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    Home » Recipes

    Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

    Published: Mar 18, 2022 by Sonila · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    • 19
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with lemon juice, garlic, herbs and olive oil are the perfect summer side dish for grilled foods or picnics. This is a quick and easy recipe for a side dish or topping that you can put together in few minutes!

    Marinated Cherry Tomatoes on a red bowl, tomatoes are halved and garnished with cilantro and lemon slices.
    Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

    These flavorful cherry tomatoes marinated in herbs, garlic, lemon juice (or vinegar) and extra virgin olive oil (evoo) are a summer staple for my family. We add them over avocado toast or serve them over grilled foods. I even take a bowl to picnics and BBQs. They’re always a hit because everyone loves spooning some of these tomatoes over their plate:).

    What Tomatoes to Use?

    This side dish works better if you use:

    • cherry tomatoes
    • small medley tomatoes
    • grape tomatoes
    • small cocktail tomatoes

    You need flavorful tomatoes for this side dish. Tomatoes have to be sweet, ripe and firm. If they’re too soft, they might make this side dish too soggy.

    How to Marinate Tomatoes?

    There are many ways to marinate tomatoes. I’ll summarize below how I marinate mine. Let’s go over the ingredients really quick as the process itself is just mixing the ingredients up. So the quality of the ingredients will make the dish!

    1. Tomatoes – You need good quality tomatoes full of flavor, preferably of the small variety that you can just cut in half.
    2. EVOO – You need extra virgin olive oil, don’t skimp on quality of olive oil. It does make a big difference on salads and side dishes.
    3. Acid – You need either lemon juice or red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. They all work in different ways, slightly different taste. Whichever you use it’s up to your preference. My favorite combinations are based on what herb I’m using: cilantro/lemon juice or lime, parsley/red wine vinegar, mint or oregano/balsamic vinegar.
    4. Salt – let me say that you can always use whatever salt you have available. I’m partial to Mediterranean Sea Salt.
    5. Herbs – my favorite herbs to use are cilantro, parsley, mint, basil and oregano. I don’t mix and match in this recipe. But occasionally I’ll change it up. Early spring I love fresh cilantro and lemon juice over my marinated tomatoes.
    6. Garlic – Add as much as you can handle. I use a garlic press but if you have the patience to mince really, really thin you can also do that.

    Add all ingredients together on a bowl. Mix it up and let marinate for at least an hour for flavors to mix together. If I make this recipe for a BBQ or picnic, I refrigerate the marinated tomatoes until we are ready to go to the event.

    Ingredients all together before marinating the tomatoes: cherry tomatoes on a colander with 1 fresh lemon, olive oil, Mediterranean sea salt, garlic head and a bunch of cilantro.
    Ingredients

    How Do You Serve Marinated Cherry Tomatoes?

    These marinated cherry tomatoes help put a meal together. If you have roasted chicken leftover from one meal, rice leftover from another, serve the chicken and rice topped with these flavorful tomatoes and you got yourself a delicious meal.

    • Often time I serve these tomatoes over chicken, fish or roasted meats.
    • As an additional side dish on the table, family style and everyone can pick and choose what they add on their plate. Almost like a taco bar but for other foods.
    • Topping for sourdough toasts – it can be ricotta toast or avocado toast or any toast. Then just spoon over some of these tomatoes and drizzle some balsamic glaze!! Yum, to die for!!
    • BBQ or picnics – these marinated cherry tomatoes are a great side dish for summer BBQs and picnics.
    Toast on a plate topped with cherry tomatoes and drizzled with balsamic glaze.
    Sourdough toast with tomatoes and balsamic glaze
    Marinated cherry tomatoes served in a red bowl. Cherry tomatoes are halved and garnished with fresh lemon slices and cilantro.

    Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

    Sonila
    These marinated cherry tomatoes with herbs, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic make for a great side dish to serve over grilled meats, fish or poultry. I even serve them over ricotta toast or avocado toast drizzled with balsamic glaze!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Fusion, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 69 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 garlic press

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb cherry tomatoes
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 0.5 tsp Mediterranean sea salt
    • 1 lemon
    • 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
    • 3 tbsps freshly chopped cilantro use herbs of your choice
    • 1-2 tbsps balsamic glaze use after marinating the tomatoes

    Instructions
     

    • Wash, drain and pat dry the cherry tomatoes. Cut them in half and add on a bowl.
    • Press or finely slice the garlic. Add it over the tomatoes. Add Mediterranean sea salt.
    • Freshly squeeze half a lemon and add the juice over all the other ingredients. If lemon is small, squeeze the whole thing. If you are using a big, juicy lemon, squeeze half and slice the other half. Add the slices in the bowl.
    • Finally add olive oil and cilantro. Mix all ingredients and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
    • Add balsamic glaze to taste as you're serving the tomatoes. Enjoy:))

    Notes

    Nutrition Label

    Nutrition Facts
    Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 69 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Sodium 304mg13%
    Potassium 295mg8%
    Carbohydrates 10g3%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 581IU12%
    Vitamin C 41mg50%
    Calcium 24mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 304mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 581IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
    Tried this recipe?Mention @mediterranean_latin_love or tag #mediterraneanlatinloveaffair!

    If you would like to save this recipe for later, please save it to your boards in Pinterest. Let me know in comments if you have any questions or feel free to tag me in social media if you made this recipe:).

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    An image prepared for Pinterest: it has a picture from top to bottom showing a bowl of marinated cherry tomatoes and a toasted bread topped with the tomatoes. Then on top of the picture there's a title bar and the bottom has a website link.
    Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

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    • 19

    Filed Under: Mediterranean Food, Recipes, Side Dish Tagged With: gluten free, Mediterranean Diet, Meze, vegan

    About Sonila

    Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Silvia

      March 29, 2022 at 2:36 pm

      5 stars
      I loved these marinated cherry tomatoes, they are so easy to prepare and so versatile. I served them with eggs and on toast, both delicious.

      Reply
    2. Maribel García

      March 26, 2022 at 3:21 pm

      5 stars
      I love these marinated cherry tomatoes. I think it’s perfect for my bruschetta. And for picnics too. 🤗 Thanks for sharing! 🥰

      Reply
      • Sonila

        March 26, 2022 at 4:35 pm

        Thank you Maribel!! Yes, they’re great on bruschetta!! Have a great weekend!

        Reply
    3. Veronica Cervera

      March 26, 2022 at 2:03 pm

      5 stars
      Love these marinated cherry tomatoes for picnics. Now that is not too hot yet. But perfect after the pool in the summer too. Great idea! Thank you, Sonila!

      Reply
      • Sonila

        March 26, 2022 at 4:36 pm

        So refreshing for our hot summers, right? Gracias Vero xoxo

        Reply
    4. Ideasandcreams

      March 25, 2022 at 9:06 am

      5 stars
      Love these Marinated cherry tomatoes in spring ! My husband and I love ensaladas with tomatoes cherry.

      Reply
    5. Ideasandcreams

      March 25, 2022 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      Marina te cherry tomatoes Luxury,. Es una maravilla esa ensalada de tomates cherry que tanto compro porque me encantan. Añadiré tu mezcla y ese jugo de limón sin duda.

      Reply
    6. Laura

      March 24, 2022 at 8:16 am

      5 stars
      In love with these marinated cherries, the acid touch with vinegar and olive oil is sooo good.

      Reply
      • Sonila

        March 26, 2022 at 4:36 pm

        Yes, vinegar and olive oil is the best dressing ever!! Thank you Laura!

        Reply
    7. No solo recetas

      March 24, 2022 at 6:11 am

      I have all the ingredients to prepare these marinated cherry tomatoes. I’ll tell you the result.

      Reply

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    Sonila Zarate
    Sonila Zarate

    Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami.

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