The Kitchn

This Tomato Butter Recipe Will Help Use Up All Those Summer Tomatoes

There is nothing better than fresh-from-the-garden summer tomatoes. All winter I long for their sweet juicy flavor. But then this time of the summer rolls around, and the thought of an extra slice of tomato on my sandwich leaves me less than thrilled.

So what is one to do? You can’t let all that hard work rot before your very eyes, and canning is just so time-consuming. In comes this tomato butter recipe to save the day.

This tomato butter takes 10 minutes to prepare and can be enjoyed for up to three months. The butter itself is so delicious you’ll be wanting to use it on everything. Go ahead and spread it on any carb you can find, from toast to pasta. You can also add a dollop to the top of a warm piece of fish, chicken or steak.

tomato photo
Photo by Digital Sextant

The only thing better than the time it takes to make and the extra layer of flavor it adds is the fact that you will have conquered the tomato tower without a bit of guilt about letting them go to waste. (Unless the guilt is tied to the amount of butter you have been consuming!)

Tomato Butter (recipe from The Kitchn)

Ingredients

  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

You’re going to be using the broiler for this recipe, so make sure that you place a rack 3-4 inches from the broiler.

  • Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and broil 6-8 minutes. Let them cool to room temperature.
  • Combine the broiled tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper in a food processor
  • Pulse about 10 times, until the tomatoes are finely chopped.
  • Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and add it to the food processor.
  • Process until the butter is completely mixed in with the tomato mixture, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed for even blending.

The tomato butter can be used immediately or placed in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to firm up first. The butter will last about one week in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer.