Cherry tomato confit might sound pretty fancy – however, in reality, it is simple and SO GOOD.
I don’t even know how to categorize it. Is it a dip? A spread? Something that you spoon out of a jar and eat plain? Yes. Yes to all of the above.
But my favorite way to eat it by far is on thickly sliced sourdough bread. The beauty of this recipe is you can make it once and quickly add a burst of flavor to nearly anything you are eating throughout the week.
The other great thing about it this confit recipe is that it takes just a few minutes to put together. Then, you just have to remember to stir it a few times and you’re all set.
Table of Contents
What is a Confit?
‘Confit’ is French word that describes the process of cooking food in fat.
In our case, we are cooking tomatoes in olive oil, which is our fat of choice.
Let’s talk about the leftover oils that you’ll find at the bottom of your bowl once the tomatoes have all been eaten. This is liquid gold that your bread can be dipped in.
How It’s Made
Essentially, you are just tossing some cherry tomatoes in a pan with olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper.
But we aren’t stopping there. Next, by cooking your cherry tomatoes in olive oil over medium low heat for several minutes, you are allowing the water to evaporate off.
Now we’re left with pure, sweet, tangy flavor. And quite a bit of richness from the olive oil.
What Can I Do with Cherry Tomato Confit?
This recipe is so versatile. Not only can you customize it by using tomatoes and herbs of your choice, but you can serve it however you’d like, too.
The obvious (but still delicious) choice here is to slather it on some bread, top with grated parmesan cheese, and broil those babies in the oven.
Ingredient Substitutions
What Kind of Bread Should I Use?
If you’re asking me, my answer is going to be sourdough bread 10/10 times. Will cherry tomato confit be just as delicious on other kinds of bread? But of course.
My only qualm with using a softer bread is related to texture. I’m assuming that you’re an adult, so you can do whatever you want. But I would really recommend sticking with something that has some heft, chewiness, and/or bite to it like focaccia, sourdough, or Italian bread.
That said, there are so many other possibilities.
Think big. Try white rice topped with tomato confit and red pepper flakes. Or maybe scrambled eggs with ribbons of tomato confit and hot honey.
Thinking About Making Your Own Sourdough?
First of all, good for you. I like to buy mine from local bakeries, but this is a noble pursuit.
Second, my favorite community-driven bakery in New Orleans, Levee Baking Co., has a fantastic guide on their website to everything that goes into successfully making sourdough.
What Kind of Tomatoes Can I Use?
I chose cherry tomatoes for this recipe, but by all means use whatever kind of tomatoes you have access to.
If you are using a larger tomato like a campari or vine tomato, give them a nice rough dice before throwing them into your pan for the confit.
Nutrition Found in Cherry Tomato Confit
From the Tomatoes:
- Lycopene
- Beta Carotene
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Folate
- Vitamin K
- Fiber
From the Olive Oil:
- Good source of monounsaturated fatty acids
- Polyphenols that act as antioxidants, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory agents
Cherry Tomato Confit
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper
- ⅛ tsp each garlic powder & onion powder
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
- 1 handful fresh basil, cut in ribbons
- 1 small loaf sourdough bread
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and basil. Continue cooking for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and jammy.
- Taste for salt and add more if needed. Serve on crusty toasted sourdough bread, stir into rice, or enjoy on the side with any meal.
Looking for more recipes? Check out my recipe archives.
