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Easy Cherry Tomato Confit with Garlic and Thyme

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Easy Cherry Tomato Confit with Garlic and Thyme slowly roasts juicy tomatoes in fragrant olive oil until sweet, tender, and jammy. Serve it with toasted bread, pasta, creamy cheese, eggs, or roasted vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 6–8 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 6–8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or enough to generously coat the tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C).
  2. Rinse the cherry tomatoes and dry them thoroughly. Arrange the whole tomatoes in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a mostly single layer.
  3. Tuck the peeled garlic cloves and fresh thyme sprigs between the tomatoes, distributing them throughout the baking dish.
  4. Pour the extra-virgin olive oil over the tomatoes until everything is generously coated. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
  5. Roast for 1 1/2–2 hours, until the tomatoes are soft and slightly wrinkled, some have begun to split, and the garlic is tender and lightly golden.
  6. Remove from the oven and allow the confit to cool slightly. Remove and discard the woody thyme stems, leaving the softened garlic cloves with the tomatoes.
  7. Serve the tomatoes with some of the infused olive oil over toasted bread, pasta, ricotta, whipped feta, burrata, eggs, or roasted vegetables.

Notes

  • Serve the tomato confit warm, at room temperature, or chilled depending on how it will be used.
  • For a basil variation, replace some or all of the thyme with basil and add fresh basil leaves after roasting for the freshest flavor.
  • For a rosemary variation, add 1–2 small rosemary sprigs, using them sparingly to avoid overpowering the tomatoes.
  • For extra heat, increase the red pepper flakes or add a thinly sliced fresh chili.
  • A small splash of balsamic vinegar can be added before roasting for sweet acidity.
  • Red, yellow, and orange cherry or grape tomatoes can be combined for a colorful variation.
  • Cool leftovers and transfer them promptly to a clean airtight container in the refrigerator. Do not store homemade garlic-in-oil confit at room temperature.
  • Use refrigerated tomato confit and its infused oil within 3–4 days.
  • For longer storage, freeze the confit in freezer-safe containers.
  • Reheat only the portion needed in a small saucepan over low heat or gently in the microwave.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thefamilycooking.com/easy-cherry-tomato-confit-with-garlic-and-thyme/