How to Rehydrate Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Oct 9, 2024

How to use and rehydrate dried tomatoes

Because we use large, ripe tomatoes, their sweetness is like that of fruit tomatoes. The faint acidity is refreshing, and they rehydrate to be surprisingly soft and juicy for a dried product.

This time, we will introduce three ways to rehydrate dried tomatoes. We'll also tell you about the textures and recipes you can enjoy with each method, so please use them as a reference.

【Add directly】The balance of sweetness and acidity is perfect in soup.

Rehydration time	0 minutes
Suitable dishes	Add directly to soups

First, enjoy the sweetness as is, then use in various dishes like takikomi gohan (mixed rice), akadashi (red miso soup), or soup pasta. When heated, they become melt-in-your-mouth soft, so you can also try tomato shabu-shabu by lightly dipping them in dashi broth.

【10-minute rehydration】Acidity stands out, perfect with pasta ⚪︎

Rehydration time	10 minutes
Suitable dishes	Marinades and pasta toppings

When rehydrated for about 10 minutes, the tomatoes retain a slight chewiness and their characteristic acidity is strongly highlighted. In this state, they are suitable for refreshing dishes that make the most of the fresh tomato flavor, and can add an accent to various dishes, especially salads and pasta. The strong acidity will whet your appetite.

Add to salads: 10-minute rehydrated tomatoes, when added directly to salads, enhance the refreshing taste with their chewiness and acidity, adding a well-balanced accent to the whole dish. When combined with leafy greens and cheese, the tomato flavor is further emphasized.
Combine with chicken: By combining with grilled chicken, the tomato's acidity enhances the chicken's umami, creating a refreshing dish. Adding olive oil and herbs will make it even more flavorful.
Add to pasta at the end: Adding them to pasta at the end provides an acidic tomato accent, completing a well-balanced pasta with integrated texture and flavor. Perfect for simple oil-based pasta or tomato sauce pasta.
Marinade: Marinating them in vinegar allows you to enjoy an even more refreshing flavor. Also recommended as an appetizer or side dish.

【Half-day rehydration】Soft texture for a hidden flavor ⚪︎

Rehydration time	Approx. 12 hours
Suitable dishes	Stewed dishes or toppings

When rehydrated for half a day, dried tomatoes lose their chewiness and become soft. However, their tomato flavor remains strong, making them easy to use in stews and cold dishes. In particular, the sweetness and umami of the tomatoes easily melt into simmered dishes, adding depth to warm dishes.

Tomato Stew: When stewed with meat or canned mackerel, the umami of the tomatoes permeates the entire dish, creating a rich stew. The soft, half-day rehydrated tomatoes become even more flavorful when simmered.
Topping for Chilled Chinese Noodles: In summer, using them as a topping for chilled Chinese noodles adds a refreshing sweetness and acidity, allowing you to enjoy a light flavor. They serve as an accent in cold noodle dishes.

Recommended recipes
using dried tomatoes

Natto and Dried Tomato Miso Soup: The acidity from the dried tomatoes creates a broth that pairs perfectly with miso soup. While regular miso soup is good, adding natto makes it a nutritious dish. Recipe here
Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese:Utilizing the shape of large-cut tomatoes, placing cheese on top transforms it into a stylish dish suitable for a home party. Dried tomatoes are delicious on their own, and exquisite when combined with cheese.Recipe here

The joy of eating them dried

Eating dried tomatoes as they are, without rehydrating them, is also delicious, allowing you to enjoy their unique texture and concentrated flavor. When eaten dry, the sweetness and acidity of the tomatoes become condensed with every bite, and you can enjoy their firm texture. They are also recommended to be paired with salads, cheese, or crackers, or enjoyed as a snack on their own.

Dried tomatoes offer completely different flavors and textures depending on the rehydration time, so try using them in various ways to match your mood and dish of the day.

Dried Tomatoes

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Dried tomatoes

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Dry yet juicy

We use large tomatoes harvested after ripening, so their sweetness is like that of fruit tomatoes. The subtle acidity is refreshing, and they become incredibly soft and juicy when rehydrated, unlike typical dried tomatoes.

Drying them brings out the rich, inherent sweet umami of the tomatoes, which might otherwise be hidden by their juiciness. Moreover, as the aroma and acidity become milder than in fresh tomatoes, you can savor the concentrated sweetness that peaks when fully ripe. These sun-dried tomatoes have a deliciousness that makes them irresistible to sample. Even a single slice can brighten up your dinner table.

■ Made with large, ripe tomatoes
■ Sweetness like fruit tomatoes
■ Becomes incredibly soft and juicy, unlike typical dried tomatoes
■ Irresistible deliciousness when sampled

How to use dried tomatoes

First, enjoy their sweetness as is, then use them in various dishes such as seasoned rice, red miso soup, and soup pasta. When heated, they become meltingly soft, so try them in a light dashi broth for a tomato shabu-shabu.

How to Rehydrate Dried Tomatoes

■ Recommended to enjoy their sweetness as is first
■ Adding them to miso soup brings out tomato broth

Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese: Utilize the large cut shape of the tomatoes and place cheese on top to transform it into a stylish dish perfect for home parties. Delicious on their own, these dried tomatoes are exquisite when paired with cheese. Recipe here

Natto and Dried Tomato Miso Soup: The acidic broth released from the dried tomatoes pairs exceptionally well with miso soup. While regular miso soup is good, adding natto makes this a highly nutritious dish. Recipe here

See all dried tomato recipes here

Enjoy dried tomatoes even more with easy recipes

About the raw tomatoes

We use the traditional Momotaro variety of tomatoes. According to farmer Taniguchi, slightly yellow tomatoes are the most delicious. We luxuriously dry tomatoes in this peak condition, as recommended by the farmers. We also use sweet tomatoes with slightly blackened bottoms and fully ripe tomatoes that cannot be shipped to market.