Tomatoes Slow-Roasted with Basil Pesto (Confit Method)

Name: Tomatoes Slow-Roasted with Basil Pesto (Confit Method)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: PT-480626H40M16S
Yield: 12
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 20 ounces fresh cherry tomatoes; 1 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup basil pesto; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

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These Tomatoes Slow-Roasted with Basil Pesto is absolutely delicious spread over toast, spooned over pasta, served with cheese and crackers or served alongside chicken or fish. And it’s a great topping for pizza, the uses are limitless.

Close-up of roasted cherry tomatoes in baking dish.

In this dish, ripe tomatoes are simmered in an oil and basil pesto sauce until they achieve a tender, melt-in-your-mouth consistency. The slow cooking process allows the tomatoes to absorb the herbal essence of the pesto, enhancing their natural sweetness with layers of aromatic basil and garlic flavors. As the sauce reduces, it intensifies, creating a rich and savory flavor.

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What Is Confit
Traditional Confit Cooking Methods
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe Top Tip
Ways To Use Tomatoes Roasted with Basil Pesto
Get Free Recipe Updates!
Substitutions and Variations
How To Store Leftovers
Garlic and Botulism
FAQ
Tomatoes Slow-Roasted with Basil Pesto (Confit Method)
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What Is Confit

This slow-cooked method I used for this recipe is a variation of a method called confit.

So what is confit?

Confit is a traditional French cooking method used to preserve and flavor food by slow-cooking it in fat at a low temperature. The word "confit" comes from the French verb "confire," which means "to preserve."

Confit is most commonly associated with duck (duck confit), but the method can be applied to other foods.

Traditional Confit Cooking Methods

Protein Confit

Proteins like meat, poultry and fish are cured in salt to draw out the excess moisture before submerging them in fats and slowly cooking them on a low temperature.

Vegetable Confit

Vegetables should be clean and dry before submerging them in the oil, and adding herbs and spices to add flavor.

Fruit Confit

Unlike meats or vegetable confit, fruit confit uses simple syrup instead of fats as the cooking liquid.

Ingredients

The typical tomato confit recipe is tomatoes, olive oil and fresh garlic. However, in this recipe I added pesto sauce and omitted the fresh garlic because there is garlic in the pesto sauce. I also added some sugar to help with the caramelizing of the tomatoes and balance the acidity.

cherry tomatoes
olive oil
pesto sauce
sugar
red pepper flakes

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Washed cherry tomatoes on a blue and white towel with glass jar of olive oil and jar of red pepper flakes in the background

Prepare oven and tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes, using a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

Washed and dried cherry tomatoes in a rectangle baking dish

Place tomatoes in baking dish

Place the cherry tomatoes in a single layer in a rectangular baking dish.

Overhead shot of olive oil and pesto mixture in a mixing bowl with a whisk

Combine oil mixture

Combine olive oil, pesto sauce, and sugar into a small mixing bowl, whisk (affiliate link) to combine.

Cherry tomatoes in rectangle baking dish with olive oil poured over the tomatoes

Roast the tomatoes

Pour the olive oil mixture over the tomatoes. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 1-1½ hours. The oil will bubble slightly as it cooks.

Close-up shot of roasted cherry tomatoes in baking dish.

Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.

Recipe Top Tip

Use the right size baking dish or pan. The tomatoes should be submerged in the oil. Using a baking dish or pan that’s too large will not allow the tomatoes to be submerged in the oil.

Ways To Use Tomatoes Roasted with Basil Pesto

There are countless ways to use this delicious recipe, below are just a few ways I enjoy using it.

Use in place of canned tomatoes in a recipe
Serve over pasta or add it to your pasta sauce
As a pizza topping
Serve with or over eggs
Spread over toast
Serve it with beef, poultry, or fish
Add to your charcuterie board
Serve over hummus or other dips and spreads
Serve over cream cheese or other soft cheeses

Roasted tomatoes on toast with a container of roasted tomatoes in the background.

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Substitutions and Variations

Garlic: If you are a garlic fan, you can add some fresh garlic to the baking pan.

Tomatoes: You can sub the cherry tomatoes with any small tomato variety, such as grape, angel sweet, or plum to name a few.

How To Store Leftovers

Place the cooled tomatoes in an airtight glass container, spoon oil over the tomatoes and store in your refrigerator. Use within 5-7 days.

Any remaining oil can be used in recipes. So store in a glass airtight container in your refrigerator. The oil will harden as it cools in the fridge. When you’re ready to use the oil remove from the fridge and allow to liquidify.

Garlic and Botulism

Because garlic is a low-acid vegetable when stored in oil at warm temperatures there is a risk of botulism. The pH of garlic is between 5.3 and 6.3. . Botulism can form at a pH of 4.6 or higher. If you added fresh garlic to the tomatoes, I highly recommend removing the garlic from the tomatoes once cooled and storing the garlic in a clean airtight container in your refrigerator and use within 1-2 days. For more info on Botulism check out this article on the CDC website.

FAQ

Can I freeze this recipe?

Certainly, I suggest freezing it in an ice cube tray for easy single serving. Use within 3-4 months. When you’re ready to use, pop out to use in a recipe or defrost and use as a condiment.

How long does this recipe last?

It should last up to 2 weeks in your fridge if stored in an airtight container.

Do I have to cook it in the oven?

No, you can cook it in a pan on your stovetop on a low simmer.