This Heirloom Tomato Confit is a rich and tender recipe, which is made with ripe heirloom tomatoes and sliced garlic. It’s the perfect way to preserve summer tomatoes, ready in about 1 hour and 10 minutes, plus cooling time.
Heirloom Tomato Confit Ingredients
A simple method to preserve the best of summer.
- 12 ripe medium vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes (about 3 ½ pounds)
- 3 basil sprigs
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
How To Make Heirloom Tomato Confit
A step-by-step guide to this elegant preserve.
- Prep the Oven and Tomatoes: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare a separate large bowl of ice water. Using a paring knife, score a shallow “X” in the bottom of each tomato.
- Blanch and Peel: Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer them to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Once they are cool enough to handle, the skins should peel away easily, starting from the scored X.
- Arrange and Roast: In a shallow baking dish, arrange the peeled tomatoes with their cored sides down. Tuck the basil sprigs and sliced garlic in and around the tomatoes. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and drizzle evenly with the olive oil.
- Cool and Store: Bake for about 50 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender but still holding their shape. Let the confit cool completely in the baking dish. Once cooled, you can transfer the tomatoes and all their flavorful juices and oil to quart-size glass jars for storage.
Recipe Tips
For perfect, tender, flavor-packed tomato confit.
- What is tomato confit? “Confit” is a classic French preservation technique that involves slow-cooking an ingredient in fat—in this case, olive oil. This process gently cooks the tomatoes, making them incredibly tender and concentrating their natural sweetness and flavor.
- What are the best tomatoes to use for confit? Use the most flavorful, ripe, in-season tomatoes you can find. Heirlooms are wonderful for their variety and taste, but good-quality Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes also work beautifully. The key is flavor, not a specific type.
- Do I have to peel the tomatoes? While you can make this with the skins on, peeling them is highly recommended for the best texture. The skins can become a bit tough and chewy during the roasting process. The quick blanching step makes peeling them incredibly easy.
- How can I use tomato confit? It’s incredibly versatile! Spoon it over toasted crusty bread, toss it with pasta, serve it alongside grilled chicken or fish, chop it up to make a luxurious bruschetta topping, or serve it as part of an antipasto platter with cheese and cured meats.
What To Serve With Heirloom Tomato Confit
Simple pairings that let this delicious condiment shine.
Tomato confit is a fantastic gourmet ingredient to have on hand. Use it to elevate simple dishes:
- Bruschetta: Spoon the confit and its oil over grilled sourdough bread.
- Pasta: Toss whole or roughly chopped confit tomatoes with hot pasta and a splash of the oil.
- With Protein: Serve as a side or topping for roast chicken, seared steak, or grilled fish.
- On Sandwiches: Use in place of fresh tomatoes for an incredibly flavorful sandwich or panini.
- With Cheese: It’s a perfect accompaniment to a cheese board, especially with fresh mozzarella or burrata.
How To Store Heirloom Tomato Confit
Properly preserving your summer harvest.
- Refrigerate: The confit can be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make sure the tomatoes are completely submerged in the olive oil, as the oil acts as a preservative.
- Freeze: For long-term storage, this confit freezes exceptionally well. Transfer the cooled tomatoes and their juices to freezer-safe jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace. It can be frozen for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Heirloom Tomato Confit Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per 1/2 cup serving.
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Fat: 11 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Absolutely. While basil is classic, you could also use sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary. A few dried oregano leaves would also be a delicious addition.
Bitterness can sometimes come from the garlic if it’s overcooked or from a lower-quality olive oil. Ensure you are using a good quality extra-virgin olive oil and that the garlic is just gently cooked and infused in the oil, not browned or burned.
Yes, you can make a stovetop version. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over very low heat, maintaining a gentle simmer, for about 45-60 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender. The oven method provides a more even, gentle heat.
Try More Recipes:
- Croxetti with Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes Recipe
- Tomato-Beet Salad Recipe
- Penne with Tomatoes and Parsley Breadcrumbs Recipe
Heirloom Tomato Confit Recipe
Description
A simple method for slow-roasting heirloom tomatoes in olive oil with garlic and basil until they are meltingly tender and intensely flavorful.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 10 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath.
- Once cool, peel the skins off the tomatoes.
- Arrange the peeled tomatoes, cored-side down, in a shallow baking dish.
- Tuck in the basil sprigs and sliced garlic. Sprinkle generously with salt and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
- Let cool completely before serving or transferring to jars for storage.
Notes
- Peeling the tomatoes is highly recommended for the best, most tender final texture.
- Use the best quality, most flavorful in-season tomatoes and olive oil you can find for this simple recipe.
- The confit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, ensuring the tomatoes are covered in oil.
- This is an excellent recipe for preserving a large harvest of summer tomatoes as it freezes beautifully for up to a year.