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Savor the rich flavors of slow-cooked cherry tomato confit in extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and aromatics. This recipe perfectly preserves the sweet, luscious flavor of fresh summer tomatoes so that you’ll have delicious tomatoes for months. Serve it with flatbread, toast, or pasta!
What is Confit?
Confit is a French cooking technique that means “to preserve.” To confit means to cook in fat slowly and at a low temperature.
Why Make Tomato Confit
This tomato confit recipe is what summer is all about! It’s super easy to make, and the result is tender tomatoes packed with an intense, rich flavor. It’s the perfect condiment for flatbreads, pasta, salads, sandwiches, and so many more dishes!
- Easy to make. You’ll only need to put everything in a baking dish and slow roast until the tomatoes are tender and soft, and voila! You’ll have a delicious confit for months when you freeze it.
- Packed with flavor. Tomatoes and garlic are slow cooked to perfection and packed with tons of flavors from the olive oil, herbs, and lemon zest.
- Diet-friendly. It’s naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free for everyone to enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.
- Tomatoes. Use ripe cherry or grape tomatoes. Any color will work.
- Garlic. Use whole heads of garlic for the best confit.
- Lemon zest. Adds a citrusy taste and balances the flavors.
- Olive oil. Use extra virgin olive oil for the the best flavor, but regular olive oil or avocado oil will work too.
- Balsamic vinegar. Adds sweetness and acidity to the recipe.
- Salt and pepper. For seasoning.
- Fresh herbs. Use fresh thyme sprigs and basil to infuse the oil.
Steps To Make This Recipe
Step One. Place the tomatoes in a single layer in a 9×9 or similar-sized baking dish. Nestle the garlic between the tomatoes. Preheat oven to 250º.
Step Two. Pour olive oil into the baking dish. Add balsamic vinegar, then season generously with salt and pepper, lemon zest, and fresh thyme. Add extra sprigs of thyme to the oil and basil to infuse it. Slow roast, uncovered, for 1-½ hours.
Step Three. Cool tomatoes in the pan until they are room temperature. Pull out the sprigs of thyme and basil leaves, discard them. Gently squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulb to store in the tomato confit. Add the oil, tomatoes, garlic to an airtight container. Add to toast, cottage cheese, bread, flatbreads, salad, chicken and more!
What to Serve with Tomato Confit
Tomato confit is a delicious condiment that you can use to elevate the taste of your favorite dishes! Drizzle it on toast or flatbreads with cottage or ricotta cheese. Toss it with pasta or use it as a base for pizza marinara. Add it to chicken and other meats. I love adding it to my Air Fryer Garlic Bread and Chicken Pesto Flatbread.
Recipe Tips
- Cook low and slow. The trick to getting the best flavors is to cook the confit for at least one and a half hours at a low temperature of 250°F.
- Don’t cook the tomatoes until they’ve fully burst. Cook them until they are tender and soft, slightly wrinkled.
- Keep an eye on your confit. The cooking time will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes, so check them from time to time.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Store tomato confit in a sterilized jar with an airtight lid. Keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Make sure to fully submerge the tomatoes and garlic in olive oil to preserve it properly.
To keep the confit for longer, you can freeze it. Make sure that you chill it first before freezing. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Leave at least an inch of space when freezing to allow the ingredients to expand.
Recipe FAQs
Tomato confit is made by slow-cooking tomatoes in olive oil and herbs, while sun-dried tomatoes are made by drying tomatoes in the sun or using a dehydrator.
They last up to two weeks in the refrigerator and up to three months when frozen.
Other Delicious Sauces and Dressings to try
Sauces & Dressings
Creamy Pesto Dressing
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Spinach Walnut Pesto
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Lemon Honey Dressing
Sauces & Dressings
Creamy Lemon Herb Tahini
Cherry Tomato Confit
Equipment
- 1 9×9 baking dish or similar-sized baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 lbs cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, any color will work.
- 2 medium heads of garlic, sliced in half horizontally so garlic cloves are exposed for slow roasting (see photo for example)
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp salt, more as needed
- ½ tsp pepper, more as needed
- several sprigs of fresh thyme
- fresh basil, rough chopped for garnish and to infuse the oil.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Place cherry tomatoes in a single layer in a 9×9 or similar-sized baking dish. Nestle the garlic between the tomatoes.
- Pour olive oil into the baking dish, If your dish is larger than the suggested size, you may need more oil. Add balsamic vinegar. Next, season generously with salt and pepper, lemon zest, and fresh thyme. Add extra sprigs of thyme to the oil and basil to infuse it.
- Slow roast, uncovered, for 1-½ hours (cooking time will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes, keep an eye on them). Don’t cook the tomatoes until they’ve fully burst. Cook them until they are tender and soft, slightly wrinkled.
- Cool tomatoes in the pan until they are room temperature. Pull out the sprigs of thyme, any tomato sprigs and basil leaves, discard them. Gently squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulb to store in the tomato confit. Add the oil, tomatoes, garlic to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.
- Add to toast, cottage cheese, bread, flatbreads, salad, chicken and more!
Notes
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- Cook low and slow. The trick to getting the best flavors is to cook the confit for at least one and a half hours at a low temperature of 250°F.
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- Don’t cook the tomatoes until they’ve fully burst. Cook them until they are tender and soft, slightly wrinkled.
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- Keep an eye on your confit. The cooking time will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes, so check them from time to time.
- This recipe makes 2 cups of tomato confit.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or longer depending on the seal of the jar. The olive oil will solidify a bit in the cold fridge. Just bring it to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delish and easy!
This was scrumptious, really easy to make.