Slow-Roasted Tomato Confit
This is a hands-off process that turns a pint of supermarket cherry tomatoes into a concentrated base for sauces, pasta, or crostini. The resulting oil is a byproduct you should never discard.
Consistency is the only requirement
Use a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes in a single layer so the oil level remains manageable. If the dish is too wide, you will need excessive oil to cover them.
- Small rimmed baking dish or cast iron skillet
- Chef's knife
- Measuring spoon
What goes in.
- 2 pintscherry or grape tomatoes, stems removed
- 1 cupextra virgin olive oil
- 6 clovesgarlic, smashed
- 3 sprigsfresh thyme
- 1 tspkosher salt
Submersion over roasting
The tomatoes should be mostly submerged in oil. This prevents the skins from burning and ensures the interiors turn creamy rather than shriveled.
The method.
Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 250°F (120°C). Accuracy here matters; higher heat will fry the skins instead of poaching the fruit.
Arrange the ingredients
Place the tomatoes in the baking dish. Add the smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, and salt. Pour the oil over until the tomatoes are almost completely covered.
Roast
Place the dish on the center rack. Roast for 2 hours. You are looking for the tomatoes to be wrinkled, collapsed, and soft when poked with a fork.
Cool and store
Let them cool in the oil at room temperature. This is where the final texture sets. Once cooled, store them in their oil in the refrigerator.
Other turns to take.
Spicy Confit
Add one whole dried chili or a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the oil before putting the dish in the oven.
Citrus Infused
Add two wide strips of lemon peel, taking care to avoid the bitter white pith.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Don't throw away the oil. It is effectively a tomato-and-garlic-infused cooking oil that is excellent for searing fish or dressing salad greens.
If you notice the tomatoes drying out too much, simply add a splash more oil halfway through the cooking time.
Use high-quality olive oil; you will taste the difference in the final product.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long does this keep?
Kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will stay in good condition for up to two weeks.
Can I use large slicing tomatoes?
It is not recommended. Larger tomatoes contain too much water, which will thin out your oil and result in a stew-like consistency rather than a confit.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe