Bring your dishes to life with a burst of fresh, vibrant flavors with this Cherry Tomato Confit Recipe, infused with aromatic garlic and fresh herbs. Delightfully simple to make with just a few ingredients, this confit promises to add depth and richness to your favorite meals.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Disclaimer: This recipe was originally posted in July 2021, but has been rephotographed and improved for clarity as of July 2023. We hope you enjoy the new look!
Tomato season is easily one of the best times of year for produce in our opinion. Whether it's summertime or not, these slow-roasted tomatoes made with juicy, sweet cherry tomatoes are delicious year-round.
If you're looking for a simple way to elevate pasta, protein, or something decadent to top toast with, this simple recipe is for you!
Try these confit tomatoes over top of this whipped ricotta on toast, with this burrata caprese, or overtop of this delicious salmon bruschetta!
It also makes a great accompaniment to this Italian antipasto platter, this spicy Italian grinder sandwich, or with this burrata and prosciutto arugula salad, and so much more!
Jump to:
❤️Why we love this recipe
- Versatility. This confit can be used as a condiment, a spread, or an addition to various dishes like pasta, proteins, salads, or sandwiches, to enhance their flavors.
- Easy to prepare. Anyone from beginning cooks to well-seasoned chefs can prepare this confit. It only requires a simple cooking technique, a few minutes of prep time, and easy to find ingredients. Just cook these tomatoes at a low temperature in a luxurious bath of olive oil for a few hours. If you have a little patience, that's truly all you need!
- Aromatic and flavorful. The combination of slow roast tomatoes with garlic and herbs creates an intense, sweet, savory, and herbaceous flavor that can turn any meal into a gourmet experience.
- Enhance your dining experience. The rich and deep flavors of this confit make simple dishes extra special, so everyday meals feel like a restaurant-quality experience.
- Great way to preserve tomatoes. If you have ripe cherry tomatoes that are on their way out, this is a delicious way to stretch them a bit further. Use these transformed preserved tomatoes to elevate dishes throughout the week. This recipe can easily be scaled up and stored in the fridge for several days, or frozen for longer term storage.
- Suits a variety of diet types. This recipe is naturally vegan, gluten-free, nut free, and soy free, so it can be enjoyed by many people. It's great for gatherings where people have different dietary needs.
🍅Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Whole cherry tomatoes. Choose ripe tomatoes with no blemishes. We prefer smaller cherry tomatoes on the vine for their incredible sweet flavor.
- Kosher salt.
- Black pepper. Optional.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Make sure you're using good quality olive oil, or the best you can find that fits your budget. The olive oil makes up the majority of the flavor in this dish, so a nice quality oil is key. You don't need the most expensive bottle, just something that tastes good on its own when dipped in some crusty bread.
- Garlic. Use fresh garlic cloves with no blemishes. Add as many or as little as you want. We are very enthusiastic about garlic, so we usually use a whole head of it.
- Herbs of choice. We used fresh basil leaves, fresh thyme sprigs, and fresh oregano.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & variations
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Swap the tomatoes. If cherry tomatoes are not available, you can use grape tomatoes, Roma tomatoes (plum tomatoes), or heirloom tomatoes cut into quarters.
- Garlic. You can replace fresh garlic with garlic powder or minced garlic if that's what you have on hand. For those who don't enjoy a strong garlic flavor, shallots or onions can be a milder alternative.
- Dried herbs. Feel free to use dried versions of the herbs if fresh ones aren't available to you, although the flavor definitely won't be quite as vibrant.
- Different herbs. You can also use whatever herbs you'd like, including fresh rosemary, parsley, dill, tarragon, sage, and more for a different flavor profile.
- Spicy. If you enjoy things with a little heat, try adding some crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, or diced fresh chilis to the confit.
- Add citrus. Lemon or orange zest could add a bright, zesty flavor to balance the richness of the confit.
- Add a touch of sweetness. A touch of honey or sugar could add a bit of sweetness if your tomatoes are a bit tart, or if you'd just like to add some sweet flavor. You could also try adding some balsamic vinegar which brings sweetness and acidity.
🔪Prep work
- Preheat the oven to 250°F.
- Peel garlic cloves.
- Wash and dry herbs.
- Measure out all remaining ingredients.
📋Instructions
Add the tomatoes to a large baking dish in a single layer. (We used a 9x13 inch.)
Sprinkle in garlic cloves, and scatter in the fresh herbs. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, then pour on enough olive oil to come about halfway up the sides of the tomatoes. (Image 1)
Add the oven, and cook for 2.5 - 3 hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes to make sure nothing burns.
✨Pro Tip: The amount of oil needed will depend on the size of your baking dish and the amount of tomatoes you use. Make sure you use enough oil to mostly cover the tomatoes, that way they don't dry out and burn while cooking.
You know the tomatoes are done when they have softened considerably and wrinkled slightly. (Image 2)
Very carefully (using a fork or tongs) remove the cooked herbs and discard. Now, you're ready to eat! (Image 5)
We love to serve with bread and whipped ricotta. Make sure to drizzle extra oil over top, and add fresh herbs!
