Cherry Tomato Confit

5 from 2 votes

Savor the rich flavors of slow-cooked cherry tomato confit in olive oil, perfect for preserving the essence of summer in a jar.

Course: Sauces & Dressings

Cuisine: French

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Bailey

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.

Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place cherry tomatoes in a single layer in a 9x9 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!

- 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.
- 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.