Remember when the confit cooking method took over the internet in 2022? In particular, garlic confit… garlic cloves slow roasted in olive oil until melty, buttery, fragrant and no longer pungent. Well, did you know you can make tomatoes the same way too?! And in your slow cooker?!?! If you didn’t, now you know.
This slow cooker tomato and garlic confit is the perfect sauce for a pasta. It’s the ultimate fresh, simple, delicious pasta to make your kids with almost no effort. I know it’s not summer yet, but of course this is a phenomenal way to use those summer tomatoes. Or, its a great way to make a tomato sauce all year round with FRESH tomatoes!
To circle back for a sec: if you aren’t familiar with the term, “confit” simply means to preserve. In cooking, it’s the process of slowly cooking something in fat—in this case, olive oil. Think of it as deep-frying, but at a much lower temperature and for a much longer time. The sweet cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves are roasted low and slow in a bath of olive oil for a couple of hours until they completely collapse.
As fancy and “chef-level” as this tomato confit pasta recipe sounds, it is incredibly simple and completely (ok, mostly) hands-off. You slow-roast cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and white wine. The tomatoes collapse. The garlic turns buttery and sweet. The oil becomes this glossy, flavored elixir that tastes like sunshine got a little more sophisticated. Once the tomato confit is done, you simply mash those tender tomatoes and soft garlic cloves directly in the oil to create a silky-smooth, wildly delicious confit sauce. Finally, you transfer the cooked pasta directly into the confit, and it beautifully coats every single ribbon of fresh pappardelle. Add a splash of pasta water, and suddenly everything emulsifies into something that feels restaurant-level without any of the stress.
Honestly, I’ll find an excuse to put this tomato garlic confit on just about everything. Toasted over pita? Yes. Piled onto grilled bread with a heavy shmear of fresh ricotta? Always. Spooned over grilled salmon or stirred into a bowl of farro? Absolutely! But tossed with these wide ribbons of fresh pappardelle pasta? It is pure, unadulterated perfection.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Flavorful Seasonal Bounty: Tomatoes and basil are abundant in the summer season, and it’s so easy to grow your basil. Together, they deliver a burst of flavor in every bite, and this tomato confit pasta is a perfect way to utilize your garden herbs all season long!
- Minimal Prep, Hands-Off Process: The oven does all the heavy lifting while you pour yourself a drink and relax. Just roast the tomatoes low and slow, mash them into a thick sauce, and you have the perfect weeknight pasta dinner.
- Family-Friendly: Who doesn’t love a massive, comforting bowl of pappardelle? It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that swaps out heavy winter ragùs for a fresher, vibrant summer alternative.
- Totally Versatile: For a more substantial, high-protein meal, easily incorporate proteins like grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or roasted chickpeas. You can even bulk this tomato confit pasta with extra summer veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, or sweet peas!
Tips that matter
Oil Quality is Everything: Because the confit is the undeniable star of this tomato and garlic pasta, you must use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. It elevates the entire dish, perfectly carrying the sweetness of the tomatoes and the savory richness of the garlic.
The “Snug” Dish Rule: The smaller the baking dish, the better! If you use a large dish, the tomatoes will spread out, and you’ll waste way too much olive oil.
The “Liquid Gold” Hack: Want to yield a jar of intensely flavored, tomato garlic infused oil for future use? Add about ½ cup of extra olive oil at the beginning of the roast so the tomatoes are more submerged. Once finished, strain off the excess oil and reserve it before you mash your sauce. As I mentioned earlier, it’s incredible on bread or roasted vegetables!
Do Not Skip the Pasta Water: When you transfer the pasta to the confit, adding a few splashes of that starchy, salty pasta water is crucial. It helps emulsify the oil and the tomato juices into a creamy, silky sauce that actively clings to your pappardelle.
Substitutions & swaps
- Cheese: If you want to mix it up from the classic Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, top the hot pasta with torn fresh burrata or crumbled feta cheese. It provides a stunning, creamy contrast to the rich tomato confit.
