Slow-roasted tomatoes {garlic + herbs}

Slow roasted tomatoes – packed with garlic and herb flavors, slightly caramelized and chewy, these tomatoes are so flavorful and versatile, you will want to put them on anything.

You might be surprised but these simple slow roasted tomatoes are the most frequently cooked recipe in my house. I absolutely love them, and I’ve been making them every week for years, so they definitely deserve a place on the blog.   Sweet and garlicky, and bursting with herb flavors, they become slightly chewy from the slow roasting, and will tempt you to eat them by the spoonful.

I got the idea from Goop so long ago, that I cannot find the original post any more, but I added my own ‘magic’ spice to them, and they became a staple in our home ever since, just as Gwyneth Paltrow said they are in hers.  I add them to salads, sandwiches, crostini, pasta, polenta, hummus or other dips, on top of burrata, or labneh cheese, and the list goes on.  They are so yummy, and versatile that I almost always have a jar in the fridge.

You can use any tomato variety, as long as it’s ripe and sweet.  I prefer the meaty ones, like Roma tomatoes, to speed up cooking time, while cherry or grape tomatoes work better for presentation.  Regardless of what tomatoes you use, chop them into bite-size pieces, and add a lot of garlic, olive oil and herbs, then slow roast them for 2 1/2 – 3 hours.  The slow roasting intensifies their flavor, and transforms them into a caramelized tomato jam of sorts.

The ‘magic’ spice mix I use is a typical Bulgarian mix of herbs and spices which is hard to find in stores, so I make my own.  I call it ‘magic’, because it makes so many dishes taste better – think butter toast, eggs, open-face toasted sandwiches, cheese mixes, etc. It works wonders added to a quick dipping sauce of olive oil, and sweet paprika.   Place a slice of bread face down in the sauce, press well to soak up the sauce, then top with fresh tomatoes, or these slow roasted ones, and you have a fantastic bruschetta.

The spice mix is a combination of roasted pumpkin seeds, dry summer savory, fenugreek seeds, sweet Hungarian paprika and salt.  If you have a spice grinder, this will be a breeze to make.  You will have plenty left to use for other dishes.  If you don’t feel like taking this extra step, just add dry basil and/or oregano to the tomatoes, before roasting.

The aroma of garlic and herbs will hit your nose almost as soon as you put them in the oven, and will torture you for the next 3 hours.  Stir them once or twice, and check on them – they need to be almost dry, but not completely.  Store in a glass container, in the fridge.  I usually make a big batch, and they keep for about two weeks, if I let them last that long.

Print

Slow-roasted tomatoes

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

3 mins

Total Time

8 mins

 

Slow roasted tomatoes - packed with garlic and herb flavors, slightly caramelized and chewy, these tomatoes are so flavorful and versatile, you will want to put them on anything.

Course: Condiment

Servings: 6 (1/2 cup)

Calories: 118 kcal

Author: Viktoria

Ingredients

For the tomatoes:

• 2 lbs tomatoes (roma, cherry, grape or other sweet variety)
• 3-4 Tbs olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, smashed (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs 'magic' spice mix (recipe follows) *

For the 'magic' spice mix:

• 3 Tbs roasted pumpkin seeds
• 3 Tbs dry summer savory **
• 2 Tbs fenugreek seeds ***
• 1 Tbs sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

To make the 'magic' spic mix:

1. Process the pumpkin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and summer savory, individually in a spice grinder, until you get a fine powder (a few pulses).  Add the sweet Hungarian paprika, and salt and stir until you get a homogeneous blend.

2. Keep in a dry place, and sprinkle on a piece of butter toast, cooked eggs, or other roasted veggies for an irresistible aroma and flavor.  

To make the tomatoes:

1. Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces.

2. Add the smashed garlic, salt, 'magic' spice mix, and drizzle with the olive oil.  Mix well, and spread in a thin layer on 2 baking sheets, lined with parchment paper.

3. Roast at 250 °F (120 °C) for 3 hours, or more, until all liquid has evaporated, and the tomatoes are slightly caramelized.  Stir a few times, as the edge pieces tend to cook faster. 

4. Keep the tomatoes in a glass jar in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, and use on salads, toasts, eggs, sandwiches, etc.

Recipe Notes

* If you don't feel like making the spice mix, you can use dry oregano, basil, or just summer savory in its place.

** Find summer savory online, or in the spice isle of your supermarket.  

*** Find fenugreek seeds online, or in the bulk section of a well-stocked health store, or try an Indian/Middle Eastern store. If you find fenugreek leaves, that will work too, just add more as they are not as intense in flavor as the seeds.