How to Dry Tomatoes And Store In Olive Oil
A tutorial for the time-honored tradition of safely drying tomatoes and storing in olive oil at room temperature without canning. It’s a great way to preserve tomatoes to use in any recipe calling for dried tomatoes.
✩ What readers are saying…
“Thank you for dedicating yourself to sharing such amazing recipes, anecdotes and information. I am so glad you discovered the ‘facts of the matter’ on preserving these delights this way and from the first time I found this recipe years ago, to revisiting it today and finding more information than there had been previously I cannot thank you enough! ” -Wyn
Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT a tutorial for canning tomatoes in oil, since there is NO way to do that at home safely. I am not recommending that. Removing all the air from the covered tomatoes would create an environment for botulism to grow (low acid + no oxygen). This simply shows how you can cover completely dried tomatoes with oil (and NO other ingredients), screw a lid on and store at room temperature.
This tutorial for drying tomatoes and storing on the shelf in oil is how I’ve preserved and kept my dried tomatoes for years.
The tomatoes are SO much easier to use this way, versus simply dried and packaged: you can cut them up immediately to use in Italian pastas, over salads, and in dips – all without needing to rehydrate first in water.
Is this safe?
I learned of this technique for drying tomatoes from well-known local food preservationist writer, Jan Roberts-Dominguez in the Oregonian newspaper in the 1990s. (I actually taught myself to can using some of her articles and many of her recipes are my favorites even now.)
She always used recommended USDA guidelines and her preservation recipes were tested and approved.
Once I started using her method for drying tomatoes and storing them in oil, I never looked back. It’s a huge money-saver as well as a great item to have on hand for recipes.
Many of you know I’m big on food safety, and I don’t do things simply based on the “I’ve done it for years and it’s never killed anyone” train of thought.
I do believe that this particular time honored preserving method has stood the test of time for two reasons:
- Tomatoes are naturally acidic (and I never add any fresh garlic or herbs)
- The tomatoes are dried until they are still pliable, but no liquid comes from them when tested.
As an added precaution, I also use Ms. Dominguez’s recommendation to dip them in red wine vinegar to help extend their shelf life – which increases the acidity as well.
However, in 2010 I came across a newsletter that said the National Center For Home Food Preservation was no longer recommending storing dried tomatoes in olive oil.
Why?
“Preserving tomatoes in oil is currently not recommended. Oil may protect botulism organisms trapped in a water droplet. Furthermore, oil may have a deleterious effect on lid gaskets and at least one manufacturer of home canning lids recommends against it.”
You can imagine I was NOT happy with this. Especially since:
- The tomatoes are dried and don’t contain “water droplets.”
- The oil doesn’t touch the lids.
But mostly I wasn’t happy with this because when I tried to research this new recommendation, I wasn’t able to find any other site or research to back up this claim.
Seriously – nothing! So I emailed Ms. Dominguez and asked if she had heard this and what her thoughts were.
She had not and basically echoed my thoughts – that if the tomatoes are truly dry and not packed with any fresh herbs or garlic there should be no problem. The vinegar dip she recommends also helps tip the acidity level.
9/3/11 Safety Update
I found this information that mirrored my own from the book, How to Store Your Home-Grown Produce: Canning, Pickling, Jamming, and So Much More by John and Val Harrison:
For years we stored in oil by simply placing the produce in a sterilized jar and filling the jar with oil, agitating to get any air bubbles out before sealing…when we published this on our website we were deluged with emails warning that we could get botulism from this…
When we researched this…we discovered that it was first mentioned on a Canadian website in reference to an outbreak of botulism from a restaurant…this was picked up and repeated…until it became a fact as far as casual searchers were concerned.
(We) decided to consult a food scientist directly. He explained that there was a theoretical risk that small droplets of water adhering to the vegetable would provide a growing medium for botulism. He couldn’t quantify the risk, not being a statistician, but comparisons with being struck by a meteor…were mentioned. He wouldn’t go on record as saying it was safe, although he said he would have no concerns personally about using the method.
9/5/17 Safety Update
The Oregon State Extension Service lists this as a safe way to store tomatoes!
Because of their acidity, unseasoned (i.e., no vegetables or herbs) fully dried tomatoes may be safely stored in oil at room temperature. (Refrigeration may delay rancidity, however). The tomatoes will soften more if quickly dipped in bottled lemon or lime juice before being placed in the oil. The tomatoes can be flavored with dried herbs and garlic. NOTE: Dried tomatoes-in-oil mixtures with [fresh] garlic and/or herbs MUST be refrigerated and used within 4 days or frozen for long-term storage.
