Sticky Sweet Slow Roasted Tomatoes
Yes, we may be back again with some more tomatoes to throw at you! It may seem like we can’t get enough but these suckers are just so yummy and filled with so many benefits, for both beauty and health! No seriously, check out our tomato health and beauty benefits post to learn more on why we’re so obsessed with this versatile fruit!
What makes these slow oven roasted tomatoes to oven roasted tomatoes?
Well as the name suggests, you get tomatoes with a super sweet sticky result. Instead of the oven roasted cherry tomatoes you make, by chucking in the oven for a quick burst of heat, we make these by really taking time to draw out the natural sweetness. So be prepared to make these a lot earlier than when you wish to delve into them!
What makes these slow oven roasted tomatoes to sun dried tomatoes?
Funny enough, these actually remind us of sun dried tomatoes in a way, just not as chewy. Still jam packed with flavour though, we might actually prefer these?
For those of you not a fan of sun dried tomatoes, fret not as these aren’t exact replicas. Mainly these provide a kick of sweetness without being too overpowering in which you may find in sun dried tomatoes. not as tangy, not as oily and for sure a cheaper alternative than those jars of sun dried tomatoes you buy in the store!
Oven Sun-dried Tomatoes
If you did want to get more of that chewy sundried texture in your tomatoes, you’ll have to focus more on dehydrating the fruit as opposed to just cooking them for longer on a slow heat. You’re probably thinking, what are they on about? Didn’t they just say the same thing?
Well, you can see it that way, but we’re going to be pedantic about things here. Drying vs cooking is the difference here. The drying process slowly removes moisture while retaining nutrients and flavor, whilst the cooking process .. well you know what cooking or roasting foods is!
If you did want to try going for a more dehydrated tomato for an at home sundried version or wanted a healthier snack to pick at, we’ve given some top line tips on how you can make home oven dried tomatoes below!
Tips for drying tomatoes in the oven
- Oven temperature. Place your oven on the lowest heat setting it can go. Ours can go down to 50 degrees fan on its lowest temperature.
- Oven tray rack. If you have an oven tray with a rack, this is helpful as it helps the warm air circulate around the whole fruit, creating an even drying process. This also can speed up the process making it less manual as you won’t have to continuously turn the fruits whilst they are drying out.
- Finished tomatoes. You’ll know when your tomatoes are done when they are very dry but still have a malleable like texture to them.
- Over drying. Be careful to not over dry them: this can happen pretty quickly. So when they’re nearing the end stage of the drying period, keep a close eye out on them. Once they are over dried, the tomatoes form a leathery tough texture that is irreversible.
On the other hand, you can undercook the tomatoes during drying. This isn’t bad necessarily, your result will just be more towards what we’re actually going for in this recipe and not dehydrated. Simples.
How to make slow roasted tomatoes
Making slow oven roasted tomatoes is very easy. Despite the long process, it isn’t hard work. Literally, the majority of the time it’s left alone in the oven. In 4 simple steps, you have your very own slow roasted sticky tomatoes:
- Prep your tomatoes by cutting them length ways.
- Place cut side up. To ensure none of the juicy insides seep out onto the tray. This also stops the tomatoes from sticking to the paper.
- Season your tomatoes with a generous pinch of sea salt. Maldon for the win. And a drizzle of olive oil. Season with anything extra you’d fancy too!
- Roast away!
How to use slow roasted tomatoes
This was initially made to be served with our cheesy polenta bowl. The sweetness of the tomatoes is really needed to offset the richness from the polenta and fat from the cheese.
What’s great about these sticky sweet beauties, because we’ve extracted the majority of moisture out in the oven, we don’t get the oozy wet liquid mess from fresh tomatoes or even normal oven roasted tomatoes. This means they are a super great snack, just to pop in your mouth or on top of some bread as a quick bruschetta of some sorts.
Other ways to enjoy our sweet sticky slow oven roasted tomatoes include:
- A delicious sandwich or on toast with some hummus, greens and a drizzle of balsamic glaze,
- Chuck in a salad for a delicious sweet pop, or why not try our delicious warm tomato salad instead,
- Use in a soup or even a sauce for pasta!
- In our warming cheesy polenta bowl. Use the whole recipe provided below to distribute across your bowls.
Honestly, we think the options can be pretty endless here. It just depends on how creative you can get! Regardless, this is a pretty handy side to have in your arsenal. Just don’t forget this is a dish that needs plenty of time and patience! So let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 5 min |
| Passive Time | 2 hours |
| Servings |
portion
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- 250-300 g baby tomatoes we love San Marzano
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- pinch sea salt
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 100 degrees fan, 250F, 120C.
- Slice your tomatoes in half, lengthways if possible. Prepare your garlic cloves by peeling and gently smashing them with the flat side of your knife.
- Prepare a large pan with a silicone mat or baking paper and place your sliced tomatoes on top. Drizzle your olive oil and pop your smashed garlic cloves on the tomatoes. Gently mix to coat the tomatoes.
- Place all your tomatoes cut side up and if possible, leave as much space between the halved tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Pop in the oven for 2-3 hours, depending on how patient you are, and remove once you reach a shrunken semi dry tomato half.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
