Slow-Simmered, Jammy Tomatoes with Melted Garlic
Cherry tomato confit is my no‑brainer answer to a surplus of summer tomatoes. A low, slow roast in extra‑virgin olive oil coaxes the fruit to burst, concentrating every drop of sweetness while soaking them in rich, garlicky goodness. The shallots practically dissolve into the oil, lending a mellow, buttery depth that makes each bite feel downright luxurious.
As the tomatoes caramelize, the garlic cloves soften into candy‑sweet, spreadable nuggets you’ll want to smear on everything (pastas, creamy whipped feta, everything). Don’t even think about tossing the leftover oil—that liquid gold is infused with tomato, garlic, and shallot flavor (and fresh herbs, if you’re using any) and instantly elevates sautéed veggies, grilled meats, or a quick vinaigrette.
The Beauty Of Cooking Confit
Confit cooking is a French method of preserving food in which ingredients are cooked slowly, typically in their own fat.
That unhurried bath transforms texture (think fall‑apart duck or jammy tomatoes), infuses the cooking fat with aromatic depth you can reuse, and naturally extends shelf life because the food is tucked beneath a protective layer of fat or oil. In short, confit turns simple ingredients into intensely flavored, ready‑to‑serve staples—silky, succulent, and primed to elevate everything they touch.
Oh, and you don’t have to peel the garlic! Over the years–and dozens of times I’ve made confit tomatoes–I always just halve a whole head of garlic (or two!) and pop out the cloves when the dish has cooled. It’s about 100x easier than peeling 20 cloves of garlic!
The Best Tomatoes To Confit
For a quick, ultra‑sweet confit, stick with cherry or grape tomatoes—their natural sugars, balanced acidity, and small size mean they burst into jammy bites in about an hour. Meatier plum or Roma tomatoes have less water and more flesh, so they yield a thicker, spoon‑able spread, but need a bit longer in the oven. Large heirlooms work too; just expect extra roasting time (or scoop out some seeds) for the same concentrated flavor.
Bottom line: cherries for speed and sweetness, Romas for a denser texture, heirlooms for a saucier finish—and mixing colors adds instant visual flair without changing the method. 🙌🏻
I’ve tested this recipe dozens of times with every kind of fresh herb imaginable. My favorites are: basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. For heat, add crushed red pepper flakes or even a halved jalapeño pepper.
Serving Suggestions
Serving is wonderfully hands‑off: pile the warm confit onto crostini, swirl it through creamy ricotta, or spoon it over grilled meats. I also love folding a few spoonfuls into this caprese pasta salad with fresh tomato dressing for an extra punch of umami or drizzling the garlicky oil over our ultra‑creamy Burrata Pizza for a rustic, restaurant‑worthy finish.
And if you can’t get enough of that mellow, nutty garlic flavor, whip up a quick batch of my sweet stovetop garlic confit next—it’s the perfect pantry companion to keep the flavor party going.
How To Know When It’s Ready
Good news: You don’t need a thermometer; once the tomatoes collapse and the garlic is golden‑beige and spreadable, you’re done—no guesswork.
The Best Housewarming Gift
You might think I’m joking, but a jar of slow-simmered tomato confit is 100x better than bringing someone a bouquet of flowers. 😂 They both smell amazing, but only one can lead to a variety of delicious meals throughout the week.
I have been known to print out a little recipe card with a few ideas on how to use up leftovers and give them to friends. The winner is always slow-cooked eggs simmered in tomato confit–the most incredible breakfast!
How to Store Tomato Confit
Kept fully submerged in its cooking oil and chilled below 38 °F/3 °C, cherry‑tomato‑and‑garlic confit is food‑safe for about 1 week, with a practical upper limit of 10–14 days. I like mason and weck jars!
The hands off cooking method makes this one of the easiest “set‑it‑and‑forget‑it” recipes in a summer cook’s arsenal. Don’t let tomato season go by without a batch or two!
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Cherry Tomato Confit with Roasted Garlic and Basil
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 2 heads garlic sliced in half (no need to peel them)
- 2 large shallots peeled and sliced in half
- A handful of fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups (355ml) extra virgin olive oil or enough to almost reach the tops of the tomatoes
Optional for serving:
- Crusty baguette
- Cheese
- Crackers
- Italian meats
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish. Preheat an oven to 400°F. Place tomatoes in a baking dish, then add two heads of garlic, cut side up, and two halved shallots. Just nestle them in there.
- Assemble the tomatoes. Cover with olive oil, making sure to almost reach the tops of the tomatoes (you may need more olive oil depending on the size of your baking dish). Sprinkle with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, then top with fresh herbs.
- Slow cook until bursting. Roast for 1 hour, or until the garlic and shallots have become soft and sweet, and the tomatoes have browned on top and begin bursting. Let cool slightly. Gently squeeze the garlic cloves out of the peel and into the tomatoes and oil, discarding the skin. Serve with crusty bread, crackers, fresh cheese, or Italian meats — the possibilities are endless!
Notes
- Tomatoes: use small grape or cherry tomatoes here instead of larger varieties; the skins burst in the oven and become less ‘soupy’ than if you cut up a bunch of heirloom or vine tomatoes. Do not substitute with canned.
