These quick roasted tomatoes are tossed with garlic, thyme, sumac, and Aleppo pepper, then roasted at high heat for a bold vegetarian side in about 40 minutes.
Quick Roasted Tomatoes, the Mediterranean Way
There is no truly Mediterranean kitchen that doesn’t use tomatoes often. Fresh, canned, stewed, or roasted, they are central to the way I cook.
As a daughter of the Mediterranean, I just can’t help but love tomatoes. When they’re perfectly ripe, I’ll make a summery panzanella salad or Mediterranean tomato salad. Sometimes, all they need is a little kosher salt and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
Roasting is my answer when tomatoes need a little help, especially outside of summer. The heat concentrates their juices and coaxes out their sweetness, so even dull winter tomatoes become tender and intensely flavorful.
I admire the low-and-slow method, which can take hours and gives you chewy, almost candy-like tomatoes. But most days, I want them sooner! This quick version roasts at 450°F and is ready in about 40 minutes, including prep, without drying the tomatoes out.
Ingredients for Roasted Tomatoes
The ingredient list is short, but every element plays a role. You’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Smaller tomatoes: Campari tomatoes are my personal favorite for roasting because they are inherently sweet. Roma and plum tomatoes also work well. Halve the tomatoes, or quarter them if they are on the larger side.
- Garlic: Minced garlic adds a savory edge that balances the tomatoes’ concentrated sweetness.
- Fresh thyme: Remove the leaves from the stems before adding them. Thyme gives the tomatoes a fresh, earthy aroma as they roast.
- Sumac: This deep red Mediterranean spice has a bright, tangy flavor, similar to lemon. It brings welcome acidity without adding more liquid to the pan.
- Aleppo pepper: I use Aleppo pepper for gentle heat. It is milder than typical red pepper flakes, so it won’t overpower the tomatoes.
- Extra virgin olive oil: A generous drizzle coats the tomatoes and carries all those Mediterranean flavor-makers. I use Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: These bring the other flavors into focus.
- Feta cheese: Optional, but I love the salty, creamy bite it adds when I’m serving the tomatoes right away. Leave it off if you plan to store them.
Best Tomatoes for Roasting
You can roast almost any variety of tomato, although I typically avoid very large beefsteak tomatoes for this quick method. Smaller varieties cook more evenly and are easy to arrange in a single layer.
- Campari tomatoes: These are my personal favorite because they are naturally sweet. Simply cut them in half.
- Roma or plum tomatoes: Halve them lengthwise. If they are especially large, cut them into quarters.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: You can leave these small tomatoes whole, if you prefer. The recipe card also includes the option to reduce the oven temperature to 400°F when using them.
How to Roast Tomatoes in the Oven
This high-heat method takes only a few minutes of hands-on work. Using a mixing bowl makes it easier to coat every tomato evenly before they go into the oven.
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Halve the tomatoes, or quarter them if they are larger.
- Season the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to a large mixing bowl with the minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, sumac, and Aleppo pepper. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and toss until the tomatoes are well coated.
- Arrange on the pan. Transfer the tomatoes to a large, rimmed sheet pan. Spread them in a single layer with the flesh facing up. Do not line the pan with parchment paper—the tomatoes need direct contact with the hot pan.
- Roast. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tomatoes have collapsed and reached your desired tenderness.
- Finish and serve. Add a few fresh thyme leaves and, if you like, a sprinkle of crumbled feta. Serve the roasted tomatoes warm or at room temperature.
Tips for the Best Roasted Tomatoes
- Coat them in a bowl. Tossing the tomatoes with the olive oil and seasonings in a large bowl gives you more leverage and helps everything coat evenly.
- Give them room. Arrange the tomatoes in one layer so they roast evenly. If you double or triple the recipe, they may need a little longer in the oven.
- Keep the cut sides up. This allows the tomatoes to soften and concentrate without losing all their juices onto the pan.
- Use the hot pan. Skip the parchment paper so the tomatoes have direct contact with the sheet pan.
- Watch for tenderness, not just the clock. Tomato variety, size, and ripeness can affect the cooking time. They are ready when they have collapsed and become very tender.
- Wait to add the feta. Garnish with feta only if you plan to serve the tomatoes soon. Leave it off if you are making them ahead or storing leftovers.
What to Do with Roasted Tomatoes
Serve these roasted tomatoes warm or at room temperature as a side dish, appetizer, or flavor-maker for an easy meal. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use them:
- Serve them as a side. Spoon a little basil pesto over the tomatoes or finish them with a sprinkle of dukkah.
- Pile them onto toast. Spoon the tomatoes and their juices over toasted bread or crostini, then finish with feta and fresh thyme. Think of it as an easy twist on tomato bruschetta.
- Toss them with pasta. Stir them into warm pasta with a drizzle of olive oil, or use them to add even more tomato flavor to pesto pasta with mozzarella.
- Add them to soup or sauce. Blend them into tomato basil soup or stir them into homemade spaghetti sauce.
- Make a quick appetizer. Serve the tomatoes with homemade pita chips or crusty bread for scooping up all those garlicky juices.
- Jazz up breakfast or lunch. Spoon them over an omelet or tuck them into a sandwich with feta or goat cheese.
Make Ahead and Storage
If you are making the roasted tomatoes ahead, leave off the feta and add it just before serving.
