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A close up of dehydrated cherry tomatoes.
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5 from 4 votes

How to Dehydrate Cherry Tomatoes

Dehydrated Cherry Tomatoes are such an easy way to preserve one of the most prolific summer crops. Drying tomatoes is a great way to enjoy homegrown tomatoes in the middle of winter.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 15 minutes
Course: Condiments, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian, Southern
Keyword: dehydrated cherry tomatoes
Cooking Method: Dehydrator
Servings: 4
Calories: 13kcal
Author: Kari

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes

Optional

  • salt

Instructions

  • Wash the tomatoes to get any dirt, bugs, or leaves off of them.
  • Slice the tomatoes in half - they will dry easier this way.

Dehydrator Instructions

  • Lay the tomatoes cut side up on (like tiny bowls) the tray of a dehydrator - they can be close together, just not overlapping or stacked on top of each other. (Air needs to be able to circulate.)
    A dehydrator tray with sliced sun gold tomatoes laid out on it.
  • Set the dehydrator to 125°F for 8 - 18 hours. (If your dehydrator does not have an adjustable temperature, it is probably around 160°F and the tomatoes will dehydrate much faster - around 6 - 8 hours. I prefer low and slow dehydrating to preserve more of the tomato flavor.)
    A dehydrator tray with half dehydrated sun gold tomatoes on it.
  • Once the tomatoes are dry, they should be shriveled, crunchy, and not sticky.
    An excalibur dehydrator tray covered in dehydrated sun gold cherry tomatoes.
  • Condition the tomatoes (see below) then move them to long-term storage.

Oven Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to the lowest setting, around 170°F - 175°F.
  • Place sliced tomatoes in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with the insides (cut side) facing up, like tiny bowls. (Skin side down.)
  • Carefully slide the baking sheet into the oven.
  • Bake with the door cracked for 4 - 8 hours, checking on the tomatoes after about 2 hours. You can hold the door propped open with a rubber spatula or a non-conductive trivet. Rotate the baking sheet about halfway through the process. (Fair warning, your house is going to start smelling like tomato sauce.) Again, the total time will depend on the size and types of tomatoes that you use.
  • Remove from the oven when tomatoes are shriveled, crunchy, and no longer tacky.
  • Condition the tomatoes (see below) then move them to long-term storage.

How to Sun Dry Cherry Tomatoes

  • Slice tomatoes in half, then place them cut side up on screens or dehydrator trays and sprinkle them with a little salt.
  • Find a good spot to rest the tomatoes and be sure the trays are elevated so air can circulate underneath them. If you are making multiple trays, you can rest them on parallel boards. For single trays, you can use cinderblocks, folding chairs, shoes, cardboard boxes, notebooks, pots and pans - there are a lot of options if you get creative!
  • Cover the tomatoes on the tray with a cheesecloth or thin sheet like a tent - covering the tomatoes but not touching them. (You can hold the cheesecloth up with skewers or chopsticks - again, get creative!)
  • Leave the tomatoes outside to dry in the sun during the day for anywhere from 4 days to two weeks. They will need to be brought in every night or moved somewhere safe to protect them from animals and dew.
  • Keep putting the trays of tomatoes outside every day until they are completely dry - unlike dehydrated tomatoes, they won’t be crisp but they will be chewy and dry. 
  • Due to the nature of sun-drying tomatoes, I would err on the side of caution and store them in the refrigerator or freezer and use them more quickly than I would use tomatoes that are dehydrated using other methods due to lack of consistent heat - there is a higher chance of them not being totally dry in the center and a higher chance of them growing bacteria.

Condition the Tomatoes

  • Place the dried tomatoes in an airtight container (that has a little bit of extra space) in an area that is dry and out of direct sunlight.
  • Every day for the next 7 days, give the jar a shake while checking for moisture beads in the jar. If you notice any but don’t see any mold, put the tomatoes back into the dehydrator and begin the process again. If you do see mold, unfortunately, you will need to discard the tomatoes.
  • If all is well after 7 days, you can either vacuum seal the tomatoes or close up the jar with a desiccant pack and move them into the pantry for long-term storage.

Notes

Helpful Tips

  • Rotate the Trays - I recommend rotating your trays at least once during the drying process. I usually do this about halfway through. This way, foods will take turns being closer to the heat source & this helps ensure more uniform drying.
  • Look Out for Case Hardening - Try not to dehydrate tomatoes at too high of a heat - they can fall victim to case hardening, where the outside hardens too fast and moisture can no longer escape from the inside. You will end up with a hard exterior and moist interior - and this will eventually ferment & grow mold.
  • Shake Your Tomatoes - Check on your dehydrated cherry tomatoes from time to time and give the jar they are in a shake - just to make sure they are not sticking together or growing mold.

Nutrition

Calories: 13kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg