Slow-Roasted Tomato Confit with Garlic & Herbs

I especially love making this when summer tomatoes are everywhere and I need another way to use them up. It is less of a precise recipe and more of a method, which is exactly my kind of cooking.

What is tomato confit?

Confit is traditionally a slow-cooking method, and for tomatoes that means gently roasting them in olive oil at a low temperature until they collapse, concentrate, and get incredibly sweet. The garlic softens right along with them, while the herbs help season the oil.

The best part is that you don’t have to stress over exact measurements. If your baking dish is a little bigger, add a little more olive oil. If you have extra tomatoes, toss them in. Thyme, oregano, or a mix of whatever herbs you have growing are all fair game.

How I make tomato confit

I use about 10 ounces of cherry tomatoes, 5 or 6 garlic cloves, and enough olive oil to generously coat everything and pool around the tomatoes. Then I add thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper and roast the whole thing at 275°F for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

You are looking for tomatoes that are wrinkled, soft, and beginning to burst, with garlic that is tender enough to mash with a fork.

What to do with tomato confit

This is where the fun starts. Spoon it over sourdough toast, spread it on sandwiches, serve it with eggs, add it to a cheese board, or use it as the base for pasta.

My favorite quick dinner is tomato confit pasta. For two servings, I toss about 8 ounces of fettuccine with a generous scoop of the confit, a little pasta water, about 1/4 cup Pecorino, and sometimes a tablespoon or two of butter. Then I finish it with basil and fresh mozzarella. The tomatoes basically melt and become the sauce.

Slow-Roasted Tomato Confit Recipe

Slow-Roasted Tomato Confit with Garlic & Herbs

Jammy slow-roasted cherry tomatoes with garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Use them on toast, pasta, eggs, sandwiches, or anywhere that needs a little tomato magic.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 10 oz cherry tomatoes
• 5-6 garlic cloves peeled
• 1/2-2/3 cup olive oil enough to generously coat the tomatoes and pool in the baking dish
• fresh thyme to taste
• fresh oregano to taste
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
2. Add the cherry tomatoes and garlic to a baking dish. Scatter thyme and oregano over the top, season with salt and pepper, then pour in enough olive oil to generously coat everything and pool around the tomatoes.
3. Roast for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the tomatoes are wrinkled, soft, and beginning to burst and the garlic is tender.
4. Serve warm or let cool and use the tomatoes, garlic, and flavored oil on toast, pasta, eggs, sandwiches, and more.

Notes

This recipe is intentionally flexible. The exact amount of olive oil and herbs will depend on the size of your baking dish and how many tomatoes you are using.