Though once incredibly popular, sun-dried tomatoes have become an underrated ingredient that few people stock in their pantries anymore. That definitely needs to change, because sun-dried tomatoes are chock full of flavor and are pretty cheap, making them an excellent addition to potluck dishes intended to feed a crowd. Sun-dried tomatoes are incredibly versatile and can be used on pizzas, in pastas, on sandwiches, and can be blended with any number of ingredients to create different marinades, dressings, and sauces. The following sun-dried tomato recipes are just a few of the ways you can use this nutrient-dense ingredient in your cooking.
#SpoonTip: When buying sun-dried tomatoes, you can either get them fully dried or packed in oil. The tomatoes packed in oil are slightly more expensive, but they’re also more flavorful and the oil can be used in marinades and dressings.
1. Balsamic Eggplant Stir-Fry
This four-ingredient stir-fry is insanely easy to make. Eggplant season peaks from July to October, so whip up this simple dish while you can. Add in some chicken or steak for extra protein, or keep the dish veggie-friendly.
2. Pizza Mac and Cheese
Who said you have to choose pizza and mac and cheese? Adding sun dried tomatoes to you mac gives it a pizza-like flavor and adds some texture. To spice things up, use pepper jack cheese or add some milk to get extra creamy mac.
3. Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
This recipe gives you the best of both worlds with a pesto base and the addition of sun-dried tomatoes. For this recipe, it's important to buy the tomatoes that are packed in oil because the oil is used in the pesto. You can use this pesto as a dip, toss it into some pasta, or serve it over bruschetta.
4. Cannellini Bean Stew
Sun-dried tomatoes give this wintery stew a pop of summer flavor. No fresh ingredients are used in this recipe, so you can stock up on the ingredients and make it anytime without worrying about them going bad. This dish can definitely stand alone, but is even better served with some rice and fresh veggies.
5. Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Grilled Cheese
With the addition of basil and sun-dried tomatoes, this classic sandwich gets a unique twist that's perfect for the summer. Try serving your sandwiches with gazpacho instead of tomato soup for extra tomato flavor that won't make you sweat.
6. Creamy Vegan Spaghetti
This 30-minute recipe is perfect for a potluck since you can easily double it. Feel free to add more veggies and crushed red pepper to this spaghetti for added flavor.
7. Baked Brie
Show your friends you know your way around a cheese plate by doing something unexpected. Baked Brie is perfect for sharing, and once you add sun-dried tomatoes, you'll never be able to eat Brie without them. Serve with some sliced apples and your favorite crackers.
8. Tuscan Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is fresh and fun, and you can use any pasta shape you want (although shorter noodles are best). Not a fan of olives? Sub in some mushrooms or corn instead.
9. Chicken with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Parmesan Sauce
Put your mark on this recipe by adding some white wine or mushrooms to the sauce. You can serve this dish over pasta, steamed broccoli, or zoodles, or enjoy it as is.
10. Sun-Dried Tomato Chickpea Burgers
Fire up the skillet and get ready for some epic veggie burgers. These burgers don't fall apart after one bite, and you can put so many toppings on them. You can follow the recipe and serve the burgers with a garlic dill sauce, or just stick to ketchup and barbecue sauce. On the side, you can serve grilled veggies, sweet potato fries, or chips.
11. Asparagus & Sun-Dried Tomato Puff Pastry Bites
Get your appetizer game on with these delicious puff pastry bites. Asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes complement each other very nicely. These may only be one bite, but you'll definitely be coming back for more.
12. Sun-Dried Tomato Lemon Baked Salmon
While this salmon is light, it doesn't lack flavor. It's a quick dish to make and is best served with mixed veggies or brown rice. If you're feeling adventurous, make the salmon on a cedar plank or grill it rather than baking it.
13. Sun-Dried Tomato and Ricotta Turkey Meatballs
You can serve these meatballs over pasta, in a sandwich, or plain. The sun-dried tomatoes make the sauce rich and flavorful, and the ricotta makes this dish super creamy. Remember to save some meatballs in your freezer so you can reheat them later.
14. Spicy Garlic Sun-Dried Tomato Shrimp
This 10-minute recipe definitely doesn't lack flavor. It's important to use sun-dried tomatoes in oil because the oil is very important in this dish.
15. Tomato Basil No-Knead Bread
Use this bread for sandwiches, dip it in pesto or hummus, or enjoy it by the slice. For this recipe, dry packed sun-dried tomatoes produce the best result (you don't want the bread dough to get too soft).
16. Sun-Dried Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza
Keep it simple and ditch the olives, or load up on veggies and meat. Pizza is perfect because you can customize it based on who's eating it. Try making this pizza with a cauliflower crust.
17. Quinoa Salad
Keep things light and refreshing with a delicious quinoa salad. This recipe is great if you don't have the patience to cook or you aren't the best in the kitchen. It's also perfect for those times you forgot that dinner starts in under an hour and you haven't made anything.
18. Hummus
This amazing hummus is ready in minutes, and pairs nicely with veggie sticks, pita chips, and bread. Feel free to add your best garnish to enhance the flavor and the appearance of your hummus.
Using sun-dried tomatoes in your recipes add a bold pop of flavor without being overpowering. I hope this list of sun-dried tomato recipes has shown you how versatile this ingredient is and encourages you to incorporate them into your diet more often.