✨Tips & tricks
- Use a lot of oil. You want to make sure there is enough oil to coat and mostly cover the tomatoes. The oil can be put to great use after the fact as well. We use it as a salad dressing!
- Be patient. This is a slow process. You just can't rush it, so don't try cranking up the temperature, or your tomatoes will just burn! The slow cooking process slowly breaks down the tomatoes and garlic and infuses the oil.
- Use high quality ingredients. Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, use the best ones you can find, especially when it comes to the olive oil and the tomatoes. It will make a lot of difference in the flavor.
- Keep the flavor profile in mind. Any seasonings or herbs you like can be used here, but keep in mind what you plan to use the tomatoes for later, as whatever herbs you use will create a specific flavor profile. We like to go sort of "classic" or neutral with basil, thyme, and oregano.
Need supplies? Shop our Amazon store! Stock your pantry, and find all of our favorite kitchen tools! A Full Living LLC earns a small commission through purchases on our storefront to help support this site.
💭Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5-7 days. Make sure oil coats the garlic and tomatoes. The confit oil will solidify in the fridge, so take it out of the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using again.
You can also freeze leftovers. Allow the confit to cool completely at room temperature, then place in freezer safe containers (we like using ice cube trays) and freeze solid. Store for up to 3 months and use as needed.
"Confit" is a French word term that means "to preserve". It's a traditional cooking method that involves slowly cooking an ingredient in a fat or sugar at a low temperature. (Source)
You might have heard of "duck confit" which is where a duck leg is cooked very slowly in its own fat until it becomes extremely tender. The term has since been adopted to describe similar slow-cooking methods with other ingredients, including fruits and vegetables.
With this cherry tomato confit recipe, the tomatoes are slowly cooked in olive oil, which allows them to become incredibly tender and infused with the flavors of the accompanying garlic and herbs. The oil acts as both a cooking medium and also helps preserve the tomatoes and intensify their flavors.
Confit dishes, are known for their rich, deep, and concentrated flavors. It's a method that truly celebrates the ingredient it's prepared with, to enhance its natural characteristics.
What To Serve This With
Not sure what to serve cherry tomato confit with? Here are a few suggestions!
- Spoon it over this lemon garlic pasta, or any pasta of your choosing.
- Add extra flavor to this chicken pesto pasta salad!
- Eat with eggs, toast, or cottage cheese.
- Spoon over the top of your favorite proteins, like this lemon herb chicken or this pesto butter salmon.
- Add to a charcuterie board this Italian antipasto platter.
- Slather it on top of sandwiches, like this spicy Italian grinder sandwich.
- Make veggies more interesting by serving them with this Italian green bean salad, or this arugula spinach salad.
- Serve with burrata on this burrata caprese, this burrata and prosciutto arugula salad, or this burrata salad with pesto vinaigrette.
- Serve with crusty bread and whipped ricotta or marinated mozzarella balls.
- & so, so much more. The options are endless!
More Recipes To Consider
Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a 5-star review below! 🌟 This helps other readers find our recipes and encourages them to try them. Also, be sure to leave a comment with your experience. Follow along, and tag @AFullLiving on Instagram with your photos!
📖 Recipe
Cherry Tomato Confit
Equipment
- large baking dish
Ingredients
- 24 ounces cherry tomatoes, washed
- 2 heads garlic, peeled (About 24 cloves. You use as much or as little as you like!)
- 1.5 cups olive oil (More or less depending on the size of the baking dish you are using).
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ounce fresh basil leaves
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Place tomatoes in your large baking dish. Nestle in the garlic, and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil until comes about halfway up the sides of the tomatoes.
- Bake for 2.5 - 3 hours, checking every 30-45 minutes to ensure nothing is burning.
- Remove from the oven to cool, and carefully discard the thyme, basil, and oregano using a fork or tongs.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 10 days, making sure there is enough oil to cover everything to ensure it stays fresh. Bring to room temperature before eating as the olive oil will solidify in the fridge.
- Serve with literally anything! We love it with some fresh basil, burrata, or mozzarella cheese, on eggs, salads, with proteins, you name it!
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
-
- Use a lot of oil. You want to make sure there is enough oil to coat and mostly cover the tomatoes. The oil can be put to great use after the fact as well. We use it as a salad dressing!
- Be patient. This is a slow process. You just can't rush it, so don't try cranking up the temperature, or your tomatoes will just burn! The slow cooking process slowly breaks down the tomatoes and garlic and infuses the oil.
- Use high quality ingredients. Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, use the best ones you can find, especially when it comes to the olive oil and the tomatoes. It will make a lot of difference in the flavor.
- Keep the flavor profile in mind. Any seasonings or herbs you like can be used here, but keep in mind what you plan to use the tomatoes for later, as whatever herbs you use will create a specific flavor profile. We like to go sort of "classic" or neutral with basil, thyme, and oregano.
Comments
No Comments