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Cherry tomato confit with garlic and thyme is slow-roasted until soft and silky, perfect for spreading on bread or spooning over meats.
Turn all of those summer tomatoes in a delicious Tomato Burrata Salad or simple Homemade Tomato Sauce next!
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One of my favorite ways to use up fresh, garden cherry tomatoes is this easy tomato confit recipe. It takes 5 minutes of prep and the oven does all of the work.
What is tomato confit?
Tomato confit is a slow-roasted tomato dish made by cooking tomatoes in olive oil with aromatics like garlic and thyme at a low temperature until soft and bursting. The tomatoes collapse into the oil, soaking up all the flavor from the garlic and thyme.
Unlike roasted cherry tomatoes, which are cooked at higher temperatures to concentrate their flavor and lightly caramelize, tomato confit is gently baked in olive oil at a low temperature. The goal isn’t browning, but slow, silky softening that creates a tender, spoonable result with infused oil and mellow garlic. They're both delicious—just very different in texture and use.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich, savory flavor without browning. The low oven temp helps the tomatoes slowly break down and become silky and sweet.
- Minimal prep. No peeling, chopping, or stirring—just toss everything on the pan.
- Great for preserving tomatoes. Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for 3 months or longer.
- So versatile. Use it as a topping for toast, pasta, grain bowls, or even grilled meat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cherry Tomatoes – Juicy and sweet, perfect for roasting.
- Garlic Cloves – Add mellow depth and aroma.
- Fresh Thyme – Infuses the oil with herby flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Helps everything roast and become rich and tender.
- Kosher Salt – Brings out the natural sweetness.
- Black Pepper – Adds a little kick.
How to Make Cherry Tomato Confit
First, preheat your oven to 225°F. Slice or smash the garlic cloves and scatter them over a quarter sheet pan. Add the cherry tomatoes and fresh thyme.
Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Pour extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes—use enough to coat them well, about ⅓ to ½ cup.
Roast for 1.5 hours or until the cherry tomatoes are soft, wrinkled, and bursting but not browned. Let cool slightly before transferring everything, including oil and aromatics, to a clean jar or container.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- You can use any tomatoes you like—cherry, grape, or chopped larger tomatoes. This recipe is flexible and works well with whatever you have on hand.
- You can either coat or submerge the tomatoes. Use enough oil to either generously coat or fully submerge them—both methods work. Submersion gives you more infused oil to reuse while coating them saves money.
- Cook low and slow. While 1.5 hours at 225°F is a great baseline, some cooks roast for up to 3 hours to achieve an ultra-soft, jammy texture.
- Save that infused oil. It's loaded with garlic and thyme flavor—use it for salad dressings, drizzling over cooked veggies, or even dipping bread.
- Try different aromatics. In addition to thyme and garlic, experiment with rosemary, sage, or lemon zest for a different flavor profile.
- Freeze if needed. For longer storage, freeze tomato confit in small jars or silicone cubes and thaw as needed.
Serving Suggestions
Bring tomato confit to room temperature before serving to soften the oil from its chilled state..
- Spoon cherry tomato confit over toast or crostini or French bread with tzatziki sauce, ricotta, or goat cheese.
- Add it to a charcuterie board with your favorite cured meats, cheeses, and pesto sauce, or pimento cheese.
- Toss with warm pasta and a little Parmesan.
- Add to this grilled zucchini salad for a sweet-savory pop.
- Scoop over grilled salmon or seared sea bass for a touch of elegance.
More Tomato Recipes
📖 Recipe
Cherry Tomato Confit
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When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Cherry Tomatoes, about 4 cups
- 4-6 Garlic Cloves
- 5-8 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F.
- Slice or smash the GARLIC CLOVES and scatter them over a quarter sheet pan.
- Add the CHERRY TOMATOES and FRESH THYME.
- Season generously with KOSHER SALT and BLACK PEPPER.
- Pour EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL over the tomatoes—use enough to coat them well, about ⅓ to ½ cup.
- Roast for 1.5 hours or until the tomatoes are soft, wrinkled, and bursting but not browned.
- Let cool slightly before transferring everything, including oil and aromatics, to a clean jar or container.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or longer as desired.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- quarter sheet pan
- small knife or paring knife
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