Tuesday, June 25, 2024 · 112 Comments

Tomato Gratin

Who doesn’t love a sweet, plump tomato that’s full of the best flavor? This tomato gratin is packed with ingredients that truly enhance one of summer’s best gifts. You’ll want to serve it with everything this season.

Tomato Gratin

If you’re wondering what to do with your summer tomatoes, transforming them into this tomato gratin is one of my most delicious ideas. This gratin is one of my favorite summer indulgences.

The soft tomatoes and crunchy bread crumbs come together as a virtual mouth party, if I’m being honest. The Pecorino Romano, orange zest, honey, and thyme really put it over the top. Don’t let summer pass without making this tomato gratin recipe at least once.

Why I Love This Recipe

This tomato gratin is so easy to prepare, but tastes impressive.
The fresh ingredients combined with the salty cheese is so flavorful.
This recipe makes the most of summer tomatoes. If it’s late in the season, I love using heirloom tomatoes for variety and presentation.

Ingredients

garlic – fresh garlic to rub on the walls of your baking dish
extra virgin olive oil – you can also use regular olive oil if you prefer the stronger flavor
Vidalia sweet onion – or other sweet onion. Sweet onions have a very mild flavor which is the perfect accompaniment for this recipe
orange zest
freshly squeezed orange juice
honey
tomatoes
salt and pepper
fresh thyme – don’t leave this out
bread crumbs – I like making my own with stale bread and the food processor, but you can also use store bought
Pecorino-Romano cheese– my favorite blend for flavor, but feel free to use Parmesan or other Italian cheese

How To Make Tomato Gratin

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step One: Prepare my oven-safe, shallow, 2-quart baking dish (such as an 8×8 or 11×7) by rubbing the inside with fresh garlic. Then, I coat the baking dish with extra-virgin olive oil in preparation for the tomatoes.
Step Two: I heat more oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion, and cook until the onions are translucent, not brown. I then remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the orange zest, fresh orange juice, honey, and some of the fresh thyme.
Step Three: I like to layer the dish by adding half of the onion mixture to the bottom of the baking dish and half of the tomatoes. I season them with half of the salt and pepper, then add the rest of the onion mixture, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. I carefully overlap the tomato slices to fit.
Step Four: Using a separate bowl, I mix together the bread crumbs, more oil, thyme, and cheese until all the crumbs are moistened.
Step Five: I bake the gratin for 24 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden and the tomato juices are bubbling.

Recipe Tips

I think using fresh bread crumbs gives the gratin a great texture. I use crusty, stale bread and pulse it in the food processor to the consistency I want. You can skip this and use store-bought crumbs if you prefer.
Fresh thyme really adds a nice flavor, don’t leave it out.
The freshly squeezed orange juice in this recipe is also a game changer. Store-bought is just too sweet and not as nuanced.
I prefer using Pecorino-Romano cheese for its sharper, saltier, and tangier flavor due to the use of sheep’s milk and higher salt content. Parmesan has a nutty, savory, and slightly sweet flavor, which is milder than Pecorino Romano. The texture is granular and it tends to be less salty. Use which ever one you prefer, but I feel the bolder Pecorino-Romano is better in this recipe.

How To Store Leftovers

I make sure the tomato gratin is at room temperature before refrigerating.
I transfer the leftover tomato gratin into an airtight container or cover the original baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It can be stored for 3-4 days.
When reheating, I preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). I will bake until heated through, about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is crispy and the gratin is bubbling.

More Summer Tomato Recipes

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Print Recipe

5 from 33 votes

Tomato Gratin

Summer tomatoes are sweet, plump and full of the best flavor. This tomato gratin is packed with ingredients that truly enhance summers best gift.

Prep Time20

Cook Time24

Total Time44

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Tomato Gratin

Servings:

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, sliced in half
5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil divided
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/2 tsp grated orange zest
3 tbsps fresh orange juice
2 tsps honey
3 tsps fresh thyme, chopped, divided
4 lbs tomatoes, thickly sliced
1-1/2 tsps table salt divided
1-1/2 tsps finely ground black pepper divided
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Prepare an oven-safe, shallow, 2 quart baking dish by rubbing the inside with garlic. Paint the dish with 1-1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
1 clove garlic, sliced in half, 5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Heat 1-1/2 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about five minutes or until onions are translucent, not brown. Remove from heat, stir in orange zest, fresh orange juice, honey and 1-1/2 teaspoons thyme.
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, 1/2 tsp grated orange zest, 3 tbsps fresh orange juice, 2 tsps honey, 3 tsps fresh thyme, chopped, divided
Add half of the onion mixture to the bottom of the baking dish and half the tomatoes. Season with half the salt and pepper and add the rest of the onion mixture, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Overlap the tomato slices to fit.
4 lbs tomatoes, thickly sliced , 1-1/2 tsps table salt, 1-1/2 tsps finely ground black pepper
In a separate bowl, mix together bread crumbs, 2 Tablespoons oil, 1-1/2 teaspoons thyme and cheese. Mix until all crumbs are moistened.
2 cups fresh bread crumbs , 1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese
Bake for 24 minutes or until crumbs are golden and juices are bubbling.
Serve hot or warm.

Video

Notes

For optimal outcomes when preparing this tomato gratin, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Gratin

Amount Per Serving (157 g)

Calories 155 Calories from Fat 46

% Daily Value*

Fat 5.1g8%

Saturated Fat 1.2g8%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 4mg1%

Sodium 696mg30%

Potassium 230.4mg7%

Carbohydrates 20.2g7%

Fiber 0.8g3%

Sugar 5.1g6%

Protein 4.6g9%

Vitamin A 14.3IU0%

Vitamin C 27.9mg34%

Calcium 6.3mg1%

Iron 0.3mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

5 from 33 votes