Fresh, ripe tomatoes are a real highlight of the summer, but what happens for the rest of the year when good produce isn't available? Sun dried tomatoes were originally created for exactly this exact purpose, whether eaten as a delicious ingredient, snack, or appetiser.
With a rich, sweet flavour that's fabulous in a pasta sauce, salad or risotto, sun dried tomatoes have bags of Mediterranean flair. In this article, we've ranked the top 10 best sun dried whole tomatoes, pestos and pastes in the UK available from Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and more. Bellissimo!
Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through their nutrition. Tara specialises in helping busy parents specifically improve their eating with ease and without overwhelm or to get them back on track so the whole family can benefit.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of sun dried tomatoes available and understand how our ranking was determined.
Image | 1 ![]() Waitrose | 2 ![]() Belazu | 3 ![]() Cypressa | 4 ![]() Cooks' Ingredients | 5 ![]() Belazu | 6 ![]() Merchant Gourmet | 7 ![]() Cooks' Ingredients | 8 ![]() Merchant Gourmet | 9 ![]() Melis | 10 ![]() Berrilys |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Sun-Dried Tomatoes | Balsamic Sun Dried Tomato Paste | Antipasti Marinated Sun-Dried Tomatoes | Sun Dried Tomato Paste | Sun Dried Tomato Pesto | Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil | Sundried Tomatoes | Sun Dried Tomatoes | Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Sunflower Oil | Organic Dried Tomatoes |
Features | Rich and Juicy With a Hint of Sweetness | Sweet Sun Dried Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar Paste | Marinated Tomatoes for Antipasti and Homemade Bread | Bring Intense Flavour to a Variety of Dishes | Mediterranean Tomatoes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Parmigiano Reggiano | Sun Ripened and Dried in the Traditional Style | The Perfect Addition to Your Cupboard or Spice Rack | Sun Dried Tomatoes in a Recyclable Pouch | In a Blend of Sunflower Oil and Aromatic Herbs | Comes Organic, Vegan, and Additive-Free |
Price | £2.00 | £2.20 | £2.09 | £2.50 | £2.85 | £18.00 | £2.25 | £14.53 | £1.90 | £7.94 |
Type | Preserved in oil | Paste | Preserved in oil | Paste | Pesto | Preserved in oil | Dried | Dried | Preserved in oil | Dried |
Ingredients | Sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, white wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, black pepper | Rehydrated sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, tomato paste, onions, balsamic vinegar of Modena (wine vinegar, cooked grape must, sulphites), garlic puree, and more | Marinated sun dried tomatoes (sundried tomatoes, white wine vinegar, salt, acidity regulator (citric acid), and more | Sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, acidity regulators, and more | Rehydrated sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, Italian vegetarian hard cheese (milk), semi-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and more | Sun dried tomatoes, vegetable oil, salt, white wine vinegar | Sun dried tomatoes, salt | Sun dried tomatoes, salt | Sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, vinegar, salt, acidity regulator (citric acid), spices (thyme, parsley, paprika, chopped garlic) | Organic sun dried tomatoes, salt |
Salt Content per 100 g | 2.2 g | 2.7 g | 3 g | 2.96 g | 3.5 g | 3.2 g | 7.78 g | 4.48 g | 4.12 g | - |
Quantity | 280 g | 130 g | 280 g | 180 g | 165 g | 280 g x 6 | 80 g | 100 g x 6 | 340 ml | 200 g |
Link |
You're probably already familiar with the sun dried tomatoes that come in jars, but did you know that they actually come in other forms too? In this section, we'll touch upon the different options available, to help you decide on the best one for your purpose.
If you're looking for sun dried tomatoes that are ready to use straight away, choose ones preserved in oil. Coming in a glass jar, these sun dried tomatoes can be stored in your kitchen cupboard, but once opened, they need to be kept in the fridge. How long they'll last once opened varies, so always check the jar.
Jarred ready-to-eat sun dried tomatoes can be enjoyed as a snack or appetiser and should be juicy, firm, and plump. They can also be chopped up or blended for use in a variety of pasta sauces and pestos, to make focaccia, or eaten as part of a Meditteranean platter.
