Marinated Tomatoes: My Go-To Recipe for Insane Flavor!

Marinated tomatoes are the answer to those peak summer evenings, especially here in June when the air is warm and you can’t bear the thought of turning on the stove. This recipe is my entire hot-weather mood in a bowl. I discovered it one year when I bought way too many gorgeous little tomatoes from the souk and couldn’t face another boring salad. I just started throwing things in a bowl, hoping for a miracle. And let me tell you, a miracle occurred. What I ended up with were these marinated tomatoes, and they have been my secret weapon ever since. They’re not just food; they’re the taste of sunshine.

Ingredients

Forget exact measurements. This is all about feeling. This is what you’ll need:

• 2 big pints of the best cherry or grape tomatoes you can find. You know the ones, the little jewels that actually smell like a tomato. Just slice ’em in half.
• About 1/4 cup of a really good extra virgin olive oil. Don’t you dare use the cheap stuff for this. This is where the silky, rich flavor lives.
• 2 splashes of balsamic vinegar. This is for that zingy backbone that makes everything pop.
• 3 or 4 fat cloves of garlic, minced into tiny pieces. And I’m being serious, don’t let anyone tell you how much garlic to use. That conversation is between you and your soul.
• A big, generous handful of fresh basil and oregano, chopped. I will know if you use dried herbs. I will feel it in my spirit. Please, for the love of all that is good, use fresh.
• A good, healthy pinch of sea salt and a few twists of black pepper.
• The tiniest pinch of red pepper flakes. This is my secret. It’s not about making it spicy, it’s about making the flavors wake up and dance. Trust me.

Timing

Time? What is time? This recipe runs on its own schedule. It’s ready when it tastes amazing.

• The Effort Part: 10 minutes. The time it takes to chop a few things while listening to a good song.
• The Magic Part: This is the sit-and-wait time. Give it 20 minutes at a bare minimum. An hour is better. If you can let them sit and think about life for a couple of hours in the fridge, you’re a genius.
• Total Time: You’re enjoying these in about half an hour. It’s dangerously fast.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is so simple it feels wrong to even call them ‘instructions’.

Step 1: The Only Hard Part

Okay, deep breath. The “hard” part. Find a bowl you love and toss in your halved tomatoes and all that glorious garlic. That’s it. The manual labor is officially over.

Step 2: Make the Potion

Now, just pour and sprinkle. Drizzle that good olive oil and the balsamic all over everything. Throw in your fresh, beautiful herbs, the salt, the pepper, and your secret-weapon pinch of red pepper flakes.

Step 3: The Gentle Giant Toss

Okay, be cool. Grab a big spoon and gently, lovingly, fold it all together. You’re not trying to win a fight here; you’re just introducing all the ingredients to each other so they can become best friends in the bowl. No squishing.

Step 4: Put Them in Time-Out

This is the most important step. I mean it. Cover the bowl and walk away. They need to marinate. They need to sit and think about how ridiculously delicious they are about to become. Let them chill on the counter for a bit or in the fridge if it’s really warm out. This is when they become marinated tomatoes.

Step 5: The Cook’s Tax

Right before you let anyone else near them, give them one last gentle stir. Now, grab a spoon. This is your moment. The cook’s tax. No one is watching. Taste one. Does it need a tiny bit more salt? A whisper more vinegar? Fix it now. It’s perfect, right? I know.

Recipes You May Like

• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Greek Stuffed Onions
• Vegan Mac and Cheese

Serving Suggestions

Oh my god. Okay. HOW to eat them? Let me count the ways.

• On TOAST. This is non-negotiable. Get a thick slice of good, crusty bread, toast it, rub it with a raw garlic clove, and just heap these on top. The juice that soaks into the bread is everything. EVERYTHING.
• With PASTA. The easiest, most impressive dinner ever. Just boil some pasta and toss it with the entire bowl of tomatoes. It makes its own fresh, summery sauce.
• Next to ANYTHING GRILLED. It’s the perfect, bright, zesty counterpunch to anything smoky from the grill. Chicken, fish, halloumi… you name it.
• With CHEESE. Get a wobbly ball of burrata or some good, fresh mozzarella. Put it on a plate. Surround it with these tomatoes. Cry a little bit because it’s so good.
• As a SALAD. Is it a salad? Is it a side dish? Who cares. Put it in a bowl and eat it with a spoon. It’s that good.

Seriously, This Recipe is a Game-Changer

Listen. If you’re still reading this, it means you’re my kind of person. This isn’t some generic recipe I pulled from thin air. This is my actual, real-life, make-it-all-summer-long secret weapon, and now it’s yours. It’s the answer to “what should I bring?” It’s the answer to “I don’t feel like cooking.” It’s proof that a few simple, good ingredients can be totally transcendent.

So don’t just ‘save’ this recipe. Go to the market. Make the tomatoes. Then come back here and tell me I was right. I’ll wait.

Continue to Content

Yield: 8

marinated tomatoes

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The easiest, most flavor-packed marinated tomatoes ever. A total game-changer for summer sides, pasta, and toast. You have to try this recipe!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 big pints of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• About 1/4 cup of good extra virgin olive oil
• 2 splashes of balsamic vinegar
• 3 or 4 fat cloves of garlic, minced up
• A big handful of fresh basil and oregano, chopped
• A good pinch of sea salt and black pepper
• A tiny pinch of red pepper flakes (optional but awesome)

Instructions

Step 1:

find a bowl you love and toss in your halved tomatoes and all that glorious garlic that's it the manual labor is officially over

Step 2:

now just pour and sprinkle drizzle that good olive oil and the balsamic all over everything throw in your fresh beautiful herbs the salt the pepper and your secret-weapon pinch of red pepper flakes

Step 3:

okay be cool grab a big spoon and gently lovingly fold it all together you're not trying to win a fight here you're just introducing all the ingredients so they can become best friends in the bowl no squishing

Step 4:

this is the most important step i mean it cover the bowl and walk away they need to marinate they need to sit and think about how ridiculously delicious they are about to become

Step 5:

right before you let anyone else near them give them one last gentle stir now grab a spoon this is your moment the cook's tax taste one does it need a little more salt fix it now it’s perfect right i know

Notes

fresh herbs are a must don't even think about using dried

letting them marinate longer is always better an hour is the sweet spot

use the best tomatoes you can find it makes all the difference

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 80Saturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g

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