How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Your Oven - Easy Recipe

Preserve your dried tomatoes in olive oil to make them last longer.

Sun-dried tomatoes add an elegant touch to soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, pizza and egg dishes. If you have tomatoes that are about to go bad or you've brought home a large bag full of tomatoes from the farmer's market and are not sure how to use them all, turning them into sun-dried tomatoes is a great way to extend their shelf life. Having sun-dried tomatoes makes a convenient addition to any meal. Cooking sun-dried tomatoes in the oven means they will be ready in a manner of hours rather than days.

Things You'll Need

• 4 lbs. tomatoes
• Large bowl
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• Cookie sheet
• Cooking spray
• Jar or container with lid

Instructions

1. Move your oven racks to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove all the seeds as best you can and remove the tomato's liquid pulp.

3. Place the tomatoes in the bowl. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and mix well. You may have to work in batches if your bowl is not big enough to fit all the tomatoes.

4. Spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray or a bit of olive oil, if you prefer. Arrange the tomatoes on the cookie sheet, cut side down.

5. Cook for three hours on the lower rack. Transfer the tomatoes to the jar or container. If you are not planning on serving them right away and would like to store them for a few days, cover the tomatoes with olive oil and refrigerate.

Tips & Warnings

• When cooking the tomatoes, test them to see if they are dried to your liking. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.

• The recipe can easily be changed to fit the amount of tomatoes you have on hand.

References

• The Purple Foodie: Oven-Dried Tomatoes; December 2009
• Food & Wine: Oven-Dried Tomatoes; Grace Parisi