Many people don’t realize how easy it is to make your own condiments. Confit is one that sounds fancy, because…French. But as Julia Child taught us, fancy doesn’t always mean unapproachable! This cherry tomato garlic confit recipe is an easy side dish or appetizer you can whip up without having to give up your afternoon. It’s slow-roasted in the oven and made with fresh ingredients for the best taste!
As someone who’s been cooking at home since I was tall enough to join my Italian-American grandmother in the kitchen, I’ve learned that homemade almost always tastes better. But homemade doesn’t always have to mean harder. This recipe takes some time to slow-cook, but it’s super simple to throw together, and then it’s pretty much hands-off.
It’s the perfect side dish, and it also doubles as a fresh and elegant pasta sauce! Serve it up alongside some homemade crostini crackers and herb-marinated mozzarella or top some freshly baked focaccia muffins with this confit for an easy appetizer that is sure to knock the socks off your guests! Pair it with classic Italian cocktails like a limoncello spritz or classic espresso martini and let the compliments roll in!
why this tomato and garlic confit recipe works:
🍅 tomato versatility. You can use your favorite tomatoes in this recipe, but I love using a medley of snacking tomatoes for the best color and flavor.
🧄 roasted sweet. Ingredients like garlic and tomatoes can be sharp or acidic when raw, but the sweeten in taste when slow-roasted.
🌡️ low & slow cooking. The low-temperature roasting method allows the tomatoes and garlic to slowly release their flavors, resulting in a rich, concentrated taste without burning.
🛒 ingredients you need to make a confit
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 make your tomato confit like a pro
1: Wash and dry your tomatoes, then add them to a baking dish.
2: Peel and roughly chop garlic and add it to the tomatoes.
3: Cover with olive oil, making sure that the tomatoes are at least covered halfway by the oil.
4: Place the herbs into the oil, smooshing them between the tomatoes.
5: Roast for 60 minutes, until the tomatoes and garlic are easily crushed with the slight weight of a spatula.
6: Remove the roasted herbs and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve your confit immediately with baked crostini or crusty bread.
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
- dip it – serve your garlic and tomato confit with crispy crackers, homemade crostini bread, or even chips or pretzels! It’s perfect as a quick dip or spread when you’re between courses or needing a happy hour snack.
- spread it – I love using homemade confit as a spread on sandwiches to take the flavor up a level. Smoosh these tomatoes and galic over some home baked focaccia and top it with the sandwich layers of your choice for a simple and elegant lunch!
- sauce it – roasted tomato confit also works wonderfully as a makeshift pasta sauce! Toss freshly boiled pasta with the tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil for an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- bitter – if your confit is bitter, taste your olive oil. If your oil isn’t great on it’s own, it won’t be great in any recipe you use, either. You can try adding some salt or sugar (yes, really!) to help balance out the bitterness.
- too firm – tomatoes not bursting? You’ll likely need to roast it a bit longer. Make sure to use an oven thermometer or rotate the pan so it cooks evenly. You can also give the tomatoes and garlic a stir every 30 minutes to help them cook more evenly.
♻️ easily customize your tomato confit
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- herbs – swap the herbs to your heart’s content. I prefer to stick with herbs like oregano and rosemary, but you can also use basil, parsley, and tarragon, too!
- shallots – shallots are sort of like the lovechild of onions and garlic, so they’re great for using in dishes like this roasted confit which can benefit from the flavor of both onions and garlic!
- higher heat – in a hurry? You can crank your oven up to 425ºF and roast for 30-45 minutes, but keep an eye on the tomatoes to make sure they don’t burn!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 storage tips
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, as long as the tomatoes and garlic are completely submerged in the olive oil.
💬 q+a
What kind of tomatoes can I use for making confit?
You can use almost any kind of snacking tomato to make a confit! Think cherry tomatoes, colorful medley tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and more! Bigger tomatoes like Roma tomatoes are best used in sauces and soups, because they have a higher water content.
What if I want to make a confit but don’t have 60-90 minutes to let it slow roast?
You can play around with the heat of your oven to roast your tomatoes and garlic faster, but keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. In general, though, slow roasting is ideal because it allows the flavors to deepen and caramelize, making the confit sweeter!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Cherry Tomato Garlic Confit (Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic)
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Equipment
- 1 roasting dish stoneware or enameled cast iron
- 1 kitchen scale or measuring cups
- 1 spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 570 g small tomatoes such as cherry or grape about 4 cups
- 1 cup olive oil up to 2 cups, or as much needed to cover tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic or as much as you want!
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º F
- Wash and dry tomatoes.
- Peel and roughly chop garlic. You can leave the pieces sort of chunky, so they are part of the finished confit.
- Put tomatoes in a roasting pan, add garlic, salt and pepper.
- Cover with olive oil, making sure that the tomatoes are at least covered halfway by the oil.
- Place the herbs into the oil, pressing them between the tomatoes.
- Roast for 60 minutes, until the tomatoes and garlic are easily crushed with the slight weight of a spatula. This could take up to 90 minutes depending on your oven.
- Serve immediately.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- herbs – swap the herbs to your heart’s content. I prefer to stick with herbs like oregano and rosemary but you can also use basil, parsley and terragon, too!
- shallots – shallots are sort of like the lovechild of onions and garlic, so they’re great for using in dishes like this roasted confit which can benefit from the flavor of both onions and garlic!
- higher heat – in a hurry? You can crank your oven up to 425ºF and roast for 30-45 minutes, but keep an eye on the tomatoes to make sure they don’t burn!
Troubleshooting
- bitter – if your confit is bitter, taste your olive oil. If your oil isn’t great on it’s own, it won’t be great in any recipe you use, either. You can try adding some salt or sugar (yes, really!) to help balance out the bitterness.
- too firm – tomatoes not bursting? You’ll likely need to roast it a bit longer. Make sure to use an oven thermometer or rotate the pan so it cooks evenly. You can also give the tomatoes and garlic a stir every 30 minutes to help them cook more evenly.
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
Loved the flavor of the tomatoes and garlic after roasting it was SO GOOD! I’ll be making this on repeat!