Seriously Delicious Slow Roasted Tomatoes... Plus, What to Do with Them
One of my favorite things to make in the summer is slow roasted tomatoes. About this time of year, if all goes well, the tomatoes in my garden are ripening way faster than we can eat them. Not wanting to waste a single one, I got creative about how to preserve them.
The answer? Slow roasted tomatoes.
They’re so easy to make, you can use any variety of tomato (cherry or full size), and—if you don’t eat them all before you get the chance—you can freeze them for some fresh summer flavors in the middle of winter. I recommend freezing them in smaller portion containers so you can defrost only what you need.
By the way, if you don’t have a garden, it’s worth loading up on some local tomatoes to make these. They’re that good and provide a handy cooking hack once you have some in your fridge, as you’ll see below!
Here’s how to make them:
If they’re cherry or tiny pear tomatoes, you can leave them whole or cut them in half. If they’re full-sized, I usually quarter them. Toss them with some olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, and fresh herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, or rosemary are all nice options).
Spread them on a baking sheet—you can line it with parchment paper if you wish. Roast at 300° for about an 60-75 minutes. They’ll be collapsed and deliciously caramelized when they’re ready; the timing will vary a bit depending on the size of your tomatoes so just keep an eye on them.
Ready to go in the oven:
Ready to eat:
Photo courtesy of my BFF, Kim, who's currently experiencing the joys of edible gardening and slow roasted tomatoes!
The Best Part: There Are So Many Different Ways to Enjoy Them!
Once you’ve got them made, you can freeze them to use in the winter OR here are several ideas for how to incorporate them into your meals right away:
Use as a topping for avocado toast with some feta cheese and arugula (or whatever toppings sound good to you)
Stuff them into omelets, quiche, and other egg dishes
They’re yummy in all sorts of sandwiches and wraps
Make an easy pasta dish: cooked whole grain pasta mixed with slow roasted tomatoes, slivered fresh basil, sliced green onions, and fresh mozzarella chunks
Creamy polenta bowl topped with slow roasted tomatoes, wilted spinach, and pine nuts
Make a grain salad (some options are farro, quinoa, bulgur, or barley), add some grilled veggies or roasted asparagus, slow roasted tomatoes, minced red or Vidalia onion, and some flavored olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Toss with cannellini beans and minced red onions and make a bean salad
Use as a topping for your favorite grilled fish
Make a slow roasted tomato salsa
Try a new spin on bruschetta
Add them to salads (I especially love them in kale salad)
Make a Mediterranean tuna salad with capers, slow roasted tomatoes, and chives
Make a tower of grilled eggplant rounds, slow roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella slices – broil until the cheese melts and then drizzle the whole thing with balsamic reduction
Add them to soups, casseroles, and pasta dishes all fall and winter
You get the idea—they’re not only delicious but super versatile so experiment and enjoy! Oh and by the way, they're super yummy all by themselves too :)
If you discover an awesome way to eat them that I didn’t mention, be sure to message me and let me know!