- Storage: Store the confit fully covered in its oil and refrigerate; use within 1 week (10–14 days max). For longer keeping, freeze cooled portions—oil and all—in small containers or ice‑cube trays for up to 3 months, thawing in the fridge as needed. Discard if bubbles, off‑odors, or cloudiness appear, and always use clean utensils.
Definitely made this and most DEFINITELY loved it. It was gone by the next morning. My kids ate it and are demanding more (as kids will do). I’m so happy to oblige.
Thank you for our new favorite thing to make!
omg YAY! I am so, so glad your family loved it as much as our! this is one recipe we will make over and over and over! xo
this is so delicious! I made this confit for a cocktail night and it was inhaled in ~20 minutes. I don’t know if I’m more excited about the super juicy tomatoes, the roasted garlic or the leftover flavored olive oil. all of it is amazing!
Isn’t this recipe the best?! I couldn’t ask for an easier way to feed a group when entertaining. I am SO GLAD you and your friends loved it as much as we do!!! xo
Absolutely LOVED it. Also, love all your suggestions to pair this with. I will be making this many more times in the foreseeable future! Thank you so much Ari!
I am so so so glad you love this as much as we do!!!
This has become the star of my antipasto platter. So easy but a total showstopper. My favorite type of recipe: great ingredients, simple technique, big WOW.
That is a perfect way to sum up this recipe. Minimal effort, HUGE payoff! We serve this all summer long! xo, Ari
I made this and the flavor and smells were amazing! When I put it in a canning jar in the fridge though, the oil started to become solid. Is this still safe to eat? Thank you!
Hey Zack! Yes, absolutely! The oil solidifies when it gets cold, but storing it in the fridge is the safest option. You can either allow the tomatoes and oil to slowly come to room temperature (the oil will become liquid again quickly!) or you can dump the entire container into a sauce pan and warm on a stove. Even a microwave is fine! It’s just oil, tomatoes, and garlic, no dairy. Heat any way you like! xo, Ari
I was expecting it to be good but not THAT good. We loved it. It was simply incredible.
We served it on top of a mushroom risotto which was so so delicious. All the flavors were wow! I’m so happy I have this recipe a try.
Agree to agree! Tomato confit is out of this world delicious! Enjoy the leftovers, they go well with practically everything! xo, Ari
I tried this recipe for the first time months ago and my friends are STILL bringing it up. I get regular requests to make this for virtually any occasion! I, of course, oblige because it is not only a fantastic side but just the act of making it will fill your home with a hunger-inducing, mouth-watering, dream of an aroma!
Long live tomato confit!! It is the gift that keeps on giving! xo, Ari
This super simple recipe delivers so much for very little work! We made a huge portion of it with 2 pints of tomatoes and have many plans for it! Like for breakfast this morning, I had it on top of a cream cheese poppyseed bagel! YUM!! For dinner, in the past, we have tossed the tomato confit with goat cheese and salty pasta water and made a luxuriously creamy pasta. It’s just so versatile and delicious and lasts a long time! Also great to scoop out onto a charcuterie board with cheese and a good baguette! Don’t even get me started on how well it pairs with wine… One of my favourite, multi-purpose condiments.❤️ Thank you for this recipe!!
Thank you for the glowing review, Ainslie! SUCH a versatile recipe, and yes omg the leftovers can be used in so many ways! Making another big batch next week. ENJOY! xo, Ari
This was so insanely delicious and so effortless – my favourite kind of recipe. Ari has created an incredible recipe that will be in regular rotation. Thank you!!
Thanks, Caitlin! This one is in constant rotation all summer long! xo, Ari
Yes/no it’s socially acceptable to just eat this this from the pan before sharing? This is everything I love in one pan!
Ali, this sounds like me! Totally socially acceptable lol! And the leftovers (if there are any!) are seriously fab over pasta, chicken, and even eggs!! xo, ArI
Holy wow! Thank you for another winner! This is spectacular! Gorgeous and delicious. Will be making it on repeat!
Right?! We literally make this once a week during the summer. And it’s the appetizer I serve most often to guests! xo, Ari
I have a question. If I have multiple batches to make (I have 2 flats of cherry tomatoes just hanging out in my kitchen right now) can I just scoop the tomatoes/herbs/garlic out to freeze and use the same oil, topping off as needed for each batch? I know the oil will be delicious but I can not possibly use up the amount of flavored oil I will end up with if I start fresh for each batch.
Hi Jas! YES, absolutely, just strain it and remove any solids, then it’s good to go and be used again. But just a quick note, as long as the tomatoes are in a mostly flat layer, you can put them all in one large dish (or skillet, whatever you’re using). Maybe the idea is that you want to use a SMALLER dish so as to limit the amount of oil used overall, but if you have a large enough piece of bakeware, you can load it up! xo, Ari
I’m confused – 400 at an hour seems WAY too high and short for confit. The entire point of the technique is using a bacterially inhospitable medium coupled w low and slow cooking. You’re basically roasting these.
