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    Home » Recipes

    11 Things to do With Your Cherry Tomato Glut

    Published: Oct 14, 2020 · Modified: Nov 30, 2023 by Luay Ghafari | This post may contain affiliate links.

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    If you're like me, you're probably wondering what to do with all those cherry tomatoes your plants keep producing. This guide will show you what I do with my deluge of cherry tomatoes.

    A collage of different cherry tomato recipe photos including roasted tomatoes, tarts and salads.
    Jump to:
    • Bake Them in Focaccia
    • Enjoy Them Fresh in a Salad!
    • Bruschetta and Crostini
    • Bake Them into a Tart!
    • Bake Them in a Galette?
    • Pickle Them!
    • Confit Cherry Tomatoes
    • Roast and Turn Them into Sauce (for preservation)
    • Make jam with them!
    • Freeze Them!
    • Can Them!

    Every year, I harvest over 100lbs of cherry tomatoes! Yes! That was not a typo! Red ones, orange ones, yellow ones and black ones. Round ones, pointy ones, long ones and really small ones.

    The issue of course is that we tend to revert back to the same recipes and preparations which is neither interesting nor appealing. There are so many things we can do with small fruited tomatoes if we think outside the box.

    Bake Them in Focaccia

    One of my favorite ways to enjoy cherry tomatoes is by baking them in focaccia. After transferring my dough to the baking tray and giving it a good dimpling with my fingers, I nestle small tomatoes within the valleys.

    The tomato focaccia will bake up, the cherry tomatoes will concentrate in flavor and the whole thing will just be delicious and comforting. You can use your favorite focaccia recipe for this preparation or use my easy No-Knead Tomato Foacaccia. Add some herbs, olives, good olive oil and you've got yourself a winning dish!

    Slices of tomato focaccia on a wooden cutting board showing the crumb cross section.
    No Knead Tomato Focaccia
    A great recipe for No Knead Tomato Focaccia that is sure to please the pickiest of eaters. This recipe does take some time to prepare (mostly hands-off) but the final baked focaccia will be worth the wait. The base recipe needs just 5 ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now!
    No Knead Tomato Focaccia Recipe!

    Enjoy Them Fresh in a Salad!

    Step up your salad game! I love using cherry tomatoes in fresh salads like my Authentic Fattoush (a Middle Eastern tomato, cucumber, pita and sumac salad). They work really well with burrata, that creamy unctuous Italian cheese. Try my Burrata Caprese.

    Sliced cherry tomatoes, with basil leaves and an open ball of burrata cheese.
    Burrata Caprese
    This Burrata Caprese salad is a feast for the sense and is ready in less than 15 minutes. It combines perfectly ripe, juicy tomatoes with fresh, aromatic basil and creamy, unctuous burrata cheese. It’s a perfect summer salad that you’ll dream about in the middle of winter. Enjoy it with one of our mains or on its own.
    Burrata Caprese Recipe!

    You can use cherry tomatoes in place of standard tomatoes in many salad recipes like my Jerusalem Chopped Salad and Fiesta Salad. They can also be added to Homemade Hummus and Homemade Labneh.

    Bowl of chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs.
    Jerusalem Salad (Cucumber Tomato Salad)
    This Palestinian Cucumber Tomato Salad, also known as Jerusalem Salad is a delicious and simple chopped salad that comes together in under 20 minutes! It's a perfect side for heavy and rich mains.
    Chopped Salad Recipe!
    Fiesta salad with corn, beans, peppers and cilantro in a bowl with avocado.
    Fiesta Salad
    This nutritious, delicious and colorful salad combines fresh vegetables with canned beans and tangy Mexican flavors. It’s a great make-ahead or meal-prep salad recipe. I promise you’ll keep coming back to it again and again.
    Fiesta Salad Recipe!

    Bruschetta and Crostini

    Another perfect vehicle for cherry tomatoes is the humble bruschetta, crostini or toast! It's a wonderful quick lunch or elegant appetizer for a dinner party. My Burrata Bruschetta or Bruschetta Pizza are both excellent ways to enjoy fresh cherry tomatoes! You won't be disappointed! You can also use them in my Eggplant Bruschetta recipe.

