Roasted tomatoes, shallots, and garlic is your secret ingredient for dips, sauces, spreads, and more! This simple recipe will be the flavor fuel you’ll love adding to other dishes for that “something special” that couldn’t be easier.
There’s something magical that happens when you roast tomatoes, shallots, and garlic together—sweetness deepens, acidity softens, and the flavors concentrate into a jammy, savory mixture that instantly elevates any dish.
This trio is a kitchen workhorse. Once you pull a batch of these char-roasted beauties from your oven, you’re ready to upgrade pasta sauces, grain bowls, sandwich spreads, or dips. The ingredient list is extremely short, so it’s essential to use the sweetest, ripest tomatoes available.
Roast and Char for Deep, Rich Flavor
We first fell in love with the concentrated flavor of roasted tomatoes when we created our Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce recipe. They taste similar to sun-dried tomatoes, but are simple to make in the oven. As long as the tomato mixture is submerged in oil, you can store the roasted medley in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze for up to 3 months.
Pro Tip for Beginners: Don’t crowd the ingredients on the pan; otherwise, they steam without browning. And if your garlic starts to brown early, tuck it under a tomato to protect it while the rest finishes roasting.
Recipe Step by Step
- Heat the oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic with the oil, dry herbs, half the salt, and pepper to coat.
- Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined pan and roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and the shallots are soft and browned in spots.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes if using right away. Otherwise, cool completely and transfer to an airtight container, and cover with additional oil to refrigerate until ready to use.
Storage Pro Tip: Make a double batch and freeze half in ice cube trays to pop into recipes as needed.
How to Use This Savory Condiment or Garnish:
- Quick pasta sauces – swirl into hot noodles with a bit of pasta water and Parmesan
- Scrambled eggs or frittatas – stir into eggs before cooking
- Soup bases – mash with a fork and stir into chunky soups like this Sausage & Split Pea Stew or puree into creamy soups like our Butternut Squash Bisque
- Sandwiches or wraps – chop and spread it on bread or tortillas like mayonnaise, or dip into it with crusty artisan bread
- Grain bowls or roasted veggies – use as a topping or Mince and stir into Ranch Dressing for an added twist
- Garnish dips like Savory Whipped Ricotta & Feta Dip, or Easy Homemade Hummus
- Mix with goat cheese to create a stuffing for chicken
- Flatbreads or pizza – blend with pizza sauce or layer under cheese on pizzas
- Cheese boards – serve as a savory-sweet condiment with a Charcuterie board
- Substitute in any recipe that calls for sun-dried tomatoes
Roasted Tomato and Shallot Garnish
Ingredients
- 1 pint grape tomatoes (10-12 ounces), halved
- 1/3 cup shallot (2 small) sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dry Italian herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic with the oil, dry herbs, the salt, and pepper to coat.
- Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined pan and roast for 20 minutes until the tomatoes are blistered and the shallots are soft and browned in spots. Remove from the oven and cool.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes if using right away. Otherwise, cool completely and transfer to an airtight container, and cover with additional oil to refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Quick pasta sauces – mash into hot noodles with a bit of pasta water and Parmesan
- Scrambled eggs or frittatas – stir into eggs before cooking
- Soup bases – mash with a fork and stir into chunky soups like this Sausage & Split Pea Stew or puree into creamy soups like our Butternut Squash Bisque
- Sandwiches or wraps – chop and spread it on bread or tortillas like mayonnaise
- Grain bowls or roasted veggies – use as a topping or Mince and stir into Ranch Dressing for an added twist
- Garnish dips like Savory Whipped Ricotta & Feta Dip, or Easy Homemade Hummus
- Mix with goat cheese to create a stuffing for chicken
- Flatbreads or pizza – blend with pizza sauce or layer under cheese on pizzas
- Cheese boards – serve as a savory-sweet condiment with a Charcuterie board
- Substitute in any recipe that calls for sun-dried tomatoes
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I love roasted tomatoes as a condiment on sandwiches and as a topping on bruschetta.
Judy Purcell says
Oh, me too! Bruschetta and a glass of wine is always a win. 🙂