Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes with Caramelized Garlic
Don’t let the title fool you, these Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic are one of the simplest ways to transform fresh tomatoes into a deeply flavored and versatile kitchen staple.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 1 Recipe = 8 Menu Ideas: Create a blistered tomato pasta, roasted tomato pizza sauce, pile those garlic roasted tomatoes high on a baguette slice for bruschetta, as a base for soup, or turned into roasted tomato marinara sauce (scroll down for more ideas)
- Quick & Easy: With only 5 minutes of prep time, the rest is hands-off!
- Only 4 Ingredients: plus salt and pepper
- Perfect Texture: Soft, jammy centers with lightly charred skins for maximum flavor
- Gluten-Free & Vegetarian-Friendly
My husband first got me hooked on slow-roasted cherry tomatoes. He would make them week after week, ….after week. He’s the kind of guy that when he likes something, he doesn’t deviate, probably the reason why Reggae music plays on our stereo. Daily.
You’d think I’d tire of the delicate taste of his sheet pan roasted tomatoes with garlic, but that deep caramelization (with its slightly sweet and jammy texture) is pure joy; bite after bite, …..after bite. There are countless ways to use these yummy-looking blistered cherry tomatoes, and I love how it has elevated our weeknight meals.
Table of Contents
What are The Best Tomato Varieties for Roasting?
Grape tomatoes vs cherry tomatoes vs Campari tomatoes (and countless other varieties) might have you wondering which ones will roast the best for your needs. Choice does matter, and it all depends on what you will be using the tomatoes for. Here is a chart to help you choose.
There are numerous recipe ideas for what to do with cherry tomatoes (the variety I used in this recipe). They are my go-to because they are thin-skinned, taste sweet, and have a juiciness that becomes wonderfully jammy in texture when oven-roasted. Their small size allows for deep caramelization, which contributes to excellent depth of flavor. This is a great resource on different tomato types and how to use them.
| Tomato Type | Best Uses | Texture & Flavor Profile |
| Cherry Tomato | Roasting, pasta topping, quick sauces | Juicy, sweet, thin skinned, bursts when roasted |
| Campari Tomato | Light roasting (won’t caramelize as well, due to size), quick sauces | Juicy, low acidity, sweet, tender skin, larger than cherry tomato. |
| Grape Tomato | Skewered and grilled, salads, stir-fries | Firmer, thicker skin, less sweet, lower moisture |
| Roma (Plum) Tomato | Canning, roasting for sauces, marinara, tomato paste | Dense, meaty flesh, low moisture, mild sweetness |
Ingredients
- Cherry Tomatoes: The best cherry tomatoes for the sweetest flavor are those that are dark red, slightly soft with firm skin.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Lessens burning of the garlic while roasting and aids in caramelization.
- Balsamic Vinegar: The sugar content also helps with caramelization, giving your balsamic roasted tomatoes an added layer of depth.
- Garlic Cloves: Thinly sliced with the help of this mandolin vegetable slicer. When roasted, the garlic becomes buttery and sweet.
Refer to the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
Can I Make Substitutions To This Recipe?
- Feel free to use any thin-skinned, small tomato variety. Here is a list of the best tomato varieties for roasting.
- Try adding sliced shallots in addition to, (or in place of) the garlic for a slightly different taste profile.
- Add a sliced fennel bulb to the sheet pan for a delicious roasted fennel and tomatoes side dish, or for a complete meal. Try the same with eggplant by cutting it into thick slices, brushing it with oil and placing them on the same baking sheet for a side of roasted eggplant and tomato.
How to Make Garlic Roasted Tomatoes
1. Place thinly sliced garlic in a small bowl and let it sit in olive oil.
2. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, and olive oil to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Toss cherry tomatoes in the balsamic mixture until evenly coated.
4. Transfer the tomatoes to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Add sliced garlic to the tomatoes halfway through roasting.
6. Roast tomatoes and garlic until caramelized, jammy and deeply flavorful.
One Recipe = Eight Menu Ideas
- Bruschetta: pile the balsamic cherry tomatoes onto a slice of baguette and sprinkle with chopped basil
- Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce: Grab your immersion blender and make a roasted tomato and garlic sauce to elevate a basic pizza
- Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Burrata: Top grilled bread with garlic-roasted cherry tomatoes and a torn piece of burrata for a quick lunch that is the perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and tangy notes.
- Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes: Place those burst cherry tomatoes on top of angel hair spaghetti for a light meal.
- Cheese and Tomato Omelet: Add a spoonful of balsamic roasted tomatoes to a cheese omelet before folding it over.
- Create a Gourmet Burger: Skip the ketchup and upgrade your burger with the deep flavor of oven-roasted garlic tomatoes.
- Topping for Dips: Spoon it over whipped feta, labneh, or hummus
- Side Dish: On its own, served as a side to chicken, steak, or fish dishes
How to Store Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes
Refrigerator: Place roasted tomatoes in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions: Blend and freeze for a quick (but fancy) homemade pasta sauce on busy weeknights.
Canning: Popular during tomato season, when tomatoes are locally grown and at their most flavorful. If you find yourself with lots of tomatoes on hand, the method of canning roasted tomatoes will give you delicious, sweet tomatoes all year long.
Recipe FAQs
Soaking the sliced garlic in olive oil helps protect it from burning, allowing it to caramelize gently and develop a mellow flavor—so don’t skip this step! Also, adding the garlic halfway through roasting further reduces the chance of burning while ensuring it softens and turns golden without becoming bitter. There is little chance of the balsamic vinegar burning as the ratio of balsamic to oil is small.
You have a few options:
Refrigerator: Place balsamic roasted tomatoes in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions: Blend and freeze any extra roasted tomatoes for a quick (but fancy) homemade pasta sauce on busy weeknights.
Canning: Popular during tomato season, when they are locally grown and at their most flavorful. If you find yourself with lots of tomatoes on hand, canning roasted tomatoes will give you delicious, sweet tomatoes all year long.
When preparing oven-roasted tomatoes, smaller-sized ones will give you the best results. While Campari tomatoes will roast, they won’t caramelize as well, due to their larger size. You will need to increase your roasting time and be mindful that the garlic doesn’t burn in the process.
Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes with Caramelized Garlic
Ingredients
- 4 cups 2 pints cherry tomatoes washed and dried
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Thinly slice the garlic lengthwise and combine with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl (make sure the garlic is covered in the oil). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar until emulsified. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Add the tomatoes and stir until they are well-coated.
- Transfer the tomatoes (and any extra liquid) to the prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the garlic and remaining olive oil over the partially cooked tomatoes and continue cooking for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the garlic is golden and tender and the tomatoes are deeply wrinkled with a jammy texture.
- Garnish with freshly torn basil and flaky salt if desired.
- Serve warm as a flavorful topping or side dish.
Notes
We make this weekly and use it on everything from a pizza topping to a breakfast side with our fried eggs.