Another popular option that you may or may not have come across, are sun dried tomatoes that come as they are, without oil and simply preserved in salt. They are usually packaged in a bag or resealable pouch, so you can choose what best suits you depending on whether you plan to dispense the contents into another container or not.
The benefit of choosing dry tomatoes is that they can be stored in your kitchen cupboard, and often come in large amounts - which works out cheaper if you regularly use sun dried tomatoes. However, most will need to be soaked in water for 20 - 30 minutes before they can be used, as the preservation method makes them extremely salty.
You may have seen tomato pastes or pestos in the supermarket, and considered them to be something different altogether. In actuality, both offer quick and convenient ways to incorporate sun dried tomatoes into your recipes. Use a dollop of tomato paste to bring depth and flavour to casseroles, stews, soups and sauces, or as part of a sandwich filling or dip.
Sun dried tomato pesto can be used in a similar way to paste, but with a few more ingredients which make it tasty enough to use straight from the jar with pasta or bread. The downside of choosing a paste or pesto is that once the container is opened, it doesn't last as long as other options, so it will need to be used up quickly.
If you're looking for sun dried tomatoes with as few extra ingredients as possible, dry products only contain salt. However, tomatoes in a jar are preserved in olive or sunflower oil, often with salt and white wine vinegar, including herbs and spices such as thyme, parsley, oregano, paprika, and chopped garlic. This makes them tastier to eat by themselves as a snack.
On the other hand, sun ripened tomato paste is made with olive oil, acidity regulators, wine vinegar, salt, oregano, garlic powder and black pepper. All forms of sun dried tomatoes should be gluten free and many are suitable for vegans, except for sun dried tomato pesto which will usually contain an Italian hard cheese, such as parmigiano reggiano. .
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£2.00
Type | Preserved in oil |
---|---|
Ingredients | Sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, white wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, black pepper |
Salt Content per 100 g | 2.2 g |
Quantity | 280 g |
£2.20
Type | Paste |
---|---|
Ingredients | Rehydrated sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, tomato paste, onions, balsamic vinegar of Modena (wine vinegar, cooked grape must, sulphites), garlic puree, and more |
Salt Content per 100 g | 2.7 g |
Quantity | 130 g |
£2.09
Type | Preserved in oil |
---|---|
Ingredients | Marinated sun dried tomatoes (sundried tomatoes, white wine vinegar, salt, acidity regulator (citric acid), and more |
Salt Content per 100 g | 3 g |
Quantity | 280 g |
£2.50
Type | Paste |
---|---|
Ingredients | Sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, acidity regulators, and more |
Salt Content per 100 g | 2.96 g |
Quantity | 180 g |
£2.85
Type | Pesto |
---|---|
Ingredients | Rehydrated sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, Italian vegetarian hard cheese (milk), semi-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and more |
Salt Content per 100 g | 3.5 g |
Quantity | 165 g |
Pack of 6
£18.00
Type | Preserved in oil |
---|---|
Ingredients | Sun dried tomatoes, vegetable oil, salt, white wine vinegar |
Salt Content per 100 g | 3.2 g |
Quantity | 280 g x 6 |
£2.25
Type | Dried |
---|---|
Ingredients | Sun dried tomatoes, salt |
Salt Content per 100 g | 7.78 g |
Quantity | 80 g |
Pack of 6
£14.53
Type | Dried |
---|---|
Ingredients | Sun dried tomatoes, salt |
Salt Content per 100 g | 4.48 g |
Quantity | 100 g x 6 |
£1.90
Type | Preserved in oil |
---|---|
Ingredients | Sun dried tomatoes, sunflower oil, vinegar, salt, acidity regulator (citric acid), spices (thyme, parsley, paprika, chopped garlic) |
Salt Content per 100 g | 4.12 g |
Quantity | 340 ml |
£7.94
Type | Dried |
---|---|
Ingredients | Organic sun dried tomatoes, salt |
Salt Content per 100 g | - |
Quantity | 200 g |
Household goods
PC and cameras
Home appliances and electronics
Cosmetics and skincare
Health
Food and drinks
Kitchen supplies
Clothing
Shoes
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior and furniture
Hobbies
Outdoor
DIY and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Books, CDs, DVDs
Games
Cars and motorcycles
Gifts
Housing equipment and renovation
Travel
Smartphones and mobile phones
Music
Smartphone applications