- Tomatoes: If you have an abundance of beautiful heirloom tomatoes, use them! Just chop them down into smaller, cherry-tomato-sized pieces so they confit at the same rate.
- Herbs: Basil is the ultimate summer pairing for this tomato garlic confit pappardelle. But experimenting with fresh parsley, thyme, or oregano will introduce gorgeous new flavor dimensions to this tomato confit pasta.
What to serve this with
- The Ultimate Bread Pairing: If you don’t want to make this with pasta, serve it with bread and spread it on top! You’ll want a crusty loaf of ciabatta or sourdough to swipe up every last drop of that liquid-gold confit oil left on your plate.
- A Bright Green Side: A simple arugula salad with a sharp lemon vinaigrette and shaved fennel provides a crisp, peppery contrast to the sweetness of the tomatoes. Love this as my side with the pasta.
- The Protein Boost: If you want to make this tomato confit pasta even more substantial, serve it alongside grilled branzino, lemon-herb roasted chicken, or even a side of salty prosciutto.
When should I make this?
- Summer Dinners: Since the slow cooker (or oven if you don’t have a slow cooker) does the work at a low temperature, these fresh pappardelle pasta in tomato and garlic confit is a great way to get a deep, slow-cooked flavor without a bubbling pot of sauce heating up your entire kitchen for hours.
- Low-Stress Entertaining: Because you can roast the confit days in advance, this tomato confit recipe is perfect for a meal prep. I’ve made the sauce a few days ahead and it just gets better and better.
- The Garden Harvest Peak: Make this when your cherry tomato plants (or the local farmer’s market) are overflowing, and you need a way to transform a massive haul into something truly special.
Make ahead, storage & reheating
- Make Ahead: Yes! The tomato and garlic confit can be made up to 5 days in advance.
- Storage: Store the completely cooled tomato confit pasta in the fridge in an airtight glass jar. Just make sure the tomatoes and garlic are fully submerged in the olive oil to keep them from browning!
- Reheating: You can gently warm the confit in a skillet before tossing it with fresh-cooked pasta, but honestly? This tomato confit pasta is incredible, whether eaten warm for dinner or cold straight out of the fridge for lunch the next day!
Common mistakes & how to avoid them
- Using a Shallow, Oversized Dish: If your tomatoes are too spread out, they won’t “bathe” in the oil and wine properly. They’ll just roast and potentially burn. Choose a small, deep baking dish in which the tomatoes are packed “shoulder-to-shoulder.”
- Rushing the Roast: If you crank the heat to save time, you’ll blister the skins, but you won’t get that buttery, spreadable garlic or the concentrated sweetness of a true confit. Keep the temp at 300°F and trust the process. Low and slow is the only way to get that jammy texture.
- Adding Basil Too Early: Fresh basil is delicate and will turn black and lose its punch if it comes into contact with the high heat of the roasting dish. Wait until the very end to tear the leaves over the finished, plated pasta for that bright, aromatic pop.
Slow Cooker Tomato Garlic Confit Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 lb. cherry tomatoes Sangria blend
- 12 – 14 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup olive oil enough to come about halfway up the tomatoes (see notes if you want to make some extra infused oil)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 generous pinches kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 lb. fresh pasta fresh pappardelle from Whole Foods
- Fresh basil for serving
- Parmesan for serving
Directions
- Add the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, white wine, salt, and pepper to a snug baking dish. The tomatoes should feel cozy, and the oil should come about halfway up them, not fully cover them.
- Roast at 300°F for 2–3 hours, until the tomatoes are completely collapsed and jammy and the garlic is soft.
- If there’s excess oil, spoon some off and reserve it for later.
- Mash the tomatoes, garlic, and remaining oil directly in the dish to create your sauce before cooking the pasta.
- Cook the fresh pasta in well-salted water. It cooks quickly, just a few minutes.
- Transfer the pasta directly into the confit—the water clinging to the pasta should naturally start forming the sauce.
- Toss until glossy and emulsified. If needed, add more pasta water in 2-tablespoon increments until the sauce fully coats the pasta.
- Top with fresh basil and plenty of Parmesan.
Rate & Review
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