This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. That means if you click on my link and buy something, I will earn a small commission from the advertiser at no additional cost to you. For more information on this, please click here.
Semi Dried Tomatoes are like little flavor bombs that enhance whatever they’re added to, whether it be an antipasto platter, sandwich, omelet, pasta, pizza, salad or more! Fresh, ripe tomatoes are cored, seeded and cut down into smaller pieces that are then roasted slowly at a low temperature to achieve the perfect balance of sweetness, juiciness and plumpness.
If you’ve never made incredibly sweet and intensely flavorful semi dried tomatoes, you really have to try them! They couldn’t be easier to make–they just require a little bit of time to roast slowly at a low temperature.
This tomato recipe is ideal to make when you have a great deal on roma, plum or any other sauce tomato.
And, slow roasting is a such an amazing cooking technique for fresh pomodori! Tomatoes develop a deep sweetness as they slowly roast–they lose moisture, their flavor intensifies and they become totally irresistible!
This cooking method can turn even the blandest and un-ripest tomatoes into something delicious. Plus, it makes your kitchen smell amazing!
I learned this technique back in my early cooking school days, when I was a lowly prep cook working in the basement at a fancy seafood restaurant in Philadelphia called Striped Bass. We used to make these roasted tomatoes by the bucketful, and it was a huge part of my tasks in the prep kitchen. Needless to say, I became an expert at making them!
I love adding these tomatoes to a delicious chicken cutlet sandwich or serving them with tender pork shoulder. Sometimes, I’ll toss them into a simple spaghetti aglio e olio or pasta with breadcrumbs for a tangy touch.
To make slow-roasted tomatoes, all you really need to do is core and remove the pulp from your tomatoes, cut the flesh down into smaller pieces, then toss them with good olive oil and roast them in a single layer on a sheet pan at a low temperature for a few hours. You’ll know when they’re done!
These tomatoes usually go pretty quickly in my house, but they freeze beautifully! Use them to top off grilled fish or meats, add them to sandwiches, salads, omelets, crostini, pizza or just enjoy them by the forkful.
Hope you take advantage of the season’s best and give this slow roasted tomato recipe a try. One word of advice–be sure to roast a big batch. Trust me! You’ll find endless ways to enjoy them and wish you always had some on hand. Mangia bene!
For more mouth-watering recipes with fresh tomatoes, check out Roasted Tomatoes Provençal, Tomato Bruschetta, Panzanella Caprese, Pasta with Fresh Grape Tomato Sauce, Sicilian Trapanese Pesto, Cherry Tomato Confit with Garlic, Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce and Vodka Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes.
How to Make Semi Dried Tomatoes, Step-by-Step
This is a really simple recipe that is mostly about technique and the amounts are all approximate. Here are the steps to making this recipe for semi-dried tomatoes:
- Rinse, then core the tomatoes. Cut them in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon or grapefruit spoon, remove the pulp and reserve it for another use. Cut each tomato half into 2 or 4 pieces depending on their size. Try to keep the tomato pieces about the same size.
- PRO-TIP: Use the tomato pulp for something else, like making stock or soup or add it to your sauces. If you prefer to leave the pulp on the tomato for roasting, it will take much longer in the oven fyi, but also be delicious.
- PRO-TIP: You can prep and cut the tomatoes up to one day in advance, to save time on the day of roasting. Store them covered in the refrigerator.
- Place the tomato pieces in a large bowl as you prep them. Once all the tomatoes have been prepped, pour some quality extra virgin olive oil into the bowl, enough to lightly coat all of the tomatoes. Toss well until all tomatoes are coated with the oil.
- Then, transfer the oiled tomatoes to parchment-lined sheet pans. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer.
- PRO-TIP: Do not salt the tomatoes! Salt will extract moisture from the tomatoes and will cause them to steam in the oven, which we do not want. You can salt the tomatoes after they or roasted or at the time of serving.
- Transfer the sheet pans to the middle rack of a 225˚F preheated oven. Slowly roast them over the next 3 to 3½ hours or so. Turn the sheet pans around every hour. After two hours, increase the heat to 250˚F. The tomatoes are done once they are reduced, beginning to dry out and a bit shriveled. But, they should not be completely dry like sun dried tomatoes. They should still retain some juice inside and be a little jammy.
