Simple Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Versatile, juicy, succulent, summer in a bite… Simple Slow-Roasted Tomatoes require only a few minutes of active prep, and a few hours in the oven. Enjoy them on bruschetta or stirred into your favorite pasta. Heck! Eat ’em plain!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Slow Roasted Tomatoes
I’ve been cooking with slow-roasted tomatoes for years, and when including them in my recipes, I link to another website. I decided it was time to post my own “recipe” for slow-roasted tomatoes; my strategy is to keep people on my own site, rather than sending them elsewhere. 😉
“Once upon a time,” I used the ubiquitous sun-dried tomato. They came in 2 versions: 1. Dry and leathery and 2. Soaked in oil. I loved the flavor they added to a dish, but the texture was often not pleasant. Then I discovered slow-roasted tomatoes.
Slow-roasting the tomatoes intensifies their sweetness and umami flavor. Of course the caramelization adds depth and complexity. The tomatoes retain their texture, and are soft and juicy. What more can a tomato lover ask for?
I typically use roma tomatoes for this project as they’re affordable and easy to prep. You know the “grocery store tomatoes” that always look like they came off the vine way too soon? Use them! This is a great way to get intense tomato flavor on the cheap. Of course you can use any tomato variety, keeping in mind the size will affect the cooking time.
I have found that “batch” cooking (like with my roasted mushroom broth and vegetable broth) is a really efficient use of time. I love having things like homemade stock, slow-roasted tomatoes, and Pressure Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork in my freezer ready to get me a step closer to a fabulous meal!
I keep my tomatoes simple as I use them in a variety of dishes with many flavor profiles. Just 2 main ingredients are required: Tomatoes and olive oil. I season them with Hawaiian red salt and fresh ground pepper. I may or may not pack them with a bit of fresh herbs (thyme on photo shoot day), but they’re totally optional.
- tomatoes – As I mention above, slow-roasting is a perfect method for those “grocery store tomatoes” that usually have no flavor. I find roma tomatoes are quick and easy to prepare.
- olive oil
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- fresh herbs – Herbs are totally optional. I try to keep my slow-roasted tomatoes fairly neutral so that I can use them in any recipe. On photo day, I used fresh thyme from my garden, and I find they work with any recipes.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes – Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise. Arrange on the sheet pan (cut side up). Drizzle generously with olive oil, rubbing the tomatoes around a little to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Roast the tomatoes – Place pan in the oven. After about 3 hours, check your tomatoes. Cook another 1-2 hours to your preference. We like a lot of caramelization (as shown in the photos).
- Finish the tomatoes – Allow the tomatoes to cool. Sprinkle with herbs if desired. Pack in small zip bags for the freezer or in an airtight jar with additional olive oil in the refrigerator for up to a week.
🍅Ideas for Using Slow Roasted Roma Tomatoes
- On bruschetta with your favorite cheese
- In these Loaded Potato Skins with Pesto and Goat Cheese
- On my Greek Lamb Pizza
- In pasta with cannelini beans and kale
💭 Tips
Store extra tomatoes in meal-sized zip bags in the freezer (no additional oil needed). I use snack-sized zip bags.
Frozen and thawed slow-roasted tomatoes will soften and lose some of their texture, but they’re still great on a pizza or in pasta. They won’t be as good as fresh on bruschetta.
Simple Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds tomatoes - I use romas
- olive oil - for drizzling
- sea salt/fresh ground pepper
- finely minced herb(s) - (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
- Slice tomatoes in half. Arrange on the sheet pan.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil, rubbing the tomatoes around a little to coat.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place pan in the oven. After about 3 hours, turn the tomatoes.
- Cook another 2-3 hours to your preference. We like a lot of caramelization (as shown in the photos).
- Allow the tomatoes to cool. Sprinkle with herbs if desired. Pack in small zip bags for the freezer or in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
I do this also with extra summer garden tomatoes, but I go further and dry them. That way I can keep them in ziploc bags. But I like that yours are still moist and you store them in oil Very smart. And I imagine so much better than what you can buy!
They’re so much better than commercial ones! Actually, I do them both ways – some in oil and some in zip bags without oil. I use them both ways…
What a fabulous idea! Like you, I do love sundried, but the texture can be off putting. Hopefully we’ll have a bumper crop of tomatoes this year and I can put some of these up for winter soups and dishes.
Good luck on the bumper crop of tomatoes MJ! I struggled with tomatoes in Las Cruces; I was successful only one summer. This would be a great way to use what you can’t finish fresh!
Oh lovely. I have never thought to freeze portions when I slow roast tomatoes – thanks for the tip (and for linking up to my potato skins).
My pleasure Jane! I’m a big fan of making big batches of stuff, and they freeze beautifully for cooking. It does change the texture, so I would probably skip using them on bruschetta or for snacking…
We can’t get enough roasted tomatoes lately. But we’re also impatient so I roast split cherry tomatoes on high and devour them immediately.
Haha! I love that idea Christine! You’ve inspired me…
These are really easy to make, and add a lot to recipes that call for tomatoes. They really do freeze well, too.
Yes on both accounts!