What Are Sundried tomatoes and How Can I Use Them?

Wondering what to do with sundried tomatoes? This guide covers how to pick them, cook them, store them, and swap them, plus 291 recipes to put them to work.

What are sundried tomatoes?

Sundried tomatoes are ripe tomatoes that have had nearly all their water removed, leaving chewy, leathery pieces packed with concentrated sweetness and a deep savory punch. Drying turns the tomato's natural sugars and glutamates into something far more intense than the fresh fruit ever tastes.

You will find them two ways on the shelf. Dry-packed versions come loose in a bag and feel firm and slightly brittle. Oil-packed versions sit in a jar of olive oil, already soft and ready to eat, often with garlic or herbs added.

That single difference in packing changes how you cook with them more than anything else about the ingredient.

Cooking With Sundried Tomatoes

Oil-packed tomatoes need no prep. Lift them from the jar, blot off the excess oil, and chop them straight into pasta or scrambled eggs. The oil itself is worth saving for vinaigrettes or for sauteing, since it carries real tomato flavor.

Dry-packed tomatoes are leathery and need rehydrating first. Cover them with hot water or stock and let them sit 20 to 30 minutes until pliable, then drain and chop. Skip this step and they stay tough and chewy in the finished dish.

Their power is umami. A small handful brings savory depth that fresh tomatoes can't, which is why they work in Creamy Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and folded into Calzone with Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Chopped fine, they also stud breads like Southwest Breadgilroy.

What to Pair Them With

Sundried tomatoes love fat and salt, which round out their sharp concentration. Soft cheeses such as feta and fresh mozzarella are classic partners, as in Sun Dried Tomato & Feta Stuffed Artichokes. Cream, garlic, basil, olives, and spinach all belong in the same dish.

The common mistake is using too many. Their flavor is concentrated, so a tablespoon or two of chopped pieces seasons a whole pan. Dump in half a jar and the dish turns aggressively sour and salty, drowning everything else.

The second mistake is forgetting the salt already in them, especially oil-packed jars. Taste before you add more salt to the dish.

Substitutes

For a quick swap, sun-dried tomato paste or a spoonful of tomato paste cooked until it darkens both give you that deep, jammy concentration, though without the chew.

Semi-dried or "sunblush" tomatoes are softer and milder, so use a bit more to match the punch. Oven-roasted fresh tomato halves work in cooked dishes where texture matters less. Roasted red peppers bring sweetness and chew but lose the savory bite, so add a splash of balsamic to compensate.

None of these match the intensity exactly, so adjust salt and acid by taste after you swap.

Buying and Storing

Choose dry-packed tomatoes that are still slightly pliable rather than rock hard and cracking, a sign of age. For oil-packed jars, the tomatoes should be fully submerged in clear oil with no cloudiness.

An unopened bag of dry tomatoes keeps in the pantry for up to a year. Once opened, seal it tight and it holds for several months; refrigerate in humid climates to prevent mold.

Opened oil-packed jars must go in the fridge, where they keep for one to two weeks. Always keep the tomatoes covered by oil, since any pieces poking above the surface can spoil. The oil will cloud and thicken when cold, which is normal; it clears again at room temperature.

To make your own, save soft dry pieces by covering them with olive oil and a clove of garlic in a clean jar, then refrigerate.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find sundried tomatoes: Sundried tomatoes are usually found in the canned goods section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Sundried tomatoes are a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

晒干的西红柿

British (UK) term

Sundried tomatoes

en français

tomates séchées au soleil

en español

tomates secados al sol

How much do sundried tomatoes weigh?

Related

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Recipes using sundried tomatoes

There are 294 recipes using and its varieties.

Always Loved Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili with bulgur and vegetables--Vegetarian chili: hot satisfying dish for fans of meatless mains.

New Potato Salad with Dried Tomatoes

This creamy and flavorful new potato salad is a great side dish with any summer BBQs.

Spinach, Sun-dried Tomato, Parmesan & Pine Nut Pasta Salad

Fresh spring spinach simply dressed with olive oil and umami-packed ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan and pine nuts with pasta to make it a simple yet sophisticated picnic friendly salad.

Herbed Sun-Dried Tomato & Cheese Muffin Crowns

Savor these savory Herbed Tomato Cheese Muffin Crowns, bursting with the tangy flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, and aromatic Italian herbs. Perfect as a breakfast treat, side dish, or snack, these muffins are quick to whip up and bake to golden perfection in just 12 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Wild Mushroom & Bourbon Sauce

Tender lemon-rosemary chicken meets an earthy wild mushroom sauce spiked with bourbon, creating layers of savory depth perfect for elegant dinners.

Veggie & Plum Flatbread

Onions, bell peppers and plums are arranged over the bread dough or pizza dough that's brushed with garlic olive oil. It's a cheese free flatbread but still so yummy.

