Oven-Dried Garden Tomatoes in Olive Oil
These easy oven-dried tomatoes are made with fresh garden tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Slowly dried in the oven until concentrated and slightly chewy, they’re packed in olive oil for a delicious addition to pasta, salads, sandwiches, bruschetta, and more.
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs. assorted fresh tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil for drizzling the tomatoes before drying.
- 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 1/2 cups Extra virgin olive oil, or enough to completely cover the tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes and dry them well. Cut them into pieces that are approximately the same size. If using larger tomatoes, cut them into wedges or smaller pieces. Smaller tomatoes can be halved.Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.Season the tomatoes
Drizzle the tomatoes lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, and oregano.You don't need a lot of oil at this stage—a light coating is all you need.Slowly dry the tomatoes
Place the baking sheet in a 225°F oven and slowly dry the tomatoes until they have lost much of their moisture and are concentrated and slightly chewy, but not completely hard or brittle.Depending on the variety, size, and moisture content of your tomatoes, this can take approximately 4–7 hours. Start checking them around the four-hour mark.Because tomatoes vary so much, use their appearance and texture as your guide rather than relying strictly on the clock.Cool the tomatoes
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before packing them into jars.Pack the jars
Place the dried tomatoes into clean jars. Sprinkle in a little additional dried oregano as you layer the tomatoes.Pour extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes until they are completely covered.Make sure the tomatoes remain submerged beneath the oil.Refrigerate
Seal the jars and refrigerate.For the best quality, use the tomatoes within about 1–2 weeks. Always use a clean utensil when removing tomatoes from the jar, and discard them if you see mold, notice an off smell, or see other signs of spoilage.
Notes
Don't try to dry all of your tomatoes to exactly the same texture. Different varieties contain different amounts of water, so some may finish before others. Remove the tomatoes as they reach that concentrated, slightly chewy texture and let the others continue drying.