- Refrigerate: Allow the tomatoes to cool, but refrigerate them within 2 hours. Transfer the tomatoes and their juices to a tightly sealed jar or container and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
- Freeze: Transfer the cooled tomatoes to freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before using.
I love roasting several batches of summer tomatoes and freezing them to bring a little sunshine to soups, sauces, and pasta during the winter months!
More Tomato Recipes to Try
Quick Oven Roasted Tomatoes
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Equipment
- Large sheet pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds smaller tomatoes, halved
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Crumbled feta cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Season the tomatoes. Place the tomato halves in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, sumac, and Aleppo pepper. Drizzle with 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat, adding more if needed.
- Arrange on the pan. Transfer the tomatoes to a rimmed sheet pan. Spread them in a single layer with the flesh facing up. Do not line the pan with parchment paper.
- Roast. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tomatoes have collapsed and reached your desired tenderness.
- Finish and serve. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. If you plan to serve them soon, garnish with more fresh thyme and crumbled feta. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
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Notes
- Tomato options: You can use another tomato variety in this recipe. I typically avoid very large beefsteak tomatoes, but Roma, plum, Campari, and smaller vine-ripened tomatoes all work well. Cut them into halves or quarters, depending on their size. You can leave cherry or grape tomatoes whole or reduce the oven temperature to 400°F when using them.
- Make extra: You can double or triple this recipe if you plan to store the roasted tomatoes. They may need a little longer in the oven, so watch for them to become very tender and begin releasing their juices.
- Storage: If you plan to store the tomatoes, do not add the feta. Refrigerate the cooled tomatoes and their juices in a tightly sealed jar or container within 2 hours and use within 3 to 5 days.
- To freeze: Transfer the cooled tomatoes to freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Aleppo pepper substitute: If you do not have Aleppo pepper, you can use another dried chili pepper flake. Keep in mind that Aleppo pepper is milder than typical red pepper flakes.
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the sumac, Aleppo pepper, and Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil used in this recipe.
Nutrition
Exotic 4-Pack
Bring the vibrant seasonings of the Mediterranean to your kitchen with Sumac, Aleppo pepper, Ras el Hanout, and Baharat.
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2015 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit
Making roasted tomatoes from my garden as I type this
I’m so jealous! I’m still waiting on my fresh tomatoes! Nothing like ’em!
I’ll let you know after I make them. Sounds 😋 though. They’re on my evening agenda…
Hi! Do you peel the tomatoes before storing?
Hi, Gabriela. There’s no need to peel the tomatoes for this one. Enjoy!
I’ll let you know after I make them. Sounds 😋 though. They’re on my evening agenda…
I had large Roma tomatoes that were going to be too soft for salad, so I cut them in half and used your recipe, substituting za atar seasoning as I did not have sumac. I let them roast a bit too long, but they are delicious. I served them on rosemary boule bread, with sliced avocado and feta.
Beautiful, perfect. Took a little less time in my oven but these were excellent.
I should have used less than a quarter cup of oil, and I think 450 degrees is too high, because the oil burned in about 20 minutes, filling my kitchen in smoke. I may try the recipe again, but at 425 and less oil.
Fresh and delicious, thanks!
Delicious and fresh – thanks!
We made this recipe, exactly as is, but with Big Mama (sauce) tomatoes. So delicious like all your recipes.
Just want to know how to make a new idea for baking tomatoes
Very good and easy to follow..I changed the spices ..omitted sumac and thyme..
added dried oregano..using for pasta sauce this time
I have an abundance of tomatoes this year and this recipe is perfect, thank you
This recipe is INCREDIBLE. I made a double batch (thank goodness) and four pounds of garden tomatoes were gone in less than 24 hours. This recipe is at the perfect intersection of quick and fabulous, it’s incredibly easy for how delicious it is. I subbed thyme for oregano – my thyme is struggling this year, but my oregano is on fire. I also left out the feta only because I didn’t have any – I think this would be even more incredible with feta. This is going into the summer rotation in a big way. THANK YOU!
I followed the recipe exactly, 450°F for 30 minutes. I should have checked them but I was “trusting the process” and unfortunately that left me with completely burnt tomatoes:(
Hello! So sorry this one didn’t work out for you. Ovens can vary quite a bit, so it is pretty important to check on your you are cooking every now and, rather than relying on just the time.. especially if this is your first time making a recipe.
I have frozen whole tomatoes in the freezer from last year. I had planned to make sauce with them, but have yet to get it done. I have a new batch of tomatoes plants (this years garden) that I will be picking soon. Would the frozen (whole) tomatoes do well with this roasting technique or do you have another idea (other than spaghetti sauce) that I could consider? I am going to need the freezer space soon.
Hi, Cyndie. I don’t think I’d recommend frozen tomatoes for this recipe, unless you wanted to use them for sauce. They’ll be a bit mushy will not have the same texture as fresh tomatoes. Another idea, besides sauces, would be to use your frozen tomatoes in soups.
I have an abundance of tomatoes – all types – from my garden. I often make this using cherry, grape, plum and whatever other tomatoes I have on hand along with fresh thyme and rosemary from the garden. I cut the larger tomatoes into wedges so that everything is about the same size. I serve with crusty bread, as a side dish or just have any that’s leftover on its own for lunch the next day.