What's the best sun dried tomato substitute? Well, in this article we're going to find the perfect way to replace sun dried tomatoes for a variety of recipes.
Even though they happen to be a fantastic ingredient – with a special blend of sweet, tart and rich flavors that can really elevate a dish – there are a few tricks you can use to replicate the amazing taste of sun dried tomatoes.
Curious? You should be. Read on to discover the very best substitutes for sun dried tomatoes.
8 Sun Dried Tomato Substitutes
Are you looking for a Sun Dried Tomato Substitute? Read on to learn 8 alternatives in this comprehensive list.
If you're looking to substitute sun dried tomatoes for something similar, semi dried tomatoes are your very best bet. As you may have guessed, they're very similar. Much like sun dried tomatoes, they have undergone a drying process, although only half the way.
As semi dried tomatoes are only half dried, they retain a lot more moisture. This makes them softer, slightly sweeter and it means they have a lot less intense flavor than sun dried tomatoes.
Semi dried tomatoes are very versatile and are excellent as a substitute for sun dried tomatoes in pretty much every cooking context. Swap like for like quantities.
How to substitute semi dried tomatoes for sun dried tomatoes:- Pizza toppings
- Salads
- Sauces
- Pesto
- Pasta
- Topping for bruschetta
- In sandwiches
An excellent sun dried tomato substitute, tomato paste has a similar intense flavor, as it comes in the form of a condensed paste. The concentrated flavor of tomato paste makes it ideal for adding to everything from sauces and soups to curries and casseroles.
Its paste form also makes it ideal for texture and thickness. Unlike other sun dried tomato substitutes, tomato paste doesn't add lots of liquid to a dish, so you won't have to adjust things when using it.
Tomato paste, like sun dried tomatoes, is a very popular ingredient in Italian cuisine, so it can be used as a substitute in pretty much any Italian dish. Swap in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste for every 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes.
How to substitute tomato puree for sun dried tomatoes:- Pasta or pizza sauce
- Tomato soup
- Casseroles, curries or stews
Canned tomatoes make for a good substitute for sun dried tomatoes, especially for sauces. They have a similar flavor, although canned tomatoes don't have the same intensity of sun dried tomato.
If you want to come closer to the rich flavor of sun dried tomatoes, as well as thicken the sauce, you can add extra flavor enhances alongside the canned tomatoes. Adding a tablespoon of tomato puree together with canned tomatoes is a good way to thicken the texture and sharpen the taste.
You could also add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, for example, for a more umami flavor.
Add ¾ cup canned tomatoes for every ¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes called for in the recipe.
How to substitute canned tomatoes for sun dried tomatoes:- Pasta or pizza sauce
- Tomato soup
A thick sauce made from cooked and strained tomatoes, tomato puree is another less intense tasting substitute that works better when used in sauces. While it won't have as much flavor as sun dried tomatoes, it's one of the best alternatives when it comes to tomato based dishes.
Of course, if a sauce or soup recipe calls for sun dried tomato, replacing it with tomato puree will mean adding a lot more liquid to the dish. So, be sure to factor that in and reduce the liquid, whether it's stock or water, accordingly.
How to substitute tomato puree for sun dried tomatoes:- Pasta or pizza sauce
- Tomato soup
For those who aren't fond of the taste of sun dried tomatoes, this could be the ultimate replacement. As fresh tomatoes are the same base ingredient of sun dried tomatoes, without the sun working its magic, they act as a very good substitute, albeit without the same big flavor.
Which could be ideal if intense flavor is not what you're looking for. Sun dried tomatoes aren't for everyone, especially when they are not cooked in to a dish, so if you need an alternative for salads or as a topping, fresh tomatoes are a good call.
Get them fresh from the grocer's and pick full flavored fresh tomatoes like Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice to bring some extra acidity and flavor to your dish.
