These caramelized roasted cherry tomatoes are sweet, tangy, and savory. They add delicious flavor to toast, pasta, chicken, and more. (Don’t miss our favorite ways to serve them below!)
Tomato season is kind of the best season, right? There are SO MANY delicious ways to eat tomatoes this time of year, whether I’m making the BEST tomato soup, pairing tomatoes & zucchini, adding fresh slices to juicy burgers and fully-loaded sandwiches, or making salads and side dishes.
But one of my FAVORITE ways to eat tomatoes is roasted. Why should you roast tomatoes? One word: FLAVOR.
Oven-roasted tomatoes get caramelized, sweeter, and richer in flavor. As the tomatoes roast, water evaporates and the flavor intensifies. You’ll get sweet, tangy, and umami flavors that lend MAJOR flavor to any dish you add them to!
They’re a flavor powerhouse, and the best part is, you only need 4 simple ingredients to get started…
Simple Ingredients To Start
Like I said above, you only need 4 ingredients to make roasted tomatoes. The magic is in the method. Slow roasting will coax gorgeous flavor out of these simple ingredients:
- Cherry Tomatoes. My favorite roasted tomatoes are roasted cherry tomatoes. These little beauties are the perfect size and shape for adding to recipes, plus they’re so juicy and delicious!
- Olive Oil. Next up, you’ll need some extra virgin olive oil. This helps prevent the tomatoes from scorching in the oven, and adds richness.
- Salt & Pepper. These simple seasonings add just the right flavor. Don’t skimp!
- Maybe Some Fresh Basil. If you have it, I can’t recommend adding fresh basil enough! Basil and tomatoes are a classic combination, and that definitely holds up with this roasted tomatoes recipe!
How To Make Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Preheat The Oven. To start, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Set out a sheet pan.
- Prepare The Tomatoes. Add tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Gently stir with a spatula to coat everything evenly.
- Roast Tomatoes. Spread the tomatoes out onto the baking sheet and shake into an even layer. Roast at 375 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so, or until they’re wrinkly with slight caramelization and lightly charred edges.
- Finish, Serve & Store. If desired, top the tomatoes with fresh basil, a little freshly grated parmesan, or a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days.
Variations To Try
- Add Parmesan Cheese! For a delicious finish, try grating a few tablespoons of fresh parmesan cheese on the tomatoes during their last few minutes of cooking or right before serving.
- Add Fresh Basil. I’ve already mentioned this, but finishing the tomatoes with fresh basil is my favorite way to serve them!
- Add Balsamic Vinegar. You can do this two ways. 1) You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar along with the olive oil and seasonings before roasting, or 2) You can drizzle balsamic reduction on after they’re done. Either way is delicious!
- Add More Seasonings. Prefer a more herby feel? Add a dash of dried oregano or some Italian seasoning along with the salt and pepper.
Yummy Ways To Use Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Now that you know how to make oven roasted tomatoes, let’s talk about how to use them! Other than devouring them straight from the sheet pan (*cough*), here are some of my favorite ways to eat slow roasted tomatoes:
- On Toast. Avocado toast, ricotta toast, hummus toast, even toast with scrambled eggs!
- With Cottage Cheese. Dollop on a bowl of cottage cheese, or layer cottage cheese on toast and top with roasted tomatoes. It’s DELICIOUS.
- Toss With Pasta. Roasted tomatoes make a great “sauce” for pasta. You can certainly puree the tomatoes, but I prefer to simply toss the tomatoes and cooked pasta together. Feel free to add a little more olive oil, if needed!
- Spoon Over Chicken. Balsamic grilled chicken + roasted cherry tomatoes = a match made in heaven!
- Try Them On Pizza. It’s not a conventional topping, but roasted cherry tomatoes can be DELICIOUS on pizza. I love using pesto for the pizza sauce, then adding mozzarella cheese and the roasted tomatoes. The tomato + basil + cheese combo is tough to beat!
