How to Dehydrate Tomatoes
and Make Tomato Powder or Sauce

Drying tomatoes is one of the easiest—and tastiest—ways to preserve your harvest. Once dehydrated, their bold, tangy flavor becomes concentrated, making them perfect for sauces, soups, and snacks. Best of all, you’ll never need to rely on pricey store-bought sun-dried tomatoes again.

✅ Quick Answer: How do you dehydrate tomatoes?
Slice tomatoes about ¼–⅜ inch thick, place them on dehydrator trays or a lined baking sheet, and dry at 125–135°F for 6–12 hours until leathery but not brittle. Store in airtight jars or bags, or grind into powder for sauces and soups.

Whether you’re using a dehydrator or a regular oven, this guide shows you how to slice, dry, and store tomatoes so you can enjoy that rich summer flavor all year long.

Dehydrated tomatoes in a bowl

Tomato Nutrition: What Changes After Drying?

Did you know this? When dehydrating tomatoes, their Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, and Niacin, along with Folate, and Choline, content increases!

VITAMINS: Vitamin A, followed by Vitamin C, and Choline. Trace vitamins are Niacin, and Vitamin E, along with Thiamine, Betaine, Pantothenic Acid, Folate, and Vitamin K.

MINERALS: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Calcium. There are trace amounts of Iron, Zinc, Manganese, and Copper.

Tomatoes contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Dehydrate Tomatoes at Home

Let's get busy learning how to dehydrate tomatoes!

  1. Wash and slice the tomatoes into 3/8" slices. You can dip them into boiling water to make skin removal easier if you wish to skin them. For cherry tomatoes, cut in half - no skinning is required.
  2. Arrange the tomatoes on your food dehydrator trays, making sure the tomato slices don't overlap—or if using the cherry tomato halves, place them cut side up to prevent dripping to the lower trays.
  3. Turn on your food dehydrator and set the temperature between 125°F and 135°F (or per your food dehydrator's instructions).

💡 Tip: Outside the U.S.? Most dehydrating temps here are listed in Fahrenheit — use our quick converter to see the Celsius equivalent for your machine.

  • Tomatoes will be leathery or brittle when fully dried.
  • Drying time for tomatoes: between 5-12 hours.
  • Please remember to rotate your trays for even drying.

No Dehydrator? How to Dehydrate Tomatoes in the Oven

Yes, you can dehydrate tomatoes in the oven. Here's how:

Ingredients:

  • Fresh tomatoes, cored, seeded, and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
  • Optional: Fresh herbs like oregano, basil, thyme

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 170°F-200°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange racks to accommodate multiple trays.
  2. Wash and slice tomatoes. Spread out slices evenly in a single layer without overlapping on the prepared baking sheets.
  3. Optionally, sprinkle thinly sliced fresh herbs over the tomatoes for more flavor.
  4. Place trays on oven racks. If possible, prop the door open slightly with the handle of a wooden spoon to allow moisture to escape.
  5. Dehydrate tomatoes for 6-8 hours until no moisture remains. Flip slices halfway through. Start checking at 5 hours.

Fully-dried tomatoes will be shrunken down, darker red, and leathery. They won't be crunchy or brittle when fully dry.

Turn off the oven and allow the tomatoes to cool before handling. Store in airtight food vacuum-sealer bags or Mason jars.

Just Like Sun Dried!

Yes! How to make delicious sun-dried tomatoes is right at your fingertips!

Pack dehydrated tomatoes in a light extra-virgin olive oil and add herbs and garlic to help it along. These taste every bit as good (if not better) as the sun-dried tomatoes you buy in jars at the grocery store! 

Suggested herbs to try:

Basil - The classic complement to tomatoes. Its sweet, peppery flavor balances the richness of the oil and sweet tomato flavors. Pairs well with balsamic too.
Oregano - Earthy, zesty oregano is perfect with olive oil and brings out the savory side of rehydrated tomatoes.
Thyme - Offers a woodsy, citrusy aroma that infuses olive oil nicely. It also stands up well to the richness of oil-infused tomatoes.
Rosemary - Rosemary works excellently with fruity olive oils and tastes wonderful when paired with sun-dried tomatoes too.
Parsley - Its fresh flavor is a nice palate cleanser against the richness of the olive oil, and brings a vibrancy to dried tomatoes.