- PRO-TIP: Using a low oven temperature is key to get the desired texture and moisture level. The timing is approximate as all ovens vary a bit.
- Remove the sheet pans from the oven and let the tomatoes cool. Salt them lightly, if desired. Serve at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
More common “sun-dried” tomatoes (that are generally not really dried by the sun, fyi) are fully dehydrated to remove all their moisture. They are more frequently than not sold jarred and packed in oil with other herbs and spices, but are sometimes sold in dehydrated form.
Semi-dried tomatoes, on the other hand, are just that–not fully dried/dehydrated. They have been dried about half-way, so they still have an element of moisture, plumpness and juiciness.
Yes, you can freeze oven roasted tomatoes and I have done so successfully many times. Place the semi dried tomatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Let them freeze individually, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once frozen individually, it will be easy to grab a small handful whenever you want to add some to a recipe. Thaw before using.
No, this recipe needs to be made with fresh tomatoes.
More Delicious Recipes
Check out these recipes that are also all about cooking technique:
- Grilled Eggplant, Italian-Style
- Mom’s Chicken Cutlets
- Garlic Confit and Garlic Oil
- Roasted Garlic
- Spicy Pepper Oil (Olio Santo)
- Italian Frying Peppers
- Roasted Long Hot Peppers
- Tomato Confit with Garlic
Serving Suggestions for Semi Dried Tomatoes
These slow roasted tomatoes are incredibly delicious and can be served any number of ways. Enjoy them as a condiment on your next antipasto platter or sandwich, in a salad or omelet, on crostini or bruschetta bread, as a topping for any grilled or roasted meat or fish or just enjoy them by the forkful!
These tomatoes are justification enough to make an out-of-season BLT or caprese salad!
I recently pulled some out of the freezer (yes, they freeze really well!) and added them to a corn salad along with fresh, halved cherry tomatoes. They’re great paired with fresh tomatoes as it’s an interesting contrast as well as a complement.
Sometimes I’ll add them to potato salad, pasta salad or tortellini antipasto salad. Quite honestly, these little flavorful tomatoes will level-up whatever you add them to.
If you’re serving them on their own on an antipasto platter, be sure to toss them with some high quality olive oil and sprinkle with salt flakes. Consider mixing in some fresh or dried herbs (dried basil, dried oregano) and vinegar as well.
TOP TIPS FOR SEMI DRIED TOMATOES
- Tomato Selection: This slow roasted tomatoes recipe is really best with sauce/paste tomatoes such as Roma, plum, Amish paste and San Marzano. These types of tomatoes have a meaty texture, more flesh and fewer seeds than other varieties. Their flavor also develops best when cooked down. Having said this, slow roasting is a technique that can be used for any tomato. If you use a large beefsteak-style tomato, you will have so much more pulp to remove and discard, though.
- Recipe Amounts: This recipe is mostly about technique and the amounts are pretty flexible. Use more or less tomatoes and olive oil based on what you have. It’s a really simple recipe with little prep but a long cooking time. Make it on a day when you will be home and are able to check on the tomatoes every so often.
- Salt: Do not salt the tomatoes! Salt will extract moisture from the tomatoes and will cause them to steam in the oven, which we do not want. You can salt the tomatoes after they or roasted or at the time of serving.
- Oven Temperature: You may be tempted to roast the tomatoes at a higher temperature and for a shorter length of time. You can definitely do this and I have many times! The tomatoes will probably caramelize and char in some places and will be a bit drier than the slow roasting method. It’s a different type of roasted tomato, but also delicious. Using a low oven temperature is key to the desired texture and moisture level that’s described here.
- Storage:Store semi-dried tomatoes in an airtight container or glass jar in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, if they last that long! Bring them to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze these tomatoes and I have done so successfully many times. Place the semi dried tomatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Let them freeze individually, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once frozen individually, it will be easy to grab a small handful whenever you want to add some to a recipe. Thaw before using.
More Great Recipes to Try
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!
