Roasted grape tomatoes are so delicious and easy to make. Use them in salads, pasta dishes or serve them as a side dish or appetizer. You can also use them in place of fresh tomatoes in your favorite recipes.

overhead photo of roasted tomatoes on a sheet pan

It’s hardly a recipe but totally worth sharing because the second best thing to summer-fresh garden tomatoes are roasted tomatoes. It’s what I do with run-of-the-mill grocery store grape tomatoes as I impatiently wait for local in-season ones to make their appearance.

And roasted grape tomatoes couldn’t be easier to do – three ingredients and a sheet pan are all you need. You’ll also need some patience because I’ve learned slow-roasted grape tomatoes- that is, ones roasted at a lower temperature for longer – are the best. They’re like candy when they come out of the oven and perfect for salads, pasta, sauces, salsas, pizza or as a little snack just as they are.

This “recipe” is specifically for grape tomatoes as different bigger varieties may need longer roasting time and/or adjusted oven temperature. Although, you can use cherry tomatoes since they are about the same size.

Ingredients

2 pints of grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

I don’t add herbs or other seasonings so they can be used in a variety of ways. Keeping them simple keeps them versatile depending on how you want to use them later.

photo collage of raw tomatoes and roasted tomaotes

How to Roast Grape Tomatoes

It’s so, so easy:

Preheat your oven to 250°F.
Spread the tomatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Drizzle the oil over the top of them and sprinkle them with salt. Stir them around the pan so they are evenly coated.
Roast them for up to two hours or until the skins break and they are softened.

The roasting time is an estimate and it’s more important to check on them periodically as it could take more or less time depending on your oven.

I like to pull them out while they’re still soft and the skins are broken. The juices will have thickened at this point. You can leave them in longer until the juices have almost evaporated, but they will be chewier. I prefer them soft and juicy.

I’d like to say it’s magical what happens to them in those two hours, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. As they roast, their natural sweetness emerges as the juices reduce and concentrate. Doing this slowly allows that sweetness to really develop – I don’t get that same result when I roast them at a higher temperature. So, time and low heat are our friends here and I can promise you it’s worth the wait.

Use these sweet roasted grape tomatoes like you would fresh ones – I think you will love them.

Happy roasting!

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overhead photo of a container of tomatoes

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