Drying shrinks tomatoes to a small fraction of their fresh weight: about 14 pounds of fresh tomatoes make 1/2 pound, or 2 to 3 pints, of crisp dried tomatoes. Enter what you have or what you want below to get the pounds, drying time, and safe storage for your batch.
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What Your Result Means: the weight and pints are for tomatoes dried until crisp. Tomatoes dried only until leathery keep a little more water, so they weigh a bit more. The drying time is a range because slice thickness, tomato type, and humidity all change it; go by feel, not the clock.
How Do You Dry Tomatoes at Home?
Dry tomatoes at 140°F in an electric dehydrator or an oven until they are leathery to crisp. Paste tomatoes such as Romas dry fastest because they have thick walls and little juice.
- Prepare: wash, peel, and core the tomatoes. Cherry and grape tomatoes do not need peeling.
- Slice: cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices, or halve or quarter small tomatoes.
- Spread: lay pieces on trays with 1/2 inch between them.
- Dry: at 140°F for 10 to 18 hours in a dehydrator, turning pieces and rotating trays. An oven takes 2 to 3 times longer; prop the door open 2 to 6 inches.
- Test: they are done when leathery to crisp, with no sticky or moist spots.
Fresh to Dried Tomato Chart
| Fresh Tomatoes | Dried Weight | Dried Volume |
|---|---|---|
| 3 1/2 lb | About 2 oz | About 1/2 to 3/4 pint |
| 7 lb | About 4 oz | About 1 to 1 1/2 pints |
| 14 lb | About 8 oz (1/2 lb) | About 2 to 3 pints |
| 28 lb | About 1 lb | About 4 to 6 pints |
| 53 lb (1 bushel) | About 1.9 lb | About 7 1/2 to 11 1/2 pints |
How Does the Dried Tomato Calculator Work?
Dried volume = fresh weight ÷ 14 × 2 to 3 pints
Fresh needed = dried lb × 28, or dried pints × 14 ÷ 3 to 14 ÷ 2
Medium tomatoes ≈ fresh pounds × 3
Drying time: dehydrator 10 to 18 h at 140°F; oven 2 to 3 times longer
Can You Store Dried Tomatoes in Oil?
Yes, but oil keeps out air, so it must be kept cold. Oregon State University Extension gives these rules:
- Dry fully first: leathery or crisp, with no moisture left.
- For softer tomatoes: dip them briefly in bottled lemon or lime juice before adding oil. Do not use any other liquid.
- Plain tomatoes in oil: cover completely with oil and refrigerate for up to 6 months, or freeze.
- With garlic or herbs: refrigerate and use within 4 days, or freeze.
Worked Example
Say you have 10 pounds of Roma tomatoes and a dehydrator. Dividing by 28 gives about 5.7 ounces of crisp dried tomatoes, and 10 ÷ 14 × 2 to 3 gives about 1 1/2 to 2 pints. That is roughly 30 medium tomatoes, and they need 10 to 18 hours at 140°F. Stored airtight in a cool, dark cupboard, they keep 6 to 12 months.
Common Mistakes
- Drying too hot: the surface hardens, so moisture cannot escape and the tomatoes do not dry properly.
- Slices too thick or uneven: thin pieces finish long before thick ones.
- Crowding trays: leave 1/2 inch between pieces for air flow.
- Keeping oil-packed tomatoes on the counter: they must be refrigerated or frozen.
- Adding fresh garlic or herbs to the oil and keeping it more than 4 days.
- Storing before fully dry: sticky pieces can mold in the jar.
Accuracy and Limitations
The yield figures are averages for tomatoes dried until crisp.
What It Does Well: estimates fresh and dried amounts, drying time, and safe storage for a batch.
What It Does Not Do: account for each variety’s water content or how dry you like them. Juicy slicing tomatoes give less than paste tomatoes, and leathery pieces weigh more than crisp ones.
Methodology
Yield: 14 pounds of fresh tomatoes give 1/2 pound, or 2 to 3 pints, of dried product (Colorado State University Extension, from the University of Arkansas Extension “Drying Foods at Home”), so dried weight is fresh weight divided by 28. Method and time: slices 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, 1/2 inch apart, dried at 140°F for 10 to 18 hours in a dehydrator; an oven takes 2 to 3 times longer with the door propped 2 to 6 inches; only dehydrators or ovens are recommended (University of Illinois Extension). Storage: airtight in a cool, dry, dark place for 6 to 12 months; 1 cup dried rehydrates to about 2 cups (Colorado State University Extension). Oil: fully dried tomatoes only, refrigerated up to 6 months or frozen; with garlic or herbs, refrigerated and used within 4 days (Oregon State University Extension). Medium tomatoes: about 3 per pound, the same figure our Sauce Calculator uses.
Sources: Colorado State University Extension – Drying Vegetables, University of Illinois Extension – Tomatoes (Food Preservation), Oregon State University Extension – Herbs and Vegetables in Oil. Last reviewed: September 29, 2026 · Reviewed by Aiza Anwar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fresh tomatoes make a pound of dried tomatoes?
About 28 pounds. Colorado State University Extension lists 14 pounds of fresh tomatoes drying down to about 1/2 pound, or 2 to 3 pints, when dried until crisp.
How long does it take to dry tomatoes in a dehydrator?
About 10 to 18 hours at 140°F, depending on slice thickness and humidity. Turn the pieces and rotate the trays as they dry.
Can you dry tomatoes in the oven?
Yes, if your oven holds 140°F. Prop the door open 2 to 6 inches for air flow and expect it to take 2 to 3 times longer than a dehydrator.
Can you sun-dry tomatoes at home?
University of Illinois Extension recommends only electric dehydrators or ovens for drying tomatoes, and does not recommend drying vegetables outdoors at home.
What tomatoes are best for drying?
Thick-walled paste tomatoes such as Roma or other Italian plum types dry best. Cherry and grape tomatoes also work well.
How do I know when dried tomatoes are done?
They should be leathery to crisp with no moist spots. If they feel sticky, they need more time.
Is it safe to store dried tomatoes in oil?
Only if they are fully dried first, and the jar must be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 months or frozen. If you add garlic or herbs, refrigerate and use within 4 days, or freeze.
How long do dried tomatoes last?
Stored airtight in a cool, dry, dark place, dried vegetables keep well for 6 to 12 months. Discard any that smell off or show mold.
How do I rehydrate dried tomatoes?
Cover them with hot water and simmer until tender. One cup of dried vegetables makes about 2 cups once rehydrated.
Related Tomato Tools
See Our Tomato Preserving Guides
Yields and times are estimates from extension guidance. Never eat dried tomatoes that smell off or show mold, and keep oil-packed tomatoes cold. Spotted an error? Tell us here.