Air Fryer Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Yes, you can make homemade sun-dried tomatoes in the air fryer. It’s really really easy to do and you get that deep, rich tomato flavor you’re dreaming of.

When To Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes In The Air Fryer

When I see that a tomato or two of mine are going soft or are bruised, and I’m pretty sure I won’t get to them before they’re on the less-good side, I quickly quarter them and put them into the air fryer. They can then be stored as listed below so that there is more time to use them up.

I also make sun-dried tomatoes in the air fryer if I want to make a recipe that calls for them but I don’t have any. I’m not going to make a special trip to the store to get them, and I probably only need a few, you know? This works in exactly that kind of situation.

Type Of Tomato To Use

You can use any kind of tomato here. How you cut them and how long they take will change depending on their size and how you cut them, but any type of tomato will work. Here’s how to prep different types of tomatoes for sun-drying in the air fryer.

If you have grape or cherry tomatoes, my preference is to halve them and then put them cut side up in the air fryer. You can alteratively leave them whole, but then you need to poke a hole in each one using a toothpick so that they don’t burst.

For small tomatoes, like campari or romas/plum tomatoes, they should be halved and then placed cut-side-up in the air fryer.

For medium-sized tomatoes, like those usually labeled tomatoes on the vine, you can halve the smaller ones and quarter larger ones. Put them skin-side-down in the air fryer.

For large tomatoes, like beefsteaks, quarter smaller ones and cut larger ones into eighths. Put them skin-side down in the air fryer.

Time and Temperature

It really ends up depending on how large the tomatoes are, how you’ve cut them, and how juicy the tomatoes are, to determine how long they’ll take. Having said that, we’re cooking them at a low temperature so there’s quite a bit of leeway in there also.

You’ll start by cooking the tomatoes at 250°F. Cook them at that temperature until they’re starting to shrivel but are not browning. That will be about 40-60 minutes for most tomatoes, but closer to 30 minutes for smaller tomatoes (like halved grape and cherry tomatoes) and for tomatoes cut into small pieces.

At that point, you can use the tomatoes. They will still be plump but they will have some nice, rich, concentrated sun-dried tomato flavor. But if you want them more like store-bought sun-dried tomatoes, then you’ll reduce the temperature to 180°F and continue to cook until they’re as dry as you’d like, 20-40 minutes.

Storing Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I typically make these tomatoes when I plan to use them soon, not so that I’ll have a big batch on hand. If I was doing a big batch, I do them in the oven like this. Since I’m not a canner, and because of food-safety issues, storing them for as long-term (the way you might keep store-bought ones) isn’t the best. I’m listing some ways to store them here, but my best advice is to freeze them if you want to store them.

In Olive Oil: It is not recommended that you store tomatoes in olive oil long-term, and it can in fact be risky. If you want that olive-oil effect like store-bought sun-dried tomatoes in a glass jar, submerge the air fried tomatoes in oil and then refrigerate for up to 4 days. Discard after 4 days, or if they look in any way milky or odd. To use, take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before needed so that the oil can turn back to liquid.

At Room Temperature: This is also not my favorite way to store these tomatoes. But once you’re finished cooking the tomatoes in the air fryer, put them on a rack and leave them uncovered for 24 hours. This will make sure that they are very dry. Then store them in a paper bag so that any remaining moisture leaves and doesn’t turn them moldy. You will need to rehydrate these tomatoes to use them, see below. If the tomatoes start to change color or have any white or green growing on them, discard the whole batch.

In The Refrigerator: You can put the tomatoes in an airtight container in the fridge without submerging them in anything. They’ll be good for 3-4 days. If they start to discolor, get milky, or look odd, discard them.

In The Freezer: The best way to store your homemade air fryer sun-dried tomatoes is in the freezer. They’ll keep for 3 months in there and will be delicious. They do lose a little bit of texture, but usually sun-dried tomatoes are chopped finely before using so you don’t detect the texture. And usually they’re rehydrated anyhow, which also changes the texture.

To freeze them, line a baking sheet or plate with parchment or wax paper. Put the dried tomatoes in a single non-touching layer on the paper. Freeze until solid, 2-3 hours. Transfer tomatoes to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.

Rehydrating Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Depending on how dry (or not dry) you’ve made your tomatoes, you may not have to rehydrate them before using them. If they are still a bit soft to the touch and plump in places, or if you have them stored in oil in the fridge (see above), then you don’t have to rehydrate them before using them. But if they are very dry, or if you want them to be softer, then here’s what you do.

Put the sun-dried tomatoes into a bowl. Top with very hot, but not boiling, water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can use hot tomato juice to rehydrate the tomatoes – it really bumps up that delicious tomato flavor!

Or, if you’ve recently opened a can of tomatoes and didn’t need the juice, you can use that clearer tomato juice here. Simply heat up enough tomato juice to submerge the tomatoes and pour it over them. Let them sit for 10 minutes. Drain the tomatoes and they are ready to use.

Using Sun-Dried Tomatoes

There are so many delicious uses for sun-dried tomatoes. Add them to a pasta dish like this Ground Turkey Pasta or use them as a pizza topping. The tomatoes work great with chicken dishes, try adding them to the filling in this Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe. They are also really tasty in paninis or other sandwiches. I can’t wait to hear how you’re using them, let me know in the comments!