Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins Recipe (2024)

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Turn tomato skins from trash to delicious powdered treasure.

By

Niki Achitoff-Gray

Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins Recipe (1)

Niki Achitoff-Gray

Niki Achitoff-Gray is the former editor-in-chief at Serious Eats and a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She's pretty big into oysters, offal, and most edible things.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated November 04, 2022

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Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • The microwave acts upon water molecules, ensuring that they evaporate before the tomato skins brown or cook.
  • Cooking them in small, single-layer batches helps them dehydrate more quickly and evenly.
  • Grinding the skins with sugar and salt helps amp up the tomato flavor.
  • Homemade tangy-sweet tomato powder is a cost-effective way to repurpose a would-be discarded vegetable scrap, great for rimming co*cktail glasses, sprinkling on fried food, pizza, pasta, or fresh mozzarella.

Every time I cook from a recipe that calls for just part of a vegetable, I feel like crap—I don't have a compost bin, which means all those scallion greens or tomato skins wind up going straight into the trash. What else can you really do with 'em?

What if I told you that there's actually a great use for these cast-off ingredients, and that it's simple, fast, fun, and delicious? A way that will land you with brightly- hued powdered seasoning that's great for rimming co*cktail glasses and sprinkling on everything from fried chicken to fresh mozzarella?

Of course, the idea of transforming vegetable scraps into something that tastes good and lasts in your pantry is nothing new. Chefs do it all the time. What's special here is using the microwave to do in mere minutes what it takes a traditional low-oven method hours to accomplish.

I took some cues from a post we ran a while back about drying herbs in the microwave to preserve flavor and even color. The same principles apply here: simply lay the ingredients on a paper towel, cover with another paper towel, and microwave on high until dry to the touch. The process is incredibly simple, and all you'll need are vegetable scraps, the microwave, and a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. After experimenting with tomato skins, try your hand at scallion green powder using the same method.

Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins Recipe (3)

If you're wondering why on earth you'd ever have a pile of tomato skins in the first place, take a quick gander at the step-by-step process of how to peel and dice tomatoes and one of our favorite uses for skinless tomatoes: refreshing, smooth-textured coulis. Once your tomato skins are in-hand, pat them dry with a towel and lay them out in a single layer on a stack of two or three paper towels, cover them with another paper towel, and stick them in the microwave on a heat-resistant dish. Be sure not to press the top towel down—I had some skins stick to the towel when I tried pressing out extra moisture that way.

After about four to five minutes in the microwave, they should be papery and crisp, with almost the same bright red hue you started with. A quick spin in the spice blender turns them into a fine or coarse powder.

I've found that the best flavor comes from ripe, flavorful tomatoes—no surprises there. This is a powder I'd only bother with in summer months; bland supermarket tomatoes will yield a flavorless seasoning that you'll wish you'd never bothered with. To amp up the tangy-sweet tomato flavor, I add a pinch of both salt and sugar to the skins once they're in the spice grinder; I'd avoid mixing in strong spices or aromatics, which would likely overpower the delicate flavor.

August 2015

Recipe Details

Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins Recipe

Active2 mins

Total7 mins

Serves4 servings

Makes1/4 cup

Ingredients

  • Skins from 8 mediumpeeled tomatoes

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions

  1. Line a microwave-safe plate with a double layer of paper towels. Spread as many tomato skins on top as will fit in a single, non-overlapping layer (about 1/4 of skins). Microwave on high for 4 minutes, then continue in 20-second intervals until the skins are papery, dry, and crumble if pinched. Repeat with remaining skins.

  2. Add skins, salt, and sugar to spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Grind until powdered. Store in an air-tight container.

Special Equipment

Spice grinder or mortar and pestle

Read More

  • Scallion Powder From Scallion Greens
  • Tomato
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
2Calories
0g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories2
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 79mg3%
Total Carbohydrate 0g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg3%
Calcium 1mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 12mg0%
*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.)

Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins Recipe? ›

If making tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes, reserve the skins. Place them on a dehydrator sheet or parchment-lined baking sheet. Dehydrate at 135F for 8 to 12 hours (or out in the sun)! Place the tomato skins in a coffee grinder or a blender, and grind until they are a fine powder.

What can you make out of tomato skins? ›

If you are putting up tomato sauce for your larder right now, don't discard the skins from those red orbs. Repurpose them into a powder that offers intense flavor for seasoning meat, potatoes, fries, popcorn and even yogurt. All it takes is a bit of dehydration.

How do you grind tomato skins? ›

Arrange the skins on a wire rack placed on a cookie sheet and dehydrate in the oven at 200℉ or until completely dry and crispy. Alternatively, dehydrate the skins in a food dehydrator. Place the tomato skins in a spice grinder/coffee mill and grind.

How to make tomato powder from skins in the oven? ›

Oven method
  1. Heat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and lay the skins on top in a single layer.
  3. Bake till they are completely dry, between 1 1/2 and 3 hours.
Aug 13, 2020

Why do Italians remove tomato skins? ›

To ensure a uniform, smooth texture. Tomato skins are tough and hard to chew, so removing them before you make sauces – especially canned sauces – is important. Avoid bitter flavor.

What is the shelf life of tomato powder? ›

Each can is packaged for long term storage so that you can enjoy this product for years to come. *Shelf life up to 25 years when unopened and stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, at temperatures between 55°F and 70°F.

What is tomato powder used for? ›

As Bon Appétit's Senior Editor, Sarah Jampel, explains, “Tomato powder can also go where tomato paste cannot! It's dry and sprinkle-able, meaning you can use it similar to a spice in rubs (tomato-rubbed chicken wings?!) or to flavor roasted vegetables or nut mixes.”

How is tomato powder made? ›

Tomato powder is made by drying tomatoes and then grinding them into a fine powder. Typically it's the tomato skins, without the pulpy interior sections with the seeds, that are used for making tomato powder. Think sun-dried tomatoes, only drier, and finely pulverized.

Should you eat tomato skins? ›

Tomatoes are rich in nutrients, and their skin, pulp and seeds can be eaten. Tomatoes are both a vegetable and a fruit, and it is not advisable to remove the skin when eating tomatoes. Tomato skin is rich in lycopene and dietary fiber, and its lycopene content is 3 times higher than that of pulp.

Is dried tomato powder good for you? ›

Tomato powder is rich in edible fiber that helps the digestive system and increases energy and vitality.

How long does dried tomato powder last? ›

One of the really nice things about tomato powder is that it doesn't take up much room and it can last indefinitely if it was thoroughly dehydrated.

Can you make tomato powder out of dehydrated tomatoes? ›

Place the dried tomatoes in a food processor, spice grinder, or blender. Process until a fine powder. If desired, sift the powder through a mesh strainer. Reserve the larger pieces for soups and stews, and other recipes where they will be rehydrated.

How do they make tomato powder? ›

Tomato powder is made by drying tomatoes and then grinding them into a fine powder. Typically it's the tomato skins, without the pulpy interior sections with the seeds, that are used for making tomato powder. Think sun-dried tomatoes, only drier, and finely pulverized.

What to do with tomato skins after blanching? ›

Fry them. You can also turn them into crunchy salad toppers by pan frying the skins in oil until they're nice and crispy. Then drain them on paper towels and use them as a crispy topping on salads, soup, and pasta.

Can you blend tomatoes with skins on? ›

If you find yourself with fresh tomatoes on their last legs, avoid pitching them and instead roast and blend them into a quick sauce. While the purists may disagree, I don't remove the skins or the seeds in this version. Whirring the roasted tomatoes in a high-speed blender yields a silky smooth sauce.

How long does homemade tomato powder last? ›

As soon as they're finished drying, use a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder to pulverize and grind the dry tomatoes into a fine powder. Store tomato powder in an airtight container with a lid in a cool dark location. Homemade tomato powder should last up to a year (or longer) when dried and stored properly.

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