I think this most up-to-date information about storing dried tomatoes this way shows that it is a safe, reliable way to store dried tomatoes on your shelf without canning (which is definitely not safe).
And let me tell you- these are sooo easy and tasty and a fraction of the cost of store-bought, I’m pretty sure you are going to love these as much as I do.
How to Dry and Store Tomatoes In Olive Oil Video
We made this video after a number of readers asked how to tell when the tomatoes are dry enough, as well as other details.
Tutorial for Drying Tomatoes & Storing in Olive Oil
1. Wash tomatoes, cut the top core off and cut them in half.
Remove as much of the seeds as you can by running your thumb down the insides. It sounds tedious, but goes rather quickly. TIP: I use an over-the-sink cutting board with a cut-out that makes it easy to cut and scrape the pulp right into a bowl set below the board.
Note: I prefer to use only plum tomatoes for dried tomatoes to store in oil. They make better dried tomatoes since they’re more meaty.
2. Line the tomato halves on a dehydrator tray, cut side up.
This is important, otherwise you’ll get a lot more juice run-off as they dry and the cut side sticks to the tray, making them harder to turn. As you can see, I really pack them in there because they shrink as they dry.
3. Dry at the manufacturer’s recommended 135 degrees.
(I love and use a 5-tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator.) Leave them for about four hours and then do the first switch: turn them over and turn the trays around. None are usually dry yet, except maybe a few really small ones. Let dry for another 1-2 hours before checking again. At this point, there will be some dry tomatoes and you’ll need to remove these (I set them in a large bowl or baggie) and continue drying the rest.
Alternative oven-drying method:
Cook tomato halves in a 170-degree oven for about 3 hours with the oven door left open about 3 inches for moisture to escape. Then turn the tomatoes over, cut side down, and press flat with a spatula. Continue baking, turning the tomatoes every few hours, gently pressing down, until the tomatoes are dried, up to 9 hours more. Check often since some tomatoes will be done quicker depending on the size and moisture content. Aim for a leathery feel that will bend but is not crisp, and no moisture appears when pressed all over with your fingers.
What does a fully dried tomato look and feel like?
(for a better visual of this, the video above shows more on this process)
Your fully dried tomato halves should be dry and leathery with no moisture coming out from them when you push them with your fingers.
You should be able to bend them like shown in the picture above.
If some get a bit crisp in places, it’s OK, but don’t let them all get that way- there’s no amount of oil that will soften them up again.
(TIP: if some get too crisp, you can whir them up in a food processor or blender to make tomato powder which makes great tomato paste with a bit of water added!)
As you continue drying tomatoes, you can start putting the fully dried halves in a jar, starting with a vinegar rinse:
4. Dip dried tomatoes in vinegar.
Fill a small bowl with red wine vinegar and grab some tongs. Dip the dried tomato halves into the vinegar and then let the vinegar drip for a minute before placing in a quart jar.
5. Continue dipping the dried tomatoes in vinegar.
Let them drip and place in the jar until the jar is full to the shoulders of the jar. It’s okay to press down on the tomatoes to remove air and fit more into the jar.
6. Add olive oil to the jar until the tomatoes are covered.
You will need quite a bit of oil, but you will be able to use the oil for salad dressings and cooking as you use up the tomatoes.
No waste here! (TIP: Amazon has good prices on olive oil here.)
KEY for storage and safety:
Make sure the tomatoes are completely covered in olive oil.
7. Continue drying tomatoes, dipping, and covering with oil.
When the next bunch of tomatoes are dry, just continue to “dip and drip” each one in the vinegar and place in the jar, covering the new additions with more olive oil.
8. When the jar is full, store it in a dark, cool place.
As you use the tomatoes, just be sure the remaining tomatoes are fully covered before storing back on the shelf (you can add more oil if needed).
How long do dried tomatoes in oil store on the shelf?
The tomatoes are best used within a year. After about 6 months they will begin to darken and lose their redness, but are still safe to eat and flavorful after that, just not as pretty.
Recipe ideas that use dried tomatoes
- 5 Minute Goat Cheese Appetizer with Dried Tomatoes & Roasted Red Peppers
- Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes, Dried Tomatoes & Olives
- 20 Minute Mediterranean Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
- White Bean Dried Tomato Dip Recipe
Want to save this?
Enter your email below and you’ll get it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get easy new recipes, gardening tips & more every week!
How to Dry & Store Tomatoes In Olive Oil (at room temperature safely)
Equipment
- Food Dryer (or use optional oven method)
Ingredients
- 3-5 pounds paste/plum tomatoes (preferably, though you can slice and dry bigger tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup (or more) red wine vinegar (you can also use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 cups olive oil, or enough needed to cover tomatoes
Instructions
- Wash tomatoes, cut the top core off and cut them in half.