If you’ve tried Slow Roasted Tomatoes please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more delicious food and what might be going on behind the scenes!
Semi Dried Tomatoes ~ Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pounds roma or plum tomatoes (See NOTES.)
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 225˚F. Line a couple sheet pans with parchment paper.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Rinse, then core the tomatoes. Cut them in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon or grapefruit spoon, remove the pulp and reserve it for another use. Cut each tomato half into 2 or 4 pieces depending on their size. Try to keep the tomato pieces about the same size.
- Place the tomato pieces in a large bowl as you prep them.
- Once all the tomatoes have been prepped, pour some quality extra virgin olive oil into the bowl, enough to lightly coat all of the tomatoes. Toss well until all tomatoes are coated with the oil.
- Then, transfer the oiled tomatoes to parchment-lined sheet pans. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer. (Do not pile the tomatoes on the pan!)
- NOTE: Do not salt the tomatoes! Salt will extract moisture from the tomatoes and will cause them to steam in the oven, which we do not want. You can salt the tomatoes after they or roasted or at the time of serving.
- Transfer the sheet pans to the middle rack of the 225˚F preheated oven. Slowly roast them over the next 3 to 3½ hours or so. Turn the sheet pans around every hour. After two hours, increase the heat to 250˚F. The timing is approximate as all ovens vary a bit. The tomatoes are done once they are reduced, beginning to dry out and a bit shriveled. But, they should not be completely dry like sun dried tomatoes. They should still retain some juice inside and be a little jammy. Generally, these tomatoes do not get caramelized since the oven temperature is so low, but they may if you increase the temperature.
- Remove the sheet pans from the oven and let the tomatoes cool. Salt them lightly, if desired. Serve at room temperature.
- Enjoy these semi-dried tomatoes as a condiment on your next antipasto platter or sandwich, in a salad or omelette, on crostini or bruschetta bread, as a topping for any grilled or roasted meat or fish or just enjoy them by the forkful! These slow-roasted tomatoes are incredibly delicious and can be served any number of ways. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- The yield for this recipe is about 3 cups slow roasted tomatoes, more or less. The actual yield will really depend on what type of tomatoes you use and how much pulp they had versus flesh.
- This recipe is mostly about technique and the amounts are pretty flexible. Use more or less tomatoes and olive oil based on what you have. It’s a really simple recipe with little prep but a long cooking time. Make it on a day when you will be home and are able to check on the tomatoes every so often.
- You may be tempted to roast the tomatoes at a higher temperature and for a shorter length of time. You can definitely do this and I have many times! The tomatoes will probably caramelize and char in some places and will be a bit drier than the slow roasting method. It’s a different type of roasted tomato, but also delicious.
- This recipe is really best with sauce/paste tomatoes such as Roma, plum, Amish paste and San Marzano. These types of tomatoes have a meaty texture, more flesh and fewer seeds than other varieties. Their flavor also develops best when cooked down. Having said this, slow roasting is a technique that can be used for any tomato. If you use a large beefsteak-style tomato, you will have so much more pulp to remove and discard, though.
- Do not salt the tomatoes! Salt will extract moisture from the tomatoes and will cause them to steam in the oven, which we do not want. You can salt the tomatoes after they or roasted or at the time of serving.
- Using a low oven temperature is key to get the desired texture and moisture level.
- Use the tomato pulp for something else, like making stock or soup or add it to your sauces. If you prefer to leave the pulp on the tomato for roasting, it will take much longer in the oven fyi, but also be delicious.
- You can prep and cut the tomatoes up to one day in advance, to save time on the day of roasting. Store them covered in the refrigerator.
- Store semi-dried tomatoes in an airtight container or glass jar in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, if they last that long! Bring them to room temperature before serving.
- You can also freeze these tomatoes and I have done so successfully many times. Place the semi dried tomatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Let them freeze individually, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once frozen individually, it will be easy to grab a small handful whenever you want to add some to a recipe. Thaw before using.
Sounds wonderful
Great recipe! I used a variety of tomatoes from my garden and some that I bought and the result was so delicious! I will definitely make this again and freeze some to have during the year.