Cherry Tomato Confit

Cooked low and slow in olive oil with herbs and aromatics, cherry tomato confit heightens and preserves the flavor of perfect summer tomatoes for a rainy day. Serve tomato confit on flatbreads, toasts, and sandwiches; tossed with pasta; or spooned on eggs and meats.

Jump to Recipe

It’s hard to believe that just three weeks ago I stood in my garden wondering when all those green tomatoes would ripen and turn red. I harvested a handful a few days after the fourth of July, and then a few baskets full, and now, I’m pulling them in in whatever vessel I can find. The table and counter are covered in tomatoes and I’m waiting for the heat to break so I can finally can them all.

But even as the romas and slicers are popping off, I also have armfuls of red plum and Sungold cherry tomatoes coming in. While small, I treasure these little tomatoes for their perfect mix of acid and sweetness, and try to feature them in dishes wherever I can. A single color gazpacho can be an excellent way to highlight cherry tomatoes (or other colorful tomato varieties), as can this easy tomato confit recipe.

Classic Cherry Tomato Confit

Confit is a French technique for cooking and preserving foods in olive oil. A low and slow approach is key, and recommended heat levels vary, but I was very happy with the confit I cooked in a 300 degree oven for 90 minutes or so. The resulting tomato confit is suffused with flavor. The tomatoes are supple and rich, and have all the bright acidity that makes a fresh summer tomato so beautiful.

Tomato confit can be spooned over pasta or toast, smashed on crackers or sandwiches, or tucked alongside eggs or meats. Here, I melted fresh mozzarella on flatbreads and added the tomato confit along with a few spoonfuls of tomato-infused olive oil on top.

Make It Your Own

I have two variations here. One, Sungold cherry tomatoes with shallot, bay, thyme, and lemon zest. The other, red plum tomatoes with red pepper flakes, shallot, thyme, and bay. Here are some other variations to make the most of your tomato confit:

• Garlic: Slice the root end off and cook in their skins; when cool enough to handle, slide garlic out of the skin and add to your confit, discarding the papery skin.
• Herbs: Fresh herbs with robust leaves like thyme, rosemary, bay, tarragon, oregano, or sage would all be delicious.
• Spicy Heat: Add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of red or Aleppo pepper flakes, dried chilies, or prepared Calabrian chilies for extra kick.

Storing Tomato Confit

Tomato confit can be refrigerated in a clean jar for up to five days. For longer storage, and a beautiful mid-winter treat, freeze your confit. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to a year, though six months or less is ideal for peak flavor. When freezing, start with chilled confit and make sure to leave at least 1 inch of head space to allow for the ingredients to expand as they freeze.

Using It All

If you have any leftover tomato-infused olive oil, consider using it as the base for a salad dressing or cook with it. Whatever you make, the flavors will be lovely.

Print Recipe

Sungold Cherry and Red Plum Tomato Confit

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

 

Cooked low and slow in olive oil with herbs and aromatics, spicy cherry tomato confit heightens and preserves the flavor of summer tomatoes for a rainy day. Serve tomato confit on flatbreads, toasts, and sandwiches; tossed with pasta; or spooned on eggs and meats.

Tomato stems impart lovely, intense tomato flavor to the confit. If you have stem-on tomatoes, rinse and dry completely, and then bake the tomatoes with the stem on. Remove any stems before eating and storing.

This recipe is for two batches of confit, but can easily be halved if you have just one kind of cherry or plum tomato.

Recipe Type: Canning

Keyword: cherry tomato confit

Makes: 2 pints

Author: Elizabeth Stark

Ingredients

Sungold Confit

• 1 pound yellow cherry tomatoes and red plum tomatoes (or whatever variety of small tomatoes you have)
• 1 large shallot, ends trimmed, papery skin attached
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 2-inch sections of lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

Plum Tomato Confit

• 1 pound red plum tomatoes (or whatever variety of small tomatoes you have)
• 1 large shallot, ends trimmed, papery skin attached
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red or Aleppo pepper flakes
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Select two baking dishes that the tomatoes will just fit in, 11 x 8 is ideal.

2. Check that tomatoes fit well in the baking dishes, then add all other ingredients to each baking dish. Slide into the oven and bake 60 minutes. Start checking every 10 minutes and pull with the tomatoes are just turning golden and have started to slump. The cherry tomatoes will be ready after 65 - 75 minutes; the plum tomatoes after about 80 - 90.
3. When cool enough to handle, slip the papery skin off the shallot. Use confit right away, or spoon cooled mixture into clean jars, seal, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in clean jars, allowing 1-inch headspace, as contents expand when frozen solid (see storage info above).