Smoked tomatoes is a fast and easy recipe with delicious results. Smoking tomatoes concentrates the sweetness of the fruit and makes it even more flavorful while complementary seasonings and herbs (I give you several amazing combinations to choose from) take the taste to the next level!
Why You'll Love This Smoked Tomato Recipe
- This is an easy and quick recipe that uses minimal ingredients.
- Seasonings and herbs for smoked tomatoes are versatile and I'll show you several options.
- You can smoke tomatoes while other things are being smoked at the same time and make best use of space and wood.
- Smoking will improve the flavor of mediocre tomatoes.
- Smoked tomatoes can be used in countless ways in other recipes, condiments, and sauces.
Jump to:
I love growing tomatoes because I love eating homegrown tomatoes — and this recipe for smoked tomatoes is a favorite I will make all summer long.
If you've never smoked a tomato before, you're going to love this.
And if you love roasted or sundried tomatoes, you will adore my smoked tomatoes on the Traeger Grill recipe (or literally whatever smoker you have).
The end result is a delicious as-is snack or a versatile, savoury-sweet-smoky base for many other recipes, like in my roasted green tomato soup.
You can turn these smoked tomatoes into a delicious salsa or pasta sauce using your favorite recipe, or you can use them in my recipe for mussels, or eat them as a side for a BBQ.
Try making these as a side for my smoked whole trout recipe, smoked whole turkey, smoked grouse, or Greek grilled octopus.
And if you love this BBQ recipe, try my smoked onions, smoked salt, and smoked maple salmon jerky too. Or some of my other side dishes like traditional mortar and pestle pesto or blitva (garlicky potatoes with Swiss chard).
Ingredients
- Tomatoes | Any tomato can be smoked! You may opt to keep the pulp and seeds or scoop them out and this will be the biggest decision you face. Whether you do this or not depends on the tomatoes you have and whether you like the insides or not. You can also try it both ways to see which way you prefer. Yes, you can smoke green tomatoes too.
- Salt + Pepper | Whatever else you use, you definitely want to add salt and I also love freshly cracked black pepper with my tomatoes.
- Herbs, Spices & Seasonings | So many herbs and other ingredients complement the taste of tomato. I will be keeping it simple and only using in this recipe: garlic powder and dried thyme while providing you with some other classic mixes you may want to try too.
- Olive Oil | Olive oil is the best choice of oil to use here for the best flavor. Only a bit is needed to lightly coat the tomatoes.
- Balsamic Vinegar (Optional) | Just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar adds something wonderful to this dish.
Instructions
Set your Traeger Grill (or whatever smoker you're using) to the Smoke setting and then go prep your tomatoes. By the time the smoker is ready to use, your tomatoes should be ready.
Slice your tomatoes in half.
Supremely large tomatoes can be sliced in several pieces.
Decide if you wish to keep the pulp and seeds or remove them. This entirely depends on the varieties of tomatoes you're using and what your personal preference is. If you don't know what you like, try it both ways. I keep my tomatoes whole.
In a bowl large enough to hold your tomatoes, add enough olive oil to lightly cover the tomatoes.
Add your seasonings and herbs.
Use your hands to toss and coat everything thoroughly and evenly, they work better than spoons.
Arrange your tomatoes on a baking tray in a single layer. Overlap is fine as your tomatoes will begin to shrink during the smoking process.
Check your tomatoes periodically for level of doneness. I like mine to look like they do in this picture, but you can keep going a bit more if you prefer. Taste some as you go and you'll discover your personal preference.
If you're using tomatoes of different sizes, remove the smaller ones as they will finish first, and leave the rest to keep smoking.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar (optional) and any fresh herbs.
Best Wood For Smoking Tomatoes
Any variety you want. The tomatoes you see here were smoked on Hickory BBQ wood pellets.
According to the official Traeger website, the best wood pellets for vegetables (yes but tomatoes are a fruit, I get it) are: Hickory BBQ, Signature Blend, Apple BBQ, Pecan, Alder, Maple, and Winemaker’s Blend.
Buy Traeger 100% hardwood pellets (no additives) here:
Substitutions & Variations
There are SO many ways to flavor your smoked tomatoes. Simple salt and pepper is enough, but here are more herbs and seasonings that are perfect.
- Tomatoes & Basil | Add fresh or dried basil + chervil + garlic + tarragon
- Tomato & Prosciutto | Add fresh basil at the eng along with thinly sliced prosciutto
- Tomato & Watermelon | A smoked tomato and watermelon salad is AMAZING. Add some prosciutto too.
- Tomato, Mozzarella & Fresh Herb | After smoking, add fresh basil with thinly sliced mozzarella along with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic.
