Turn Leftover Tomato Skins Into A Flavorful Dry Seasoning In 10 Minutes Or Less

Making homemade tomato sauce can be a lot of work, but it's so worth it when you have those jars of summery goodness on the shelf all year round. And while the finished product is easily applied to all kinds of preparations, from lasagna to pasta to shakshuka, finding a use for a byproduct of the process is a little trickier.

When you peel tomatoes for any reason, you may be accustomed to tossing the skins in the compost bin. But with one easy trick you can transform them into a super tasty seasoning that can take so many dishes to another level — and you don't even need any more equipment than your standard microwave, a plate, and some paper towels to make magical tomato powder. 

By spreading these peels out on a paper towel bed and nuking them on high for about four minutes, you'll start the transformation as the moisture evaporates. Once you've completed this initial spin, you can check on the progress and keep going for about 20 seconds at a time, until they've become brittle and dry. After you pull these papery peels from the microwave, grab your mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. You can combine them with a little salt and sugar for balance (¼ teaspoon of each for the skins of about eight tomatoes), grind it all up into a powder, then stash this stuff in an air-tight container and start daydreaming about how to use it.

A few tips will ensure this powder is at its most potent and perfect. It helps to gently blot the skins with a paper towel first, and it's important not to pile them up if you want to dry them efficiently, so work in batches if necessary. You'll also want to double down on paper towels, layering a couple underneath the peels and another on top. Opt to use tomatoes at their peak; underripe or tasteless fruit won't yield much flavor in this format, either. It's possible to use an air fryer, conventional oven, or dehydrator, too, although these methods take much longer (from four to 12 hours)

Flavor-wise, you can stick to the salt and sugar formula, or add complementary seasonings. Combine your peels with cumin and cinnamon, or mix them with curry powder for flavor-bomb tomato sandwiches. Add red pepper flakes for a kick or ancho for a smoky quality. Dried herbs like oregano or basil and aromatics like garlic powder all add complexity. You can even dehydrate other ingredients like green onion and create a signature seasoning blend.

This stuff is exceptional when sprinkled on your favorite pizza, or worked into a pesto caprese panini recipe. It gives umami oomph to a meat blend for tender ground beef burger patties. It can add body and depth to a basic all-purpose tomato sauce or soup, and is excellent when whipped into compound butter and tossed with pasta. Anywhere you typically add tomato, you'll find this powder a welcome twist.