    Burrata bruschetta toasts with cherry tomatoes and cheese.
    Burrata Bruschetta
    Burrata bruschetta is a perfect and delicious appetizer for your summer garden party, picnic or weeknight meal. It comes together quickly (in under 15 minutes) and combines creamy burrata cheese, fresh tomatoes and basil. What's not to love?!
    Burrata Bruschetta Recipe!
    Toasted sliced baguette with eggplant and tomato topping.
    Simple Eggplant Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Herbs
    Roasted eggplant bruschetta is a perfect and delicious appetizer for your summer garden party, picnic or weeknight meal. It comes together quickly (in under 20 minutes) and covers all the bases. Healthy vegetables, tangy cheese, herbaceous basil, sweet mint and balsamic.
    A definite crowd-pleaser. Pair this with one of my many appetizer recipes like Mutabal (roasted eggplant dip), Eggplant hummus or Fried shishitos.
    Eggplant Bruschetta Recipe

    Another great way to enjoy them fresh is Tomato Toast! Whether you pair them with cheese, avocado or even mayo (yes, tomato and mayo open faced sammies are amazing!), the possibilities are endless.

    Bake Them into a Tart!

    Another great way to quickly use up your cherry tomatoes. All it takes is 3 simple ingredients. Store-bought frozen puff pastry, herbed cream cheese, and cherry tomatoes. Check out my recipe for Tomato and herbed cheese puff pastry tart here.

    tomato tart
    Tomato and herbed cheese puff pastry tart
    Easy and delicious, this recipe can be made in a pinch. 3 main ingredients! That is all it takes.
    Cherry Tomato Tart Recipe!

    Bake Them in a Galette?

    A Rustic Tomato Galette is a wonderful way to feature the delicious and fresh taste of summer tomatoes. Although the recipe calls for slicer tomatoes, you can certainly try making it with cherry tomatoes! Change up the flavoring and base. Instead of cheese, you can use pesto (recipe in my book, Seed to Table).

    Heirloom tomato galette
    Heirloom Tomato Galette with Herbed Cheese and Za'atar
    When summer tomatoes are at their peak, make this delicious recipe! The recipe is adaptable and customizable so make it your own!
    Heirloom Tomato Galette Recipe!

    Pickle Them!

    Pickling is a great way to preserve cherry tomatoes. Pickling is a traditional preservation method that involves immersing food in a solution of vinegar, salt, and spices. The result is a tangy, flavorful condiment that can be used in a variety of dishes. Check out my recipe for Pickled Cherry Tomatoes. You can also pickle green tomatoes!

    Cherry tomatoes with dill and garlic in a pickling jar.
    Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
    If you're looking for a great way to enjoy cherry tomatoes, pickling might just be the answer! Pickling is a traditional preservation method that involves immersing food in a solution of vinegar, salt, and spices. The result is a tangy, flavorful condiment that can be used in a variety of dishes.
    Pickled Cherry Tomato Recipe!
    Overhead shot of a jar of pickled sliced green tomatoes and spices on a wooden board.
    Pickled Green Tomatoes
    Pickled green tomatoes are a great way to use up those end of the season unripe tomatoes! These tangy, crisp treats are the perfect addition to sandwiches, salads, or enjoyed straight from the jar for a flavorful twist on a classic snack.
    Pickled Green Tomatoes Recipe!

    Confit Cherry Tomatoes

    Confit means to cook a protein in its own fat at a very low temperature for a long time. This is usually done with duck legs, a traditional French preparation. As tomatoes don't have their own fat, cooking them in good extra virgin olive oil is the preferred method.

    Cherry tomatoes with herbs and seasoning in a baking sheet.

    In a rimmed baking dish, place a single layer of cherry tomatoes. Add whole (or chopped, whatever your preference is) garlic cloves. Add some herbs (I like thyme as it can withstand long cooking times). Drizzle olive oil all over the cherry tomatoes. You don't want the tomatoes to be fully submerged in fat. A thin layer of olive oil should do. Roast low and slow until the cherry tomatoes start bursting. You're not looking for them all to burst. You want the confit to have some body. Cool and then transfer to a mason jar.

