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This tomato confit is made by slowly roasting tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and herbs until they become tender, jammy, and full of flavor. The tomatoes are then stored in their infused oil, giving you a delicious way to enjoy them for days to come.
If you love the mellow flavor of slow-roasted garlic, you might also enjoy my garlic confit, which uses a similar slow-cooking method.
Growing tomatoes turned into a much bigger project than I expected this year, in the best way. I planted a few different varieties, and the harvest has been incredibly generous. At one point, I was picking so many that tomato salads became an almost daily thing, so I started looking for other ways to use them. That’s how I ended up making tomato confit with different varieties and playing around with different flavors.
I like adding fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, rosemary, or basil, using whichever I have on hand or a combination of them. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes is another easy way to add a little heat. The beauty of tomato confit is that you can easily change the flavors depending on the tomatoes and herbs you have.
The actual prep is very simple, and most of the time is hands-off while the tomatoes slowly roast in the oven. Once they are tender and concentrated, you can spoon them over crusty bread, serve them with creamy burrata, toss them with pasta, or add them to eggs, labneh, and other simple meals. I also love stirring a spoonful or two into my creamy tomato soup because the slow-roasted tomatoes add so much extra flavor.
If you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with, this is one of my favorite ways to turn them into something you can enjoy in so many different ways. And if you’re looking for other ways to preserve and make the most of a good tomato harvest, you can also try my sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, canned tomato juice, or tomato purée.
Ingredients
- Cherry tomatoes: Use fresh, ripe cherry tomatoes for the best flavor. You can use all red tomatoes or a mix of colors and varieties.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You’ll need enough to generously coat the tomatoes and leave plenty of flavorful oil for serving and storing. Use a good-quality olive oil since it becomes part of the finished dish.
- Fresh thyme: Adds a subtle herby flavor as the tomatoes roast. You can also use other fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or basil.
- Garlic cloves: Infuse the oil with a mellow, savory garlic flavor as they roast alongside the tomatoes.
- Red chili: Adds a little fresh heat. Adjust the amount to your taste.
- Red chili flakes: Add extra warmth and spice. Use more or less depending on how spicy you like it.
- Mixed peppercorns: I used a mix of black, white, and pink peppercorns, freshly ground, but you can use any peppercorns you have on hand.
- Salt: Seasons the tomatoes and brings all the flavors together.
How To Make Tomato Confit
Pour the olive oil into a deep baking dish or casserole dish. Layer the fresh thyme, red chili flakes, and freshly ground mixed peppercorns over the oil.
Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, and red chili, arranging everything in an even layer. Gently toss the tomatoes so they are well coated in the oil and seasonings.
Slow roast at 195ºF/90ºC (fan-assisted) for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the tomatoes are soft and slightly slumped, with gently wrinkled skins. They should be tender and concentrated while still holding their shape, without charring or splitting open completely.
Let the tomato confit cool to room temperature before transferring it to clean jars. Make sure the tomatoes are covered with the olive oil. If needed, add a little more olive oil before storing in the refrigerator.
Storage
Refrigerator: Transfer the cooled tomato confit to a clean, airtight jar and make sure the tomatoes are fully covered with olive oil. Store in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks for the best quality and peace of mind.
Freezer: Tomato confit can also be frozen for up to 3 months. For easy portions, spoon the tomatoes and oil into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container, then take out only what you need when cooking. You can add the frozen portions directly to sauces, soups, or pasta and let them warm through as they cook.
Before storing: Always let the confit cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating or freezing. If the tomatoes are not fully covered with oil in the refrigerator, add a little more olive oil before storing.
What to do with tomato confit
There are so many ways to use tomato confit. Here are some of my favorite ways to add those sweet, slow-roasted tomatoes to everyday meals:
- With proteins: Spoon over roasted or grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, steak, or tofu for an easy boost of flavor.
- On toast or bruschetta: Spoon over crusty bread with creamy labneh, cream cheese, ricotta, or avocado.
- With burrata or mozzarella: Serve the tomatoes alongside creamy cheese for an easy appetizer or light meal.
- In salads: Add them to green salads, grain salads, or a Burrata Caprese salad for extra flavor.
