Sweet and rich with concentrated tomato, garlic, and herb flavors, these easy oven roasted cherry tomatoes with thyme are super versatile and delicious. Ready in about 25 minutes, it's a great way to use sweet summer cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. Once you taste these you'll be making them all summer. See 10 things to do with oven-roasted tomatoes below.
Roasting tomatoes concentrates their flavor and changes the texture from bright and juicy to rich with deep jammy flavor. Roasted tomatoes are a whole different world than fresh tomatoes. All you need is olive oil, garlic, a little salt and a good amount of fresh chopped thyme. It's one of my favorite ways to use fresh summer tomatoes.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- A delicious way to use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes during tomato season.
- Use them in a variety of tasty ways.
- Really easy recipe.
- If you have an abundance of tomatoes, use this recipe and freeze oven roasted tomatoes for winter months.
Recipe Ingredients
Simple ingredients for simply fantastic flavor-filled oven roasted tomatoes.
- Tomatoes: My favorite tomatoes for roasting are cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes. Larger tomatoes such as Roma tomatoes (also called plum tomatoes) will work, but roasting time could be longer depending on the result you are looking for. Buy ripe tomatoes for best flavor.
- Olive oil: A nice fruity extra virgin olive oil is best.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves and zest them with a microplane so garlic disappears into the mix.
- Herbs: My first choice is fresh thyme but fresh rosemary is nice too, or try a mix like what's in dried Herbs de Provence such savory, fennel, rosemary, marjoram, basil, lavender and tarragon.
Please see the recipe card for measurements.
For more tomato recipes try this roasted tomato sauce or this tomato chutney recipe.
Substitutions and Variations
- For a South of France twist, add a teaspoon of dried Herbs de Provence to the mix.
- No fresh herbs? Use ⅓ the amount of dried herbs, or about 2 teaspoons. Add the dried herbs to the olive oil and let them stand for a bit to soften and rehydrate before mixing.
- Use mixed colored tomatoes like yellow, red, orange, and purple.
Recipe Instructions
Line a half sheet baking tray with parchment or foil to start, then prep your ingredients. Note: smaller tomatoes roast faster so watch your timing.
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Chef's Tip: Baking parchment paper is an indispensable kitchen tool. Find it at the grocery store in rolls or buy packages of pre-cut sheets at cooking stores and online. Use the heavier rolled parchment for making chicken baked in parchment and the thinner pre-cut sheets to line baking sheets for recipe such as these roasted cherry tomatoes.
Serving Suggestions
What dishes can I use oven roasted tomatoes in? Here are 10 things to do with oven roasted tomatoes.
- Oven roasted tomatoes are a fantastic topping for roast halibut and other fish (photo below).
- Give delicious life to boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- They're an excellent addition to Risotto or quinoa.
- Toss into pasta dishes, like this pasta and zucchini noodles dish (photo below).
- Stuff Portobello mushrooms with goat cheese as an appetizer or meatless main dish.
- Top toasted baguette spread with soft goat cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar or grated parmesan cheese for an appetizer.
- Spoon over an omelet or use as omelet filling.
- Top green beans or roast asparagus with a few spoonfuls for color and flavor.
- Top a pizza.
- Swap them for bell peppers in this summer corn succotash recipe.
Roasted cherry tomatoes will last a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container or freeze in a flat layer in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Be sure to label and date.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can roast different types of tomatoes. Choose tomatoes that are of uniform size for even roasting. The larger the tomatoes and the juicier they are, the longer it will take. Cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes work very well.
I've found that the best temperature for oven roasted tomatoes is between 375°F and 400°F. Factors in timing include the size of the tomatoes, the juiciness of the tomatoes, and whether you are using convection mode or standard mode in your oven. Check them as they roast and follow your nose. When you smell them they are likely done or close to being done. Check them at 20 minutes (for cherry and grape varieties) and go from there depending on how jammy you want the tomatoes.
Here are 10 ways to use oven roasted tomatoes. 1) Toss with pasta 2) Fold into and omelet or serve with scrambled eggs 3) Stuff portobello mushroom caps (sans gills) with goat cheese and oven roasted tomatoes 4) Serve over roasted or grilled vegetables such as asparagus or zucchini 5) Stir into Risotto or rice 6) Spread on crisp crostini as an appetizer 7) Top a pizza 8) Top baked or roasted fish like salmon, halibut or cod. 9) Give delicious life to plain boneless skinless chicken breasts 10) Swap them for fresh tomatoes in many dishes for more depth of tomato flavor.