Two Onions, Pineapple & Olive Flatbread

Quick-easy to make, and it tastes delicious. This is a dairy-free flatbread, garlic-infused olive oil is brushed over the bread dough and topped with onions, bell peppers, olives and pineapples that are being seasoned.

Halloween Pizzas

Make some cheesy and oozy Halloween pizzas for your Halloween dinner and they are delicious. Nobody will resist these hot pizzas.

Cheesy Caramelized Mushroom & Sun-Dried Tomato on Toast

A quick, easy and delicious recipe for you to make a simply tasty meal within ten minutes.

Baked Fish with Quick Tomato Confit

Baked fish with a quick flavourful confit of two kinds of tomatoes and citrus.

Greek Mac & Cheese Salad

Add feta cheese, sun-dried tomates, marinated artichoke hearts, mushrooms, olives, fresh cucumber, onions and bell peppers into cooked macaroni. Serve it over a bed of mixed greens, super tasty and refreshing.

Basil Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato Sandwich with Swiss Cheese

Don't feel like cooking up a storm, make this delicious sandwich with store-bought whole wheat English muffin, basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and swiss cheese. For extra heat, add a few slices of picked jalapenos.

Pasta with Olives & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

A fuss-free and delicious one-pan meal is packed with goodness and yumminess, use whole wheat pasta to make it even healthier.

Broccoli, Mushroom & Sun-Dried Tomato Tortilla Pizza

Make this tortilla pizza for a quick yet delicious lunch or supper. It's spread with basil pesto, sprinkled with mozzarella cheese, topped with broccoli, green bell pepper, mushrooms, onions and sun-dried tomato. Much lower calories and fat, but still tastes yummy.

Chickpea Salad with Parsley, Lemon & Sun-dried Tomatoes

It was a chickpea day for me yesterday. Made two different chickpea salads, this is one of them and comes from our member "Franklinfamily". The flavor was refreshingly delicious.

Chopped Mediterranean Salad

A refreshingly delicious chopped Mediterranean salad is also very quick and easy to put together. A great spring or summer salad with your BBQ.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Olive Pizza Rolls

Instead of pizza, use same yummy ingredients to make pizza rolls. These rolls turn out cheesy and delicious, the best is to serve them warm.

Spring Cabbage with Bacon & Chorizo

for fans of spring cabbage and typical combinations..

Sun-Dried Tomato & Asiago Cheese Bread

Really enjoyed this bread machine recipe. I did double the amount of sun-dried tomatoes and cheese, and I loved it. I ate half of it directly without anything else, it was that good!

Whole Wheat Rosemary, Garlic & Sun-dried Tomato Focaccia Pizza

A rosemary foccacia is baked in a pizza pan, brushed with garlic-infused olive oil, topped with roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and chunks mozzarella cheese. Loaded with delicious goodness and packed with flavor.

Chili Lasagna

One of the recipes we found to use up the homemade leftover chili, it came out amazingly good, nice and crispy on top, very cheesy; the chili and other several kinds of sauteed fresh vegetables were delicious mixture, which gave the lasagna huge amount of flavor.

Popcorn with Basil & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Popcorn tossed with basil, cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Amazingly delicious popcorn with a twist.

Barley with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Scallions

This Barley with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Scallions is a comforting and flavorful side dish that combines the nutty chewiness of pearl barley with the tangy richness of sun-dried tomatoes and the mild bite of scallions. Cooked in butter and seasoned simply with salt and pepper, it’s an easy yet satisfying addition to any meal. Perfect alongside roast veal and sautéed broccoli rabe, this dish brings a rustic elegance to the table.

Fried Rice with Peas & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Very easy to make, and packed with deliciousness. I ate it directly without anything else aside, like a whole meal for me. You can stir in one or two scrambled eggs at the end of the cooking to boost the protein.

Quick Tortilla Pizzas

These quick and easy tortilla pizzas take no time to make and absolutely delicious. Simply spread some pizza sauce, top with some your favorite toppings, and sprinkle some cheese. No need to order from outside, get a few tortillas and make these yummy warm pizzas from scratch.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Tomato & Olives Tapenade

Instead of mayonnaise, use sun-dried tomato and olives tapenade to spread the sandwich, which gives the sandwich tangy flavor. Grilling adds the nice smokiness into the these juicy and tender summer vegetables. Delicious and light summer sandwiches.

Five Bean, Artichoke & Sundried Tomato Salad with Greens & Toasted Almonds

This filling yet delicious bean salad is very easy to make. Put the salad in the frige for a couple of hours or overnight, the flavor will be even better. Of course you can always have some right after you make it to satisfy your caving before it grows too big :)

Vegetarian Barley Casserole with Sun Dried Tomato & Basil Pesto

Barley risotto layered with sun-dried tomatoes and homemade basil pesto, enriched with ricotta and goat cheese, then baked until the pesto toasts golden. A vegetarian main that eats like a feast.

