Marinated Tomatoes with Garlic and Fresh Herbs

The photo shows three jars packed with tomato wedges, chopped herbs, garlic, and a red, seasoned liquid. It’s the kind of dish that makes a ripe tomato taste even more like itself: juicy, savory, and bright. Spoon the tomatoes over toast, serve them beside dinner, or tip an entire jar into a salad bowl, dressing and all.

Because an image cannot tell us the original ingredient amounts, the recipe below is an original version inspired by what’s visible. It makes three jars of marinated tomatoes for the refrigerator. These jars are for short-term storage and serving; they are not a shelf-stable canned tomato recipe.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The tomatoes do most of the work. A short rest draws out their juices, which mingle with the garlic, herbs, and dressing.
• It’s useful across several meals. Serve marinated tomatoes as a side dish one day and spoon them onto sandwiches or pasta the next.
• The jars make serving easy. Divide the batch into three containers to share, take to a gathering in a cooler, or keep portions ready for lunch.
• There’s no cooking. Once you’ve washed and cut the produce, assembly takes about 20 minutes.

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What Makes These Marinated Tomatoes Special?

A good tomato marinade should taste lively without drowning out the fruit. Red wine vinegar provides tang, olive oil rounds out the dressing, and garlic adds a savory bite. Parsley brings freshness, while a little basil complements the tomatoes’ sweetness. The seasonings are deliberately simple so you can still taste the tomatoes.

The liquid will look different after an hour in the refrigerator. At first, you’ll see a relatively small amount of dressing around the wedges. As the tomatoes rest, they release juice and create the abundant red liquid visible in the inspiration photo. You do not need to fill the jars with vinegar or oil.

Use clean jars because they are convenient and attractive, but remember what this recipe is: a refrigerated tomato salad in jars. Adding vinegar does not make these marinated tomatoes suitable for pantry storage.

Ingredients

This recipe makes approximately three pint-size jars (three 475 ml jars), depending on the size and shape of your tomatoes. It serves about 8 as a side dish.

For the tomatoes

• 2 lb (900 g) ripe but firm tomatoes, about 8–10 medium Roma tomatoes or a similar amount of other tomatoes
• ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced

For the dressing

• ¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if needed
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, optional

You will also need three clean pint-size jars with lids or other clean, covered refrigerator containers.

Choosing the tomatoes

Roma or plum tomatoes are especially handy for marinated tomatoes because their firm flesh holds its shape after cutting. Small vine-ripened tomatoes also work well. If you use large, very juicy tomatoes, expect softer pieces and more liquid in the jars. Avoid tomatoes with mold, decay, or extensively damaged areas.

Aim for ripe tomatoes that yield slightly when pressed but are not collapsing. Very underripe tomatoes can taste flat even after marinating; overripe ones may turn mushy before you finish the batch.

Why these herbs and seasonings?

Parsley gives the jars the generous flecks of green seen in the photo without overpowering the dressing. Basil adds a familiar tomato-friendly aroma. Mince the garlic finely so its flavor spreads through the liquid instead of leaving someone with a large, sharp piece.

The teaspoon of sugar softens the edge of the vinegar; it should not make the dish sweet. Salt draws out tomato juices and makes the dressing more flavorful. Since tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity, taste the finished batch before serving and adjust it then.