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Learn how to preserve your fresh summer tomatoes with this recipe for Cherry Tomato Confit. The mostly hands-off process gives you extra juicy, herby, garlicky, and sweet tomatoes to top on pasta, toast, and more! Vegan and Gluten-Free.
I can’t get enough of Cherry Tomato Confit! These olive oil-preserved juicy little morsels are packed with rich, savory, sweet, and herby flavors. For only 15 minutes of hands-on work, you get a delicious topping to spread on toast, spoon over pizza, serve with your favorite mains, and more!
Table of Contents
What is Tomato Confit?
Confit is a French culinary term that means “to preserve” food in its own fat. The process involves slowly cooking the food, whether it’s meat, fruit, or vegetables, at a low temperature in a generous amount of olive oil or rendered animal fat. It’s a preservation process that deepens the food’s natural flavors while protecting it from harmful bacteria and extending its shelf life.
This recipe for Cherry Tomato Confit comes in handy for me every summer when my garden is overflowing with fresh tomatoes. The process is so simple, mostly hands-off, and helps the juicy little tomatoes last for up to 2 weeks!
The best part about preserving cherry tomatoes with fresh garlic, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil is that their flavors become more concentrated the longer they sit. Just one small spoonful takes a tofu ricotta-slathered piece of toast way up a notch with a burst of sweetness and umami.
Ingredients for Cherry Tomato Confit
This recipe for confit cherry tomatoes may call for only 6 ingredients, but that means each of the individual flavors will be on display. Try to spring for the high-quality ingredients if you can!
- Cherry Tomatoes: Any type of cherry or grape tomato, including sungold tomatoes, black cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes, etc. is perfect for this recipe. I usually have lots of cherry tomatoes in my garden, especially at the end of summer. If you don’t have a garden, head to your local farmer’s market to find the most colorful, juiciest cherry tomatoes you can find.
- Garlic: fresh garlic cloves are kept whole and roasted alongside the tomatoes to infuse them with mouthwatering savory flavors.
- Fresh Herbs: you have total control over the fresh herbs in this recipe. Fresh basil would be a great choice, or you can use a mix of fresh thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and/or oregano. Get creative and play with the dimensions of flavors!
- Olive Oil: high-quality extra virgin olive oil will make all the difference here. When you’re shopping, choose an olive oil in a dark bottle with a harvest date within the last 18 months.
How to Make Tomato Confit
- Add the washed and prepped cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves to a baking dish. Nestle in the fresh herbs, then sprinkle with red pepper flakes and salt. Pour the olive oil over the top and mix well to combine.
- Cover the baking dish and roast the tomatoes for 30 minutes. Uncover the dish, stir the tomatoes, and cover the dish again. Continue baking for another 30 minutes.
- Uncover the dish and increase the heat to 325ºF. Roast uncovered until the tomatoes and garlic are caramelized to your liking.
- Let the tomatoes cool slightly before serving or storing them for later.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Try not to burn the tomatoes. Turning up the heat at the end is the secret to beautifully caramelized tomatoes and garlic. Just don’t walk too far away from the oven—you need to check on them every 10 minutes or so.
- Don’t throw out the leftover tomato oil! It would be such a shame to waste the deeply flavorful tomato-herb oil leftover in the jar. Once you run out of the cherry tomato garlic confit, save the oil and use it anywhere that needs extra body and an umami boost. Add it to salad dressings, drizzle it over tomato toast, mix it into sauces, etc.
Serving Suggestions
One of my favorite ways to enjoy cherry tomato confit in all of its juicy, sweet, garlicky deliciousness is on a thick slice of toast slathered with my Vegan Ricotta Cheese. Finish it off with a little balsamic drizzle or fresh arugula, and you have a simple yet decadent and ultra-flavorful snack!
Other than that, you can add a spoonful of the juicy tomatoes over a bed of creamy polenta, on top of cooked pasta, on a homemade pizza, and much more. They’d add a nice pop of sweetness to this Triple Garlic Pasta and these Cacio e Pepe Butter Beans. Or, when you want something simple next to your Vegan “Chicken” Piccata, just add a spoonful of tomatoes to your dinner plate.
If you’re looking for more ways to use up fresh summer tomatoes, you’ll also love this Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce, this Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Tomatoes, this Easy Homemade Salsa, and this Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad!
How to Store Confited Tomatoes
Once cool to room temperature, transfer the roasted cherry tomatoes with the garlic, herb, and oil mixture to one large airtight container or individual glass canning jars with tight-fitting lids. The tomatoes will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
The most important part of storing tomato confit is submerging the tomatoes in the oil. The oil acts as a protective barrier against oxygen, preventing your tomatoes from being exposed to bacteria and mold.
Substitutions and Variations
- Tomato Variations: This recipe works just as well with medium or large tomatoes. Medium-sized tomatoes, like Roma or San Marzano tomatoes, can be kept whole, and larger tomatoes, like beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, should be sliced into quarters to help them cook faster. Also, for both, increase the cook time by a few minutes.
- Mild Option: Simply omit the red pepper flakes if you don’t like your confited cherry tomatoes with a kick.
- Fresh Herb Substitute: Season the tomatoes with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dried herbs of your choice or an Italian seasoning blend.
Recipe FAQs
No, you don’t need to blanche the cherry tomatoes for this recipe. This step is only n
Garlic cloves, shallots, fennel, endives, cabbage, zucchini, eggplant, and plenty of other hearty vegetables can be preserved in oil.
I have only stored these tomatoes in the fridge, but they should also freeze well for about 3 months.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Cherry Tomato Confit
Ingredients
- 1 pound between 3-4 cups cherry tomatoes, rinsed and patted dry
- 5-10 cloves of garlic* peeled but kept whole
- 2-4 sprigs fresh herbs: thyme rosemary, tarragon, oregano, basil, or a mix
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 300F and set a 9×13 baking dish (preferably one with a lid) aside. Rinse the tomatoes well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Trim the ends off of the garlic cloves, then lightly smash them with the flat edge of a knife; remove and discard the papery skins.
- Combine: Add the tomatoes and garlic to the base of the baking dish. Nestle the herbs in with the tomatoes, then sprinkle with red pepper flakes (if using) and salt. Pour the oil on top and use a spatula to mix well, until all of the tomatoes are coated in oil.
- Roast: Cover the baking dish with a lid, or wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes, then uncover and give everything a good stir. Cover the dish and return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- Caramelize: Uncover the dish; at this point the tomatoes should have deflated and the garlic should look more translucent. Return the baking dish to the middle rack of the oven and increase the temperature to 325F. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how caramelized you like your tomatoes and garlic. Check on the tomato confit every 10 minutes or so to ensure it does not burn.
- Serve & Store: Let cool in the baking dish for at least 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a glass jar or another airtight storage container. Enjoy immediately, or store in the airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make sure all tomatoes and garlic are submerged in oil so they do not mold.
Recipe Notes
- Serving Suggestions: I love spooning this tomato confit over toast, my Tofu Ricotta, or polenta, toss it with fresh pasta, or spread it on one side of a sandwich for an incredible spread! You can also drizzle the infused oil over anything savory, or use it in place of olive oil in pasta dishes and more.
- Tomatoes: You can use any type of cherry or grape tomato for this recipe including sungold tomatoes, black cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes, and more. You can also make this tomato confit with larger tomatoes; if using medium tomatoes like San Marzano, I would recommend keeping them whole and increasing the cook time. For large beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, I would recommend quartering them into smaller chunks so they cook faster (and also increase the cooking time).
