Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

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Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic is a rich and savory condiment that will liven up your dinner table. Fresh, whole cherry tomatoes are partially submerged in extra-virgin olive oil with garlic, shallots and aromatics then slowly-cooked at a low temperature. The result is intense, concentrated tomato flavor, nutty and buttery garlic and shallots and a delicious, herb-infused, garlicky tomato oil. This recipe might just be the best way to preserve the taste of summer into the winter months!

Cherry Tomato Confit with Garlic and Shallots is fabulous for so many reasons. It only takes five minutes to prep, the tomatoes develop a complex and intense flavor, the garlic becomes spreadable, sweet and nutty, the shallots become buttery, and the savory olive oil has tons of flavor from all of the above!

What is Confit?

Confit is a French word (pronounced kon-fee) that literally means “to preserve.” In cooking, it refers to food that is cooked slowly at a low temperature over a long period of time in oil or its own fat, such as duck or chicken confit.

In this recipe, ripe cherry tomatoes, garlic and shallots are being “confitted” in extra virgin olive oil with aromatics that include fresh herbs, lemon zest, black pepper and red pepper flakes. These ingredients slowly roast until the tomatoes almost burst. The result is a super sweet and spreadable mixture with a generous amount of infused oil that is so mouthwatering that you may just do a happy dance upon your first bite. (I did. True story.)

For another confit recipe, check out Garlic Confit and Garlic Oil. Here, the sharp flavor of raw garlic becomes soft and sweet and makes the garlic clove mashable, spreadable, and easy to add to lots of recipes.

Tomato and Garlic Confit with Shallots over a large piece of brie cheese on a white plate. — Spoon some Tomato Confit over a soft cheese like brie for a delicious appetizer

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Solves the Late Summer “Too Many Tomatoes” Problem: A good problem to have! But, sometimes, you just can’t eat another tomato salad or make another spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce. When you make tomatoes confit, you can cook a lot of them at one time and extend their life in a very juicy, delicious way!
It’s SO Easy! This recipe has almost no prep and you don’t even need to slice the tomatoes. The oven basically does all the work! The tomatoes soften and wrinkle in the heat as their flavor intensifies. You just need a little bit of time . . .
So Delicious! Confit Tomatoes and Garlic are incredibly tasty–even your most picky guest will likely love them! Plus, their naturally gluten free, vegetarian and vegan. Serve them with crostini or crackers and watch as they’re devoured!
They Last Several Weeks: This dish keeps well for a few weeks and freezes beautifully, making it a great way to enjoy fresh, summer cherry tomatoes months later.

Close up of corner of finished Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic in curved, rectangular baking pan.

For other mouth-watering recipes with fresh tomatoes, check out Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce and Ricotta, Caprese Panzanella, Sicilian Trapanese Pesto and Vodka Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes.

Ingredients for Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

To make this tomato garlic confit recipe, we’ll be using the following ingredients:

Tomatoes: Any mini-tomato in any color can be used in this recipe, or a combination thereof. The tomatoes should be firm and ripe, and not soft or mushy. The great thing about cherry, grape and pear tomatoes is that they are generally sweet and delicious year-round, making this a dish that you can enjoy all year long!
Garlic and Shallots: Use as much or as little of these ingredients as you would like! They are a perfect flavor marriage with the tomatoes. Both the garlic and shallots become mellow and sweet once confitted. As an alternative to keeping the garlic head whole, you can add peeled garlic cloves to the pan, similar to the Garlic Confit recipe.
Lemon Zest, Black Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes: These all serve to season the oil and veggies and each add significant flavor. The lemon zest is great in adding an overall, citrusy brightness to the dish. Experiment with orange or lime zest if you are feeling adventurous! Try to use freshly ground black pepper if possible and use as much or as little crushed red pepper as you prefer.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: While you definitely do not need to use your most premium olive oil for this recipe, I still suggest using a quality extra-virgin olive oil as the oil’s flavor will be a large component of the final dish and its flavor. You can cut the extra virgin olive oil with a secondary, less expensive olive oil, if desired (up to a maximum of 25% is recommended).
Fresh Herbs: I suggest rosemary and fresh thyme sprigs here, but you really can use any herb or herbs that you prefer. Other great ones are basil (obviously), dill, sage, oregano and marjoram. Feel free to experiment with different flavors. The herbs infuse and lend a wonderful flavor to the final dish, especially the oil.

Ingredients for Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic.

For additional recipes that are all about cooking techniques, check out: Roasted Garlic, Garlic Confit and Garlic Oil, Spicy Chili Oil, Fried Italian Sweet Peppers and Roasted Long Hot Peppers.

How to Make Tomato Garlic Confit, Step-by-Step!

Here are the main steps for how to make this Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic recipe:

Preheat oven to 275°F. Gather and prep all ingredients.

In 1 to 2 baking dishes (or as many as are needed), place the whole tomatoes in a single layer, nestling the garlic head halves, cut side up, and shallot pieces throughout them.
- PRO-TIP: It’s ok if some of the garlic cloves come apart from the head. As an alternative to keeping the garlic head whole, you can add peeled garlic cloves to the pan, similar to the Garlic Confit recipe.

Prepped garlic, shallots and lemon zest with crushed red pepper flakes.

