Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

I’ve been making these Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes on repeat and for good reason. I actually just recently blogged about them in my macaroni and cheese recipe but I thought I would include a more detailed post with nicer pictures that focus specifically on the tomatoes. Once summer hits, I love roasting tomatoes and tossing them into salads, stirring into pasta dishes (hot or cold) or using as a side dish. Tomatoes on their own are great, but when tossed in a mixture of good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, chopped basil and garlic they take on a whole new flavor profile that is out of this world. It’s one of my favorite ways to eat these ruby red vegetables this time of year.

This isn’t a specific recipe per say, more a method so feel free to adjust to your liking. I typically roast my tomatoes on a baking sheet, but the key in this case is parchment paper. When all the edges are folded up so that no liquid can escape onto the actual sheet pan, it leaves you with a little bit of a sauce that I can only describe as liquid gold. I could literally lick the parchment paper it’s that good.

If you can find them (and Trader Joe’s has them this time of year, as does Target coincidentally), San Marzano tomatoes are best. But really, any small tomato will work. This is also a great technique for plum tomatoes in the winter when they aren’t looking too hot. This adds so much flavor to an otherwise bland winter tomato.

Ingredients: 

• One to one-and-a-half containers San Marzano tomatoes (or any other tomatoes you have on hand)
• Good quality extra-virgin olive oil
• Good quality balsamic vinegar
• 2-3 LARGE cloves garlic sliced into thick chunks
• Basil (as little or as much as you like) – I typically do about 5 large leaves, rolled up and sliced super thin
• 1/2 – 3/4 tsp good quality sea salt (sea salt is key in this recipe)

This is the general method which couldn’t be easier. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Fold up all edges so no liquid is able to escape. Slice tomatoes in half or quarters (depending on their size). Set aside. Slice garlic and basil. Place sliced tomatoes, chopped basil and garlic onto the parchment paper. Add a liberal amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the amount of tomatoes you have. Lastly, add the sea salt.

Give all the ingredients a good turn (using your hands is best) and spread tomatoes evenly onto the parchment paper.

Place tomatoes in the oven for about 25-35 minutes. I typically check at the 20 minute mark, give everything a good stir and then set my timer for 5-10 more minutes depending on how “done” they look. You want the tomatoes to gain some color and some browned bits. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool (if adding to salads or a cold pasta dish) or scoop out into your favorite hot pasta dish. I made these last week as a topping for a pesto zoodle dish I whipped up and they were the perfect compliment to the flavors already in the dish.

Also, that liquid on the sheet pan? Feel free to scoop that up, eat it by the spoonful or drizzle over salads (like I did last night) and/or your pasta dish. It’s so jam-packed full of flavor it’s crazy. Happy summer and happy tomato eating!