- Tomato & Avocado | Tomatoes and avocado are a perfect pairing! Put this on a sandwich with prosciutto and you're going to love it.
- Smoked Tomato Salsa | Take your favorite salsa recipe up a notch and replace some or all of the fresh tomatoes with smoked tomatoes.
Storage & Freezing
These are best served warm or at room temperature. They can be refrigerated very well for up to a week in an airtight container or frozen for up to 3 months.
Pairings
These are my favorite dishes to serve with smoked tomatoes:
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- tomatoes cut in half, if very large can be cut in several slices
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Dried Thyme
- Olive oil enough to coat the tomatoes
- Balsamic optional
Instructions
- Set your Traeger Grill (or whatever smoker you're using) to the Smoke setting and then go prep your tomatoes. By the time the smoker is ready to use, your tomatoes should be ready.
- Slice your tomatoes in half.Supremely large tomatoes can be sliced in several pieces.Decide if you wish to keep the pulp and seeds or remove them. This entirely depends on the varieties of tomatoes you're using and what your personal preference is. If you don't know what you like, try it both ways. I keep my tomatoes whole.
- In a bowl large enough to hold your tomatoes, add enough olive oil to lightly cover the tomatoes.
- Add your seasonings and herbs. How much you use is up to personal taste and preference and depends on how many tomatoes you're using which is why you won't find exact quantities. For the amount you see in my photos, start with a teaspoon of each garlic powder and dried thyme. For salt and pepper, a big pinch of each.Use your hands to toss and coat everything thoroughly and evenly, they work better than spoons.
- Arrange your tomatoes on a baking tray in a single layer. Overlap is fine as your tomatoes will begin to shrink during the smoking process. Place on the grill.
- Increase temperature to about 180-200.
- Check your tomatoes periodically for level of doneness. I like mine to look like they do in the pictures, but you can keep going a bit more if you prefer. Taste some as you go and you'll discover your personal preference.
- If you're using tomatoes of different sizes, remove the smaller ones as they will finish first, and leave the rest to keep smoking.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar (optional) and any fresh herbs.
- Tomatoes will be done in approximately 45 minutes. The edges will begin to curl and insides to bubble.
Notes
- Tomatoes & Basil | Add fresh or dried basil + chervil + garlic + tarragon
- Tomato & Prosciutto | Add fresh basil at the eng along with thinly sliced prosciutto
- Tomato & Watermelon | A smoked tomato and watermelon salad is AMAZING. Add some prosciutto too.
- Tomato, Mozzarella & Fresh Herb | After smoking, add fresh basil with thinly sliced mozzarella along with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic.
- Tomato & Avocado | Tomatoes and avocado are a perfect pairing! Put this on a sandwich with prosciutto and you're going to love it.
- Smoked Tomato Salsa | Take your favorite salsa recipe up a notch and replace some or all of the fresh tomatoes with smoked tomatoes.
Suja md says
Wow! this is my new favorite recipe!
Tracy says
This was so easy and delicious! It was a great to use our amazing garden tomatoes. Great instructions, thanks!
Nikki says
My first time smoking tomatoes and I’m hooked! Thank you!
veenaazmanov says
Grilled tomatoes are definitely delicious. Best enjoyed as a topping too. Thanks for all the ideas to enjoy these smoked tomatoes.
Carrie Robinson says
What an absolutely genius way to cook tomatoes! I bet these have so much flavor. 🙂 Perfect for those end of summer tomatoes.
Grace says
I freeze them in small ziploc bags and use them all winter.
The Peasant's Daughter says
That's a fantastic idea!
Mark Lamontagne says
I cook them at 300 f
I half them, pour olive oil on them then some balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle minced garlic and chopped olives and a little course salt.
I cook until the tomatoes flatten and darken.
Really yummy pasta sauce.
The Peasant's Daughter says
That would make an amazing pasta sauce!
John Mackey says
Any recommendations on storing the finished product?
The Peasant's Daughter says
Nothing special required — just a Tupperware container and they refrigerate VERY well. I imagine if you make a big batch they will keep indefinitely submerged in olive oil.
Christine Cannon says
They taste great however even though I followed the recipe (except for the lovage, I used parsley) some of my tomatoes turned to mush, its a good thing I removed some of the seed pulp or it would have been soup.The recipe should be a little more detailed on the prep (cutting, de-seeding, core removal) and take in to account which Treager a person may have.
The Peasant's Daughter says
I can definitely add more details. I'm sorry for the near-mush! I think the type of tomato factors into this as I never deseed or core mine, but the varietals I use tend to have way less pulpy bits. Will have to test it with more varieties. Thank you for the feedback.
Simon says
Sounds good, but is the temperature 180-200 Celsius or Fahrenheit?
peasantsdaughter says
Traeger temps are Fahrenheit by default.
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