Love sun-dried tomatoes? Then you will love these air fryer dried tomatoes! It's fast and takes half the time compared to the oven, and a fraction of the time compared to actually drying tomatoes in the sun.
About These Air Fryer dehydrated Tomatoes
You will only need 3 ingredients and about 10 minutes of hands-on time. The rest of the drying process happens in the air fryer! The recipe is fairly simple, and there is no set quantity of tomatoes. You can make as much as you can pack in your air fryer basket. When I don't want to dehydrate, I make roasted air fryer tomatoes in just 12 minutes.
Enjoy tasty sun-dried tomatoes in your pasta sauces, soups, breads, or just as a tasty snack!
Don't have an air fryer? Make my oven-dried "sun-dried" tomatoes.
Is it Dried tomatoes or Sun dried tomatoes?
Traditionally, sun-dried tomatoes are made by drying ripe tomatoes in the sun until most of their moisture is gone. But with the unpredictable UK weather, unlike Italy or India where drying in the sun is easy, I prefer using my air fryer to achieve similar results.
Though we call them sun-dried, these are actually air fryer-dried tomatoes. The air fryer concentrates the tomatoes' flavors, giving them a rich, tangy taste that’s irresistible. They're incredibly simple to make, keep longer than fresh tomatoes, and are a delicious addition to many recipes.
Let me show you how to make sun-dried tomatoes in the air fryer, so you can enjoy the best of seasonal produce all year round!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These dried tomatoes intensify in flavor as they dehydrate.
- You can make sun-dried tomatoes any time, any season, without needing to worry about the weather or insects.
- Preserve the summer tomatoes: It's also a fantastic way to use up all the extra tomatoes and store them for later.
- Use them in dishes that call for sun-dried tomatoes or roasted tomatoes: Plenty of uses right from homemade pasta sauce, pizza sauce, salads and more.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes: You can use any variety of ripe tomatoes - Roma tomatoes, vine tomatoes, grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or garden tomatoes. The best tomatoes to use are the ones you have in abundance.
- Olive oil: Use just enough to moisturize the tomatoes. When the tomatoes dry, the oil will make them a little more pliable. Also, use some olive oil to store them in a jar in the fridge.
- Salt: I prefer to use sea salt for seasoning my dried tomatoes. This also helps in getting extra moisture out of the tomatoes.
- Optional seasoning: Black pepper, fresh herbs such as basil or oregano, Italian seasoning, or garlic powder/minced garlic.
How to Make Air Fryer Sun-Dried Tomatoes?: Step by Step
Prep the Tomatoes: If you are using vine tomatoes, you will know they are juicy. It requires a little bit of prep. On a cutting board, slice the tomatoes in half, then quarters and scoop out the seeds. Place the tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl. Now drizzle olive oil and season with salt. Toss to coat well. Allow it marinate for 15-20 minutes - this is an optional step. By doing so, all the extra juices from the tomato will be collected in the bowl below.
Air Fry:Arrange the seasoned tomatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 240°F (115°C) for 45 minutes.After 45 minutes, use a fork or a potato masher and smash them slightly. Air fry for a further 45 minutes.
Cool:When done, leave the air fried tomatoes to cool in the basket for at least 1 hour.
Finish: Drizzle with olive oil and herbs if using. Use in recipes as is or in recipes.
How to Use Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- They are delicious as a topping in pasta or use them to make my pesto gnocchi.
- They are also great in salads or pita sandwiches with hummus, lettuce, and cheeses.
- To preserve the sun-dried tomatoes for prolonged shelf life, some friends preserve them in vinegar or salt.
Store Air fryer Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Refrigerator: Once cooled, transfer the sun-dried tomatoes to a jar and enjoy up to a week For longer storage fill it with olive oil, and they last up to 2-3 weeks long. As homemade sun-dried tomatoes are free from any preservatives, they do not last as long as the ones from the store.
- Freezer: The best option for long term storage. Arrange the dried tomatoes on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to freezer-safe bags. They will keep well for up to 3 months. To use, simply microwave and then add them to your recipes. If you find them too rigid, soak them in oil to soften.
Recipe FAQ's
I use the Instant Pot Vortex Versazone with an 8.5 L capacity. It can pack at least 8-10 medium-sized tomatoes, so I can make a really large batch. I've made air fryer dehydrated strawberries too in the same air fryer.
Well its totally up to you. Halved tomatoes take longer time to dry in the air fryer than the quartered ones because of the size. But either ways delicious!
Quartered tomatoes: Air frying time about 90 minutes
Halved tomatoes: Air frying time about 120-135 minutes
You will also love
Homemade sun dried tomatoes recipe below
Ingredients
- 900 g tomatoes 9 medium tomatoes
- sea salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon olive oil plus more for filling
Instructions
- On a cutting board, slice the tomatoes in half, then quarters and scoop out the seeds. Don't discard the seeds, use it for other recipes. Place the tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl. Now drizzle olive oil and season with salt. Toss to coat well. Allow it marinate for 15-20 minutes - this is an optional step. By doing so, all the extra juices from the tomato will be collected in the bowl below.
- Arrange the seasoned quarter tomatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 240°F (115°C) for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, use a fork or a potato masher and smash them slightly. Air fry for a further 45 minutes.
- If you are air frying halved tomatoes, you will need to air fry for a total of 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- When done, leave the air fried tomatoes to cool in the basket for at least 1 hour.
- Drizzle with olive oil and herbs if using. Use in recipes as is or in recipes.
Maria Matthews says
I didn't rate it yet, but looking forward to using some of the extra tomatoes from my garden.
John Marshall (in the UK) says
Hi Sandhya recipe looks good but sun dried are a bit concentrated for me. What would the timing and temp
be for sun blushed tomatoes please. Thank you.
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Hi John, absolutely sun dried tomatoes are intense in flavors. For sun blushed tomatoes - that are more like semi dried tomatoes, you can air fry at 115C for just 30-45 minutes. They will still have a little moisture but delicious.
For Roasted tomatoes - air fry at 180C for 10-12 minutes.
John Marshall (in the UK) says
Thanks for that Sandhya......helpful.
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Most welcome!