Air Fryer Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Balsamic
Last Updated on September 20, 2022 by Betty Davies
So easy to make and perfectly sweet, tangy and juicy, these air fryer tomatoes are ready to serve in less time than oven roasting. Cherry tomatoes are drizzled with balsamic vinegar before being cooked in the air fryer, for a tasty side dish or topping for salads and bruschetta.
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These delicious air fryer cherry tomatoes are such an easy way to liven up any plate! With a deep sweetness and fresh tangy taste from the balsamic vinegar, these roasted tomatoes are ready to serve up with minimal effort.
Perfectly sweet and juicy, roasting the tomatoes in the air fryer takes a lot less time than oven roasting, but the results are just as yummy. Serve them up with some crumbled feta cheese and you won’t regret it! The natural flavor of the tomatoes shines through, and I promise that you will be making these time and time again!
This vegetable side dish is a fool proof way to elevate your plate. Serve them up as a topping for chicken or fish, load them on to crostini for a tasty appetizer or use them for homemade soups and pasta sauces. You’ll be adding these to so many meals!
Be sure to try my Cherry Tomato Salsa and Tomato Basil Rice too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- So easy: Just cut your whole cherry tomatoes in half, season them and air fry.
- Simple ingredients: You only need a handful of pantry staple ingredients to make this side dish. It’s a great budget friendly way of livening up your tomatoes!
- Quick: This recipe takes minutes to prep and they are ready to serve in 15 minutes.
- Dietary info: These air fryer roasted tomatoes are vegetarian and easily made vegan. They are naturally gluten-free, low in fat and calories, and full of healthy vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes: This recipe uses cherry tomatoes. They take minutes to prep and are naturally sweeter than large tomatoes.
- Oil: You can make this recipe without oil, though I like to use a little so that the air fryer tomatoes are extra juicy and it also helps them brown nicely. Any high heat oil like avocado, canola or vegetable will work well.
- Salt and pepper
- Sugar: A little granulated white sugar really helps to enhance the natural sweetness and helps to balance out the acidity of the balsamic vinegar.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic adds a rich tangy flavor that works so well with the sweetness in this recipe.
- Feta Cheese: This is optional, but I love to stir in some crumbled feta jus before serving for an extra layer of flavor.
How to make air fryer cherry tomatoes
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Cut the tomatoes in half, sprinkle over the seasonings and drizzle with oil and balsamic (photo 1).
- Place in the air fryer, in a baking dish, and cook til soft, browned and juicy (photo 2).
Recipe Variations
To elevate them further, I added in some feta cheese to serve for a salty kick, but you can serve them as is, or try some grated parmesan, mozzarella, or add in some fresh basil leaves! You can easily make these without the balsamic if you prefer, they will still be super tasty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I love using cherry tomatoes as they are naturally sweeter, but you can easily use larger varieties like roma or plum. They may need an extra couple of minutes of cooking time, but the method remains the same.
The cooking time will vary slightly as air fryer models can run slightly differently. In my basket air fryer, I found that 15 minutes at 400F got them super jammy and soft, just how I like them! If you prefer yours a little firmer, you can start checking for doneness around the 8 minute mark.
I prefer to cut the tomatoes in half so that the seasoning really gets into them to make them extra flavorful. You can toss them in whole if you like, but I find them tastier and easier to eat when cut in half first.
Serving Suggestions
These air fryer tomatoes are so delicious, you can easily serve them up as part of a charcuterie board or appetizer platter, or pile them on top of crostini. They make for a great topping for baked fish or chicken, or add them to salads or sandwiches for a pop of flavor. You can also use the roasted tomatoes to make a rich homemade soup or pasta sauce.
Storage and Reheating
Once cooked, the cherry tomatoes can be served straight away, or store them for later use. Let them cool fully and then cover and refrigerate them for up to 5 days. You can also store the cooled tomatoes in oil to preserve them for longer.
They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. You can freeze them as is, or puree them to freeze.
They can easily be reheated on the air fryer at 350F for 2 to 3 minutes, or in a pot on the stovetop. They are also delicious cold!
Equipment
I made this recipe is my 6qt basket air fryer. For best results, and easy clean up, I advise that you use a small baking dish to cook the tomatoes in. The dish will catch all of those juices and flavor and you can pop it straight in the dishwasher to clean it.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Use ripe cherry tomatoes for the best flavor. Larger varieties of tomatoes like roma or plum, can also be cooked this way.
- Place the tomatoes cut side up in the baking dish. This will help them retain their juices and the seasonings will penetrate further into the flesh.
- I recommend using a baking dish in the air fryer to cook these. You can place them directly in the basket if you don’t have a dish, but it will require a bigger clean up! You can line the air fryer basket with foil to catch the juices.
- Check the doneness of the tomatoes at around 8 minutes. I found that they were perfect at 15 minutes.
When you want sweet and juicy roasted tomatoes in less time, then the air fryer is your friend! So quick and easy to prep and cook and the results are so wonderfully flavorful! You’ll be adding these cherry tomatoes to everything!
More Air Fryer Side Dishes
- Air Fryer Frozen Hash Browns
- Air Fryer Roasted Bell Peppers
- Air Fryer Mashed Potato Balls
- Air Fryer Fingerling Potatoes
- Air Fryer Baby Carrots
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!
Air Fryer Cherry Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (550g)
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F / 200c.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place cut side up in a small baking dish.
- Season the tomatoes with a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper and sprinkle over the sugar.
- Drizzle over the oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Place the baking dish of tomatoes in the air fryer and cook at 400F / 200c for 15 minutes. Check the tomatoes at around 8 minutes and cook til done to your liking.
Notes
- Use ripe cherry tomatoes for the best flavor. Larger varieties of tomatoes like roma or plum, can also be cooked this way.
- Place the tomatoes cut side up in the baking dish. This will help them retain their juices and the seasonings will penetrate further into the flesh.
- I recommend using a baking dish in the air fryer to cook these. You can place them directly in the basket if you don’t have a dish, but it will require a bigger clean up! You can line the air fryer basket with foil to catch the juices.
- Check the doneness of the tomatoes at around 8 minutes. I found that they were perfect at 15 minutes.
