Why you’ll love this tomato confit recipe!
Tomato confit has earned a permanent spot in our kitchen because it’s one of those recipes that quietly makes everything else taste better 🍅. A tray takes just a few minutes to put together, then the oven slowly does the work. The tomatoes soften, the garlic mellows, and the olive oil turns into something you’ll want to spoon over just about anything.
Louise and I almost always have a jar in the fridge during tomato season. We’ll pile it onto toast with cottage cheese or hummus, toss it through warm pasta, add it to grain bowls, or simply eat a few straight from the jar while deciding what to cook. They’re sweet, savory, and packed with concentrated tomato flavor that’s hard to get any other way.
I also like that tomato confit is made with everyday ingredients that fit naturally into a Mediterranean-style eating pattern. It’s an easy way to keep more vegetables on hand, and the tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil come together into something that feels far greater than the sum of its parts 🌿.
The only real challenge is not letting the tray disappear before dinner. Once you’ve made confit tomatoes once, you’ll probably start wondering what else they belong on. In my experience, the answer is usually “almost everything.” ✨
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Cherry tomatoes: Ripe cherry tomatoes make the sweetest, juiciest cherry tomato confit, but grape, date, or small plum tomatoes work just as well. The riper the tomatoes, the richer the flavor after roasting.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil since it flavors both the tomatoes and the delicious oil left in the pan. Regular olive oil works too, but the flavor won’t be quite as rich.
- Garlic: Freshly grated or pressed garlic melts into the oil as the tomatoes roast. If you’re sensitive to garlic, simply leave it out or use a little garlic-infused olive oil instead for a gentler flavor.
- Dried oregano: This classic pairing brings out the tomatoes’ sweetness. Dried thyme, marjoram, Italian seasoning, rosemary, or a few fresh thyme sprigs are all excellent alternatives.
- Sugar: Just a small amount helps the tomatoes caramelize and balances their natural acidity. Honey, maple syrup, or a pinch of brown sugar all work well.
- Salt: Kosher salt or fine sea salt seasons the tomatoes evenly. Finish your oven roasted tomatoes with freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, or a few torn basil leaves before serving for even more flavor.
- Optional finish: A splash of balsamic glaze, a little lemon zest, or fresh basil turns these garlic confit tomatoes into an easy topping for toast, pasta, salads, or grilled vegetables.
How to Make Tomato Confit
Step 1. Make the seasoning
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
In a small bowl, stir together the extra virgin olive oil, grated garlic, dried oregano, sugar, and salt.
Taste is personal here. Use less garlic for a milder flavor, or leave it out if needed.
Step 2. Arrange and season the tomatoes
Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange them cut side up in a single layer on a baking pan. A quarter-sheet pan or medium baking dish works well. Don’t overlap the tomatoes, or they’ll steam instead of becoming beautifully roasted cherry tomatoes.
Spoon the seasoned oil over each tomato, making sure every piece gets a little garlic, oregano, and oil.
Step 3. Slow roast and finish
Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes at 300°F (150°C), until the tomatoes are soft, juicy, and lightly caramelized around the edges.
Before serving, spoon the flavorful juices from the pan back over the tomatoes. Those juices become delicious tomatoes in olive oil, perfect for drizzling over toast, pasta, grain bowls, or anything else you’re serving with the tomato confit.
Tips
- Use ripe tomatoes: The better the tomatoes, the better the confit. Look for cherry tomatoes that are deeply colored and give slightly when squeezed.
- Keep the tomatoes in one layer: Arrange them cut side up without overlapping so they roast instead of steam.
- Grate the garlic: Finely grated or pressed garlic melts into the olive oil and coats every tomato. Chopped garlic can stay in larger pieces and may brown unevenly.
- Don’t skip the sugar: A small amount won’t make the tomatoes sweet. It simply balances their acidity and encourages gentle caramelization.
- Roast low and slow: Resist the temptation to turn up the heat. A low oven gives the tomatoes time to soften, concentrate their flavor, and stay juicy instead of drying out.
- Save every drop of the oil: The tomato-infused olive oil is liquid gold. Spoon it over the tomatoes before serving, then drizzle any leftovers on bread, pasta, roasted vegetables, or salads.
- Let them cool before storing: The flavor continues to develop as they cool, making them even better the next day.
- Double the batch if you can: A tray disappears surprisingly fast, and tomato confit keeps well in the fridge for several days, making lunches and quick dinners much easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use larger tomatoes?
Yes. Roma or small plum tomatoes work well if cut into quarters or thick wedges. They’ll need a little longer in the oven than cherry tomatoes, depending on their size and water content.
Can I make tomato confit ahead of time?
Can I make tomato confit without sugar?
Can I freeze tomato confit?
How to store this tomato confit?
What’s the difference between tomato confit and slow roasted tomatoes?
Tomato Confit (Easy Slow Roasted Tomatoes)
Tomato confit is an easy recipe that transforms fresh tomatoes into sweet, silky bites with rich olive oil and garlic. Spoon it over pasta, toast, grain bowls, or salads to add big flavor with minimal effort.
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
Servings: –+ people
Course: Appetizer, Side dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).In a small bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 cloves garlic (grated), 2 teaspoons dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt. Use less garlic or leave it out for a milder flavor.
- Cut 1 pound cherry tomatoes in half and place them cut side up in a single layer on a baking pan or medium baking dish. Don’t overlap them.Spoon the seasoned oil evenly over the tomatoes.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 1½ hours, until the tomatoes are soft and lightly caramelized.Spoon the pan juices over the tomatoes before serving. Enjoy on toast, pasta, grain bowls, or salads.
Notes
Substitutions
Tips
- Use ripe tomatoes: They’ll be sweeter, juicier, and more flavorful.
- Keep them in one layer: Don’t overlap, or they’ll steam instead of roast.
- Grate the garlic: It melts into the oil and coats every tomato.
- Don’t skip the sugar: It balances acidity and helps the tomatoes caramelize.
- Roast low and slow: A low oven keeps the tomatoes juicy and concentrated.
- Save the oil: Drizzle the tomato-infused oil over toast, pasta, salads, and more.
- Store in the fridge: Let cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 6 days.
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