These roasted cherry tomatoes are quick, flavorful, and versatile. Ready in about 30 minutes, they are a simple way to elevate fresh tomatoes.
I enjoy raw tomatoes in tomato salad, cucumber tomato salad, and Caprese salad. I also love them cooked, and this recipe is a great example. Cooking concentrates and brings out their unique flavor, making them more savory than sweet. That simple transformation is what makes this recipe such a favorite in my kitchen.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Cherry tomatoes: Try to pick ripe yet firm, bright red tomatoes.
- Olive oil: Please use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
- Balsamic vinegar: It becomes caramelized, almost sweet, as it bakes.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and dried thyme.
Variations
- Instead of olive oil, you can use melted butter.
- Add a handful of pitted kalamata olives or 1-2 tablespoons of capers.
- Replace the thyme with oregano. Another tasty option is Italian seasoning.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese while they are still hot.
- Garnish the tomatoes, after pulling them out of the oven, with fresh herbs. The two photos below show my favorite options - parsley and basil.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Place the tomatoes in a medium bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Stir to coat.
Transfer the tomatoes to a small, 1-quart baking dish.
Bake the tomatoes until they are soft and beginning to burst, about 20 minutes. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- These tomatoes taste better after they've had a chance to rest. So, while it's OK to serve them immediately, it's best to let them rest for 5-10 minutes first. You can also serve them after they've cooled to room temperature.
- The flavor profile of this dish is very savory. You can add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to balance it out and add a hint of sweetness.
Recipe FAQs
There's no need to slice them. When serving them raw, it's a good idea to slice them because they tend to slide off forks. But when cooked, they become soft and easy to handle with a fork, so there's no reason to slice them.
No, you shouldn't. Their skin is tasty, nonintrusive, and bakes well, so there's no reason to go through so much trouble.
Please bake them uncovered. Covering will make them steam in their own juices. We want them roasted, not steamed.
Please don't. Balsamic vinegar adds a hint of sweetness, while regular vinegar adds too much acidity.
Serving Suggestions
These tomatoes pair well with meat, poultry, and fish. I love them with steaks! The two photos below show them served with pork steak and with chuck eye steak (in that photo, you can also see them topped with grated Parmesan).
I also like to use them as a bruschetta topping and serve them as an appetizer, as shown in the image below. This bruschetta was made with almond flour bread.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container (like the one shown below) in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave, or serve them cold. The two photos below show the cold leftovers served as part of an appetizer plate that also included boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce, and for breakfast with fried eggs and avocado. I topped the avocado and the tomatoes with everything but the bagel seasoning.
Recipe Card
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes - 2 cups
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Optional:
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped, for garnish, or basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes in a medium bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Stir to coat.1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Transfer the tomatoes to a small, 1-quart baking dish.
- Roast the tomatoes until they are soft and beginning to burst, about 20 minutes. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes, garnish with chopped parsley (if using), and serve.2 tablespoons parsley
Notes
- Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Please adjust to taste.
- The flavor profile of this dish is very savory. You can add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to balance it out and add a hint of sweetness.
- There's no need to peel and/or slice the tomatoes before cooking them.
- The tomatoes taste better after they've had a chance to rest. So, while it's OK to serve them immediately, it's best to let them rest for 5-10 minutes first. You can also serve them after they've cooled to room temperature.
- The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave or serve them cold like antipasti.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
peter stanley says
Can they be served with sliced mozzarella? How?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hey Peter,
Yes! I usually do this with the cooled leftovers, but you can roast your tomatoes, let them cool a bit so they still have warmth and sweetness but aren't too hot to touch, arrange slices of fresh mozzarella on a platter, spoon the tomatoes over and around the cheese slices, and scatter the dish with torn basil leaves.
Cindy Jarrold says
This was so good. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Cindy! Thanks for the review.
Stef says
It was very good. I had lots of basil in the garden so instead of the dried herb, I added basil during the rest period. Sprinkled with freshly grated pecorino romano at the table.
Vered DeLeeuw says
That sounds wonderful, Stef! Fresh basil from the garden must have added such a bright flavor, and the Pecorino Romano sounds like the perfect finishing touch. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own!