Garlicky Tomato Confit is made with small, ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, and plenty of olive oil. You’ll love adding this to all of your favorite dishes, or just serving it with crusty bread and a glass of good wine.
Luscious Tomato Confit
When summer tomato season reaches its height, it would be a shame not to take advantage of it, right? This easy tomato confit recipe does just that. So don’t be overwhelmed by your garden’s generosity – or by the gorgeous displays at your local market. Grab some tomatoes, and let’s get cooking! This simple recipe practically makes itself.
This olive oil-rich, savory recipe is perfect for adding to almost any dish. Similar to sundried tomatoes, tomato confit has a deep, rich taste that’s also tangy and bright. Use it as a topping, a flavor enhancer, or just enjoy it with some good crusty bread and a glass of wine. You can’t go wrong with garlicky tomato confit.
Why You’ll Love This Tomato Confit Recipe
- Easy. You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Toss everything together, then place in the oven and roast until caramelized and delicious.
- Flavorful. Roasting tomatoes truly brings out their flavor. You’re going to be amazed by how mouthwatering the end result is!
- Flexible. Tomato confit can be served with almost any savory meal. Add it to pasta, spoon it onto bread, serve it with grilled meats, add it to grain bowls. The possibilities are endless.
What is Confit?
A confit is a culinary technique that involves slow-cooking food, often duck or poultry, in its own fat or oil at a low temperature. You can also use this technique for vegetables like garlic and tomato. In this approach, tomatoes are gently cooked in oil with aromatic herbs at a low temperature for an extended period of time. This slow-cooking process intensifies the tomato’s natural sweetness and concentrates its flavors. The result is tender, juicy tomatoes that burst with a delightful mix of savory and slightly sweet notes.
Confit actually means “preserved.” This French cooking method is a way to preserve foods for longer, and some recipes say you can preserve tomato confit in your refrigerator for up to a month! I usually use mine within 3 days, to be on the safe side. Either way, make sure to be generous with the olive oil. It not only cooks the tomatoes to perfection, but it also seals out the air when you store your tomato confit.
What You’ll Need
So what will you need to make tomato confit at home? Let’s take a look at the savory list of ingredients. So much goodness here! Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Tomatoes: I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Garlic: Slice the tops off of a couple of heads of garlic. No need to peel or separate the cloves.
- Shallots: Peeled and sliced in half.
- Herbs: Gather a handful of fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, or thyme. You can use any herbs you like.
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive Oil: You’ll need quite a bit of olive oil to cover the tomatoes. I use extra virgin olive oil for a bold olive oil flavor, but lighter olive oil would work just as well.
- Optional Serving Items: If you want to serve the confit right away, have a crusty sourdough baguette or some good crackers. Cheese is great, too!
What’s the Best Oil for Confit?
Olive oil is my hands-down favorite for this recipe, but you can use other oils if you prefer. It’s best to use an oil that’s meant for cooking, rather than a specialty oil. Try avocado oil or refined coconut oil (it doesn’t taste strongly of coconut, but unrefined coconut oil does), or another cooking oil of your choice.
How to Make Tomato Confit!
While some recipes call for a lower and slower baking time, I find that I get just as savory, tasty results with a slightly higher heat and a shorter baking time. Adjust this if you prefer! You can bake as low as 300°F if you like (the tomatoes should take 1 – 2 hours if you do this).
- Arrange the Tomatoes, Garlic, and Shallots. The first thing I do when making confit is preheat the oven to 400°F. That way, it’ll be hot when the tomatoes are ready to bake. Next, place your tomatoes in a cast-iron skillet or a baking dish with deep sides. Add the heads of garlic, cut-sides-up, as well as the shallots.
- Add the Oil, Salt, Pepper, and Herbs. Pour olive oil into the dish until the tops of the tomatoes are almost covered, but not quite. Depending on the size of your pan or baking dish, you might need more or less oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the dish, and add the fresh herbs. You don’t have to push the into the oil – they can just rest on top.
- Bake. Place the pan into the oven, and let everything roast until the garlic and shallots are soft and the tomatoes have browned and are starting to burst. Take the dish out of the oven, and allow to cool slightly.
