Oven-Roasted Tomatoes (Tomato Confit)

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

When you don’t know what else to do with a summer tomato bounty, slowly roasting tomatoes in the oven is a lovely way to preserve some of that REAL tomato flavor. This oven-roasted tomato recipe is adapted from one by Daniel Boulud so you know it has to be good!

Although small tomatoes such as cherry or grape are generally used in a tomato confit, this slow-roasted tomato recipe uses plum (or Roma) tomatoes cooked with herbs, garlic and a touch of sugar which helps to caramelize the tomatoes. I used plum tomatoes because we had a plum tomato bounty and they’re low-moisture.

Slow-roasting concentrates the flavor of the tomato–much like a sun-dried tomato–but without the leathery texture and cloying sweetness.

What is Confit?

Pronounced con-FEE, this French adjective basically means “preserved.” Often used with duck, this preservation method takes place by slowly cooking food in a liquid that’s inhospitable to bacteria such as pure fat. This method can also be applied to fruits and vegetables. Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about confit from Serious Eats.

How to Make Oven-Roasted Tomatoes (Tomato Confit):

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this recipe. The exact quantities are in the roasted tomato recipe card below.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Fresh Herbs: Here’s where you definitely want to use fresh herbs. Dried herbs will only dry more.
• Olive Oil: You don’t have to go all out here because the oil will be heated. Just use a decent extra-virgin olive oil for the slow-roasting. If storing the tomatoes in a jar and using them within a short period of time, drizzle the confited tomatoes with the best olive oil you have.
• Tomatoes: Use plum (Roma) tomatoes that are ripe yet still firm. Overripe tomatoes will be difficult to work with.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather, prep and measure out all the ingredients.
• Start by removing the skin from the tomatoes.
  • Prepare an ice bath then bring a saucepan of water to a boil.
  • Cut an “X” in the bottom of each plum tomato then carefully drop it into the boiling water.
  • Give it about 20-30 seconds or until you can see the skin begin to peel away from the tomato.
  • Immerse into the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

• Remove the skins, cut in half and remove the seeds.

• Place the tomato halves on a baking sheet then drizzle with olive oil. Add the thyme, bay leaves, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar, tucking them in under the tomatoes.
• Place in the oven at 275 degrees and slow roast for 1 1/2 hours, opening the door slightly once or twice to allow for any accumulated steam to escape.

• At 1 1/2 hours, they should look like this…

• Flip then continue roasting at 275 degrees for another 1 1/2 hours.

• They should then be deep red in color and beautifully soft.

• Let the roasted tomatoes cool then transfer to a jar.

• Drizzle the slow-roasted tomatoes with great olive oil to cover then refrigerate.
• Refrigerate the roasted tomatoes for up to 6-7 days. Afterward, divide into small portions and freeze, oil and all.

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• The plum tomatoes should be ripe yet still firm. If you use overripe tomatoes, they’ll be difficult to work with.
• At least twice during the roasting process, open the oven door slightly to allow any steam that has built up in the oven to be released.