Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil Recipe

By
Danette St. Onge
Danette St. Onge
Danette St. Onge
Danette St. Onge is a food writer specializing in international cuisines. She authored "The Better-Than-Takeout Thai Cookbook" and has also served as the Italian Food Expert for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/17/23
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil

The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Soak:: 3 mins
Total: 23 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 2 cups

Pomodori secchi sott'olio, the Italian phrase for "sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil," is a classic recipe for reconstituting sun-dried tomatoes for easy use. In the southern Italian regions of Puglia and Calabria, these tomatoes hydrated in oil are typically used in antipasti, or as a snack on crusty bread. Added to panini, salads, bruschetta, pasta dishes, pizza, crostini, or the tasty friselle—a hard bread that resembles a bagel half—these versatile tomatoes are great to have at hand and can brighten many dishes in your weekly menu.

Use these tomatoes to substitute for fresh tomatoes in sandwiches to avoid your bread becoming soggy; mix them with cream cheese for a quick and tasty dip; or make a pesto sauce to have ready in your fridge for those busy nights when you're short on time to make dinner. Top grilled chicken with tomatoes, or make a sun-dried tomato sauce to cover white fish fillets.

Because the recipe has very few ingredients, be sure you have good-quality sun-dried tomatoes—organic is preferable—and a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil as the oil infuses the tomatoes with flavor, so the better the quality, the better taste they'll have. Although the classic recipe doesn't use anything but tomatoes and olive oil, some modern takes add herbs, garlic, capers, or olives. You can use your favorite optional ingredients or skip them altogether; the result will be fantastic regardless. This isn't a canning recipe, but you'll need a clean 16 to 20-ounce glass jar with a lid.

"This was a very easy recipe for sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, and the flavor was excellent. My reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes fit perfectly in a pint jar with 1 cup of olive oil. If you add capers and/or olives, you might need a larger jar or an extra half-pint jar. " —Diana Rattray

Recipe Test: Sun-Dried Tomatoes
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 cups water

  • 2 to 3 cups white wine vinegar

  • 40 halves sun-dried tomatoes, about 5 to 6 ounces

  • 1 tablespoon olives, pitted and oil-cured, optional

  • 1 tablespoon salt-cured capers, rinsed and dried, optional

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, basil, mint, or marjoram, optional

  • 1 pinch crushed red chile pepper, optional

  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. Add 2 cups of water and 2 cups of white wine vinegar to a large saucepan.

    Add water and white wine vinegar to a large pot

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the pot. Be sure they're completely submerged in the liquid. If not, add the remaining 1 cup of water and the remaining 1 cup of white wine vinegar.

    Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the pot with the white wine vinegar mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Bring the liquid to a quick simmer and let cook for about 10 minutes.

    Sun-dried tomatoes cooking in the vinegar mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit, covered, for another 3 to 5 minutes so the tomatoes can soften a bit more.

    Sun-dried tomatoes in a covered pot with vinegar mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  6. Drain the tomatoes well.

    Drain the tomatoes from the vinegar mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  7. Spread the drained tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels, and pat them completely dry with additional paper towels. While they need to be rehydrated to have the right consistency, removing as much excess water as possible avoids premature spoilage.

    Spread the drained tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels, and pat them completely dry

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  8. Transfer the tomatoes to a clean 16- to 20-ounce glass jar. If using olives, capers, oregano, and chile pepper, layer them with the tomatoes.

    Transfer the tomatoes to the glass jar, make layers of tomatoes and seasonings

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  9. Once done with the layering, press the tomatoes down and fill the jar with enough olive oil to completely cover them. Store the sun-dried tomatoes in the refrigerator until ready to use. Keep them refrigerated at all times.

    Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil, in a jar

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Safe Sun-Dried Tomato Storage

Because these tomatoes aren't canned, there are a few safety considerations you need to be aware of:

  • Adding dried herbs or already preserved items like capers or olives is very safe, but adding fresh herbs or cloves of garlic increases the risk of botulism, a condition induced by food contaminated by bacteria. Tomatoes are acidic, which makes them far less likely to be dangerous when stored in oil, and the vinegar used to rehydrate them in this recipe acidifies them even more. For additional safety, you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the olive oil when storing them.
  • If you choose to add fresh herbs or garlic, consume the tomatoes within two days.
  • Take out of the jar the number of tomatoes that you need and place the jar immediately back in the refrigerator; the tomatoes will keep for several months.
  • Do ​not store them at room temperature unless you have sterilized the jar and canned the tomatoes. Once the seal is opened, you must refrigerate the product.

Tip

After filling the jar with olive oil, slide a butter knife into the jar and move it around to remove any air pockets.

How to Use Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are versatile and can brighten up many dishes, from pasta and pizza to sauces and spreads. Try one of these great ideas:

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
108 Calories
9g Fat
3g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 108
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 11mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 173mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)