Mozzarella & Sun-Dried Tomato Bread

Bread can be full of flavor, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic make this bread unbelievably delicious!

Fresh Tomato Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust

Silky egg custard cradles roasted tomatoes, sweet corn, and chewy sundried tomatoes in a nutty whole wheat crust. This savory tart balances rich cheddar with bright basil and the concentrated sweetness of oven-roasted summer tomatoes.

Basil Pesto, Roasted Pepper, Sun-dried Tomatoes & Portabella Mushrooms Pizza

Homemade pizza dough with roasted bell peppers, fresh mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, easy to make and tastes good.

Tomato & Olive Tapenade

Using sun-dried or oven-dried tomatoes and olives makes this delicious tapenade that can be spread over the sough dough bread, stuffed into bell peppers or chicken breast, or can be the replacement of mayonnaise when you prepare the sandwiches. Quick, easy and tasty!

Mediterranean Spaghetti with Toasted Walnuts

Toss the cooked pasta and rapini with sauteed shallots, red peppers, sun-dried tomato, marinated artichoke hearts, and olives; sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. A quick, easy yet tasty one-pan Mediterranean meal.

Sun-Dried Tomato Cheese Ball Rolled in Walnuts

Sun-Dried Tomatoes make for a lively and colourful presentation

Quinoa, Spinach & Hazelnuts Stuffed Peppers

Toasted quinoa, sauteed spinach, hazelnuts and sun-dried tomato are tossed with salty feta cheese and extra-virgin olive oil, then stuffed into colorful sweet bell peppers. Not only look divine, but they also taste delicious.

Mediterranean Roasted Green beans with Goat Cheese

Sun-dried tomatoes, black olives and goat cheese give the already delicious roasted green beans another layers of tasty flavors. Quick, easy and scrumptious!

Cheesy Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach Stuffed Pizza

This is a great combination for a clazone style pizza, using a combination of two cheeses boosting the flavor and lowering the fat, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach add tangy flavor and using whole wheat pizza dough boosts fiber. You can enjoying this delicious pizza without the guilt.

Mushroom, Sun-Dried Tomato & Olive Pizza

This homemade pizza is simply delicious. Spread some pizza sauce over pizza dough, top with freshly sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and onions, and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese. Within about 25 minutes, this freshly homemade pizza is ready to serve.

Sun Dried Tomato & Herb Cheese Strudels

Savoury two-cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, herbed and stuffed inside crispy phyllo pastry.

Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms

Yum. I will be making this recipe again and again.

Basil Pesto, Artichoke Hearts, Sun-dried Tomato & Roasted Bell Pepper Pizza

Instead of pizza sauce, used basil pesto, and the combination of the toppings worked deliciously well together. Cheddar and parmesan really added tons of yummy cheesiness, which was absolutely delicious with the toppings.

Multigrain Pita Bread with Sun Dried Tomato

The third time we made our own pita bread, this time I ground some sunflower and pumpkin seeds and added into the dough with the white sesame seeds, also added some sun-dried tomatoes, the pita bread didn't puff up too much like last time, but the flavor and the texture were both excellent. We really loved the flavor from the nuts and sun-dried tomatoes.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Cilantro, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Feta

A delicious and nutritious one-pot meal is ideal for a busy week-day dinner.

Artichokes, Roasted Pepper, Sun-dried Tomato & Feta Pasta Salad

This quick and easy pasta salad is succulent and tasty, and it only needs you to boil some pasta, toss everything all together. Here it s.

Artichoke Hearts, Olives, Sun-Dried Tomato & Red Chili Bread

Moist and flavorful bread topped with marinated artichoke hearts, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh red chili peppers, shaped and baked in a casserole dish. It's delicious all by itself.

Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato, Arugula & Fresh Mozzarella

This was the side-dish my mother-in law made for Easter dinner, and my favorite. Freshly homemade pasta was mixed with basil pesto, sun-dried tomato, arugula and chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese. It was so delicious and flavorful. Here it is...

Israeli Couscous with Sauteed Mushrooms, Pine Nuts & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Earthy sauteed mushrooms, aromatic toasted pine nuts, chewy-sweet sun-dried tomatoes make this delicious and wholesome couscous salad. Enjoy it as a side dish or serve it as a tasty main meal.

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam with Goat Cheese Crostini

Rich and packed with flavor but without the unhealthy fats. Slightly sweet carmelized onions and sundried tomatos topped with cheese on crispy toast (crostini).

Chicken with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

This recipe would have been 5 stars without the sliced sun-dried tomatoes. The tomatoes dominated the flavor of the sauce so much that it didn't allow the mushrooms to shine through. My wife liked it, but I noticed she was picking out the tomatoes too.

Roasted Fennel & Sun dried Tomato Pasta Salad

An American invention, this pasta salad is done right. Caramelized fennel and red onions with sun-dried tomatoes with a light vinaigrette.

All 294 recipes