If your garden has blessed you with a bumper crop of tomatoes, you may be wondering how to make the most of them before they spoil. One of the easiest—and tastiest—ways to preserve your tomato harvest is by making fire roasted tomatoes. This simple technique enhances the flavor of your tomatoes, locks in their freshness, and gives you a pantry staple you can use in soups, sauces, stews, pasta, and more.
How to fire roast tomatoes preserve tomato harvest
Why Fire Roasted Tomatoes?
Roasting tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness while adding a smoky, charred flavor. Unlike plain canned or frozen tomatoes, fire roasted ones add depth and richness to recipes. They’re versatile, easy to prepare, and freeze beautifully for long-term storage.
All you need are fresh tomatoes, a little olive oil, and a hot oven or grill. In under an hour, your tomatoes will be blistered, smoky, and ready to transform into a base for pasta sauces, soups, chili, or even homemade salsa. Once roasted, you can pack them into jars or freezer bags, and store them for months. It’s like bottling up summer sunshine.
What You’ll Need
Fresh, ripe tomatoes (any variety will do!)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Optional Flavours:
Italian – garlic, onion, fresh and or dried herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil)
- Mexican – smoked paprika, chilli powder, chilli flakes, cumin
Equipment Needed
- 3 Roasting pans oven safe
INGREDIENTS
- 3 lbs Ripe Tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 heads Garlic
- Fresh herbs & spices *Optional: see notes or blog post for flavour ideas
INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat oven
- Pre-heat oven to 450°F (232°C)
Prep tomatoes
- Wash & dry tomatoes, then halve or quarter if large (grape or cherry tomatoes - leave whole).
- Add tomatoes in a single layer to an oven safe dish or pan (ensure has edges to catch liquids)
Flavour Tomatoes
- Remove outer skin and dirt from whole garlic head and cut in 1/2. Add one half to each dish.
- Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, then toss to coat.
- Add optional flavourings: onion (chopped), fresh herbs, dried spices.
Cover and Roast
- Cover roasting pans with aluminum foil and roast covered for 1/2 hour. Avoid placing dish on bottom rack as it may burn!
Uncover & Continue Roasting
- Once tomatoes have released some of the juices, after about 30 mins, remove the foil and roast uncovered for an additional 15-20 mins until well charred (but not burnt).
Completely Cool & Jar
- Remove from heat and allow to completely cool. Then squeeze garlic from skins (discard skins) and scoop tomatoes and all spices and juices into a clean glass jar (I use (750mL = 25 oz wide mouth jars)
- Label your jar with flavour type.
Store or Use Immediately
- Freeze: Place roasted tomatoes in glass jars or freezer-safe bags / containers. Remove excess air before sealing. They’ll keep for up to 1 year.Refrigerate: Store in a sealed jar with a drizzle of olive oil (if not covered with juices) for up to 1 week.
To Thaw
- Place in refrigerator overnight, or into a warm water bath for 30 mins.
If you’ve never tried roasting your tomato harvest before, I encourage you to give it a go. You’ll never look at a store-bought can of fire roasted tomatoes the same way again!
pay it forward
please share
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy way to preserve your tomato harvest this year! If you love it as much as we do, please feel free to share the link to this page on your social media or PIN this picture to your Pinterest account.
I want to once again extend my deepest gratitude & thanks in advance for subscribing to my blog & YouTube Channel as well as following me & liking my posts on Pinterest, FaceBook & Instagram! All of your comments and ratings on my recipes & social media is truly one of the most supportive things you can do for me! So thank you ever so much.
One Response
So incredibly delicious! You have to give it a try!