How to substitute fresh tomatoes for sun dried tomatoes:- Salads
- Bruschetta topping
- In sandwiches
With a milder taste than sun dried tomatoes, yet with an impactful flavor of its own, roasted bell peppers make for an interesting alternative.
The great thing about roasted bell peppers is that you can add other flavors into the mix to adapt your recipe as you see fit. A roasted bell pepper with a drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkle of salt, garlic, basil, thyme or lemon, for example, would be divine.
Great as a side dish or a topping for pizza, bruschetta or in a sandwich or salad, roasted bell peppers have a subtle sweet, roasted flavor. Swap like for like with sun dried tomatoes.
How to substitute roasted bell peppers for sun dried tomatoes:- Salads
- Bruschetta topping
- In sandwiches
A flavoring product made from ground dried tomatoes, tomato powder brings a big hit of tomato flavor to the mix. It's used like a spice and is great for adding punchy tomato flavor to sauces, soups, stews, casseroles and other dishes, all without adding extra liquid.
How to substitute tomato powder for sun dried tomatoes:- Pasta or pizza sauce
- Tomato soup
- Sprinkled on a salad
A dark, sticky, intense paste made from the fruit of the tamarind tree, tamarind paste is a common ingredient found in Asian cooking, particularly Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines, as well as Mexican and Caribbean cooking.
Tamarind paste has an intense sour, citrusy taste, with smoky caramel-like undertones added into the mix. It's actually kind of a unique flavor profile that you won't find anywhere else. For any Asian, Mexican or Caribbean recipe that calls for sun dried tomato, tamarind paste could be an ideal substitute.
Swap in 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste for every 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes.
How to substitute tamarind paste for sun dried tomatoes:- Stir fries
- Curries
- Spicy soups and casseroles
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What are sun dried tomatoes?
As the name suggests, sun-dried tomatoes are tomatoes that have been dried in the sun. Well obviously! Still, you probably want to know how they're made and how the idea of drying tomatoes in the sun came about, right?
Well, it's often said that sun drying tomatoes was a process invented by those creative culinary geniuses, the Italians. In fact, the first people to sun dry tomatoes was the Aztecs, way back in 900 BC.
Still, the Italians do have a long tradition of drying sliced tomatoes sprinkled with salt on ceramic roofs during the summer, then preserving them in olive oil over the winter.
Sun drying tomatoes removes the water content and brings the intense tomato flavor to the forefront.
When buying sun dried tomatoes, you'll either find them in jars preserved in olive oil, or dry-packaged. Jarred sun dried tomatoes are softer and plumper, great for salads or toppings, while dry-packaged are better chopped and added to sauces, soups or stews.
How do you store sun dried tomatoes?
If you have a jar or package of dried tomatoes from the supermarket or store, store them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Once opened, store them in the fridge and use them within 2-3 weeks.
Why are sun dried tomatoes so expensive?
Sun dried tomatoes are very labor intensive. This drives the cost of production up significantly. They need to be hand harvested and, after the drying process, they need to be peeled.
Still... you can always make your own!
How do you make your own sun dried tomatoes?
It's easy! You don't need to actually dry them in the sun, but can instead use an oven to speed up the process. Follow the simple steps below to make your homemade sun dried tomatoes:
Preheat your oven to 275 F (135C).
135°C / fan 120°C / 275°F / gas mark 1.
Use a full flavored, sweet variety of fresh tomato. Something like Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes or grape tomatoes.
Slice the tomatoes in half, scoop out seeds and soft flesh, then line them up on a baking tray. Add a sprinkle of salt and cook until dry. This should be around 1-2 hours.
Either store them in an airtight container or store them in a jar of olive oil.
Recipes that use sun dried tomatoes
- Sun dried tomato pesto – a pure taste of Italy, this pesto tastes like a dream
- Goat's cheese salad with sun dried tomato and walnuts – this salad has got some serious flavor!
- Tomato bruschetta with parma ham – the perfect light lunch or appetizer
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