Spanish recipe: Tomates al horno
This recipe for “Tomates al horno” (ovenbaked tomatoes) is so simple and takes seconds to prepare. Oh and it’s great for vegans too!
I adore this recipe and make it often because it is so simple and so fast… either as a light snack, or to go alongside a main meal.
There are no hard and fast rules on quantities with this dish – it really is just down to personal taste. As a rule of thumb – a pinch of your chosen herb plus a crushed garlic clove is enough for two normal sized tomatoes.
Ingredients for Tomates al horno
- 2 or 3 fistfuls of tomatoes will do a couple of people. Any tomatoes will do – but I love to mix different cherry tomatoes
- A drizzle of good quality olive oil
- Pinch of salt or two
- A couple (or more, if you’re like us) of garlic cloves. Don’t bother peeling, but do crush ever so slightly with the flat of a wide blade knife. Add an additional peeled and crushed clove in with the herbs if you like your food as garlicky as we do
- Pinch or two of finely chopped fresh basil, oregano, thyme or parsley – add according to taste
Method for Tomates al horno
This is where it gets really easy!
- Preheat the oven to about 200C
- Halve the toms and place them cut-side-up in an oven-safe dish. Cazuelas are perfect for this – but any heavy based pan will do (as long as its ovenproof of course). Try to keep them in a single layer – but it’s no big deal if they do overlap. Be gentle – you don’t want that special juice and seeds to spill out and be wasted.
- Add in your unpeeled garlic cloves
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the tomatoes and garlic
- Sprinkle your chosen herbs over the tomatoes
- Oven bake until bubbling, and the toms are soft
- Serve hot – but note the warning below
Spain Buddy tips
- It really doesn’t matter which herbs you use for tomates al horno – mix and match any if you like. Just use any that are your favourites anyway – you really can’t go wrong with these. However – do try to use fresh herbs if at all possible. These still taste great if you use dried but the flavour can be very different. Basil, for example tastes completely different – in my humble opinion. My fave combo is garlic with basil.
- WARNING! THESE ARE RED HOT AND WILL REMOVE THE ROOF OF YOUR MOUTH IF YOU EAT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN. I HAVE FALLEN FOUL OF THIS MANY TIMES – YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!!
Want more vegetarian recipes? Click HERE
Want to buy our recipe book for only €4.99? Click the banner at the top of the page, or click HERE
Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.
