Roasted garlic cherry tomato skewers
- Preparation 15 min
- Cooking 10 min
- Servings 4 to 6
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🍅 The grilled tomato recipe that does everything. Side dish, salad topper and luxury bruschetta
These roasted garlic cherry tomato skewers are one of the most versatile recipes in the LCDG collection, and they deserve a permanent spot in your summer BBQ rotation. A mix of cherry and grape tomatoes threaded onto skewers, basted with an aromatic oil infused with gently roasted garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano and white wine, 2 minutes per side on the grill over medium heat and the tomatoes come out lightly golden, bursting with juice and a concentrated flavour that has absolutely nothing in common with a raw tomato. Outstanding as a side dish alongside any summer grill, delicious crushed over a fresh green salad, and completely spectacular on a thick slice of grilled Belgian bread buried under fresh ricotta or creamy goat cheese.
🔥 The roasted garlic oil. The real flavour engine of this recipe
What sets these roasted garlic cherry tomato skewers apart from a basic grilled vegetable skewer is the aromatic oil. The garlic cooks gently in olive oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Just long enough to barely begin to toast without burning, releasing its sweet, deep aromas into the oil. The white wine is then added off the heat to deglaze and bring a subtle acidity that balances everything out. It’s this oil that gets brushed generously over the tomatoes during cooking on the grill that makes all the difference. Simple, elegant and so much more flavourful than anything out of a bottle.
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🧄 Watch the garlic closely. The line between roasted and burnt is thin
The garlic needs to cook gently in the oil until it just barely begins to turn golden. Never beyond. Lightly roasted garlic gives a sweet, fragrant, deeply flavoured oil. Burnt garlic gives a bitter oil that ruins the entire recipe. Over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes with regular stirring is all it takes. The moment the garlic begins to show the faintest hint of colour, pull the pan off the heat immediately. The residual heat will continue cooking the garlic in the warm oil.
🍷 Add the white wine off the heat only
The white wine always goes in after removing the pan from the burner. Added to a pan still on the heat, it evaporates too quickly and loses its role as a balancing acid in the oil. Off the heat, it blends into the warm garlic oil and creates a light emulsion that clings far better to the tomatoes during basting on the grill.
🌡️ Use a reusable BBQ grill mat if the tomatoes are small
Small cherry tomatoes can easily fall through the grill grates even on skewers if they aren’t threaded tightly. To avoid any accidents, place a reusable silicone or Teflon grill mat on the grate. It lets heat and smoke through while keeping the tomatoes in place and making basting much easier. Particularly useful if the tomatoes vary in size.
🍞 The bruschetta version. The best way to serve them
Crush the still-hot grilled tomatoes onto a thick slice of butter-grilled Belgian bread, then bury under a generous layer of fresh ricotta or creamy goat cheese. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a few fresh basil leaves and a turn of the pepper mill. This is the most impressive version of this recipe and the easiest to pull off for a memorable patio apéro.
🫙 Make the roasted garlic oil ahead. It keeps beautifully
The roasted garlic aromatic oil can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Take it out 15 minutes before using to let it return to a pourable consistency. This oil is equally delicious on grilled vegetables, chicken skewers, fresh pasta or simply for dipping bread. Make a double batch without hesitation.
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Ingredients
- 2 pints of mixed cherry and grape tomatoes (about 500 g / 17 oz total)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) dried oregano
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) white wine
- Salt and ground pepper
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Preparation
- Thread the cherry and grape tomatoes onto wooden skewers. Set aside on a large plate.
- In a small pan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, Italian seasoning, oregano and chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the garlic just barely begins to turn golden. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and add the white wine. Stir well and set aside.
- Preheat the BBQ to maximum heat, then reduce to medium. Oil the grill grates.
- Place the tomato skewers on the grill and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until the tomatoes are lightly golden and starting to burst. Baste generously with the roasted garlic oil throughout cooking.
- Serve immediately as a side dish, over a fresh green salad, or crushed onto a thick slice of grilled Belgian bread topped with fresh ricotta or creamy goat cheese.
Yes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with the broil function on. Place the skewers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway and basting with the garlic oil. The oven gives slightly less charred tomatoes than the BBQ but just as flavourful. For more colour, pass under the broiler for the last 2 minutes.
Yes, ideally. Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using to prevent them from burning on the BBQ. If there’s no time, wrap the exposed ends in damp aluminum foil. Metal skewers eliminate this issue entirely and are a worthwhile investment for the whole grilling season.
Absolutely. The mix of both is recommended for variety in texture and flavour, but a single type works very well. Grape tomatoes are slightly firmer and sweeter. They hold up better on the grill. Cherry tomatoes are juicier and burst more easily during cooking, which is perfect for the bruschetta version. Avoid large cocktail tomatoes. They’re too heavy for skewers and cook unevenly.
These skewers are delicious straight off the skewer alongside any grilled meat or fish. They can also be slid off the skewer and tossed into a fresh green salad with a drizzle of the remaining garlic oil as a dressing. On fresh pasta with parmesan, crushed onto grilled bread with ricotta or goat cheese, or simply arranged on an apéro board next to grilled crostini. The possibilities are practically endless.
Yes, and it’s excellent. Chunks of red or yellow bell pepper, zucchini rounds, mushrooms or red onion wedges thread easily onto the skewers alongside the tomatoes and cook in a similar time over medium heat. Adjust the basting accordingly. Denser vegetables like peppers benefit from a more generous basting than the tomatoes to prevent them from drying out.
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