Over the last two years, Jack and I have found that cherry tomatoes are surprisingly easy to grow. We haven’t had success with everything we’ve tried raising (this year mint has been especially tricky), but our cherry tomato plants are going pretty well. We started them from transplants, and now they’re thriving in big pots ringed in by tomato cages. As each plant grows, it produces bright yellow, bite-sized summer treats (see our little homegrown yellow variety of cherry tomatoes in this post)!
As summer winds down, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ll miss our little back deck garden. Of course, I’ll enjoy fall and all the apple-y, pumpkin-y goodness that comes with it, but I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to warm weather, peaches, corn, and, of course, cherry tomatoes.
While I love my slow roasted tomatoes, this recipe is kind of the opposite – the cherry tomatoes roast fast(!), which means that you can put together this simple appetizer in no time. It’s closely based on the charred cherry tomato recipe from the book Ottolenghi Simple, a book I’ve enjoyed all summer long for quick & easy recipes that use minimal ingredients.
This recipe is really easy to make; just toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, cumin seeds, and honey. Then, roast them for about 20 minutes, turning on the broiler right at the end so that they get a little char. Like I do with my grilled zucchini, I serve the bursting, hot tomatoes over a bed of lemony yogurt, with lots of crusty bread or homemade focaccia for dipping. This recipe is simple, but it packs a punch of summer flavor. It’d be a great choice for Labor Day gatherings or any cookout you have coming up before the end of summer.
This cherry tomato recipe is delicious as-is, but if you want to change it up, here are a few easy variations:
Try my couscous salad, pasta salad, Caprese salad, vegan pizza, stuffed zucchini, or Greek salad next!
For more easy appetizer ideas, check out this post.
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