Sun-Dried Cherry TomatoesDrying Time, Storage and Recipes

Drying concentrates the sweetness, aroma and savory flavor of cherry tomatoes, and they taste almost like dried fruit. With the water gone, a few go a long way.

But they’re juicy and sugary, which makes them one of the vegetables most likely to mold. The most important tip is to pick a run of sunny days and dry them in one go.

	Drying time	Fridge	Freezer
Dry	4–5 days	2 weeks	1–2 months
Semi-dried	1–2 days	3 days	1 month

Drying times assume drying during the day in sunny weather and bringing them in at night. They vary with the season and humidity, so go by “When they’re done” below rather than the number of days.

How to dry cherry tomatoes

1. Choose: Pick firm tomatoes with no cuts or cracks. Overripe, soft ones mold easily, so save those for salads.
2. Wash: Rinse, remove the stems, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
3. Cut: Halve them crosswise (separating the stem end from the pointed end). The cut surface is larger, so they dry faster.
4. Lay out: Lay them cut side up on a basket without overlapping. A light sprinkle of salt helps draw out water and firms up the flavor (optional).
5. Dry: Put them somewhere sunny and breezy. Turn them over now and then, keeping the cut side to the sun for longer.
6. Bring them in: Bring them indoors by evening. Night dew and damp air undo the drying and can cause mold.

Where and when to dry is covered in detail in How to Dry Vegetables, and tools in Tools for Drying Vegetables.

When they’re done

Dry (4–5 days)

They’re done when they’ve wrinkled and shrunk, no juice comes out when you pinch them, and they’re about as firm as a springy raisin. Dried this far, they keep well. As in the photo, they turn a deep, dark red.

Semi-dried (1–2 days)

The surface is dry but the inside is still juicy. They’re sweeter and more savory than fresh, and can go straight into salads and pasta. They’re still juicy and spoil easily, so keep them in the fridge and eat them soon.

Day by day

Before drying

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Storage

• Dry: Let them cool and lose any moisture, then put them in a bag or jar in the fridge. Eat within about 2 weeks. Adding a desiccant makes them keep even better.
• Semi-dried: Keep in a bag in the fridge and use within about 3 days.
• Frozen: Both can be frozen laid flat in a freezer bag. Add them straight from frozen to soups and stews.

Fuzzy white or green growth, black spots or a sour smell during storage are signs of mold or spoilage. Don’t eat them, and throw away everything in the same bag. More in How to Store Dried Vegetables.

Rehydrating and using them

• As is: Semi-dried and still-soft dried tomatoes can be eaten as is. In salads, pasta, pizza and bruschetta.
• Rehydrate: Soak crisp-dry tomatoes in lukewarm water for 10–20 minutes to soften them. The soaking water is full of flavor, so use it as the liquid in soups or rice.
• In stews: Add them straight to soups, minestrone, curry and ratatouille without soaking.

Tips to avoid failure

• Don’t start in a week with rain in the forecast: If drying stalls partway, they can mold.
• Keep the size even: Mixed sizes dry unevenly. Quarter the large ones.
• Remember to turn them: The side touching the basket dries slowly and is where mold starts.
• If they won’t finish drying, use the oven: Heat in an oven at about 100°C (210°F) for 30 minutes to an hour, checking as you go.

Recipes

Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

Ingredients

• Well-dried cherry tomatoes, as many as you like
• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 clove garlic, sliced (optional)
• 1 sprig rosemary (optional)

Method

1. Put the dried tomatoes in a storage jar that has been sterilized in boiling water and dried well.
2. Add the garlic and herbs if using.
3. Pour in olive oil until the tomatoes are completely covered.

Keep it in the fridge and eat within about a week. Oil, where there’s no air, is an environment where botulism bacteria can grow. Never leave it at room temperature, especially with garlic or herbs in it. The oil turns cloudy and solid in the fridge, but it returns to normal after a little while at room temperature.

Put them on a baguette or toss them with pasta. The tomato-flavored oil works in dressings or for frying.

Rice soup with dried tomatoes and vegetable consommé

Semi-dried tomatoes are also great in iri-genmai soup gohan, a soup made by pouring hot broth over toasted brown rice in a thermal food jar. Semi-drying them gives them the concentrated flavor and texture of something slowly simmered.