- Add To A Sandwich. Level up a turkey, chicken, or veggie sandwich with these roasted tomatoes. It’s DELICIOUS! I love to make caprese wraps with mozzarella cheese, spinach, fresh basil, and these tomatoes. It’s unreal.
- Enjoy Them At Breakfast. Serve them with scrambled eggs, spoon over cheesy grits, or pair with poached eggs and toast.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Roasted Tomatoes
Don’t Forget To Stir! For best results, make sure to stir 1-2 times during the roasting time to promote even browning and caramelization. If you forget, you may scorch some of the tomatoes.
Can I Use Large Tomatoes Instead? Absolutely. If you’d prefer to use Roma tomatoes, campari tomatoes, or other tomatoes, I recommend cutting them in half lengthwise, and placing them cut side UP on the sheet pan. They may take a bit longer to roast!
How Long Do Roasted Tomatoes Last? For best results, I recommend enjoying these roasted tomatoes within 4-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing roasted tomatoes, since they’ll soften so much when thawed.
Do I Need To Peel Tomatoes Before Roasting? Nope! I don’t recommend peeling tomatoes before roasting, since ideally, we want the tomato skins to caramelize as they cook.
Oven-Roasted Tomatoes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups tomatoes 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These caramelized roasted cherry tomatoes are sweet, tangy, and savory. They add delicious flavor to toast, pasta, chicken, and more. (Don’t miss our favorite ways to serve them below!)
Ingredients
- 2 (10-ounce) containers of cherry tomatoes
- 1 1/2–2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Optional toppings: fresh basil, oregano, balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat The Oven. To start, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Set out a sheet pan.
- Prepare The Tomatoes. Add tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Gently stir with a spatula to coat everything evenly.
- Roast Tomatoes. Spread the tomatoes out onto the baking sheet and shake into an even layer. Roast at 375 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so, or until they’re wrinkly with slight caramelization and lightly charred edges.
- Finish, Serve & Store. If desired, top the tomatoes with fresh basil, a little freshly grated parmesan, or a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days.
Notes
- Don’t Forget To Stir! For best results, make sure to stir 1-2 times during the roasting time to promote even browning and caramelization. If you forget, you may scorch some of the tomatoes.
- Serving Ideas. Try on toast (avocado, cottage cheese, or ricotta!), toss with pasta, serve with eggs, add to wraps and sandwiches, spoon over grilled chicken, add to pizza, and more!Â
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Originally Shared September 2012. Fully updated July 2024.
I am not the biggest tomato person in the world, but these roasted tomatoes really won me over. I love them so much. The subtle caramelization makes this a great topping. I also loved eating them with some balsamic reduction. Delicious.
Just wanted to double check as either the temp of 375f or the time 45-60 mins seems excessive. 10 mins at 400f works exceptionally well too, just to let you know.
John – You’re right! There are a lot of times that work, depending on the size and ripeness of your tomatoes. If you’re doing full-size tomatoes, I’ve found that 45 minutes or longer works great. They take longer to caramelize. If you’re doing baby tomatoes (as pictured) a shorter time works well. The biggest thing is to keep an eye on them. You can cook them at a lower temp for longer or higher temp for a shorter time. It all works!
Gorgeous roasted tomatoes! I love all vegetables roasted – the flavors become so enhanced and satisfying. I’ve with you, I’m going to miss tomato season too!
Thanks for posting this, Emily! Sometimes I get so bombarded with fancy things on Pinterest/blogs that I forget about simple, flavorful dishes that don’t have to be pin-worthy to be amazing. That grilled ham and cheese with pesto and a pizza with this as a base totally have my name on them!
i loved doing this when i did this last year. the flavors were extraordinary and they made for some great pasta and chicken recipes too!
Gosh, these are beautiful! They sound yummy. Can’t wait to give them a try!
It’s so strange you should put this up, we have had roasted tomatoes incorporated in nearly every dinner so far this week… and tonight will be no exception!
I LOVE them so. Which is strange because I really struggle to eat raw fresh tomatoes at all.
xxx
I love – LOVE – love oven roasted tomatoes. I use them as a base for my favorite soup!