You really can't go wrong blending any combination of classic herbs like garlic, parsley, oregano and fresh peppers too for an oil-and-tomato-dressing bursting with flavors.

Delicious Ways to Use Dried Tomatoes (Pizza, Pasta & More)

freshly baked pizza on a pizza paddle

When you've finished dehydrating tomatoes, you'll find that dried tomatoes are great to use in many recipes and are excellent in sauces and puréed.

Turn Dried Tomatoes into Powder & Quick Homemade Sauce

Tomato Sauce simmering in a pan, by Chef JohnTomato Sauce by Chef John at Allrecipes

Try this great tomato sauce by Chef John, over at Allrecipes.

Make your dehydrated tomatoes into a powder in your blender. When ready to use, simply add water to make a paste (or add extra water to make a sauce).

This way, you can store the tomato sauce for use later - for pizza or for spaghetti!

This just in from Linda M on Facebook:
"I can tomatoes, and dehydrate the skins to make tomato powder. Great to thicken sauces up with."

Linda, thanks for sharing!

Tomato Leather: A Fun, Roll-Up Snack from Your Dehydrator

Try pouring your homemade tomato sauce onto solid fruit roll-up sheets and make a 'tomato roll up/leather.' 

For more on "leathers" check out this "dehydrating fruit rolls" page.

Why Dehydrated Tomatoes Taste Better Than Fresh

NOTE:

When dehydrating tomatoes, like sun-dried tomatoes, look out for them imparting a stronger 'tomato' taste in your recipes.

As mentioned at the top of the page: Pack your dehydrated tomatoes in a light extra-virgin olive oil too and add some herbs and garlic.

You've just created your own version of store-bought sun-dried tomatoes in oil - and wasn't it a lot of fun? Hey, give away jars of your tomatoes as gifts!

A TIP sent in from "Mj" regarding her dehydrated tomatoes:

I also was wondering if you ever turn tomatoes into powder. I dehydrate whole tomatoes sliced (skins and seeds included) and then put it through my grinder.

I found it is a cheater's way of thickening tomato juice for soup and sauces, and I find that not cooking my juice down to a sauce and just adding a little tomato powder has tenfold the flavor.

Last year for holiday gifts I made friends a jar of "All Michigan Vegetable Soup" and the big question from everyone was "Where did the awesome tomato flavor come from?" — I told them it was my little secret!

Tomato Drying FAQs: Everything You Wanted to Know

What’s the best temperature to dehydrate tomatoes?

Set your dehydrator between 125°F and 135°F (52–57°C). Drying takes 6–12 hours depending on slice thickness.

Do I need to remove tomato skins before drying?

No—skins are optional. Removing them gives a smoother powder, while leaving them on saves time and still works well for most recipes.

How do I make tomato powder?

Once tomatoes are fully dried, grind them in a blender or spice grinder. Store in an airtight container and use to thicken sauces, make tomato paste, or add flavor to soups.

Can I store dehydrated tomatoes in oil?

Yes, but they must be fully dried first. Pack in olive oil with garlic and herbs for homemade “sun-dried” tomatoes. Keep refrigerated and use within 2–3 weeks.

How long do dehydrated tomatoes last?

When stored in food vacuum-sealer bags or airtight Mason jars, they’ll last 6–12 months in a cool, dark pantry. 

Now that you know how to dehydrate tomatoes, you can enjoy them in everything from soups and sauces to homemade pizza toppings. You’ll love the bold flavor, the money saved, and the satisfaction of stocking your pantry with food you made yourself.

And before you go, be sure to grab your free 5 Dried Food Recipes You'll Actually Love PDF (below)—including carrot soup, minestrone, split pea soup, spicy beef jerky, and even banana cinnamon rolls. They’re the perfect way to put your dehydrated goodies to work!

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