How to Grill Tomatoes

Skewered and foil-pack tomatoes on grill.

5 from 1 vote

In this sweet and juicy recipe tutorial, I'll show you how to grill tomatoes, including cherry tomatoes and Roma, to smoky, caramelized perfection. Whether you're making an appetizer, side dish or snack, this easy recipe is going to come in handy all grilling season long!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 80kcal

Author: Joss Dyckson

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cherry Tomato Skewers

1 tablespoon fresh herbs thyme and oregano for example
¼ cup salted butter softened
1 teaspoon garlic minced
12 cherry tomatoes cleaned and dried
sea salt to taste

For the Grilled Tomato-Basil Foil Packets

6 to 8 ripe Roma tomatoes or 2 to 3 beefsteak tomatoes--cleaned and dried
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped
sea salt and fresh basil to taste (garnishes)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Cherry Tomato Skewers

Chop the herbs finely. Mix the butter with the garlic and fresh herbs.
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, ¼ cup salted butter, 1 teaspoon garlic
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. Place the cherry tomatoes on skewers. (You can add 3 tomatoes to each skewer for appetizer size or up to 6 for larger servings.)
12 cherry tomatoes
Place the cherry tomato skewers on the grill (over direct heat) and brush with some of the herb butter.
Grill for 5 minutes (or until slightly charred on one side), then flip them over. Brush with more garlic butter. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until soft but not mushy.
Serve with more fresh herbs and sea salt.

For the Grilled Tomato Foil Packets

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. Cut the tomatoes into 4 wedges each. (If you're using beefsteak tomatoes instead, just chop them into bite-size pieces.)
6 to 8 ripe Roma tomatoes
Tear off 2 large squares of aluminum foil, about 10 to 12 inches in length. Add the tomatoes to one side of each foil piece, divided evenly.
Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and then sprinkle with the garlic, fresh basil and a pinch of salt.
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
Create foil packs by folding the top half of the tin foil over the tomatoes and pinching the sides together.
Place the packets directly on the grill, close the lid and grill for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender.
Carefully cut or tear open the foil pack. Sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt and fresh basil. Serve.

Notes

Skewers: I normally like to use metal skewers on the grill because you don't need to soak them in water first, unlike wooden skewers.
Note on nutrition info: The nutrition information is for one serving of the tomato foil packs, as I could only show the nutrition for one recipe.
Leftover grilled tomato storage: Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Garlic butter storage and uses: You will likely have some leftover garlic & herb butter, but it can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 4 weeks. It tastes amazing spread on toast and dinner buns or over baked potatoes and grilled steak.
Reheating: They can be reheated in the microwave, in a pan over medium heat or in the oven, covered in foil at 350°F until heated through.
Tips:
- When skewering the cherry tomatoes, use the top greenish circle (where the stem was connected) as a guide.
- Be very gentle when removing the cherry tomatoes from the skewers or they could pop and the juices will gush out.
- You want your tomatoes to be ripe but still firm--not over ripe--for the best texture.

Nutrition