Tomato Confit Recipe: A Simple Italian Side Dish

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The Tomato Confit recipe is a quick side dish that can spice up any meal: pasta, salads, grilled meats & fish, etc. It takes only 5 minutes to prepare. It is also vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

It is delicious, slow-cooked to perfection, and packed full of flavor. So, it can definitely elevate any meal you like.

Fresh tomatoes are in season during summer, so make sure to stock your fridge with these delicious beauties.

Tomatoes are a star of Italian cuisine. Therefore, there are tons of tomato-based recipes that exist.

However, there is one recipe that is just a step ahead of all others. It’s probably the easiest, along with the classic Italian tomato sauce.

Yes, it’s mouthwatering, delicious, and loaded with flavor, tomato confit.

Choosing Your Tomatoes

This super easy recipe calls for tomatoes that are fresh, ripe, and full of flavor. It will be even better if you got them from your local farmers.

Cherry tomatoes are one of the best, but you can also use mixed-colored tomatoes. Or use halved plum tomatoes or Piccadilly tomatoes. 

Difference Between Confit Tomatoes and Roasted Tomatoes

Confit, a French word meaning “preserved,” is actually quite simple and straightforward despite it sounding like a sophisticated technique.

The “Confit” technique simply means that something has been slow and carefully cooked in oil or sugar syrup. Duck, garlic, and tomatoes are the most common ingredients to get confit.

When you decide to confit the tomatoes, they retain their shape and retain their natural flavor. However, the inside also oozes a complex, sweet, and intense flavor.

Roasted tomatoes, on the other hand, are prepared with a light coating of oil and then baked at a high temperature.

This method of cooking results in faster caramelization, which can cause them to have an intensely sweet flavor (maybe a little too sweet) and lose some of their natural flavors.

How to Make Tomato Confit

It has already been mentioned, but it’s really not hard to make tomato confit. It’s very simple, promise!

You just need to mix a few cherry tomatoes (or any other variety you have) with some high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, thyme sprigs, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of brown sugar.

Next, you have to slow roast these tomatoes in the oven for about an hour, or just a bit longer.

Let the tomatoes caramelize slowly and undisturbed to perfection. You don’t need to do anything else but wait until they are done.

That’s it! Easy, right?

To preserve the confit tomatoes you made properly, put them in an airtight jar, and make sure their cooking olive oil covers the tomatoes. You can top it off with a bit more oil if needed.

You can keep them in the refrigerator for several weeks, but really, they won’t last more than a few days because they’re that good!

Serving Tomato Confit Recipe

Tomato confit might just become your favorite secret ingredient. It can transform even the most basic meals into something extraordinary.

You can make gnocchi using this tomato confit and some Parmesan cheese in less than four minutes.

You can also toss tomato confit with pasta. Try it with a spoonful of basil pesto on top. Or try them as an accompaniment to grilled meats, chicken, or fish.

Actually, tomato confit can be simply eaten on a piece of toasted rustic bread.

But you can pair it with ricotta to make a delicious bruschetta. It can also be used to top homemade pizza.

There are many combinations of ingredients, so make lots of this tomato confit and experiment with it. You never know what combo will become your new favorite.

Tomato Confit Recipe Card

Ingredients

  • 450 g of high-quality cherry tomatoes, (1 lb)
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 7-8 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoon demerara sugar
  • 4 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
  • sea salt, I used Maldon sea salt flakes & black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon high-quality balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Place the cherry tomatoes and grated garlic on a baking dish, and tuck thyme sprigs around. Then, sprinkle olive oil generously, and toss until they are halfway submerged.
  2. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with sugar to taste. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss gently to properly coat them.
  3. Bake the tomatoes at 130°C/260°F for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until they are wrinkled but not all have burst.
  4. Once the tomatoes are ready, take them out of the oven and let cool at room temperature.
  5. Keep the tomatoes in an airtight container and top with their cooking oil. You can add extra olive oil if needed. Then, store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Storing tips:

Keep the tomatoes in an airtight container and top with their cooking oil. You can add extra olive oil if needed. Then, store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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