the water vapor to escape more easily, but I haven’t found that to be necessary.

Dehydrator method

If using a dehydrator, follow the instructions that come with your particular dehydrator. Use a low setting if your dehydrator has more than one. You want to gently dry them.

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Sun drying

You can make sun-dried tomatoes if you are in a warm, sunny, dry area. To do so, spread the tomato slices on a screen or tray and place them in the sun.

You may want to cover the trays with a mesh cloth to keep insects off the tomatoes as they dry. You should also bring them in at night once the sun has set each day.

When sun-drying tomatoes, you may need to finish the process in the dehydrator to dry them enough to be ground into a powder.

For even drying, flip the tomatoes partway through the drying process. That’s especially important if you’re using the oven or sun-drying on a tray.

When are they ready?

If making sun-dried tomato slices, you’ll want to dry the tomatoes until tomatoes they are dry, but flexible. They shouldn’t be at all spongy though. If too much moisture is left, the tomatoes won’t keep as well and may develop mold.

For powder, you’ll want to continue to dry them until they are dry and brittle. That ensures that you have thoroughly removed the moisture from the tomatoes. If they are still flexible, they likely have residual moisture and won’t grind well into a powder. Plus, the powder may develop mold with time.

How long does it take?

It’s impossible to give you a precise time frame for how long it will take to dry the tomatoes because it will depend on a number of factors.

• Type of tomato chosen
• Thickness of slices
• The method used (& each appliance is different.)

Making the powder

If you want to make tomato powder, make sure the tomato slices are fully dried and brittle. Use a food processor or blender to grind the tomatoes into a fine powder. Especially when using a blender, it may work easier if you first break the tomato slices into smaller pieces.

If the powder isn’t fine enough, you can switch to a coffee grinder to finish grinding the powder.

You can also sift the powder by pressing it through a sieve. This will separate the finer powder from the larger pieces. Then, blend the larger pieces again and sift again until all of the powder is fine and sifted.

Storage (dried tomato slices)

Store the dried tomato slices in an airtight container, preferably one without a lot of extra airspace, in a cool, dry place. You can prolong the storage time by storing them in a dry part of the fridge. If you store them in plastic bags, try to remove as much air as possible before sealing them. If you see mold developing, toss them.(Freezing will keep them even longer.)

In oil

The dried tomato slices can also be stored in a jar, covered with olive oil in the fridge. You may want to first slice them into strips for use on salads or bread. Oil-covered tomato slices don’t generally keep as long as dried tomatoes without oil.

While you can add fresh herbs or garlic to the tomatoes and oil, doing so will prolong the shelf life considerably. (You should store them in the fridge and use within a few days.)

To help bring out the acidic flavor of the tomatoes, dip them into vinegar before placing them into the oil. I like using dried tomatoes stored in oil for topping salads or working into spreads like hummus.

Storage (tomato powder)

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

If you store it in an airtight container in the fridge, it is said to last almost indefinitely. That is, of course, if you did a good job of dehydrating the tomatoes well from the beginning.

Dehydrated tomato uses

Dried tomatoes can be used in a variety of other recipes. Depending on how you plan to use them, you can use them dried or rehydrate them in water for around 30 minutes.

Sundried tomato pieces can be blended into sauces, soups, or compound butter. (Leave them dried if you’ll be adding them to butter for the longest shelf life.)

They can be added, sliced, to salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, or pizza. They can also be added to pasta, marinades, or scrambled eggs.

Here on the blog, I used them in the Citrus-Herb Basque Chicken.

Tomato powder uses

Tomato powder is incredibly useful to have around because of its versatility. It’s great for seasoning my homemade flaxseed tortilla chips so they taste more like healthier Doritos. You can also add it to soups, stews, and sauces. It’s also delicious when added to ground beef for tacos and other Mexican dishes. (For Mexican dishes, try seasoning it with some garlic and cumin.)

Mix it with a bit of water to make an instant tomato sauce, tomato paste, or tomato soup! Add it to cream cheese to make a tasty spread. You can add it to just about anything to add a healthy flavor kick!

I’ve had readers suggest other great uses for tomato powder. Why not try adding it to homemade pasta or pizza dough?

Making tomato sauce from powder

To make a tomato sauce from tomato powder, mix the powder with water. Simmer the mixture over low to medium heat while stirring to fully dissolve the powder and thicken the sauce.

• Depending upon how thick you want the final sauce to be, add around 1 part of water to 1 part tomato powder.
• For more of a tomato paste, use a little less water or begin with a 1:1 ratio and simmer it down to the desired consistency.
• For a thinner sauce, for something like enchiladas, add more water.

Video

This post was originally published on Dec. 2, 2016. It was rewritten, adding new photos and clearer instructions in June 2021.