Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes in the jar cost a fortune for what is essentially patience and a low oven. This DIY version takes about an hour and rewards you with chewy, jammy, deeply savory slices that taste a hundred times brighter than the leathery store-bought kind.

Plum or Roma tomatoes are the gold standard here because of their lower water content and meaty flesh. Watery slicing tomatoes turn soupy and shrivel to nothing, while paste tomatoes hold their shape and concentrate into something almost candy-like as the natural sugars caramelize.

Fresh herbs are the upgrade. A scattering of thyme, rosemary, oregano, or smashed garlic infuses the olive oil and perfumes the slow-roasting tomatoes. The longer they roast, the more intense the flavor, so push them past the hour mark for something dark and concentrated, or pull them earlier for a softer fresher result.

Store the finished tomatoes covered in olive oil in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze them flat on a sheet pan and bag them once frozen.

Kitchen Tips

• Pack the slices tight on the pan, they shrink dramatically as they dry and a single layer wastes space
• Use a sharp serrated knife to slice tomatoes without crushing the flesh into pulp
• Salt the slices lightly, the salt draws out water and speeds up the drying
• Check after 45 minutes and rotate the pan if your oven has hot spots
• Save the tomato-flavored oil from the pan, drizzle it over pasta, salads, or warm bread

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a slow-roasted spicy version
• Cut into halves instead of slices for chunkier, more substantial pieces
• Use cherry tomatoes whole, prick each one with a fork first to release steam

How to Use Them

• Layered into a grilled cheese sandwich or panini
• Tossed with hot pasta, olive oil, and shaved Parmesan
• Chopped into a tomato bruschetta or scattered over a margherita pizza