The History of Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are surprisingly ancient. They were first created by the Aztecs (and possibly other Indigenous groups in the region) around 700 B.C.E. as a way of preserving the harvest. After tomatoes were introduced to Europe, Italians — particularly those living in Calabria and Sicily — became experts in the sun-drying method. Soon, umami-rich sun-dried tomatoes were being used to add flavor to pastas, soups, and other classic Italian dishes. In the early 1980s, the upscale Italian-American grocery chain Dean & Deluca included sun-dried tomatoes in a Christmas gift bowl and the ingredient quickly became a trendy foodstuff in the United States. Throughout the 1990s, sun-dried tomatoes were included in a wide range of recipes and were a frequent sight at dinner parties. American restaurants also embraced the trend and sun-dried tomatoes were often used to give dishes an upscale flair. Eventually, Americans lost interest in the ingredient and many felt it was overused at the height of the trend, but in recent years, sun-dried tomatoes have once again become popular on the food scene and are often featured in viral recipes shared on social media. And, of course, sun-dried tomatoes continue to play a key role in Italian cuisine and the culinary traditions of Italian diaspora communities all around the world today.