- Finish the Dish. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft cloves gently out of the peel and into the oil. Discard the peel, and the herbs as well.
- Enjoy! Serve your tomato confit with crusty bread, crackers, or fresh cheese.
Helpful Tips
For a dish this simple, my tips are simple, too. Here are a few easy ways to adjust the recipe as needed:
- Which Tomatoes to Use: Smaller tomatoes are super popular for confit, and I think that may be partly because they’re easy to prep, beautiful when served, and tend to have a big, bold, flavor. However, any tomatoes will work. Just cut them into bite-sized halves or wedges before baking.
- Quality Oil: Use a good-quality olive oil to cook the tomatoes. The oil imparts its own rich flavor to the confit, so choose one you enjoy.
- Adding Flavor: This recipe is so flavorful already, I like it just as it is! If your tomatoes are a little on the bland side, try upping the sweetness with a sprinkle of raw sugar or a drizzle of honey along with the oil.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs are wonderful here, but if you don’t have any on hand, go ahead and use dried herbs instead. Still scrumptious!
How Do I Use Confit?
You can use this tomato confit in so many different ways! One of the best, easiest things to do with tomato confit is to serve the tomatoes on a sliced baguette, for a quick snack or appetizer. You can also add them to soups, pasta dishes, steak, fish, eggs, and more.
Here are five delectable ideas to make the most of your tomato confit:
- Bruschetta: Spread tomato confit on toasted baguette slices for a divine bruschetta. Top with fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and a sprinkle of sea salt. It’s a burst of flavors in every bite.
- Pasta: Toss cooked pasta with tomato confit, a splash of the confit oil, and some grated Parmesan cheese. The rich tomato flavors will coat the pasta beautifully.
- Pizza: Use tomato confit as a flavorful pizza topping. Spread it on your pizza dough, add mozzarella, and bake to golden perfection. After baking, finish with fresh arugula for a peppery kick.
- Eggcellent Breakfast: Serve tomato confit alongside your morning eggs for an elevated breakfast experience. The sweet and savory tomatoes complement scrambled eggs or an omelette wonderfully.
- Salad: Add tomato confit to a salad for a burst of flavor. Mix it with fresh greens, crumbled feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and a simple vinaigrette. It’s a symphony of textures and tastes.
Remember, tomato confit is incredibly versatile – you can spread it, mix it, toss it, and layer it to create a variety of dishes.
Does Tomato Confit Need to Be Refrigerated?
Yes. Kept in the refrigerator, the confit will last for up to three days (some people say as long as one month)! It’s important to make sure the tomatoes are fully covered with the oil, so that no air can get to them. Keep in mind that the oil will become solid in the fridge, which means you’ll have to let them come to room temperature again before using them.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, you can also store tomato confit in your freezer. Make sure the tomatoes are fully covered with olive oil, and store the airtight container in your freezer for up to three months.
Tomato Confit
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 heads garlic sliced in half
- 2 large shallots peeled and sliced in half
- a handful of fresh herbs such as basil oregano, or thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil
Optional, For Serving:
- crusty sourdough baguette
- crackers
- cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Place tomatoes in a cast iron skillet or large baking dish with deep sides.
- Add 2 heads of garlic, cut side up, as well as 1 shallots. Just nestle them in there.
- 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 kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, then top with fresh herbs. No need to push herbs down into olive oil, they can rest on top.
- Roast for 45 minutes, or until garlic and shallots have become soft and sweet, and the tomatoes have browned on top and begin bursting. Let cool slightly.
- Gently squeeze garlic cloves out of peel and into the tomatoes and oil, discarding the skin. Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or fresh cheese.
Notes
- Which Tomatoes to Use: Smaller tomatoes are super popular for confit, and I think that may be partially because they’re easy to prep, beautiful when served, and tend to have a big, bold, flavor. However, any tomatoes will work. Just cut them into bite-sized halves or wedges before baking.
- Adding Flavor: This recipe is so flavorful already, I like it just as it is! If your tomatoes are a little on the bland side, try upping the sweetness with a sprinkle of raw sugar or a drizzle of honey along with the oil.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs are wonderful here, but if you don’t have any on hand, go ahead and use dried herbs instead. Still scrumptious!
