Oven roasting sweet cherry tomatoes is a great way to create an impressive side dish with very little effort. The roasting intensifies the natural sweetness and adds a touch of smokey caramelisation, making these little gems a perfect addition to (or hero of) any brunch dish.
There’s a distinct possibility I’ve ordered brunch in the past entirely off the sides section of a menu. As much as I tend to love the creative combinations that appear at cafes I often arrive craving specific items — and when a preexisting dish or a dish plus one side doesn’t quite cut it, I’ll occasionally DIY my own combo.
Now this doesn’t always work for budget reasons, and some cafes don’t have a single side to be seen, but when the stars align you’ll happily find us feasting on a side of pancakes + a waffle + poached eggs + sauteed mushrooms + roasted tomato + pumpkin + avocado + etc etc etc. You get the idea! (FYI America is ace for these kinds of feasts).
You can quite obviously serve these tomatoes along side of pretty much anything, but integrating them into your meals can add something special with very little effort.
FIVE WAYS TO USE OVEN ROASTED TOMATOES
- Fill an omelette or top scrambled eggs with the roasted tomatoes for a burst of flavour
- Spoon tomatoes and pan juices over chicken thighs in the last 5 minutes of cooking the chicken to add depth
- Toss through salad just before serving — or gently crush and use instead of dressing
- Combine with pasta and canned tuna or sardines for a quick and easy meal
- Top slices of baguette with cheese (pretty much any cheese), a few oven roasted tomatoes, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs to create a quick apertivo nibble
Oven roasted tomatoes are one of those easy pleasures that are stunningly simple to prepare at home, and while you will see them appear here shortly on a fully formed dish, in order to use them anywhere you first need to make them. Good thing there’s a recipe — including a hot weather stove-top hack — below.
Let us know if you make the recipe! Leave us a comment below, and if you share a photo on Instagram or Facebook don’t forget to tag us @thenwebrunch and #thenwebrunch. Happy brunching!
Oven roasting tomatoes is a great no-fuss way to create an impressive side dish with very little effort. Of course if you want to serve these babies as the main event that's totally cool with us. (Make sure to check out the alternative stove-top version in the Notes section too!)
- 1 kg cherry tomatoes (2.2 lb)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp each, sea salt & cracked pepper
- 1 tsp rosemary leaves
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Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a rimmed oven tray with baking paper.
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Tip tomatoes onto tray. Drizzle over oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary, toss to combine.
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Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring once half way through, until tomatoes have begun to collapse.
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To serve, spoon tomatoes and pan juices over anything you wish or use our tips above. Store leftovers in a sterilised jar in the fridge for up to a week.
- Alternative stove-top method: If it's crazy hot outside or if I'm making brunch for two instead of ten it's often easier to keep the oven off. In this case, add the ingredients to a skillet over medium-high heat and toss for 5 - 10 minutes until tomatoes have started to burst. Remember to keep them moving regularly though so you don't end up with any burned spots!
- For extra caramelised bits crank the oven up to 220°C (430°F) or even a bit higher, but keep a close eye on things to make sure they don't burn.
NATURALLY: GLUTEN FREE ♥ DAIRY FREE ♥ ADDED SUGAR FREE ♥ SOY FREE ♥ EGG FREE ♥ NUT FREE
