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The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Confit comes from the French term "to preserve", and tomatoes are the perfect vegetable to store in your refrigerator after the days of summer are gone. They are cooked low and slow in (quite a lot) of olive oil, which preserves their texture and shape. This process also brings out their beautiful sweetness and infuses them with some amazing garlic and thyme flavor.
While roasting will drastically change the flavor and texture of the tomatoes, cooking in oil will produce a nice plump and juicy tomato that's perfect for spreading onto crusty bread. You can also toss with freshly cooked pasta for a no-fuss sauce. Tomato confit is great as a topping for roasted fish, grilled chicken, or alongside sliced mozzarella for a twist on your favorite Caprese salad.
The tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a month so you can enjoy this confit long after your harvest. Or you can make a large batch and give them as gifts for the holidays. Just make sure to refrigerate them.
"The kitchen smelled absolutely wonderful and because of this I was starving by the time cooking was done. I put some in everything from wraps, to salads, soups, and pasta. Worth the extended cooking time." —Diana Andrews
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Ingredients
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2 cups olive oil
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1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
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1 tablespoon kosher salt
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2 teaspoons granulated sugar, or brown sugar
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1 pound cherry tomatoes, about 3 cups
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3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
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5 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 250 F.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Leave the vines on the tomatoes if you wish, or you can remove them. Add the the tomatoes, garlic, and thyme to a 2 3/4 (9 1/2 x 7 1/2 x 3-inch) baking dish. Pour the oil mixture over the tomatoes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Bake, uncovered, until the tomatoes have wrinkled and softened, but have not totally burst, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Let cool to room temperature, and serve.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Recipe Tips
- Grill some bread, slather it with some ricotta or mascarpone cheese and then top with some of the confit.
- Toss some of the tomatoes and olive oil with freshly cooked pasta. Sprinkle with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Pecorino Romano also works well.
- Use the tomatoes as a condiment for grilled chicken or fish.
- Add the tomatoes to a fresh arugula salad, or alongside freshly sliced mozzarella, and then top with chopped fresh herbs.
- Try using an infused olive oil (such as lemon or garlic) for even more flavor.
- If you have leftover olive oil you can also store it in the refrigerator and use it for cooking or in salads.
How to Store
Once the tomatoes are cool, you can place them into jars and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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248 | Calories |
27g | Fat |
2g | Carbs |
0g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 16 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 248 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 27g | 35% |
Saturated Fat 4g | 19% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 399mg | 17% |
Total Carbohydrate 2g | 1% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 2% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 0g | |
Vitamin C 5mg | 24% |
Calcium 7mg | 1% |
Iron 0mg | 2% |
Potassium 74mg | 2% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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