- With eggs: Spoon over scrambled eggs, fried eggs, omelets, or a frittata.
- With pasta: Toss the tomatoes and some of their infused oil through pasta, or spoon them over your favorite pasta dish.
- With grains and beans: Add to jasmine ice, quinoa, couscous, white beans, or chickpeas for an easy meal.
- In wraps and sandwiches: Add to wraps, sandwiches, or flatbreads along with your favorite fillings.
- Over dips: Spoon over creamy hummus, baba ganoush, or whipped feta with a little of the infused oil.
- In soups: Stir a spoonful or two into creamy tomato soup for an extra layer of roasted tomato flavor.
- With roasted vegetables: Spoon over roasted potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, or other vegetables just before serving.
And these are just a few ideas. Once you have a jar of tomato confit in the fridge, it’s easy to find new ways to use it. Let me know in the comments what your favorite ways of using this cherry tomato confit would be.
And if you’re looking for more ways to use up ripe tomatoes, check out my fresh tomato recipes, you’ll find plenty of ideas from salads to sauces.
FAQs
Don’t throw it away! The oil becomes infused with the flavors of the tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and chili, making it useful for cooking or finishing other dishes. Drizzle it over bread, salads, roasted vegetables, or dips, use it as a dipping oil, or toss it with pasta, grains, or beans for extra flavor.
The main difference is the amount of oil used. Roasted tomatoes are usually cooked with a small amount of oil, while tomato confit is slow-roasted in a generous amount of olive oil. The oil helps the tomatoes cook gently, keeping them tender and juicy while infusing them with the flavors of the garlic, herbs, and chili.
More recipes to try
If you try this tomato confit recipe, I would love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a star rating and a comment below. Your feedback means so much and helps other readers find the recipe too.
Tomato Confit
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tomatoes cherry or grape tomatoes (about 6 cups). Baby plum also works well.
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil or enough to come about halfway up the tomatoes. Use a good-quality olive oil for the best flavor.
- 15 garlic cloves
- few sprigs thyme you can also use rosemary, oregano, or basil.
- 1 fresh red chili whole
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorn freshly ground
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
These ingredients will yield about 2 cups of tomato confit.
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil into a flat baking sheet or shallow baking dish. Add the thyme, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground mixed peppercorns.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, and red chili. Arrange in an even layer and gently toss to coat with the oil and seasonings.
- Roast at 195ºF/90ºC (fan-assisted) for 2 to 2½ hours, until the tomatoes are soft, slightly slumped, and gently wrinkled but still holding their shape.
- Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a clean, airtight jar. Make sure the tomatoes are covered with olive oil and refrigerate.
Notes
- Storage: Store tomato confit in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator, making sure the tomatoes are covered with olive oil. For best quality and to be on the safe side, use within 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, ideally in small portions such as ice cubes.
- Tip: Don’t discard the flavorful infused oil. Use it for cooking, dipping with crusty bread, drizzling over dips and salads, or tossing with pasta and vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I place a salted and lemon-peppered salmon filet skin side down in the smallest dish that will hold it. I empty a cup jar of confit tomatoes around it, and make sure to brush the oil over the top. Roast at 350 degrees for 12-20 minutes (til fish is cooked). Serve over a bed of smashed artichoke hearts. DELICIOUS!
Sounds delicious, thanks for the suggestion.
Hi there. I just have a few question:
– If I freeze the confit, do I keep the tomatoes covered in oil or can I freeze them without the oil?
– Once defrosted, how long are the tomatoes are good for?
– How long does just the oil alone keep in the fridge?
Thanks! Looking forward to making this (and your garlic confit) this weekend! : ).
Hi Susan,
Yes, it’s best to freeze the tomatoes with the oil, even if they are not completely covered.
Once defrosted, they should be good for up to a couple of weeks.
It’s best to use the oil within a couple of weeks.
Is there another way to cook the tomatoes? My oven does not go that low. 250 is the lowest it will go. Thanks
Hi Susan,
You can cook them at 250F as well for about 1.5-2 hours. The tomatoes should become wrinkly but shouldn’t have burst.