These Oven Roasted Tomatoes in Oil are a delicious way to use an over abundance of lovely ripe tomatoes! Use them in bruschetta for a huge burst of flavor.
A couple of weeks ago, I bought a huge bag of perfectly ripe Roma tomatoes with the intention of making Pico de Gallo for guests. Well, even the best laid plans "gang aft a-gley" and I found myself in the next few days with dead ripe tomatoes about to go bad.
I really hate that, don't you? When I spend my hard earned money for beautiful produce, I want to enjoy it, darn it! So, instead of letting those tomatoes gradually reduce themselves to compost, I decided to rescue them for a later use. That's where this recipe for Oven Roasted Tomatoes in Oil came into play.
Actually, this is not so much a recipe as it is a method. A process. Just a way-of-doing-something. The measurements are just for a guide. It's almost a feel-by-doing thing. People who have been cooking a long time will understand what I mean :-)
What Can You Do With Roasted Tomatoes?
You may be asking what I'm going to do with these roasted tomatoes? Well, some ideas are using them in bruschetta (one slice on top of a crispy piece of baguette and goat cheese would be a delicious summer appetizer), combine them with hot, cooked pasta and fresh basil (yum!), chop them and mix into an omelet (yes!), and I could also envision a lovely pizza with these and some fresh mozzarella and basil.
And don't forget the oil! After it sits for a while with the tomatoes, it becomes infused with that gorgeous roasted tomato flavor and makes a luscious vinaigrette!
Save this recipe/process/method/way-of-doing-something for the summer when you have more fresh tomatoes than you know how to handle. You'll be happy you did!
How to Make Oven Roasted Tomatoes in Oil
Prepare the Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (only if you're lazy like me and don't like to scrub pans).
Slice the tomatoes ¼ to ⅓ inch thick. If they're really dead ripe, a serrated knife helps immensely with the slicing.
Place the tomato slices on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with Italian seasoning.
Remember that anything you put on the tomatoes is going intensify in flavor during the cooking process so use a light hand with the seasonings.
Roast Tomatoes Until They Begin to Char
Bake, checking every 20-30 minutes, until the tomatoes are roasted and beginning to show a bit of char around the edges. Admittedly, I like mine with a good bit of char. Actually, that's the best part in my opinion. But you cook yours to whatever degree of doneness you prefer. You want them pretty well dried out and chewy if not crispy.
The total cooking time is going to vary depending on how thickly you sliced the tomatoes and how humid it is that day. I cooked these for about an hour and a half. Your nose will also tell you if they're starting to go too far to the dark side :-)
Pack Roasted Tomatoes in Olive Oil
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let them cool. Pack the slices into a clean, dry jar and fill with a good quality extra virgin olive oil to cover. Store, tightly closed, in the refrigerator.
I used five big Roma tomatoes and got a half-pint of roasted slices. Yeah. Don't expect to be filling up quart jars full of these. They really cook down. But the flavor is so concentrated that a little goes a very long way!
A couple of notes: this is not a canning recipe. It hasn't been tested for canning nor has it been processed to seal the jar. It's not shelf stable so that's why you need to store it in the fridge. Period.
Also, someone is surely going to get the idea that they'd like to put fresh herbs and/or garlic in with the roasted tomatoes. Uh...no. Don't do that. It's a matter of food safety. Fresh herbs and fresh garlic stored in oil have the potential to develop botulism. Botulism is nasty stuff. You can check out some official information on that if you're interested.
Enjoy!
More Roasted Vegetable Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Roasted Asparagus
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Roasted Tomato Sandwich
- Roasted Leeks
- Herbed Roasted Potatoes
- Melange of Onions
Roasted Veggie Recipes from Other Bloggers:
- Oven-Roasted Tomatoes from David Lebovitz
- Best Baked Zucchini with Garlic and Lemon from Natasha's Kitchen
- Ridiculously Easy Roasted Yellow Squash and Onions from Fat Free Vegan
- Roasted Cipollini Onions in Thyme from White on Rice Couple
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Oven Roasted Tomatoes in Oil
Ingredients
- 5 large very ripe Roma tomatoes
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp. Pepper
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- ½ tsp. dried Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Slice tomatoes ¼ to ⅓ inch thick.
- Place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with Italian seasoning.
- Bake, checking every 20-30 minutes, until tomatoes are roasted and beginning to show a bit of char around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Pack into a clean, dry jar. Fill with remaining olive oil to cover.
- Store in refrigerator (not shelf stable).
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
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Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
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Clint
First, these look amazing! Second, a day late and a dollar short - just reading this, the day after your big day. I hope the surgery was a major success and you're up and at em in no time, feeling way better than even before that first twinge all those years ago!
Nutmeg Nanny
I hope your surgery goes well and you feel better soon! These tomatoes looks great and will be perfect for helping you heal ;)
Paula - bell'alimento
Hope you get to feeling better soon Lana! These oven roasted tomatoes look insane! They're like candy for me.
Rose | The Clean Dish
I'm sorry to hear about your back problems! I hope the procedure will give you some relieve... You're ending May on a fabulous note, though - I love this recipe! It's a great way to use these extra tomatoes from the garden. Yum!