Tomato Confit Recipe
Published June 6, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This simple tomato confit recipe is fresh, slow-cooked tomatoes in olive oil with herbs and garlic for bold tomato flavors. You will love how easy these are to make and how flavorful they are.
Being Italian, I adore tomatoes and try to incorporate them into as many dishes as possible. Some of my favorite ways to use them are in recipes like my Caponata or Arrabbiata Sauce.
Tomato Confit
Tomato confit is a dish I learned in culinary school. In it, tomatoes are slow-roasted with garlic and herbs in olive oil to concentrate the flavor. While confiting technically means cooking something in its own fat, the olive oil provides enough fat to allow the tomatoes to cook slowly in the oven.
You can also drain the oil after they’re done cooking and it to your confit stash. These can be served hot or cold and as an ingredient, accompaniment, or side dish to any meal. Think of these as tomatoes that are very intense in flavor.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tomatoes — Any tomato is good for this recipe. However, if you make it in non-peak season, Roma tomatoes are great all year.
- Oil – I believe olive oil is the best fat for these oven-roasted tomatoes.
- Garlic — A few garlic cloves add aromatics to the oven, infusing them into the tomatoes as they slow cook.
- Herbs — Fresh thyme is the best herb for these. Other options are rosemary or sage.
How to Make Tomato Confit
Start by slicing the tomatoes in 4 wedges lengthwise.
Place the tomatoes cut side up on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, and add the garlic cloves all around them.
Next, add the fresh thyme sprigs over top of the tomatoes and garlic.
Season with coarse salt and cracked pepper.
Evenly drizzle the oil onto everything, and then put it back in the oven on the middle rack at 250° for 2 ½ to 3 hours.
Store or serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For freshness, you can make these up to 2 days ahead of time. You can serve them cold or hot.
How to Store: Cover and keep these in the refrigerator for 5 days. You can freeze these covered for up to 3 months. Thaw the tomato confit in the refrigerator for 1 day or until thawed.
How to Reheat: Spread the tomatoes onto a rack over a sheet tray and bake in the oven at 350° for 6 to 8 minutes or until warm.
Chef Notes + Tips
- You can also serve and eat this cold if serving them on a salad or sandwich.
- The longer you cook these the more concentrated in flavor they become.
More Tomato Recipes
Tomato Confit Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 fresh tomatoes, core removed
- 25 garlic cloves
- 25 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Start by slicing the tomatoes in 4 wedges lengthwise.
- Place the tomatoes cut side up on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and add the garlic cloves all around the tomatoes.
- Next, add the fresh thyme sprigs over top of the tomatoes and garlic.
- Season with coarse salt and cracked pepper.
- Evenly drizzle the oil onto everything and then put it back in the oven on the middle rack at 250° for 2 ½ to 3 hours.
- Store or serve.
Delicious
Incredibly delicious, make a sandwich with these tomatoes, fresh basil and a piece of mozzarella. Yummy.
So good!
Hi Chef!
I’m wondering if this could be modified tomato confit. Any thoughts?
in which way?
Hey Chef,
Try doing these on your smoker once. I put mine on at about 175 to 200 for a couple of hours. They are so good I try to make sure all of my tomatoes are the same size too. I like mine a little bit on the big size or the beefy size, the smaller ones seem to shrink to much for me. I think they are delicious and so sweet and smokey. There is no way I could ever teach you anything, but I just wanted to share my recipe…
Such a tasty way to use toms/garlic/oo….and stores well, but doesn’t last long.
Awesome easy to follow perfect
Excellent!