Hi Ari! What a beautiful dish and presentation <3 I've made this before and I am making again this evening. Tonight I will serve it as an appetizer with some cheese and crostini. The first time I made it was for a dinner party where it was ladeled over Couscous and served as a side with Chilean Sea Bass. It was delish and a hit!!
Oh that sounds absolutely fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing, Pam! xo, Ari
Delicious, I have made several batches with thyme, as it is easy to remove the stems afterwards. When using larger herbs such as basil or oregano, does one chop the herbs and leave them in or leaved them stemmed and remove the stems?
Started with somebody else’s recipe for tomato cobbler, Don’t need all that pastry; went looking and found this. I’ll adjust the herbs, but I had not thought about the garlic. I’m pretty well into my last harvest for the summer, but I’ll start with the garlic heads nest summer! Thanks for the idea.
That sounds great, enjoy! xo, Ari
This recipe looks simply divine. I’m planning on making it the following weekend. While I’m not a vegetarian nor a vegan, my family & I are currently reducing our meat intake, and surprisingly we’re leaning towards a vegetarian lifestyle naturally. Especially in light of delicious looking meals such as the cherry tomato confit.
We hope you love it, John! Best, Ari
This is a great recipe! I made it tonight and it was delicious! I used a little less garlic, but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed this one, we love it too! xo, Ari
Could I substitute frozen cherry tomatoes? I’m looking for a way to use the last of last year’s crop and this sounds delicious
Hi Cat! I’ve never tried this with frozen tomatoes. The only possible drawback I can think of is that the frozen tomatoes might release a bit more water than fresh tomatoes, but I bet as long as they’re covered with oil (as written in the recipe) it’ll still turn out great. Definitely let me know if you give it a try and how it worked out. xo, Ari
“Tried it last weekend—absolutely delicious with some crusty bread!”
Oh my this is beyond delicious!! Made it this morning so I could take some to my Mom this afternoon. I think she will love it. Thank you so much for your time in sharing this. I added a little bit of red and green pepper and I didn’t have a shallot so I just used red onion.
Wish I could post pics.
Thank you, Michele! The red pepper sounds like a delicious addition! xo, Ari
Thank you Ari – we now also make this dish all the time. Delicious!
John
It is a staple here too, John! xo, Ari
Hello Everyone!
Great recipe
Thank you, George! xo, Ari
The flavor is so good. Make sure to use all the garlic!
Fact! That garlic turns into liquid gold! xo, Ari
Just made this and was blown away! So delish! Served with toasted baguette and Brie. Thank you for this recipe 🙂
Thank you, Lena! It’s effortlessly simple, but has SO much flavor. Glad you enjoyed! xo, Ari
Thanks for this amazing recipe it seems testy I’ll try this one at home.
You’re welcome! xo, Ari
This recipe is an absolute delight. It takes only minutes to throw together and the end result was so delicious. I only had one pint of tomatoes so I halved the recipe, which worked perfectly but trust me, go to the store and get the 2nd pint so you don’t have the same regrets I have. I cooked my eggs in it the second day as Ari suggested on her IG account and now I want it for breakfast every morning. Thank you Ari for yet another amazing recipe.
It is the most low effort dish on the planet, and DAMN that flavor! So good! Glad you enjoyed with eggs, that’s my current favorite breakfast. Thanks, Amber! xo, Ari
Use some of the olive oil and fry an egg sunnyside up in there. Put it over toast smeared with the garlic and tomato. Side salad of arugula and hello homemade bistro lunch!
I’ve done that (and shared a reel about using the leftovers with fried eggs!) — so good! xo, Ari
super, keep it – thank you.
If this was a roast tomato recipe I would have given it five stars, but as a tomato confit recipe the temperature is way too high for too long. I checked them at 45 minutes and they were almost burned on top. Tomato confit is supposed to be a low and slow oil poaching of the tomatoes so they stay intact and become sweet and unctuous. This would be good blended into a sauce as the tomatoes just disintegrated after being cooked so hard. The two starts are given because the flavor is great.
Thank you for the feedback. I’m a big fan both of the flavor and texture of these tomatoes, but definitely feel free to remove them from the oven sooner. Best, Ari
Delicious! Enough said.
Truly, so good! Thanks, Joel! Cheers, Ari
Your instructions say to preheat to 400 but to slow cook but cooking at 400 isn’t slow. Should it be 200 or 250 degrees instead of 400?
Hi Laurie — slow cooking is different than low temperature cooking. The cook time is accurate as is. Hope you give it a try. Best, Ari
I made this dreamy pan of yummy goodness and it was a huge hit!!!! I love the leftover oil and used it to bake my sweet potatoes (along with additional herbs). I questioned the oven temp so I especially appreciate the quick response to my question Ari, thanks so much for answering!!!
You’re very welcome! So glad you love this one too, it’s a favorite here in the summer! Best, Ari
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit. It is super easy and remarkably delish. Tasty, sweet & savory and the garlic and shallots bring extra zing to the party! Thanks for the recipe.
It’s truly one of the easiest — and most flavorful — appetizers you can make. I’ve never met a person who doesn’t love it! So glad you enjoyed. Cheers, Ari