Quick Confited Cherry Tomatoes
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cherry tomatoes simmered gently in a tangy-honey glaze with garlic and a hint of spice. Uses lemon juice instead of vinegar with a touch of maple syrup replacing honey for subtle earthiness. Thyme replaces basil providing a different fragrant note. Tomatoes cooked till skin cracks, juices bubble, and sweet aroma rises. Great alongside grilled meat or fish. Simple, fast, with bright fresh flavors and that sticky-sweet glaze clinging just right.
Prep:
7 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
22 min
Servings:
4 servings
#confit
#quick recipes
#cherry tomatoes
#French-inspired
#vegetable side
#easy cooking
Ever struggled coaxing intenseness out of cherry tomatoes without turning them mushy or dried out? Me too. They either burst too soon or sit there lifeless, no flavor punch. After several trials, I throw my weight behind slow confit style done quick but carefully. The secret: gentle heat, patience, watch and listen for the skin to crack, a soft pop, bubbling goodness. The scent of garlic plus maple’s subtle caramel notes fills the kitchen. Lemon juice adds brightness instead of usual vinegar acidity—I prefer that slightly softer snap. Thyme over basil for herbal depth, less predictable. The result? Sticky, tender clusters that cling to the vine. Perfect next to charred meat or smoky fish. I skip fancy embellishments; nature’s flavors carry it.
Ingredients
- 60 ml olive oil
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 20 ml maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
- 1 pinch chili flakes optional
- 450 g cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 15 ml fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About the ingredients
Olive oil quality definitely matters—extra virgin with herbal notes or a mellow buttery one. Lemon juice fresh-squeezed makes a world of difference over bottled. Maple syrup replaces honey here; try it if you want less sweetness and more complexity, but honey works fine too. Fresh thyme, not dry: crush leaves to release oils. Cherry tomatoes need to be ripe but firm; too soft and they turn to mush. Vine clusters keep things together but you could remove stems if that’s easier. Garlic: gently crushed to keep pieces intact but extract flavor. Chili flakes optional but they wake up the dish—use sparingly or omit if sensitive. Salt early to help olive oil absorb flavors, pepper later for freshness. If pan dries before tomatoes soften, splash plain water or broth, but avoid adding too much—confit means slow cooking in fat, not boiling.
Method
- Heat olive oil gently in a large heavy skillet over medium-low. Add lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, chili flakes. Swirl and warm until fragrant but not sizzling aggressively. Salt and pepper now to season liquid.
- Add whole clusters of tomatoes. Nestle them so skin just touches pan. Cover loosely. Slow simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Watch for skins to split, juices bubbling thickly—the telltale signs. If liquid dries too quick, splash a spoonful water. Don’t rush.
- Remove lid. Test softness with a gentle press on a tomato; should be tender but hold shape. Garlic should have mellowed, infusing sweetly. Spoon warm tomatoes and sticky sauce onto a dish.
- Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves before serving. Eat warm with grilled poultry or fish. Bonus: leftover infused oil excellent drizzled over crusty bread.
Cooking tips
Start on medium-low, no rush. Heat olive oil with lemon, syrup, garlic and chili until aromatic not smoking; this prevents bitterness. Salting the liquid first helps season tomatoes from inside out. Add clusters carefully so they’re snug; overcrowding is good here, helps steam and confit rather than fry. Cover loosely to trap heat but allow some evaporation; helps concentrate flavors. Watch body language of tomatoes: when skin weakens, bubbles form—listen for soft pops or subtle cracking sound. Texture important: press tomato gently against pan rim or with finger—should yield without falling apart. Sauce will thicken and become syrupy, coat tomatoes. Remove lid last minute for evaporation if too watery. Remove garlic once softened or leave for rustic chunkiness. Finish with fresh thyme. Serve immediately; reheating can overcook. Bonus tip: leftover oil infused with lemon and garlic excellent on salads or roasted veggies.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat oil gently. Never blast the pan. Watch for faint aromas, garlic softening, no smoking. This sets the tone; bitter scorched garlic ruins base. Chili flakes wake it up but sparingly. Add salt early to let oil absorb flavor inside tomatoes; pepper last to keep freshness. Slow simmer means patience. If pan dries, splash water or broth carefully but no drowning sauce. Tomato skins cracking, soft pop sounds tell you timing—listen close here.
- 💡 Use fresh thyme leaves crushed lightly. Releases oils without overpowering. Dry herbs lack punch. Leafy clumps better than dust. Cherry tomatoes best on the vine for holding clusters together but can remove stems if easier. Ripe but firm needed; too soft they turn mush. Swirling the pan helps coat evenly but don’t stir roughly, crushes fragile skin. Remove lid last second for evaporation if sauce too loose; works better than long uncovered cook that dries everything out.
- 💡 Maple syrup stands in for honey here to tame sweetness and add earthiness. Adjust quantity to taste but not too much, sauce thickens quickly. Lemon juice brightens, replaces vinegar acidity for softer snap. Fresh squeezed always better—not bottled which can be harsh. Garlic should be crushed lightly, not minced; keeps chunks intact, releases mellow garlic essence during cook. Chili flakes optional; omit if sensitive but they bring background heat if wanted.
- 💡 Watch tomato texture carefully. Gently press a cluster or single tomato against pan rim or your finger. Should yield to pressure, soft but hold shape still. If too firm, cook a few minutes more. Sauce must thicken and coat tomatoes like syrup. When you see bubbles forming thickly around tomatoes and skin weakening, ready to remove heat. Remove garlic chunks or leave for rustic texture. Leftover infused oil useful for bread or veggies; store in fridge but use soon.
- 💡 Don’t rush simmer. Medium-low heat, slow cook. Fast boiling ruins soft texture, bursts tomatoes. Use heavy skillet for even heat distribution, avoids hot spots. Cover loosely to trap steam, let evaporation happen but not too fast. Overcrowding pan is good here, helps steam effect instead of frying; juicy confit not frying char. Serve warm and straight away as reheating can make tomatoes mushy quickly.
Common questions
Why no vinegar used?
Lemon juice replaces vinegar. Softer acidity, less harsh. Adds brightness without sharp edge. Vinegar changes feel, tougher skin sometimes. Lemon suits gentle simmer better.
Can honey replace maple syrup?
Yes but maple adds earthiness, less cloying sweetness. Honey works fine but cooks thicker sauce, sweeter taste. Adjust quantity down if honey. Both sweeteners break acid bite.
Tomatoes burst too soon, what to do?
Lower heat. Patience key. Check pan temp; don’t let oil fry hard. Too hot cooks too fast, skin pops early. Use medium-low, cover loosely, crowd pan to slow steam. If dry, add splash water but no drown.
How to store leftovers?
Tomato confit best fresh but oil can keep few days in fridge. Store in airtight container. Reheat gently or use cold oil for dressing salads or bread. Don’t freeze; tomato softens too much, texture lost.
