The most delicious jammy gems!
The first time I made these Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic, I tossed them onto a Pesto Shrimp Pasta. The next morning, what was left of the pan ended up on toast with a poached egg, and by the third meal I was making a fresh pan just to keep up.
Now I keep a batch on rotation in the fridge for pasta, eggs, grain bowls, grilled chicken, anything that could use a sweet-savory caramelized hit.
What makes the difference: 400°F is the sweet spot (high enough for caramelization, low enough that the skins don’t burn), halve the tomatoes so the cut sides go jammy in the oil, and don’t skip the fresh garlic, minced or crushed, not powder. 25 minutes from sheet pan to plate.
It’s the simplest possible method: halved tomatoes tossed with oil, garlic, and salt, spread on a sheet pan, into the oven for 20-25 minutes. No peeling or deseeding required.
Heads up: a single sheet pan will not last the week.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Either works, both small varieties are sweet enough to caramelize beautifully. Campari tomatoes work too if you cut them in half or quarters first. Use what’s freshest at the store, or what’s been sitting on your counter for a few days too long (slightly wrinkled tomatoes are perfect for this).
- Olive Oil: A good extra virgin olive oil makes a noticeable difference here, since the oil basically becomes the sauce as the tomatoes break down.
- Garlic: 4-6 cloves, crushed or minced. Fresh only, garlic powder loses too much in the oven. Crushed cloves give you mellower roasted-garlic flavor; minced gives you a sharper bite.
- Salt and Pepper: Coarse salt is best so you get a textural contrast against the soft tomatoes. Fresh-cracked pepper, generous.
- Fresh Herbs (optional): Basil, rosemary, oregano, or thyme all work. Add the herbs AFTER roasting (not before), they burn at 400°F and turn bitter.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Halve the tomatoes.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise. The cut sides are where the caramelization happens, leaving them whole works but takes 10-15 extra minutes and gives a different texture.
Toss with oil, garlic, and salt.
In a large bowl, toss the halved tomatoes with olive oil, crushed or minced garlic, salt, and pepper until everything is evenly coated.
Roast at 400°F.
Spread the tomatoes cut-side up in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (parchment-lined for easy cleanup). Roast at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, until the skins start to wrinkle and the cut sides are caramelized.
Add fresh herbs at the end.
If using fresh herbs, scatter them over the tomatoes after they come out of the oven (not before, they burn). Let everything rest 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
What to Do with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (8 Ways We Actually Use Them)
Roasted cherry tomatoes are basically a flavor multiplier. A spoonful of these elevates whatever they touch.
- On pasta. Toss a generous spoonful (with the oil from the pan) into hot pasta. Add a splash of pasta water and a handful of Parmesan. Done.
- On toast or bruschetta. Spread ricotta on toasted baguette, top with roasted tomatoes and torn basil. A drizzle of balsamic glaze if you have it.
- With eggs. Spoon over scrambled eggs, an omelet, a frittata, or a fried egg on toast. The juice from the pan goes into the eggs.
- Topping grilled meat. Roasted tomatoes on balsamic grilled chicken breast, steak, or salmon. The acidity cuts the richness.
- In grain bowls. Stir into a quinoa, rice, or farro bowl with greens, feta, and a quick lemon-tahini drizzle.
- On pizza after baking. Add to a finished homemade pizza or a margherita slice from delivery. Adds a sweet-roasted depth.
- Stirred into Pesto Shrimp Pasta. This is how I first started making them, and it’s still my favorite use.
- Frozen for instant sauce later. Cool the pan, transfer tomatoes plus their oil to a freezer bag, freeze flat. When you need an instant pasta sauce, thaw and toss with hot pasta. Lasts 3 months in the freezer.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make-ahead: These are best fresh from the oven, but they keep beautifully for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Store with their oil, that oil is gold.
Reheating: A quick warm-up in a skillet over low heat brings the texture back. Microwave works in a pinch (30 seconds), though you lose some of the caramelized texture.
Freezing: Yes, and this is one of the best freezer staples for batch-cooking weeks. Cool the pan completely, transfer tomatoes plus all their oil to a freezer bag, lay flat, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or run the bag under warm water for 5 minutes. Use directly in pasta, eggs, soup, or grain bowls, the texture stays mostly intact.
FAQs
400°F is the sweet spot for a 20-25 minute medium-roast. Higher (425°F) chars the skins faster; lower (300-325°F) gives you a slow-roast jammy texture in 1-2 hours. See the Texture Guide above for the full breakdown.
Halving is faster (20-25 min) and gives you caramelized cut sides. Whole takes 30-35 minutes and produces a juicier, more popped-skin texture. Both work.
Yes, this recipe is one of the best ways to use up tomatoes that are starting to look sad. The roasting concentrates whatever sweetness is left.
Yes. Cooking tomatoes actually boosts their lycopene (the antioxidant compound), and you absorb more of it from cooked tomatoes than raw.
Absolutely. Cool, transfer to a freezer bag with their oil, freeze flat for up to 3 months. Thaw and use in pasta, eggs, or grain bowls. See the Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing section above.
Fresh basil, rosemary, oregano, or thyme all work. Add them AFTER roasting, they burn at 400°F.
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Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds cherry tomatoes or grape, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh herbs optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss together tomatoes, oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until tomatoes are well coated.2 pounds cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4-6 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Arrange tomatoes on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Roast tomatoes for 20-25 minutes or until the skin begins to shrivel.
- Serve with additional herbs, if desired, with toasted bread, pesto pasta, or on grilled chicken and enjoy!Fresh herbs
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Video
Notes
- Tomatoes: Any small variety will work. If you have tomatoes that are going bad, roast them as well!
- Ingredients: Higher-end options of oil and salt take the flavor over the top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you roast the pieces of crushed garlic, as well?
Yes, Alyssa! They get mixed in with the tomatoes before you roast them in the oven 🙂
I so love roasted vegetables! I may have to pick up some tomatoes and whip up some pesto shrimp pasta – YUM!
Yay!! Roasted vegetables are the BEST! Can’t wait to hear what you think, Jules!!