The effects of six different drying methods-vacuum freeze (VFD), vacuum microwave (VMD), hot air (HAD), vacuum (VD), natural (ND), and microwave (MD) drying-on the quality of tomato pomace were evaluated by determining variations in color and microstructure, as well as the content of reducing sugars, lycopene, vitamin C, total phenolics, total flavonoids and in vitro antioxidant activity. VFD-treated samples exhibited the smallest color difference (ΔE=3.33) and maintained the most intact honeycomb microstructure. Furthermore, VFD-treated samples showed the highest lycopene (12.35 mg/100 g) and reducing sugar (4 024.40 mg/100 g) contents, along with the strongest DPPH (24.42 μmol•g-1) and ABTS+ (17.34 μmol•g-1) radical scavenging abilities, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (16.88 μmol•g-1). VMD-treated samples retained the highest vitamin C content (20.45 mg/100 g), while the HAD-treated samples showed the highest total phenolic (48.66 mg/100 g) and total flavonoid (72.85 mg/100 g) contents. In conclusion, VFD best preserved the overall quality characteristics of tomato pomace. However, if targeting specific bioactive compounds, such as vitamin C or phenolics and flavonoids, then VMD or HAD could be selected, respectively. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical reference for optimizing drying methods in the industrial processing of tomato pomace.