The short answer is temperature and timing. Oven roasted tomatoes are usually baked at temperatures between 375°F - 400°F for around 25 minutes depending on the size of the tomatoes. Oven-dried tomatoes are baked or dried at a very low temperatures such as 250°F for much longer times, often a couple of hours. And the results are different too; different texture and flavor. Both delicious and super usable in tons of recipes.
More Easy Summer Recipes
While summer is still here, try these terrific summer recipes or check out the Labor Day recipe ideas category.
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If you make oven roasted cherry tomatoes, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Easy Oven Cherry Roasted Tomatoes
Equipment
- Parchment paper or use foil
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds organic sweet cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 pinches fresh black pepper
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Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Toss halved tomatoes with oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread tomatoes on the baking sheet cut side up and roast for about 25 minutes until shriveled and edges are just starting to turn a bit brown. Timing will depend on your oven, how juicy the tomatoes are, and whether you use convection mode or standard mode. Follow your nose; when you smell them they are probably done. If your tomatoes are super juicy it will likely take longer (so be patient).
- Serve warm, room temperature, or cool. They will keep a week in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Serve with crostini alone or spread with soft goat cheese.
- Stuff portobello mushrooms.
- Top a pizza.
- Toss with pasta.
- Fill an omelet or serve beside scrambled eggs.
- Fold into risotto or rice.
Leisa says
Can these be frozen? I have a bountiful garden this year.
Sally Cameron says
Lucky you on a bountiful garden! I've never tried freezing them Leisa so I am not sure. If you try it out, please report back and let everyone know how it works out. Thanks.
La Torontoise says
Sally, love this recipe and do it with French herbs. Regarding the lavander: I spend a lot of time in the South of France and there the local lavander is extremely strong. two teaspoons would be so aromatic that would feel like adding strong soup. So, I went with maybe 2/3 of a spoon, and the lavander's presence was still extraordinary: -)
Denise says
Fabulous recipe! It looks so delicious! I will have a mix of vegetables roasted and herbs.
LJ says
The aroma of these tomatoes in the oven brought the family to the kitchen asking "what smells soooo good?" So yummy! Bought more tomatoes to make them again. Thanks, Sally.
sogna says
That sounded soo good that I tried them for our next BBQ. I really loved them. Do you maybe have other recipes for grilled vegetables, like eggplant or zucchini ?
I just have a question: the 357 degrees are in Fahrenheit , right? Cause I'm from Germany and wondered how did you manage to pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees 🙂
Sally says
Although I make them often in summer, I have not done any other posts on grilled vegetables. I've been thinking about doing so. I love grilled zucchini in particular. Although I am not a big eggplant fan, I do like it sliced thin, coated with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic then grilled. You can then dice it up and toss with pasta and fresh herbs for a nice vegetarian dinner. If I have my numbers correct, 375 F is 190 C. Does that work for you in Germany? Thanks for reading and commenting!
sogna says
ah so I did it right 190 C 🙂 Thanks for your reply and I will definitely try the zucchini out! Maybe also interesting for you I made sth a friend told me. Sliced Zucchini and eggplant grilled a little bit in pan and put one over each other down in Reynolds Wrap with feta cheese between, topped with dried tomato and roasted sunflower seeds on the grill. It was really delicious.
Deborah says
Sally, thank you for the great recipe. I love your oven-roasted tomatoes with thyme and find myself making them every few days. This dish is now a staple in my refrigerator. You've even inspired me to consider this -
http://thebarelynakeddiary.blogspot.com/2012/07/second-thyme-around.html
Sally says
Thanks Deborah. You can do lots of things with them. Pile on crostini with goat cheese, toss with pasta, or pasta and other vegetables, pile on roast halibut, and heres the recipe for my roast halibut. https://afoodcentriclife.com/roast-halibut-with-roast-baby-tomatoes/. Glad you are enjoying them.
Michelle K says
I am very curious to try this with grapeseed tomatoes. They are one of my favorites to eat raw, so I'm excited to learn they will cook fine. In the past when i have tried to BBQ them or cook them in other ways, I have not had good luck, the skin got too hard and was not a good texture for eating. Hubby didn't seem to like them cooked - at least the way I cooked them. I don't like peeling tomatoes to cook them, and these are too small to try for me anyway! Any hints, let me know and thank you for the great recipe.
Sally says
Michelle - grapeseed tomatoes are what I always use for my oven roasted tomatoes. Halve them, toss with the oil, garlic and thyme. Roast on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. for a single batch I use a quarter sheet. For a double batch I use a half sheet. They only take 20-25 minutes in the oven. The result is sweet, soft, rich tomatoes you can do lots of things with. For ideas, look at the tomatoes post. Great in Risotto or spread on toasted crostini with a little cheese! Really versatile thing to have in the refrigerator.