This came entirely by accident, and that totally sums up most of my favorite recipes. I had this massive carton of cherry tomatoes on my counter, and some of them, by definition, were on the verge of turning, meaning they were right at that smelly, especially if you saw them and said, “Okay, it’s happening today. Use ’em or lose ’em.” And I did not want to make another goddamn salad. I was over salads at that point, for real.
We also happened to have a not-quite-solid rind of mozzarella in the fridge that we needed to finish before it became a science experiment, and somehow the two pitiful forgotten ingredients became this. It’s now just a thing I whip up without even thinking and that feels like the biggest compliment I can give a recipe.
It’s not fancy. It’s not going to wow your friends at a dinner party where you’re trying to show off. But there’s just something about the mix of melted cheeses and skins that have burst, released all of their jamminess, and now sit under bubbly, browned cheese that’s just exactly right. I’ve eaten it as a side with some chicken, eaten a whole bowl of it all by myself for lunch with some bread (no shame), and I once brought this to a potluck and three people asked me what it was (and it was gone!).
The air fryer just takes everything to an entirely level of ridiculously easy as well, you’ve got no pre-heating a large scale oven for twenty minutes, no additional bowls and pans pile up, and the tomatoes get this lovely little bit of caramelized to them on the edges that I haven’t been able to do other.
What You Will Require
2 cups cherry tomatoes, kept whole
1 cup shredded mozzarella – any brand is fine I don’t really care.
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano, or handful of fresh basil, torn up (if there’s any lying around)
Salt and pepper, to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes, if you’re into that,
Air fryer parchment paper – standard parchment will float and be super annoying
How I Actually Make This
First the tomatoes. Place them in a bowl and pour the oil mixture over the top with the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Use your hands or a spoon to give it a good stir coat all over. (Do not overthink, you just want to spice them up a bit).
Line your basket. I get a little creative with a piece of parchment by folding the edges up so it’s sort of like a little dish inside my air fryer. This way I don’t get tomato juices all over the insides of the machine like I’ve gotten myself in the past with way too many clean up sessions.
Pour them into your paper-lined basket, attempting to spread out the quantity somewhat so they’re not too stacked. However, if they’re all clumped in one corner, it’s okay.
First cook. 370°F for 8 minutes. You’ll notice they’re beginning to soften up here and you’ll likely get a few to burst without even meaning to (but that’s fine!).
Pull the cheese out. Cover everything in a generous amount of mozzarella and parmesan. I tend to go a little overboard here, because more cheese has never done me wrong.
Back in it goes. 5-6 more minutes at the same temp until the cheese is melted all over and bubbled up with a few golden crispy spots. At this point your entire kitchen will smell amazing and you’re probably hovering in front of the air fryer as if watching it will make it go faster. Spoiler alert: It won’t, but I do it every single time.
Just set it down. Wait a few minutes before you dig in. Top it with red pepper flakes if you’d like a little spice.
Things I’ve Learned From Making This Way Too Many Times
Honestly, let it sit for those couple minutes. I’ve gotten the roof of my mouth burned more than I care to count because I didn’t wait and it does take on a slightly better texture if you wait.
Whole small tomatoes will cook quickly, so don’t set a timer and walk away during that initial phase. I made the mistake of getting distracted looking at my phone during the first round and returned to a pan of more mashed-than-burst tomatoes, which tasted as fine as ever, but didn’t look quite as pretty.
This is another recipe that is actually really forgiving of experiments. When I want a little more saltiness, I add a few anchovies, and it’s equally delicious. Also, when I want to sneak in some greens, I stir in a handful of baby spinach with the raw tomatoes; it wilts up quickly.
Oh, and a nice loaf of bread would be great, you’ll want it to scoop up all the cheese and tomato juice that settles on the bottom. Otherwise, it feels like a crime to leave anything behind.
Fast recipe card
Air Fryer Cherry Tomato Bake
Serves 2-4 as a side | Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 13 – 14 mins
Ingredients:
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella
2 tbsp grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Steps:
Combine the tomato pieces, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Line air fryer basket with parchment then add the tomatoes.
Air fry at 370°F for 8 minutes.
Top with mozzarella and parmesan.
Air fry for another 5-6 minutes until melted and golden.
Rest a few minutes. Top with red pepper flakes and serve.