Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Slow-roasted cherry tomatoes are intensely sweet and tangy. Add them to salads, pastas, pizza and more.

Last week, a gift arrived at my front door: a huge basket of sweet, homegrown cherry tomatoes from my neighbor Matt’s garden. Inspired by Ina Garten’s Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad, in which she roasts halved plum tomatoes in a vinaigrette mixture to concentrate their flavor, I decided to slow-roast them. Doused in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic, and cooked in a low-temperature oven for 2 hours, cherry tomatoes take on an intense, almost sun-dried tomato flavor while retaining their juicy texture. They taste like tomato candy! What’s more, they burst when you cut into them, creating a flavorful sauce for whatever you serve them with.

Roasted cherry tomatoes can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as:

• As a side dish with grilled fish or meat

• With burrata cheese

• As a pizza topping

• Over pasta or risotto

• As a bruschetta or cracker topping with burrata, ricotta, or goat cheese

• As an omelette filling

• As a crepe filling

• Over avocado toast

• Puréed and strained to make roasted tomato soup (good hot or cold)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE SLOW-ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

• 2 lbs (3 pints) cherry tomatoes

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 275°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with wide heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Put the tomatoes on the lined baking sheet and add the tomatoes with the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Using a rubber spatula, toss the tomatoes with the remaining ingredients.

Roast for 2 hours, until the tomatoes are soft and beginning to burst.

Serve hot or at room temperature. The tomatoes will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

HOW TO FREEZE ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Roasted tomatoes can also be frozen for up to 3 months. It’s a good idea to divide them into individual portions to thaw as needed to add to pizza, pasta, omelets, crepes, etc.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Slow-roasted cherry tomatoes are intensely sweet and tangy. Add them to salads, pastas, pizza and more.

Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 2 Hours Total Time: 2 Hours 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs (3 pints) cherry tomatoes

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with wide heavy-duty aluminum foil.

2. Directly on the lined baking sheet, using a rubber spatula, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic. Roast for 2 hours, until the tomatoes are soft and beginning to burst. Serve hot or at room temperature.

3. Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The tomatoes will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. If freezing them, it's a good idea to divide them into individual portions to thaw as needed.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Per serving (6 servings)

• Serving size:about 1 cup

• Calories:117

• Fat:9 g

• Saturated fat:1 g

• Carbohydrates:8 g

• Sugar:6 g

• Fiber:2 g

• Protein:1 g

• Sodium:388 mg

• Cholesterol:0 mg

Special thanks to Jennifer Segal, for the recipe and images. You can support Jennifer by purchasing her cookbook, "Once Upon a Chef, the Cookbook," featuring over 100 delightful recipes.