Tomato Confit Recipe: Jammy Condiment for Pasta, Toast, and More

This tomato confit recipe slowly roasts cherry tomatoes in olive oil with garlic and herbs until they become luxuriously soft, jammy, and full of sweet-savory umami. The low-and-slow oven concentrates the tomatoes’ natural sugars, producing melt-in-your-mouth tomato jewels and a fragrant, infused olive oil that’s great for finishing dishes or spreading on bread.

Tomato confit is an easy way to preserve the best of summer’s tomatoes—an excellent condiment to keep in the fridge after peak season. Store a jar to spoon over pasta, bruschetta, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, eggs, and more. Whether you have a bounty of ripe cherry tomatoes or you simply want to hold on to summer flavors a little longer, this recipe delivers.

Why This Tomato Confit Recipe Works

• Quick & simple prep: You can have the tomatoes ready to roast in about 10–15 minutes. Minimal hands-on time makes this an easy pantry-staple recipe.
• Concentrated umami: Slow roasting draws out and concentrates the tomatoes’ sugars and savory notes for a sweeter, richer tomato flavor.
• Infused olive oil: Garlic and herbs steep into the oil during roasting, creating a deeply flavored finishing oil you can use in dressings or to drizzle.
• Highly versatile: Use tomato confit as a condiment, a pasta sauce base, a pizza topping, or a component in sandwiches, salads, and grain bowls.
• Customizable: Scale the recipe up or down and swap herbs or spices—basil, oregano, thyme, or red pepper flakes all work beautifully.

Summer brings colorful heirlooms and an abundance of small tomatoes at farmers’ markets. This confit celebrates that seasonality with minimal fuss: tomatoes, garlic, herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper, roasted until tender and aromatic.

How to Make Tomato Confit

Making tomato confit is straightforward. Place cherry tomatoes in a single layer in a baking dish, scatter sliced garlic and fresh herbs among them, pour in olive oil to coat, season with salt and pepper, and roast slowly until the tomatoes are jammy and fragrant. The oven does most of the work.

The beauty of this condiment is its simplicity: a few good ingredients transformed by slow heat into something concentrated and savory. Below you’ll find serving suggestions, storage tips, and variations to experiment with.

How to Use Tomato Confit (Serving Suggestions)

• Spoon onto a cheese plate as a bright, savory accent
• Layer on bruschetta or toasted bread with ricotta or labneh
• Toss with pasta or use as a pizza topping
• Add to sandwiches or grain bowls for concentrated tomato flavor
• Spoon over roasted vegetables, grilled fish, or seared chicken
• Use the infused oil in vinaigrettes, marinades, or as a finishing drizzle

What Is Confit?

Confit derives from the French verb confire, meaning “to preserve.” Traditionally used for meats cooked slowly in fat, confit simply means gentle, low-temperature cooking in oil or fat to preserve and intensify flavor. Here, tomatoes are the fruit and olive oil is the preserving fat, producing a richly flavored, shelf-ready condiment.

Ingredients

Tomatoes: This recipe uses cherry tomatoes, which roast evenly and become jammy. If you prefer larger tomatoes, blanch, peel, and quarter them before roasting.

Olive Oil: Use a mild, everyday olive oil for roasting so the infused flavors of tomato, garlic, and herbs can shine. Reserve your highest-quality oil for finishing dishes raw.

Herbs & Spices: Fresh basil is classic; oregano, thyme, or crushed red pepper flakes are great alternatives. Feel free to experiment.

Garlic: Thinly sliced garlic roasts to sweet, mellow cloves—add more if you like a stronger garlic flavor or substitute a different allium.

How to Store Tomato Confit & Cooking Tips

• Buy local, ripe cherry tomatoes when possible for the best flavor and color variety.
• Choose a mild extra virgin olive oil for roasting; the oven will extract its flavor into the tomatoes and oil.
• Store confit covered with oil in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month; in the freezer it will keep for up to three months.
• Bring to room temperature before serving—refrigerated olive oil can solidify.

Tomato Confit — Recipe

Details

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 1 hour
• Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Servings: 6
• Author: Daniela Gerson

Ingredients

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 6 fresh sprigs basil (or other fresh herbs)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Arrange the cherry tomatoes in a single layer in a baking dish.
2. Add the sliced garlic and fresh basil sprigs. Pour the olive oil over the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to coat.
3. Bake until the tomatoes are wrinkled and fragrant and the garlic is softened, about 1 hour. The tomatoes should be jammy but not collapsed into complete purée.
4. Allow the confit to cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container, keeping the tomatoes submerged in the oil and pan juices.

Notes

• Use any color of cherry tomatoes for visual variety and a range of flavors.
• Reserve the infused oil for dressings, sautés, or for dipping bread.
• This slow-roast method works well with shallots, garlic, or spring onions for other confit variations.
• Bring to room temperature before serving to restore the oil’s fluid texture.

If you make this tomato confit, enjoy experimenting with different herbs and uses—it’s a small batch of concentrated summer flavor that lifts many dishes. Keep exploring seasonal recipes and colorful produce to inspire your cooking.