Blistered Tomatoes
This recipe for easy Blistered Tomatoes is a simple way to bring out all of the best flavors of cherry or grape tomatoes! Shallots, garlic, and basil are added at the end to bring everything together for this simple, fresh dish.
“This was soooo good. Hands down, the best recipe for cherry tomatoes! Delivered umami with every bite. This cooks quickly, too. Nobody’s recipe for cherry tomatoes is like this. I highly recommend. I cooked this for myself with some fried raviolis from Trader Joe’s.”
—Precious
Blistered Cherry Tomatoes Are An Easy Win That Tastes Incredible
WE are on board whenever we can incorporate more fresh flavors into my recipes. When we can do that in just 10 minutes? Say less.
Blistered tomatoes are an easy and delicious way to prepare grape and cherry tomatoes. Just like roasted grapes, they can be eaten on their own or incorporated into a variety of dishes.
We use them in salads and as a topping for pizzas, among other things. They are versatile, keep for quite a while on the counter, and add great flavor and color to your meals.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Blistered Tomato
- This recipe is so fast! In just 10 minutes you have an incredible side dish or pasta sauce that everyone will love.
- There are so many fresh flavors in one simple recipe. The caramelization of the tomatoes adds such depth to the whole dish.
Blistered Tomatoes Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- tomatoes – this recipe uses 2 pints (4 cups) of cherry and/or grape tomatoes, but you can adjust for however many tomatoes you want to cook. Don’t crowd the pan too much, though. It’ll prevent that browning that adds so much flavor.
- olive oil – We like the flavor that olive oil adds to blistered cherry tomatoes, which is why we use it instead of vegetable or canola oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the best option for this dish.
- garlic – use fresh garlic for the best results. The pre-chopped garlic just doesn’t have the same effect. Slice it nice and thin.
- shallot – one large shallot, thinly sliced, adds a savory note that contrasts with the sweetness of the tomatoes.
- lemon juice – a little bit of fresh lemon juice adds brightness to the tomatoes. Don’t sub in bottled lemon juice if you can help it.
- salt and pepper – season to taste, and use freshly ground salt and pepper whenever possible.
- basil – this is such an easy herb to grow in your garden. We love the green freshness that the chopped fresh basil adds to this dish.
How To Make Blistered Tomatoes
1. PREHEAT THE OIL IN THE PAN. Put a large cast iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Let it get nice and hot before you add the tomatoes.
2. ADD TOMATOES. Add the tomatoes to the pre-heated pan and let them cook for two minutes without touching them.
3. STIR. Give the tomatoes a stir and let them cook for another minute undisturbed.
4. ADD SHALLOTS AND GARLIC. Add in the sliced garlic and minced shallots and stir. Let cook for about 30 seconds, until they are fragrant. Be very careful not to let the garlic burn.
5. REMOVE. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice and the basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Blistered Tomatoes Home Chef Tips
- Less stirring is critical to achieve a nice brownness. Allow the tomatoes to cook completely undisturbed for 2 minutes after you first add them to the skillet, then just briefly stir them. Then, let them cook another minute without disturbing them during that time.
- Watch the garlic very carefully after you add it to the skillet, as nothing is worse than burnt garlic. If it starts browning too quickly, immediately pull the skillet off the heat and consider it finished.
- The cooking process can get smokey. If you don’t want to hear your smoke detector beeping at you, we recommend turning the fan on high and opening a kitchen window before you begin. Or better yet, if your grill has a side burner, cook the blistered tomatoes outside.
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How To Serve Blistered Tomatoes
We make blistered tomatoes so often in the summer that we feel like we’ve served them just about every which way.
While our family enjoys sautéed tomatoes as a side dish all on their own, we also love them spooned over a grilled flat iron steak. They’re a great addition to pesto chicken pizza.
Blistered cherry tomatoes are also amazing served with toasted bread, either alongside some baked lemon ricotta cheese or as part of a pizza crostini bar. Or, slather your crostini in a bit of roasted garlic dip and then top with the tomatoes.
We also love blistering cherry tomatoes and tossing them with pasta dressed with olive oil and garlic or added to lemon caper pasta or salmon pasta. If you’re going to serve with pasta, make sure to reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the pasta water to mix into the pasta and sauce at the end. It helps bring everything together.
What Kind Of Skillet Should I Use For Blistered Cherry Tomatoes?
If you have a cast iron skillet, making blistered tomatoes is absolutely the time to break it out. The even, intense heat blisters the tomatoes so well.
If you’re new to cast iron cooking, be sure to brush up on how to clean and care for cast iron cookware after you’re done making sautéed tomatoes.
But if you don’t have cast iron, no worries at all. A large, heavy stainless steel skillet will also work quite well for blistering tomatoes.
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Blistered Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 large shallot thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat oil in large cast iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and allow them to cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes or until they start to blister.
- Stir once and allow to cook, undisturbed, for 1 more minute.
- Stir in garlic and shallot and cook for 30 seconds or just until fragrant, stirring constantly and being careful not to let garlic burn.
- Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with basil.
Notes
- Less stirring is critical to achieve a nice brownness. Allow the tomatoes to cook completely undisturbed for 2 minutes after you first add them to the skillet, then just briefly stir them. Then, let them cook another minute without disturbing them during that time.
- Watch the garlic very carefully after you add it to the skillet, as nothing is worse than burnt garlic. If it starts browning too quickly, just immediately pull the skillet off the heat and consider it finished.
Hands down, the best recipe for cherry tomatoes! This cooks quickly, too! I had too much olive oil, but it still came out good. I used half of what you have listed since I cooked this for myself with some fried raviolis from Trader Joe’s.
Yum, I love the idea of making this with fried raviolis! Thanks for stopping by, Precious!