For the best marinated cherry tomatoes try this quick and easy tomato salad flavoured with garlic, herbs & balsamic vinegar.
I'm actually drooling just looking at the photo. These marinated cherry tomatoes are just so good!
They take minutes to make, but as they sit, the flavour just gets better and better.
Perk up lunches and dinners with these little beauties.
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At a glance - marinated cherry tomatoes
⏲️ Ready in: 4 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 54
🧾 Main ingredients: cherry tomatoes (or other mini tomatoes), garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, olive oil & balsamic vinegar
👩🏻🍳 Suitable for: vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian
Summarise & save this recipe:
🍅 Marinated tomatoes
When I make pa amb tomaquet, a Catalan tomato tapas recipe (like a Spanish or Catalan version of Italian Bruschetta), I gently marinate the grated tomatoes with oregano, olive oil and seasonings, before piling them on toasted sourdough.
I thought it would be good to use the same concept to make a quick marinated tomato dish with similar flavours but with some vinegar for a bit of a pop.
Oh boy is it good and it only gets better as it sits.
🍅 Does it have to be cherry tomatoes?
No, in fact, I used baby plum tomatoes this time, but any smaller tomatoes like cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes work well too.
You could even finely slice large ripe tomatoes and toss them in the marinade.
Think large tomatoes like salad tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes, just make sure your fresh tomatoes are ripe.
It's up to you!
Love cherry tomatoes? Then try this comforting roast aubergine (eggplant) & cherry tomato pasta with spinach.
📋 What you need to make marinated tomatoes
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make these balsamic marinated tomatoes. The marinade is super simple, but delicious.
- Fresh cherry tomatoes - or other small tomatoes
- Fresh garlic - feel free to add extra, I go easy on the garlic
- Oregano - dried oregano is fine
- Basil - fresh basil is best, but you can add some dried if you don't have fresh herbs
- Salt and black pepper - to season
- Olive oil - I use extra virgin olive oil (evoo), but you can use a mild olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar - you can use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or even white balsamic vinegar, but I like the sweetness from balsamic
See the printable recipe card for full quantities, method and nutritional information (jump to recipe button above).
📖 Variations
Here are a few ideas for tweaking these tasty tomatoes in a simple balsamic marinade.
- Larger tomatoes - thinly sliced instead of mini tomatoes
- Red onion - finely sliced
- Red bell pepper - finely sliced
- Chilli Flakes - red pepper flakes or finely sliced fresh chillies or jalapenos for a bit of heat
- Feta cheese - cubes of dairy-free feta cheese
💭 Top tips
Here are a few tips for getting the best results when marinating tomatoes.
- Look for mixed colour cherry tomatoes - it looks good presentation-wise on a plate when you serve them up
- Slice them rather than halving them - it makes them easier to layer in a sandwich or wrap
- Try to use fresh basil if you can - it makes a big difference to the flavour
- Take them out of the fridge a while before serving - the chill from the fridge deadens the flavour
- Pile them in a bonnie serving bowl - so people can serve themselves if you are having a salad, meze, buffet or picky dinner.
- Make sure your container has a tight-fitting lid - if you are taking them to work for lunch or taking them on a picnic, you don't want the oil in the marinade to leak
🌯 How to serve tomato marinade
Here are 10 ideas for serving this delicious cherry tomato salad.
- Sourdough - piled on toasted (broiled sourdough, which has been rubbed with a clove of garlic
- Wrap - added to a wrap with salad and vegan feta
- Toast - spread a generous layer or dairy-free cream cheese on toast and top with these marinated tomatoes
- Whipped feta - piled on a thick layer of whipped feta on toasted sourdough bread
- Burger - top your burger with these tasty tomatoes in a burger bun
- Pasta - toss through freshly cooked and cooled pasta with sweetcorn and crumbled vegan feta cheese for a delicious pasta salad
- Pizza - top pizza with these balsamic tomatoes before cooking
- Crusty bread - served with hummus and crusty bread
- Avocado toast - top your mashed avocados on toast with these tangy tomatoes
- Baked Potato - pile them on baked potato with either hummus, whipped feta or vegan cheese
I'm sure you will have some fabulous ideas of how to serve these flavour-boosted tomatoes too. They make such a tasty side dish or the main event.
These marinated cherry tomatoes should go on your food playlist along with my quick pickled onions and quick pickled red cabbage as a must for perking up dishes.
Each of them is a great option!
🥫 Storing them
I like to store my marinated cherry tomatoes in a couple of clean jam jars, but any airtight container will do.
Keep the tomatoes in the fridge for up to a week.
Take them out of the fridge to get the chill off them and bring them to room temperature before serving them.
Remember to give the jar or tub a good shake too, as the marinade will settle at the bottom and you want to coat them well, to get all that droolworthy dressing with every bite.
📖 Recipe
Easy Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients
- 340 g cherry tomatoes (12 oz) (or other mini or baby tomatoes)
- 1 clove garlic (more if you like, crushed or finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 handful fresh basil (torn or bundled and finely sliced)
- 1 pinch salt & pepper (a generous pinch)
- 1 tablespoons olive oil (I like to use extra virgin olive oil, but a mild oil is fine too)
- 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Add the sliced tomatoes to a bowl, then add the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Next add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix again.
- Spoon into a clean jam jar or other airtight container with a tight-fitting lid and leave in the fridge to marinate. You can eat them right away, but the flavours are better if they are left to sit for a while.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can store these in the fridge for a week.
- Take them out and let them come to room temperature for the best flavour.
- Give them a good shake before opening the jar, to coat the tomatoes, as the marinade will settle at the bottom as they sit.
- You can add more garlic, if you love garlic.
- Chilli flakes are a good addition to for a bit of heat.
Jill says
Where have these been all my life? Making them now. Have everything. Jill x
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh excellent, that was perfect then Jill. I hope you enjoy the tomatoes.
graham meldrum says
my mouth is watering just thinking about these.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
They are rather delicious. I must make another batch.
Milly says
Oh my goodness those look amazing! Thanks for sharing them.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh yes they are tasty. I hope you try them Milly.
Sam says
I so love these tomatoes. On my third batch already.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
That's brilliant Sam. They are really tasty aren't they? I am so pleased you love them as much as I do.