Sweet and savory Blistered Tomatoes are an easy way to add a gourmet touch to just about any breakfast, lunch, or dinner in less than 10 minutes. Cooked with garlic and tossed with basil, these tomatoes are gorgeously charred on the outside, yet bright and intensely flavored on the inside.
This recipe works for cherry or grape tomatoes, all you need is 10 minutes and 5 ingredients! It's the perfect way to amp up an appetizer or savory breakfast dish and use up those extra tomatoes from your summer garden while you're at it. This recipe is quick, easy, and 100% worth it.
I recommend serving these tomatoes alongside our favorite dishes like Cast Iron Filets, Roasted Salmon, and our Shrimp Pesto Pasta! These would also be delicious on top of a crostini smeared with ricotta or goat cheese. My mouth waters just writing it!
BLISTERED TOMATOES INGREDIENTS
- Tomatoes | This recipe works for both cherry and grape tomatoes!
- Oil | For flavor purposes, this recipe calls for olive oil, but feel free to use avocado oil or canola oil if it is what you have on hand
- Garlic | Fresh chopped garlic takes these blistered tomatoes to a next-level kind of deliciousness.
- Basil | This ingredient is optional, but tomatoes and herbs go hand in hand! A quick chop of basil, or even tarragon, thyme, or oregano, would be an excellent and flavorful addition to your blistered tomatoes!
HOW TO MAKE BLISTERED TOMATOES
Blistering cherry tomatoes may seem intimidating and a little on the gourmet side, but be assured, it's crazy easy to do. In fact, of all the tomato recipes out there, Blistered Tomatoes is amongst the easiest.
- Heat the oil
- Add the tomatoes and let them sit, undisturbed, for 1 minute.
- Stir gently for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Season with salt, pepper, and basil (if desired).
1. HEAT THE OIL
The first thing you need to do is place a skillet over medium-high heat.
For this recipe, you want to be sure you are using a large skillet, at least 10" in diameter, so your tomatoes have room to move and aren't crammed together. If the tomatoes are too close, the heat from the pan will create steam, and steamy tomatoes can't blister!
In addition to the pan being large, if you're a novice cook, you might find a nonstick pan helpful for making Blistered Tomatoes as well.
Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and allow the oil to come to temperature. As tempting as it may be to throw those tomatoes right in behind the oil, if you want your tomatoes to actually blister, you'll want to be sure the oil is hot before the tomatoes go in! Give the oil at least a minute or two in the pan to warm up and I promise your Blistered Tomatoes will be better for it.
2. ADD THE TOMATOES
Once the oil is ready, add the tomatoes and allow them to sit for about two minutes, untouched, no stirring! Blistered Tomatoes are literally so easy to make, but do require a little self-control during this step! Let them do their thing.
3. GENTLY STIR
Then, give the pan a gentle shimmy or stir, and cook for another 2-3 minutes more.
4. ADD THE GARLIC
Then, add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
5. SEASON AND COOL
Turn off the heat, add the chopped basil, stir, and set aside to cool for about five minutes. If you'd like to dress up your Blistered Tomatoes, you can add a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or my personal favorite, a balsamic glaze.
6 MORE TOMATO RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Quick Pomodoro Sauce
- Green Beans with Tomatoes
- Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Creamy Tomato Soup
- Shrimp and Tomato Salad
Quick Pomodoro Sauce Recipe
Sun-Dried Tomato Spread with Bacon
Green Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon
Easy Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe
Creamy Tomato Soup | Recipe
Shrimp and Tomato Salad
Bright and beautiful Blistered Tomatoes are a super easy way to add color and flavor to just about any dish!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped basil (optional)
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Add the olive oil to a large fry pan over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature.
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Once the oil is hot, pour in the tomatoes and allow to sit 3 minutes, untouched. Shimmy the pan or delicately stir every so often for about more 2 minutes.
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Add the chopped garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for about 1 minute more.
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Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil. Stir and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
