How to make this easy cherry tomato confit recipe in olive oil in the oven, air fryer, slow cooker or stovetop is here. Delicious with garlic to Make Burrata Caprese, pasta sauce, serve over chicken or fish, as well as using the infused oil in other recipes.
I love cooking cherry tomatoes in olive oil to create the most delicious topping for toast, made into a jam or a great start to pasta sauce. You can use any variety you would like but you get a bit more texture with small cherry tomatoes and fresh garlic cloves like we did here. (affiliate links present)
What is a Confit in Cooking Terms?
In layman terms this means to cook meat or vegetables in fat to add flavor and/or preserve it. Traditionally duck fat is used but lard, butter or olive oil are more commonly used in the states. In this case we are showing you how to cook cherry tomatoes in olive oil to make a spread, add to pasta, or serve on top of chicken.
Cooking Cherry Tomato Confit in Oven
This is the best and easiest way of them all if you ask me. You just throw everything in a casserole dish and bake until they break down completely and are ready to devour as you wish. Many times I will enjoy some on a sliced baguette before adding them into our Homemade Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce for dinner.
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Tomato Confit Ingredients
- Tomatoes cherry used
- Salt and pepper
- Oregano
- Basil
- Shallots sliced
- 10 cloves garlic
- Olive oil
- 3 sprigs thyme
What is the best oil to cook tomatoes in?
Olive is typical and best for storing long term, but that depends on whom you ask and what you are making with this. Other choices would be duck fat which is great if adding this on top of chicken or beef. If you are making a jam or spread you might want an added creaminess so butter may be an option you might like to try, or lard.
How to Make Tomato Confit in Air Fryer
You can make this easy air fryer recipe in your Cosori or Ninja Foodi too!! Use the same ingredients and remove the basket with holes in the bottom of it. Using just the solid drawer, put ingredients into preheated machine set to 360 degrees F. Timing will vary slightly depending on how tender you want it to become but 10-15 minutes is typically ideal to break them down.
How to Cook Cherry Tomato Confit in Slow Cooker
This way will not get brown so it will become more of a tomato compote of sorts, very soft. Great if you are planning on making tomato jam with it or something spreadable or adding into a pasta sauce. A very hands off approach to this recipe for sure where you throw it all in and enjoy at the end of the day. Use this link above for low and slow cooking directions.
How Long to Cook Tomato Confit on the Stovetop
That depends. Even if both of us set a pan over what we would consider medium heat reaching a low simmer the heat levels would vary. I would say covered with a lid on a consistent simmer you are looking at a minimum of 20 minutes to break it down but longer is better for the flavors to marinate. You would need to stir so it doesn’t burn too so 40 minutes stirring every 5 is ideal. You could add Onion Confit too.
Can you can tomatoes in oil?
Yes and no. Even if you know How to Can it is said to only be safe to store these in the fridge for up to 1 week. You will want to remove all sprigs as those can encourage spoilage. If just stored in clean glass jars covered with oil after cooled you can use them for up to 1 week so this can be made ahead of time for a bit if needed.
Uses you will love
- Tomato confit pasta is an easy one, just spooned on top of al dente noodles for dinner
- This is How to Make Bruschetta Toast that is a great mode of scooping this up and enjoying as an appetizer
- Puree with an immersion blender until as smooth as you’d like to use as a spread, or add a bit of sugar to make a savory jam on toast.
- Folding 1 cup into a jar of spaghetti sauce will make it taste semi-homemade with added texture and a ton more flavor
- Like I said above, this makes a great surround to burrata cheese on a charcuterie board with guests.
And this is great on top of all meats to add tons of flavor in a healthy way. If you choose to Confit Pork belly or chops this is incredible instead of a sauce or rub!
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Tomato Confit Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×13 pan
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 380 F. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish. Remove garlic cloves place in a baking dish. Peel the shallot and cut it into several pieces, also place it in a baking dish.
- Pour in olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried herbs. Cover the baking dish with foil.
- Bake the tomato confit for 40 minutes. Then remove the foil, reduce the temperature to 340 and bake for another 20 minutes until dish is very tender to your liking.