Oven Roasted Tomatoes: The Precursor to Every Great Tomato Dish

Before there is salsa, there are oven roasted tomatoes. I have found this to be a fabulous way to start the preservation process this summer, buying me a few extra days between roasting and processing. Plus, the process of slow roasting tomatoes brings out the flavor and sweetness and adds so much depth to whatever tomato dish you’re making.

These are the base ingredient for my salsa, as well as for canning tomatoes. I oven roast them first. My canned salsa has a marked sweetness to it, and we have concluded it’s from this roasting process.

While I do freeze whole tomatoes in a pinch, taking the time to oven roast and skin them has become the norm and that is how I have prepared almost all of our tomatoes this year.

A serrated knife is a must-have in our kitchen, especially for slicing tomatoes. Click here to pick up the same one we’ve used for over 20 years and going. It’s a Henckel 5” utility serrated knife. Our handle happened to melt in the oven a few years ago, so my crafty husband made a new handle for it.

I like to maximize productivity and energy usage and try to fill at least two trays at a time when oven roasting, three if we are in height of the season and I’m ready to make salsa or can some tomatoes.

Instructions

• Adjust your oven so you can fit 2-3 baking sheets evenly inside.
• Preheat oven to 375 convection roast. If your oven doesn’t have convection roast or a roast setting, set it to 325 bake.

• Using ripe roma, plum, or paste tomatoes, cut off the top of the tomato and then cut in half lengthwise. You could even use this method for cherry tomatoes, too. Use what you have!
• Place tomatoes cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

• Fill the tray with tomatoes, repeat as needed, and put all the trays into a hot oven.
• Time in oven will vary — the type of tomatoes, whether you’re roasting, convection roasting, or baking, and how many trays you place in the oven. You want the skins to be wrinkled as noted in the above photos, and even slightly browned. The sheet should have juices in it. Generally this will take between 40-60 minutes, but as short as 30 minutes if you convection roast at 375 (longer for baking at lower temps).
• Note: You can roast them at a lower temp, but it’s takes more time. I’ve switched from low and slow to hotter and faster.

• Let them cool to the touch and then lift off the skin if using for salsa.
• Store in an airtight glass container in your refrigerator for up to 7 days, process into a canned good, or for later consumption consider freezing in glass jars or freezer bags. Note: If using your roasted tomatoes for a simple oven roasted pasta or pizza sauce (which I highly recommend doing with just a dash of salt and perhaps a little garlic), don’t bother with skinning them. Instead, use the entire tomato and simply puree in a Vitamix or blender. The skins will get pureed and there is zero food to compost. Good food made easy, literally.

From our kitchen to yours,

Buen provecho!