- Line the tomato halves on a dehydrator tray, cut side up.
- Dry at the manufacturer's recommended 135 degrees.* Check at about four hours and then do the first switch: turn them over and turn the trays around. None are usually dry yet, except maybe a few really small ones. Let dry for another 1-2 hours before checking again. At this point, there will be some dry tomatoes and you'll need to remove these (I set them in a bowl) and continue drying the rest.Your fully dried tomato halves should be dry and leathery with no moisture coming out from them when you push them with your fingers
- Fill a small bowl with red wine vinegar and using tongs, dip the fully dried tomato halves into the vinegar. Let the vinegar drip for a minute before placing in a clean, quart jar until the jar is full to the shoulders. It's okay to press down on the tomatoes to remove air and fit more into the jar.
- Once a jar is full to the shoulders, pour olive oil over the tomatoes until they are FULLY covered. For safety, the tomatoes should always be completely covered with oil, even when you start using them. *You will need quite a bit of oil, but you will be able to use the oil for salad dressings and cooking as you use up the tomatoes.
- Continue drying tomatoes, dipping, and covering with oil until all your dried tomatoes are used up.
- Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year (they are best within 6 months, because they darken with time, but still safe to eat and flavorful after that, just not as red).
Notes
Nutrition
This tutorial has been updated – it was originally published in 2010.
Disclosure: affiliate links in this post will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
Hi Jami, thanks for the very informative article. I couldn’t find any mention of why you scrape the seeds out of the tomatoes in the article or comments. Can you explain why you do this?
thanks,
Alex
It’s to get most of the juice out so they dry faster and more evenly. I don’t make sure all the seeds are off the tomatoes, just that the large seed-juice mass in the centers are gone. Does that make sense?
What is the shelf life for the tomatoes?
We’ve used them a year later, though the tomatoes get darker as they age. That’s the only difference we’ve noticed, though!
Can I use balsamic vinager instead of red wine vinager?
Yes, any vinegar is fine. The color might be darker, though.
Can I use regular white vinegar for dipping?
Yes, the flavor is just a bit more astringent. Apple cider vinegar would be a better substitute since it’s a milder flavor, but both will work.
Perfect Jami! I just dried a bunch of my home grown tomatoes! I will certainly use this method for my harvest. I live in Central Oregon and read thru your profile. I hope you & your family are safe during this impossible-but-happening wild fire season. GiGi
Thank you, GiGi, we are! Just dealing with all the smoke, but thankful not more than that!
I’m glad this was helpful for you – I love having these on the shelf!
I have recently dehydrated tomatoes and covered them in oil. They are in a glass mason jar. I put them in the fridge and am now seeing tiny yellow balls that look like cold oil, but I wanted to make sure I haven’t mistepped by storing this in the fridge. Can you provide any insight for me please? Your help would be much appreciated. 🙂
Yes, that’s the olive oil hardening, as you guessed. It’s perfectly safe to store them this way! The only downside is the solidifying oil that makes them a bit harder to use. But it does melt pretty quickly as you’re cutting them for use in recipes, etc.
It must just be that the vinegar is so acidic that it makes for an environment where botulism can’t grow.
Well, as long as the tomatoes are dry and completely covered, botulism can’t grow. I’ve stored these without the vinegar in the past and it’s all good, they’re just better with the vinegar.
I understand that water and a no oxygen environment can cause Botulism. So drying is important. But if I then dip them in vinegar which is water based, aren’t I adding water to the mix?
Bottled vinegar is a way to improve the taste and texture of the tomatoes. I have been storing tomatoes like this for many years and have never had a problem. I don’t know all the chemical details, but perhaps the vinegar acts differently than pure water even though it has water as it’s makeup?
You don’t use the vinegar rinse if you don’t want to – it’s up to you!
Just a question: would the water in the vinegar add to the compromising of the oil by adding droplets?
I’m not sure what you mean by this question, what water? Bottled vinegar works for this.
Yes my question exactly. Vinegar is a water based thing. Chemically, it contains water. So would we not be adding water to the oil mix and risking botulism?
Maybe if the tomatoes were soaked in vinegar before drying to make them more acidic but then the vinegar (and it’s water content) would be dried out.
When vinegar is made, it becomes something different than pure water, so I’m assuming that’s the difference.
I’ve never had any issues in many years. That said, don’t use the vinegar dip if you don’t want to.
