Dehydrated cherry tomatoes are a pantry essential. They add a welcome burst of summer time flavor to any dish you add them to.
I'll show you how to dehydrate cherry and grape tomatoes in a dehydrator, air fryer or in the oven. And, I'll give you lots of suggestions on ways you can use them.
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How delicious are cherry and grape tomatoes in the summertime? They're so much sweeter and bursting with flavor than the cherry tomatoes you can buy in the winter.
So, why not preserve that amazing flavor by dehydrating them? There's quite a few ways you can use them. Plus, dehydrating food has quite a few benefits that I'll detail for you below.
Benefits Of Dehydrating Food
Dehydrating food has so many benefits. If you don't own a dehydrator, I think you'll find buying one is a great investment.
They're not at all expensive. I have a small dehydrator that accommodates a ton of food, and it cost me under $50.00. If you find that you love dehydrating food, you can always upgrade to a larger model with additional features.
Here's a few of the benefits of dehydrating food:
- Dehydrating food prevents food waste. Drying food can have a significant impact on your environmental footprint. Did you know that 20-30% of food goes to waste? You can reduce food waste by preserving food that would otherwise go to waste.
- Dehydrated food has a long shelf life. In it's raw or cooked state, most foods have a shelf life of 1-2 weeks. Dehydrated food has a shelf life of at least 12 months.
- Preserve the intense flavor of food by dehydrating it. Food always tastes best when it's in season. That's a fact. These days you can practically buy any food at any time of year, but you'll always find that foods that are in season taste naturally fresher and brighter. If you don't believe me, you really need to try dehydrated pineapple or dehydrated strawberries. YUM! Dehydrating food allows you to preserve the flavor. Then, when you want a hit of say...fresh summer cherry tomatoes....all you need to do is a add a few to your sauce, soup or stew.
- Dehydrated food takes up very little shelf space: What are you going to do with that bumper crop of summer tomatoes or cucumbers? Why not make dehydrated tomatoes or cucumber chips? It only takes about 5 minutes hands on time, and the dehydrator does the rest. You can even make a plant based jerky in your dehydrator from mushrooms.
- Dehydrating food is a great way to preserve nutrients. The heat used during the process destroys enzymes that cause food to spoil, but it preserves nutrients. Overall, dehydration preserves more nutrients than canning or freezing.
- Dry food is cost-effective. Dehydrating food can be a cost-effective way to preserve excess produce from your garden or to take advantage of sales at the grocery store.
- Dehydrated food is easy to rehydrate. Just add water, to make a convenient meal on the go.
How To Dehydrate Cherry Tomatoes In A Dehydrator
- Wash your grape or cherry tomatoes and remove the stems.
- Blot your tomatoes try with a paper towel and cut in half lengthwise.
- Place your tomatoes skin side down on the dehydrator rack. Make sure that the tomatoes aren't touching each other.
- Set your dehydrator to 130° F (55° C). Dehydrate your cherry tomatoes for 10-12 hours. Rotate the trays from top to bottom at least once during the dehydration process. This will ensure even dehydration.
- Dehydrate your cherry tomatoes for 10 hours for moist tomatoes that have a sun dried tomato consistency. Note: You will need to store these dehydrated tomatoes in the freezer. Any moisture will encourage mold growth if stored in a jar. Dehydrate for 12-14 hours if you want completely dried tomatoes that can be stored in a jar for up to 12 months.
- Once the tomatoes are fully cooled, transfer them to a jar. Store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Once a day for one week, take the jar out and give it a good shake. This is known as conditioning. Check the jar to make sure that there's no moisture collecting inside. If there is, you'll need to put your cherry tomatoes back in the dehydrator to remove the excess moisture.
How To Dehydrate Tomatoes In The Oven
To dehydrate cherry tomatoes in the oven, simply follow the following steps:
- Line enough large baking sheets with wax paper to accommodate the amount of cherry tomatoes you want to dehydrate. Move your oven rack to the center of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 250 F (120 C).
- Wash the cherry tomatoes and blot dry with a paper towel.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place skin side down on the baking tray. Be careful that they're not touching.
- Cook the tomatoes for 2-3 hours.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 month, or in the freezer for 3 months.
How To Dehydrate Cherry Tomatoes In An Air Fryer
Here's how to dehydrate cherry tomatoes in your air fryer:
- Wash the cherry tomatoes and blot dry with a paper towel.