Tomatoes, shallots, garlic, herbs and lemon zest in curved, rectangular baking dish ready to cook.

Sprinkle the lemon zest, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (if including) over the tomato mixture, then scatter the fresh rosemary and thyme twigs over the top.
- PRO-TIP: This recipe is mostly about technique and the amounts are pretty flexible. Use more or less garlic, shallots and seasonings as desired!

Carefully pour enough olive oil over the tomato garlic mixture to cover about 1/3- ½ of the tomatoes. Press the herbs down a bit into the mixture/oil.

Tomato confit in round white baking dish ready to go in the oven.

Oil being poured into baking dish filled with tomatoes, herbs, garlic and shallots.

Place baking dishes in the oven, uncovered. Roast until the tomatoes, garlic and shallots are all tender, turning the baking dish around and gently stirring the mixture about halfway through.
- PRO-TIP: You can turn the garlic heads over about halfway through the cooking process if they’re getting too brown.

Finished Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic in rectangular baking pan.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the mixture with salt and garnish with fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs. You can also squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the head before serving, if desired, or just let your guests do that! That’s it!
- PRO-TIP: This confit is best served at room temperature or slightly warm.

Finished Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic in round white baking dish with bread in background.

Serving Suggestions and Storage

The great thing about this recipe is you don’t need to overthink it! It is super easy to both prepare and serve.

As a delicious condiment, all you really need to enjoy this dish is some really great crusty bread to scoop up the tender tomatoes, shallots and garlic and soak up the citrusy, herb-scented oil. I suggest making it the centerpiece at your next gathering entitled “bring your own baguette”!

A few other ways to enjoy it are:

With cheese! Spoon it warm over some brie or other creamy cheeses or over a goat cheese- dolloped crostini;
Antipasto Platter: Add a bowl of it to your next antipasto platter;
With Pasta: Make it the sauce for your next Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, for a twist on the classic;
Vinaigrette: Use the delicious oil in a vinaigrette for salad, with some red or white wine vinegar;
Salad: As another savory element in a simple Caprese Salad;
As a Topping: Spoon tomato and garlic confit over grilled fish or roasted chicken, and
Mashed Potatoes, to kick them up several notches!

It’s completely normal to have a large amount of oil leftover after you consume all the tomato and garlic confit. Use that oil like you would regular olive oil–in vinaigrettes, dips and spreads, to sauté vegetables or scramble eggs, to dress salads or top puréed soups–the options are endless! Just don’t throw it out! It will last for several weeks under refrigeration.

Store leftover confit mixture and oil in a clean, airtight jar or glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. The oil may solidify slightly in the fridge, but it will quickly come to room temperature and then can be easily spooned out.

Although I prefer not to do this, Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic can be frozen with or without its oil. I suggest squeezing all the garlic cloves out of the heads prior to freezing. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. And, keep in mind that oil does not freeze solid.

Finished Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic in round white baking dish with bread, salami, rosemary and pistachios in background. — Slow-cooked Tomato Confit is a great accompaniment to salumi, breads and other antipasti.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about cherry tomato and garlic confit:

Can I make this recipe with canned tomatoes?

No, this recipe really needs to be made with fresh, mini tomatoes.

Can you freeze Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic?

Yes. Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic can be frozen with its oil. I suggest squeezing all the garlic cloves out of the heads prior to freezing. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. And, keep in mind that oil does not freeze solid.

If you have a lot to freeze, consider first freezing the confit with oil in ice cube trays, then popping them out and placing the frozen confit cubes in a container or freezer bag. Using this method, you can just pull out a small amount of tomato confit when needed/desired.

Is Tomato Confit the same as Roasted Tomato?

Not really. Confit and roasting are two very different cooking techniques.

Tomato confit is cooked at a very low temperature over a long period of time submerged in oil, while roasted tomatoes are generally cooked at a high temperature for a much shorter amount of time and are simply sprayed or lightly coated in oil. Both methods have delicious results!

The slowly-cooked tomatoes confit retain most of their shape, whereas the roasted tomatoes lose much of their moisture and become more caramelized.

Tomato confit and goat cheese crostini with salami and nuts in background. — Spoon some Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic over a goat cheese crostini

Variations for Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

Although Confit Tomatoes and Garlic is a very simple recipe, there are still a few options for you to switch things up:

In place of rosemary and thyme, you can try basil, dill, oregano, marjoram or sage.
Use peeled garlic cloves instead of the whole garlic head.
Add some acid–a couple of teaspoons of white wine vinegar could go a log way in adding some additional complexity to the dish.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try lime or orange zest instead of the lemon.
If you’re feeling REALLY adventurous, through a couple of anchovy filets in the oil for a salty punch of umami (savoriness)!

Kitchen Tools for Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

To make this tomato confit recipe, you’ll need the following:

Measuring cups and spoons
Cutting board with non-slip mat underneath (I use shelf liner)
Sharp chef’s knife
Multiple bowls to hold prep
Microplane zester
Pepper mill
Baking dish
Oven mitts

Overhead view of Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic in glass jar with bread and salami on left.

More Great Recipes to Try

Italian Zucchini Fritters with Lemon and Basil

Baked Italian Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Breadcrumbs

Sausage Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

I hope that you are enjoying Mangia With Michele and all of my Italian recipes!

If you’ve tried Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic or another recipe here, please let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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