The troubling aspect of this technique is that it does not have a standard ratio of product (tomatoes), vinegar, and oil. By eye-balling this ratio, there will not be a truly standardized result. Even though the risk is low, there is a possibility of botulism because there is no set amount of vinegar–and you even recommend not using it or using different types of vinegar with different acidity levels. Additionally, the vinegar will not be evenly dispersed in the oil and not entirely mitigate low-acid pockets of oil and product. This is why store-bought infused oils end up using citric acid and dehydrated (cooked) herbs or alliums. I know the risk is low, but let’s imagine this technique was done at a large volume restaurant or cafeteria. This is where these tiny risks really become a viable danger to the consumer. It’s better to reconstitute the dried product, dress in oil, refrigerate after use, and consume within a reasonable time frame.
The completely dried tomatoes only have to be submerged in the oil – the vinegar isn’t there for any acidity. It’s not canned (like commercial products) so it’s not the same thing. There are no “low-acid pockets of oil” – the whole thing is oil and again, acidity isn’t an issue here with this type of preservation. It’s actually moisture that would be the issue, so it’s why I go into detail about fully drying the tomatoes and what they look and feel like fully dry.
They are different techniques and when sealing and canning that removes the oxygen, acidity becomes an issue.
I think I go through a lot of research into the safety of this time-honored technique in the article, but of course each of us has to make an informed decision and if you’re not okay with it then store dry or keep this in the fridge.
Could I dip in balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar?
Yes, but not the thick, aged kind.
Hi! I’ve been looking up so many recipes and reading on so much information as to what not to do and I’ve decided this is the way I’ll preserve my dried tomatoes, I was wondering tho, what if I added some dried basil to the oil, would that be cause for concern?
You can add dried herbs to the oil, no problem, Andrea! It’s only fresh herbs and/or garlic that is the issue.
Enjoy!
Can one use a ronco or similar lower priced dehydrator?
Any food dryer that works is good, Larry.
Hi 🙂 we’ve done this a few times and I’m going a bit crazy as after about a week all the jars have popped (the button on top is up) and when we undo the jars it’s bubbling and the tomatoes taste horrible and fizzy. Any ideas? It’s happened with a few different batches with different olive oils, with or without vinegar… it’s just such a waste and I would love any advice of where I’m going wrong!
Thankyou 🙂
Wow, as you can see from the video, that isn’t my experience in all the years I’ve been making them!
I’m wondering if you’re not drying them enough? Is there any moisture that comes from the tomatoes when you press them?
I have no other idea why that would happen – all the tomatoes are kept under the oil?
I would not eat them for sure if there is any bubbling – that should not happen.
Your other option is to refrigerate them after putting in oil to make sure you don’t lose anymore. The olive oil will solidify some, but it’s not that big a deal.
Interesting.Many thanks.This botulism thingy is scary.
Have you ever used avocado oil instead of olive oil? In your dehydrated tomatoes?
No. I’d never really consider that since olive is the traditional oil used.
So how long do they keep for? I’ve read you should keep them in fridge. Elsewhere is says freeze (but I think freezing glass not good). Some sites say use in a month..(which doesn’t seem much like storage to me) but I still got a heap in the fridge so don’t want to use for several months
I don’t see how storing in hot oil should hurt flavour..they’ve just been heated. Does this method enable them to keep longer?
I’ve kept mine on the shelf for a year and while the tomatoes darken, they are still good. You can refrigerate if you feel better about it, but the oil will solidify. You don’t want to heat the oil as it may “seal” under the lid (even without official canning) that would set up an anaerobic environment where botulism can grow.
Thank you you resolved my concerns
You’re welcome – these are amazing, I hope you enjoy them!
This is my third year of preparing tomatoes using your method. I did some tonight, and will let them sit for at least a month before opening them. This is the single thing I prepare at home, that really seems like a gourmet food. You simply cannot buy tomatoes like these in the store. Once summer is over, I no longer buy tomatoes, because they just are not good from the big producers. This is a great way of having a tomato treat in the winter. Thank you!
I’m so glad you tried these, Michelle, and like them – I do agree. 🙂
Hi Jami,
I don’t see anywhere that there is a processing of the filled jars. Is that not needed? Can’t wait to try these.
No, this is not safe to can, Melia. You simply can keep the tomatoes – completely covered with oil – in the cupboard for 6 months to a year (they will darken over time, but still be fine).
Wow, this info was exatly what I was looking for!
Kudos to you for all your research that helps all of us that don’t look so far into our subjects.
I now feel like I can safely and economically enjoy my own dried tomatoes!
I’m so glad this was helpful to you, Jolayne – I’m pretty sure you’re going to love these. 🙂