Sun Dried Tomatoes

There’s something magical about a jar of sun dried tomatoes sitting on a kitchen shelf. Glossy, ruby-red strips of tomato, glistening in golden olive oil and speckled with herbs—it’s like a little bit of summer bottled up for those rainy days. For home cooks like me, sun dried tomatoes aren’t just an ingredient—they’re a little kitchen treasure.

These wrinkly delights begin their journey as fresh, juicy tomatoes, usually the small Roma kind, which are slowly dried until they shrink down into concentrated flavour bombs. Traditionally, they’re laid out under the sun to dry. But if you don’t have the Mediterranean sun on hand (and let’s be honest, most of us don’t), your trusty oven makes a perfectly good alternative.

The idea is simple: slice your tomatoes in half, lay them cut side up on a tray, and let them bake at a low temperature—somewhere around 90–110°C (200–225°F). This low, slow heat draws out the moisture over several hours. Depending on the size and juiciness of your tomatoes, it could take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. You’re aiming for a texture that’s dry but still slightly soft and pliable, not crisp. No oil, no seasoning, nothing at this stage—just pure tomato.

Once they’ve dried, the real fun begins. They’re packed into jars with good quality olive oil, a few cloves of garlic, and a scattering of herbs like thyme, oregano, or rosemary. Sometimes a bay leaf gets added in for good luck, and the result is a mixture that smells like a Mediterranean holiday.

Now, the oil is just as much a star as the tomatoes themselves. Over time, the oil takes on the tomato’s richness and the fragrance of the herbs, creating a delicious, infused oil that’s perfect for drizzling over salads, mixing into pasta, or dipping with crusty bread. I often say the oil is liquid gold—you’d be mad to throw it away.

Sundried tomatoes are incredibly handy too. I’ve plucked them out of the jar and chopped them into scrambled eggs, tossed them into couscous, and even layered them into sandwiches with cheese. They bring a chewy texture and a sweet-savoury taste that livens up whatever they touch. They’re one of those ingredients that make you feel clever in the kitchen without needing to try very hard.

There’s something very satisfying about looking at a line of homemade jars and knowing you’ve produced the amazing flavours in each one. Sundried tomatoes might be shrivelled, but don’t let their looks fool you—they’ve got more flavour and charm than most ingredients in the pantry.

And the best part? You don’t need to be a chef. Just a home cook with a love for good food and a jar or two to spare for your sun dried tomatoes.

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Sun dried tomatoes in olive oil are intensely flavoured tomato halves that have been slow-dried until chewy and richly concentrated. Packed into jars with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and herbs, they transform the oil into a fragrant, savoury infusion. Stored in the fridge, they make an effortless way to brighten salads, pastas, eggs and breads with a burst of sunshine all year round.

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Course: Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack, Toppings

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Herbs, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Drying: 6 hours hours

Total Time: 6 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 litre

Calories: 4253kcal

Equipment

• 2 Baking trays lined with parchment paper
• 2 500 ml mason jars sterilised

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Ingredients

 

MetricImperial

• ▢ 1 kg plum tomatoes ripe
• ▢ 500 ml extra virgin olive oil good-quality plus extra for topping up
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic peeled and lightly crushed
• ▢ 2 tsp dried oregano
• ▢ 1 tsp dried thyme
• ▢ 2 leaves bay
• ▢ 1 pinch salt

Instructions

• Wash and halve the tomatoes lengthways.
  1 kg plum tomatoes
• Remove excess seeds and juice with a small spoon, then pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Preheat your oven to 100 °C (fan-assisted) or 110 °C (conventional).
• Arrange tomato halves cut-side up on the lined trays, spacing them so air can circulate. Lightly sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
  1 pinch salt
• Bake for 4–8 hours, checking after 4 hours. You want tomatoes that are dry around the edges but still slightly pliable in the centre.
• Allow the tomatoes to cool completely.
• Tuck a bay leaf into the bottom of each sterilised jar, then layer in the dried tomatoes, garlic cloves, oregano and thyme.
  4 cloves garlic, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 leaves bay, 1 tsp dried thyme
• Pour in olive oil until the tomatoes are fully submerged, leaving a little headspace. If, after resting overnight, tomatoes peek above the oil, top up with a little extra.
  500 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Seal tightly and store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 4253kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 459g | Saturated Fat: 63g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 49g | Monounsaturated Fat: 334g | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 2492mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 8561IU | Vitamin C: 142mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 9mg