How to Make Sun Dried Tomatoes in a Dehydrator

Make your own sun dried tomatoes using any seasonings you choose.

Make sun dried tomatoes, to use in recipes or eat as a snack, right at home using a dehydrator. Dehydrators are electrical appliances designed to heat and circulate air so that food can be dried quickly. Using a dehydrator reduces power consumption, as opposed to drying in the oven, and eliminates any pests problems associated with drying tomatoes in the sun. Drying time will vary slightly based on the humidity level in the air, the type and the thickness of the tomato slices. Does this Spark an idea?

Print this article

Firm, ripe tomatoes
Seasoning recipe for your tastes

Instructions

- 1
  
  Prepare the tomatoes by slicing, halving or dicing into pieces. Remove the stems and score the hard portion of the core. Season if desired or as per recipe directions. Common seasonings include basil and oregano.
- 2
  
  Layer the tomatoes on the dehydrator trays. Do not allow the slices or pieces to touch, or they will stick together once dried.
- 3
  
  Place the trays on the dehydrator and secure per manufacturer's instructions.
- 4
  
  Set the dehydrator to 135 degrees and turn it on.
- 5
  
  Check the tomatoes after half of the drying time has passed. Drying time is approximately eight hours for halved roma tomatoes. Rotate the trays of the dehydrator as necessary to ensure even drying. Remove and reorder the trays in backwards order if using a vertical flow dehydrator. If using a horizontal flow dehydrator, rotate the trays. This ensures an even drying process.
- 6
  
  Allow the tomatoes to dry for the remainder of the time the recipe calls for. When it is close to time for the tomatoes to be done watch carefully to ensure they do not scorch. Less time will be needed for thinner slices.

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Comments

How to Make Easy Sun Dried Tomatoes
Barbara Kingsolver, in her paean to the home garden "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle," describes her August kitchen as overflowing with ripe tomatoes. To...
How to Dehydrate Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a favorite in many gardens. They are prized for their sweet yet tangy flavor that works well in so many...
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun dried tomatoes are so delicious that you can eat them like candy, but they're also superb in pasta and a number...
What Kind of Tomatoes Should I Use to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes are a delicious addition to many dishes, from salad to pizza. Most commercial varieties are not actually sun-dried at all,...
How to Dry Fruit With a Dehydrator
Dried fruit can be a nutritious snack or a complement to another dish. You can add dried fruit to your cereal or...
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Your Oven - Easy Recipe
Sun-dried tomatoes add an elegant touch to soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, pizza and egg dishes. If you have tomatoes that are about...
The Best Tomatoes to Grow for Sun-Dried Tomatoes
The Best Tomatoes to Grow for Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes make a savory addition to sauces, pasta dishes, salads and sandwiches. In...
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a very delicious dip or snack as well to eat, and a fun way to eat tomatoes. Sun dried...
How to Dry Chili Peppers Without a Dehydrator
Entire dried chilis are used in many spicy Chinese dishes. Crushed or ground dried pepper is a common ingredient in Mexican dishes....
How to Make Oven Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are a delicious accompaniment for salads, entrees and even pizza. Some difficulties with sun-dried tomatoes are the length of time...
How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Butter
One way to really set your dinners apart is to flavor your butter. If your theme is Italian, then the perfect butter...
How to Dry Plums in a Food Dehydrator
Food dehydrators perform the same function as drying fruits or vegetables in the oven, or, more traditionally, in the sun. Dehydrators remove...
How to Dehydrate Tomatoes Using a Dehydrator
Tomatoes might not seem like the most obvious choice to dry. They are, after all, wetter and more fragile than many more...
How to Dry Herbs in a Dehydrator
Gardeners with an herb garden usually enjoy fresh herbs all summer long while the herb plants are growing and thriving in the...
How to Dry Sun Dried Tomatoes
The process of drying tomatoes in the sun started in Italy as a way of preserving excess tomatoes at the end of...
Uses for Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes, which originated in Italy, are produced by placing ripened tomatoes to dry in the sun. This process concentrates the tomato...