Cherry Tomato Confit Recipe - How to Make and Use Tomato Confit (2024)

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Cherry tomato confit sounds a lot more esoteric than it is. Basically this is slow roasted cherry tomatoes with salt and olive oil, plus some garlic and herbs.

It is incredibly versatile as a topping for pasta, polenta, bread, rice, or mixed with grilled vegetables as a sort of sauce — it’s a fantastic way to use up a ton of cherry tomatoes.

I grow several varieties of cherry tomatoes, sungolds, Mexico midgets, and sometimes others. I like the color and size variations, and I find that many supermarkets and farmer’s markets will sell either baskets of various varieties, or mixed baskets.

And while no, you don’t need multiple varieties for cherry tomato confit, it looks prettier. And summer food ought to be pretty.

The method is stupid easy.

Arrange the cherry tomatoes in one layer on a baking sheet, douse with extra-virgin olive oil, scatter smashed garlic cloves all around and sprinkle salt and maybe some herbs over it. Bake at 225°F until the tomatoes collapse, which takes some time.

How long is up to you. At least 2 hours, and I would go closer to 4 or 5 hours. The longer time will concentrate flavors, break down the skins a bit, infuse the olive oil with flavor, and soften the garlic cloves.

I mostly use cherry tomato confit as a mega-flavorful topping for starchy-bready things like, well, bread, pizza, polenta, pasta or even rice. You can also use it as the filling in a cherry tomato tart.

Or, use it alongside a simple seared duck breast or a steak. I really like it over seared or butter poached fish. It’s amazing as a dressing of sorts for grilled zucchini, potatoes and onions.

Use your imagination. And you’ll have some time. Once made, cherry tomato confit will keep several weeks in the fridge. I like to put it in glass Mason jars. It is not shelf stable, however.