What It Means To Blister Your Tomatoes And Why You Should Do It

Nearly every chef on the globe knows the power of a complex tomato sauce, but there's an easier — and quicker — way to get that same complexity. Blistered tomatoes are the secret technique to add an umami boost to just about anything for chefs in a hurry.

Blistered tomatoes are simply cherry or grape tomatoes that have been briefly sautéed. This quick and gentle heat is all these little guys need to unlock their greatest flavor potential. They can also easily be dressed with other ingredients and spices while cooking. Garlic, balsamic vinegar, red chili pepper flakes, or fresh herbs can all be added to blistered tomatoes to add extra layers of flavor.

Blistered tomatoes are incredibly versatile because once seasoned, they can be served on their own as a side, treated as a sauce for cooked proteins, added to another sauce, or as a bonus addition to a salad or grain bowl. However you decide to add them to your meal, you'll add a smoky, sweet, and savory spoonful of decadent flavors.

The reason that blistered tomatoes taste so delectable has to do with the depth of flavors that are created by the fifth taste, umami. Umami is a savory and complex range of flavors caused mainly by glutamate or glutamic acids. This might sound like some kind of chemical additive, but these amino acids occur naturally in a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, roasted meats, and aged cheeses. When our taste buds detect these compounds, they register it as the rich, savory flavor we associate with these foods. The more glutamic acids present in food, the more we taste these flavors.

Glutamic acids are highly abundant in tomatoes and are the main reason blistered tomatoes taste so satisfying. Cherry tomatoes already have an average of 20-30 milligrams more of these flavor compounds than their larger counterparts. Adding some salt and roasting them only serves to enhance these flavors further. It's the same secret weapon that helped the Tik Tok feta pasta recipe go viral years ago.

If you think about the difference in flavors between a raw plum tomato and a rich tomato sauce, then you have some understanding of how a little bit of time roasting tomatoes can change their taste. Blistering cherry tomatoes accomplishes the same thing in a shorter timeframe.

One of the best things about blistered tomatoes is that they can be made quickly and do better when left alone. Start by heating oil in a pan over medium heat. If you add any aromatics or seasonings like garlic or shallots, you can add them then and let them cook briefly until fragrant. Then add some whole cherry tomatoes to the pan.

If you're preparing a large serving of these tomatoes, you'll want to work in batches. Clustering them too close in the pan will force them to steam as they release their moisture instead of roasting.

Once the tomatoes are in the pan, leave them alone for the first couple of minutes. This will help them get a nice char on the one side and start to blister. Stir the tomatoes and give them another few minutes on the stove to blister completely, and you're ready to go. Once they're off the heat, add gentle ingredients like a balsamic glaze or fresh herbs before serving.