- If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat it to 250 F (120 C).
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and toss them in a bowl with a bit of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil (not too much!)
- Put them in your air fryer skin-side down.
- Air fry for 45 minutes, checking every 15 minutes or so. Add or subtract time depending on how dry you want your tomatoes to be.
Storing Dehydrated Tomatoes
Dehydrated tomatoes can be stored in a plastic bag, an airtight container or a jar.
Leather dry tomatoes should stay fresh stored in the pantry for 12 months. However, if there is any moisture in any of the tomatoes, they will need to be preserved in the freezer.
Serving Suggestions
Here's a few suggestions for ways you can use your dried cherry tomatoes:
🧡Dehydrated cherry tomatoes make a perfect topping for pizza.
🧡 Make tomato powder. Add it to stews, soups and salad dressings. For step-by-step instructions, see this article: How To Make Tomato Powder.
🧡Rehydrate your cherry tomatoes by cooking them in a marinara sauce. They'll add a wonderful texture and a unique flavor to your sauce. Try them in this vegan slow cooker Bolognese recipe.
🧡Snack on them as is.
🧡Chop them up and add them to salads.
🧡If your cherry tomatoes are leather dry, add them to your food processor and blitz until you have tomato powder. Tomato powder is a wonderful addition to soups and stews.
🧡Use finely chopped cherry tomatoes as a filling for your next homemade veggie burger.
Frequently Asked Questions
The difference between cherry and grape tomatoes is mainly in the size. As the names suggest, cherry tomatoes have the rounded shape of a cherry, and grape tomatoes have the more oval shape of a grape. Grape tomatoes are generally not as sweet as cherry tomatoes.
Dehydrated tomatoes can be stored in a plastic bag, and airtight container or a jar. Leather dry tomatoes should stay fresh stored in the pantry for 12 months. However, if there is any moisture in any of the tomatoes, they will need to be preserved in the freezer.
Dehydrated food can be a healthy option because it preserves the nutrients, flavors, and texture of the original food. When food is dehydrated, most of the water is removed, which can help to extend its shelf life and make it easier to store and transport. However, the nutritional value of dehydrated food can vary depending on the type of food, how it is prepared, and how it is reconstituted. Some types of dehydrated food may also contain added salt, sugar, or other preservatives, which can impact its overall nutritional value. It's important to read the label and ingredient list to understand what you are consuming.
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📖 Recipe
Dehydrated cherry tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes *you can use as many or as little tomatoes as you want. 4 pounds is how many cherry tomatoes a small dehydrator holds.
Instructions
- Wash the grape or cherry tomatoes and remove the stems.
- Blot the tomatoes try with a paper towel and cut in half lengthwise.
- Place the tomatoes skin side down on the dehydrator rack. Make sure that the tomatoes aren't touching each other.
- Set the dehydrator to 130° F (55° C). Dehydrate for 10-12 hours. Rotate the trays from top to bottom at least once during the dehydration process. This will ensure even dehydration.
- Dehydrate for 10 hours for moist tomatoes that have a sun-dried tomato consistency. Note: You will need to store these dehydrated tomatoes in the freezer. Any moisture will encourage mold growth if stored in a jar. Dehydrate for 12-14 hours if you want completely dried tomatoes that can be stored in a jar for up to 12 months.
- Once the tomatoes are fully cooled, transfer them to a jar. Store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Once a day for one week, take the jar out and give it a good shake. This is known as conditioning. Check the jar to make sure that there's no moisture collecting inside. If there is, you'll need to put your cherry tomatoes back in the dehydrator to remove the excess moisture.
Notes
- Line enough large baking sheets with wax paper to accommodate the amount of cherry tomatoes you want to dehydrate. Move your oven rack to the center of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 250 F (120 C).
- Was the cherry tomatoes and blot dry with a paper towel.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place skin side down on the baking tray. Be careful that they're not touching.
- Cook the tomatoes for 2-3 hours.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 month, or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Wash the cherry tomatoes and blot dry with a paper towel.
- If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat it to 250 F (120 C).
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and toss them in a bowl with a bit of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil (not too much!)
- Put them in your air fryer skin-side down.
- Air fry for 45 minutes, checking every 15 minutes or so. Add or subtract time depending on how dry you want your tomatoes to be.
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