Sun-dried tomatoes are nutritious tomatoes that many nutritionists prove are great to have. Many people believe sun-dried tomatoes are more nutritious than even fresh tomatoes.
And you can make or prepare just about anything with sun-dried tomatoes. You make sauce and stew with sun-dried tomatoes.
And when it is time to serve some salads, you can have the sun-dried tomatoes in that bowl of goodness and enjoy every bit while relishing it.
What if you do not want to use sun-dried tomatoes to you simply do not have them? Can you replace sun-dried tomatoes? Of course, there are many substitutes for sun dried tomatoes.
So let us discuss this in this guide now!
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What are sun-dried tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes are tomatoes that are drained of all their water content. Many people would usually use cherry tomatoes for this and some other times any other mini tomatoes. But, you can always use any tomato of your choice.
Especially if the tomatoes are over-ripened and you fear spoilage, you can cut them into halves or quarters, treat them with salt and then spray them on a clean tray, and allow the sun to dry the water contents. It will take 8 to 10 days to dry the tomatoes.
After which, the tomatoes going to have a rubber-like texture, yet a little crispy. So, it is chewy when you have a bite.
Taste: Although they do not have water in them, sun-dried tomatoes still have this intense flavor and many nutritional benefits that make people seek after the goodness.
And the best part is that it is relatively easy to store sun-dried tomatoes compared to other tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes will change with time, even if you store them in the fridge.
However, this does not mean that sun-dried tomatoes do not spoil as well. Sun-dried tomatoes stay longer than most fresh tomatoes.
And you can either store sun-dried tomatoes in oil or just like, only make sure it is in a clean jar and that it is away from heat or sunlight as this contributes to reducing the lifespan.
And when you open the sun-dried tomatoes, store them in the fridge to prevent them from turning rancid, forming mold, or even developing a foul smell.
You can read more on: How Long Does Sun-Dried Tomatoes Last In The Fridge?
How long do sun-dried tomatoes last?
Plain sun-dried tomatoes stored in the right condition would be anywhere from 1 to 3 years, while oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes would last for 1 to 2 years.
What do you do when there are no sun-dried tomatoes in your home? And you want to get that jaw-dropping recipe you have seen your favorite cook make. Or maybe this is the time to use sun-dried tomatoes to add some extra flavor and goodness to your meal.
Let us look for the best options for you!
Best substitutes for sun dried tomatoes
1. Semi dried tomatoes
This is the best option if you must get to your dining table some tomatoes for lunch. Sun-dried tomatoes are great; however, the semi-dried tomatoes would even offer a more intense flavor because it is not fully stripped of all the water content.
More so, semi-dried tomatoes are softer if you compare them with sun-dried tomatoes. So do not be afraid when you are replacing sun-dried tomatoes with semi-dried tomatoes. Semi-dried tomatoes are super nutritious too.
2. Fresh tomatoes
What do you do when you want to make some salads but cannot have your sun-dried tomatoes in them? Simple, get some fresh tomatoes and get your salads served!
Fresh tomatoes are almost the best substitute for sun-dried tomatoes, especially if you want nothing rubber texture and crispy. We all make sun-dried tomatoes from fresh tomatoes. So, why do you hesitate to use fresh tomatoes?
You can slice your fresh tomatoes in quarters depending on the size and then use them just as you would with sun-dried tomatoes. It even becomes better if you use cherry tomatoes, because they are really sweet and small, so it would less likely require cutting.
However, if you want some tomatoes with less water content, then you are welcome to try Roma tomatoes. Add some lemon or lime juice to increase the acidity.
Fresh tomatoes would do great justice in your sandwiches too. So, replace your sun-dried tomatoes with fresh tomatoes to get your bowl of salad ready.
3. Canned tomatoes
Canned tomatoes are the best substitute for sun-dried tomatoes when it is time to make a sauce. Canned tomatoes would offer almost the same flavor profile; however, it will not be as intense as that of sun-dried tomatoes.
Although canned tomatoes are more likely to produce a watery sauce, you can easily correct them with tomato paste or you can use flour to thicken your sauce. This is if you do not want to use tomato paste.
If you have drained canned tomatoes, then you use ¾ cup of canned tomato in place of ¼ cup of sun-dried tomatoes.
So, when it is time to replace sun-dried tomatoes in a pinch, use canned tomatoes to get your meal done and served.
4. Tomato puree
When it is time to make a dense tomato recipe, tomato puree can come into play. Tomato puree, although is drained and does not have an intense flavor as sun-dried tomatoes, would offer a thicker consistency and some depth of flavor to your recipe.
And if your recipe calls for more liquid, then add some amount of water to it. Adding some stocks can improve the water content too.
If you do not want to have the texture of whole tomatoes in your meal, then tomato puree is just the best option for you.
Tomato puree is another excellent substitute for sun-dried tomatoes in recipes that call for thickness.
5. Tomato paste
Tomato paste is the best replacement when it is time to make soups and sauces. Tomato paste has almost the same intense flavor as sun-dried tomatoes. And it would fit in many recipes that sun-dried tomatoes would fit in.
However, tomato paste is commonly used to thicken sauce or stew. It is almost impossible getting the same texture or consistency that the whole tomato would give using tomato paste. So, use tomato paste if you do not want any liquid in your recipe.
6. Tamarind paste
Tamarind paste is good for stir-fries that call for sun-dried tomatoes. Tamarind has this combination of bitter and sweet taste though.
So, we recommend you use a small amount of tamarind. You can taste the recipe and then add more if you like until you get your desired result.
7. Homemade dried tomatoes
Overall, the best option, if you do not have sun-dried tomatoes at hand, is to make some yourself. If you try sun-drying the tomatoes, it would take longer than to make. And unless you intend to wait for about 8 to 10 days, try other alternatives.
The best alternative is to dehydrate the tomatoes. Let us show you the best way to strip your tomatoes off their water content without sun-drying them.
- First off, get your tomatoes. For best results, get sweet varieties-cherry tomatoes preferably. This is because they have an irreplaceable sweet taste, and however, you can use the likes grape tomatoes or even Roma tomatoes that have less water content.
- Whether you have a conventional oven or just a toaster oven, preheat it to 275F
- Depending on the size of the tomatoes, you slice them in halves or quarters. Then treat them with salt to help drain the water content.
- Remove the seeds in the tomatoes and place them on a clean tray.
- Toss them in the oven and allow them to heat up for some time until they become dry and rubber-like texture.
It would only take 30 to 40 minutes to have this done, so be patient throughout the entire process and check the tomatoes so they do not burn.
8. Tomato powder
It is time to use another excellent alternative for sun-dried tomatoes. Tomato powder comes from dehydrated tomatoes, but it is ground into fine powder. Even at that, they have the same color and almost the same taste as sun-dried tomatoes.
You can use tomato powder to replace sun-dried tomatoes in recipes like sauce or soups.
Conclusion
Most often, you would need to replace your main ingredient when there is a shortage of the principal ingredient or when you simply want to try out other options.
And sun-dried tomatoes permit such experiments. So, there are excellent substitutes for sun-dried tomatoes in moments that call for it.
Semi-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato puree, and tomato paste are many other tomatoes that are best substitutes for sun dried tomatoes.
We hope you can make the best choice.