Grill Roasted Tomatoes
Are roasted tomatoes good?
If you haven’t tried roasting your tomatoes, you are really missing out on a taste sensation! Roasted tomatoes are a great way to add dimension and depth to so many different recipes. Grill roasting tomatoes concentrates their flavor and texture to a savory potency.
Making roasted tomatoes on the grill is also a brilliant way to process a bumper crop of summer produce while keeping the heat out of the kitchen, so your house stays comfortable and the air conditioning bill lower.
How to roast tomatoes on the grill
When grilling, use a heavy solid sheet pan to avoid warping, or a WELL-seasoned cast iron pan (or coated cast iron like LeCrucet). Avoid ceramic or glass pans, which could crack over direct high heat. I like to line my pans with parchment paper for easy cleanup, even if it may scorch a little.
The temperature inside your grill will most likely not be as steady as it is in your oven. You may have to turning burners on and off, timing and tray placement to find what works best for your grill.
If you need the tray a little further away from the heat source, you can use steel cans to raise it up. I used both the primary and upper rack of my grill, and rotated the trays about halfway through.
Fortunately, I found this process to be fairly forgiving and by checking on them a few times I was able to get amazing results my first try.
Are Roasted tomatoes healthy?
Studies show that cooking tomatoes breaks down the cell walls of the fruit, increasing the availability of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant known for its beneficial health effects including impressive anti-inflammatory properties.
Even more benefits of roasting tomatoes
Furthermore, roasting tomatoes comes with extra health benefits. Heat processing enhances the nutritional value by stabilizing lycopene, helping it remain intact during digestion so more of it is absorbed.
Lycopene is fat soluble so using a bit of healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado oil, enhances absorption significantly.
Do you peel tomatoes before roasting?
This is unnecessary, since the skins will slip right off after roasting if you need to remove them for a particular recipe. However, the caramelization and a bit of char on the skin are often considered a desirable flavor element in many recipes.
I always choose to never peel my tomatoes since 98 percent of the flavonols, including lycopene, are found in the skin, not to mention around 75% of the dietary fiber. This fiber is a prebiotic powerhouse that helps your beneficial gut microbes thrive.
What kind of tomatoes can I use?
Slow roasting tomatoes that are small to medium sized and less juicy, such as plum or roma, produces a nice intense flavor. You can use larger tomatoes, but may need to cut them into smaller pieces.
- For roma or larger, cut into halves or quarters. If there is a lot of liquidy seeds, you may choose to scoop some out. For smaller tomatoes, leave them whole.
- Toss with a generous dollop of olive or avocado oil, along with smashed garlic, salt, pepper, and maybe some thyme, rosemary, or oregano.
- Roast cut side facing up, 450F for 30 minutes.
What can you use roasted tomatoes for?
Grill roasted tomatoes are an easy way to add flavor and texture to any dish. If you’re wondering “what can I make with roasted tomatoes,” they can be used in a variety of dishes and recipes, including:
- tossed whole into a pasta or salad
- to make a delicious tomato sauce for pasta or pizza
- as a topping for bruschetta, toast, or sandwiches
- in a soup, stew, or risotto
- as a base for a roasted salsa
How long do Roasted Tomatoes last?
Another advantage is that they will keep well for quite a while, either in the refrigerator or frozen. Since you’re already heating up the grill, go ahead and do several trays so you'll have some for now and plenty to enjoy later.
Storing Roasted Tomatoes
Bring them to room temperature before storing. From there, you have a couple of options:
- In the fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
- In the freezer: Transfer to quart size freezer-safe bags or freezer-safe containers and freeze for 4 months or so. Thaw in fridge overnight before use.
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Grill Roasted Tomatoes
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Equipment
- Sheet pan heavy and solid, or enameled cast iron. Avoid glass or ceramic pans.
- Parchment paper optional
Ingredients
- 12 roma tomatoes or plum. See notes to substitute cherry or grape tomatoes.
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash your tomatoes and pat them dry before slicing in half lengthwise. Remove core, excess seeds and pulp if desired.
- In a bowl drizzle the tomatoes with avocado oil, add the garlic, then mix around gently to make sure they're well coated.
- On your cooking tray, arrange the tomatoes cut side up, in a single layer. Be sure to leave a little space between them so they don't steam each other.
- Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
- Preheat your gas grill as to 400-450°F
- Arrange tray on the racks so they are getting indirect heat. Close the lid and roast for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes to get super tender and begin to release their juices.
- Roatate trays if neccesary and continue to roast until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize.
- Remove from heat and serve warm, or cool to room temperature for storage.
Notes
Cherry or grape tomatoes can be roasted halved or whole, but may not take as long, Maybe 15 minutes, monitor closely. You can even roast green tomatoes, it works exactly the same. To store roasted tomatoes:
First allow them to cool to room temperature. From there, you have a couple of options:
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for, good for 3 to 5 days. Warms up well in microwave or toaster oven.
- Transfer to quart size freezer-safe bags, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before use.
Hand Size Portions
Hand Portions
When you look at the nutritional values of a meal to log what you are eating, that is called tracking macros. A lot of people use this method to reach their health goals.
Looking at hand portion size and using this method to gauge how and what you eat is also a great method to help you reach your health goals. Many people who use this method often think this form of tracking meals is easier and more sustainable for a lifetime.
Want to learn more about hand portion size and how to use it to reach your goals? Check out the article How to Get Started with Hand Portion Sizes.
Heather Lynn Darby helps office and tech professionals disrupt the cycle of chronic stress that undermines their health, and to recover from the negative effects of sitting at a computer all day. Find other articles written by Heather on her coach profile.
If you are largely sedentary at work and rely on your intellectual acumen for success, her take on body-mind interventions will help you find a balance between being "in the zone" and getting the amount of movement that will optimize your mental productivity and prevent health problems.
