Description
🍅 This 5-Ingredient Tomato Spread offers a fresh, vibrant burst of flavor perfect for enhancing a variety of meals.
🥖 Simple to prepare and packed with natural sweetness and tang, it’s ideal for spreading on crusty bread or topping dishes.
Ingredients
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
– 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
– 2 dry pints (4 cups) cherry or grape tomatoes
– 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
– 1 teaspoon brown sugar or preferred sweetener (optional)
– Fine sea salt to taste
– Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
1-Gathering and Prepping Ingredients: First, pull together all your ingredients to make the process smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, which helps bring out the rich flavors right away.
2-Cooking the Base: Next, add 3 cloves of peeled and minced garlic along with 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté for one minute to build a fragrant foundation. Then, stir in 2 dry pints (4 cups) of cherry or grape tomatoes, cover the pan, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the tomato skins burst and form a tasty sauce.
3-Simmering and Seasoning: After that, simmer uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes to reach your ideal thickness, stirring as needed. Reduce the heat to low, then mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, along with the optional 1 teaspoon of brown sugar or your preferred sweetener for a bit of balance.
4-Final Touches and Serving: Adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, and you’re almost done. Serve it warm with crusty bread for a cozy meal, and feel free to enhance it with extras like a cold pat of butter for creaminess or fresh Italian herbs for more depth. For a fun twist, try it with poached eggs or cheesy bagel ideas from my blog.
Notes
🧈 Add a cold pat of butter at the end for a creamier texture.
🌶️ Increase red pepper flakes if you prefer more heat.
🌿 Incorporate fresh Italian herbs or Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Spread, Condiment, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Tomato Spread,Simple Spread,Fresh Tomato,Tangy Tomato