Making Tomato Powder

I’ve been making tomato powder this week from my garden tomatoes.  We’ve had a great season of tomatoes from just two plants!  I had hopes of canning some up but, frankly, I’m running out of pantry space.  So I decided to use my surplus to make some tomato powder.

Never heard of tomato powder?  Tomato powder is made from dehydrated tomatoes ground into a fine powder.  It can be used to make all kinds of things by simply adding warm water.

Making Tomato Powder

If you love growing tomatoes then you know how quickly you can have TOO MANY tomatoes!  I love canning whole tomatoes, salsa and sauce but it is a lot of work and takes up a lot of space.  Making tomato powder is another fabulous way to preserve all that tomato goodness in a lot less space!

And it isn’t just great for home.  Your tomato powder will travel well too – think spaghetti on your camping trip!

Making Tomato Powder – Ingredients

• 1 dehydrator – I use this one
• Tomatoes – all varieties work
• Food processor, blender or coffee grinder
• Container for your powder – mason jar, zip lock bag, FoodSaver bag

Making Tomato Powder – Step

1. Wash your tomatoes and slice into 3/4 inch slices
2. Arrange your slices on your dehydrator trays in single layers
3. Set your dehydrator for 125 – 135 for 12 – 15 hours. It could take a little longer depending on humidity. They need to have very
   little flexibility left when they are done.
4. Once they are completely dehydrated remove them from the racks.
5. Depending on what you are using to grind them down into the powder, try a few at a time to see how much it can take.  I used my food processor and it can pretty much handle all 4 of my racks at once.
6. “Grind” until you have a nice fine powder with now sizable pieces.
7. Store your tomato powder in a mason jar (sealed with a FoodSaver for long term storage), zip lock bag or FoodSaver Bag.  And keep it in a cool, dry place.

Making Tomato Powder – How to Use It

• Paste: Use a 1 to 1 ratio of powder to warm water (1 teaspoon powder to 1 teaspoon warm water).
• Sauce: Use a 1 to 3 ratio of powder to warm water (1 teaspoon powder to 3 teaspoons warm water).
• Tomato Soup: Use 1 tsp powder, 1 tsp warm water and 2 tsp cream – so 1 to 1 to 2 ratio.
• Tomato Juice: 1 tsp powder and 1/2 cup water
• Other Uses: Use it in chili and stew as a thickener and flavor addition.  Add a tomato kick to your meat loaf.  Use as the base for taco meat seasoning…the uses are really endless.

I hope you find making tomato powder to be as useful and space saving as I do.  How do you plan to use tomato powder?

BONUS!

Do you have some tomatoes that have starting taking a nose dive and they are too soft to cut?  Puree them in your blender or food processor and use your fruit leather inserts in your dehydrator.  Once the ring in fully dehydrated you can break them up and start the grind.  No more wasting those awesome garden goodies!!!