    Included in my book, Seed to Table, is a recipe for garlic confit that can be adapted for cherry tomatoes.

    Enjoy your confit tomatoes on toast or crostini. I like pairing it with a dollop of ricotta. You can also turn the confit tomatoes into a quick pasta sauce. I also love including confit tomatoes on a charcuterie and cheese board.

    Roast and Turn Them into Sauce (for preservation)

    My go-to preparation for cherry tomatoes when I need to preserve the harvest. Follow the same procedure as I described for confit tomatoes, except this time, you want to cook the tomatoes high and fast. You want the tomatoes to burst. You want them to cook down and concentrate their juices.

    If you need a more detailed ingredient and method for this recipe, check out my recipe for Roasted tomato sauce here. Or use my dedicated roasted cherry tomato sauce:

    Tray of roasted cherry tomatoes and onions.
    Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
    Make your own roasted cherry tomato sauce in no time with just a few simple ingredients! Fresh cherry tomatoes are roasted in the oven until they caramelize and turn jammy, creating a sauce bursting with flavor. Along with garlic, olive oil, and thyme, this recipe gives a delightful twist to the classic tomato sauce. You'll love it so much that you'll want to prepare it all summer long!
    Roasted Cherry Tomato Recipe!

    Make jam with them!

    Have you ever had tomato jam? I highly recommend making a batch. I would normally make tomato jam using paste or plum tomatoes, but you can certainly make it with cherry tomatoes as well (you'll just need to cook it down longer).

    Tomato jam is a perfect accoutrement to a charcuterie and cheese board. It also makes a great sandwich spread. I made a big batch of tomato jam last year but did not document it for the blog. Another recipe to add to the list!

    Freeze Them!

    When I'm not motivated to cook and need to put away large quantities of cherry tomatoes, I freeze them for future use. You can freeze cherry tomatoes whole in freezer bags. They won't be suitable for fresh eating as they will fall apart when they thaw, but they make perfect additions to stews and sauces throughout the winter months. This is a wonderful way to enjoy summer flavors throughout the winter!

    Can Them!

    Canning tomatoes safely is a contentious topic. There are many techniques and recipes out there. I don't personally share canning or fermenting recipes because you can never guarantee that people will actually follow the directions perfectly. Canning is a science, so make sure to follow approved recipes like the ones from Ball, Kerr or Bernardin. Your country/region may have a food safety authority and recommendations around canning and preservation. Do your research.

    Let us know what you think! Leave a comment below! It’s such a help to others. For more, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, visit the Urban Farm Shop, or subscribe for new posts via email.

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    Comments

    1. Stephanie Alden

      September 11, 2023 at 5:53 am

      Thank you so much for all these ideas. Do you ever dehydrate them?

      Reply
      • Luay Ghafari

        September 26, 2023 at 3:26 pm

        You can definitely dehydrate them too. Simply follow the instructions provided by your dehydrator manufacturer.

    2. Susan

      September 07, 2023 at 6:42 pm

      Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

      Reply
      • Luay Ghafari

        September 26, 2023 at 3:26 pm

        You're welcome!

    3. Anita

      September 22, 2022 at 8:53 am

      These look great! What seasonings do you put in your tomato jam? There are so many recipes out there, I was curious what you like the most.

      Reply
      • Luay

        September 22, 2022 at 12:47 pm

        I've made tomato jam before with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Definitely used ginger too.

    4. Jared

      June 19, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      You’re awesome! Thank you so much for sharing these ideas. Every year I have more cherry tomatoes than I know what to do with. You’ve given me some great ideas to help prevent any of them from going to waste this year.

      Reply
      • Luay

        June 20, 2021 at 5:13 pm

        You’re welcome. Stay turned for more recipes and idea this summer.

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    Hi! I'm Luay, a cook, recipe developer, gardener, educator and photographer and this is my little slice of the web! I launched Urban Farm and Kitchen as an ode to seasonal, local, garden-to-table recipes and I look forward to continue sharing my passions with you all! More about me>


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