Roasted Grape Tomatoes on Quark
Elevate those roasted grape tomatoes with the smooth and creamy texture of honey and cumin quark and crunched up with some granola. How good does that sound?
Why You’ll Love Roasted Grape Tomatoes on Quark
Nothing quite beats oven roasted grape tomatoes, particularly when they come in such vibrant colours. Roasting grape tomatoes is a truly simple process of just olive oil and salt and letting the oven do all the hard work.
Quark is simply divine. As it is mild in flavour, it can be enjoyed on its own, or it can be elevated with herbs, spices and sweeteners. In this recipe, we add a little honey for sweetness and some cumin for warmth.
Together with the crunch of the granola, this side dish not only tastes perfect, but they sure make a gorgeous addition to the dinner table.
If you love tomatoes on cheese our charred truss tomato salad with stracciatella just might suit your palate too.
What Are Grape Tomatoes?
Grape tomatoes are a type of small, sweet tomato with an oblong or oval shape, resembling the size and shape of grapes. They are a popular variety of cherry tomatoes, but unlike traditional cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes tend to be smaller and more elongated.
Grape tomatoes are usually red or yellow when ripe, known for their vibrant colours and rich flavour. They are typically smaller in size when compared to cherry tomatoes and have thicker skin. Their flesh is meatier and less watery.
They are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia and were introduced to the United States market in the 1990s. They have become increasingly popular due in part to their higher sugar content than regular tomatoes and their smaller, bite-sized shape.
You can use them in our easy tomato burrata salad and tomato bocconcini salad with caper vinaigrette recipes.
Is Grape or Cherry Tomatoes Better for Roasting?
Both grape and cherry tomatoes can be roasted, and in the end, it comes down to personal preference.
Grape tomatoes have thicker skin than cherry tomatoes, which means they can withstand higher roasting temperatures without bursting. They caramelise nicely and retain a bit of firmness, resulting in a burst of juicy sweetness when you bite into them.
Their concentrated flavour makes them a popular choice for roasting, as they create a more intense and vibrant taste.
Cherry tomatoes are a bit rounder and generally have thinner skin compared to grape tomatoes. When roasted, they become softer and juicier, with a sweeter taste that can be slightly milder compared to grape tomatoes.
While they might not retain their shape as well as grape tomatoes, their texture after roasting can be very appealing, especially if you prefer a more tender and almost “melt-in-your-mouth” experience.
What Is Quark Cheese?
Quark cheese, often simply referred to as “quark,” is a fresh and creamy cheese that originated in Central Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and other neighbouring countries. It is also popular in Scandinavian and Slavic cuisines.
How is quark cheese made? The production process of quark involves first souring pasteurised milk with the help of lactic acid bacteria. After fermentation, the curd is separated from the whey.
Unlike some other cheeses, quark is not pressed or aged, resulting in a soft, spreadable, and slightly grainy texture. Its flavour is mildly tangy and refreshing, making it a versatile ingredient used in both sweet and savoury dishes.
What Is Quark Cheese Similar To?
Quark is made from cow’s milk, like other fresh cheeses like cottage cheese and fromage frais. It is also similar to cottage cheese in texture but smoother and has a higher protein content.
Recipe Overview
Flavour/Texture: Be sure to have a little bit of everything in one mouthful. The roasted grape tomatoes offer juiciness, natural sweetness, and tender flesh. Enveloped in the creaminess of the quark and topped with the crunch of seeds and nuts from the granola, it is a mouthful of pure joy.
The grape tomatoes will pop in your mouth, and the quark will help cool it down. And who would have thought granola clusters would be so delicious in a savoury dish?
Ease: Truly easy. The grape tomatoes are simply coated in olive oil and salt, and it goes into the oven for 25 minutes. That is all you have to do with them. The quark is mixed through with some milk, honey, and cumin and all ready to go.
Time: While the orange grape tomatoes are roasting away for 25 minutes, make the quark mixture. I prefer not to serve it straight from the fridge, so I let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, which is done while you’re waiting for the grape tomatoes.
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you need for roasted grape tomatoes on quark:
Grape tomato: Any coloured grape tomatoes will be fine to use. The orange grape tomatoes just added a little pop of colour. Get about 20 tomatoes, or a punnet or tub will suffice.
Quark: A tub of quark around 365g is enough for this roasted grape tomato recipe. You should be able to find it in the cheese or yoghurt section of your supermarket. Otherwise, head to a fine food store if you can’t find it in your local grocer.
Milk: Helps to dilute the otherwise thick quark. It makes it more palatable and easier to serve with the grape tomatoes.
Cumin powder: Gives the quark an added boost of warmth and a nice nutty flavour.
Honey: A natural sweetener to balance all the flavours together, as quark is extremely mild.
Granola: We used a simple and plain nut and seed granola with minimal to no sugar. This choice lends a unique texture to the tomato side dish instead of just sprinkling toasted nuts.
Variations and Substitutions
Cherry tomatoes: You can use cherry tomatoes or even vine ripened tomatoes. Feel free to even mix colours, shapes, and sizes.
Quark alternative: If you can’t find a quark or simply prefer the taste of a substitute, try Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Mascarpone cheese, and sour cream.
Milk volume: If you prefer the quark to be thinner in texture, add a little more milk to smoothen it out. Add it slowly and mix well until you find the balance you like.
Honey substitutes: Maple syrup and organic rice malt syrup will also do the trick.
Granola replacement: Sprinkle a combination of sunflower seeds, chopped almonds and pistachios to give that added crunch.
Instructions
Step by step instructions for how to make roasted grape tomatoes on quark:
Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, add grape tomatoes, ½ tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and toss together.
Baste baking dish with ½ tbsp olive oil. Add tomatoes and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down for 5 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, add quark, milk, cumin powder and honey.
Mix until well combined.
How To Assemble
On a plate, add the quark cheese to one side. Place roasted grape tomatoes on top and sprinkle with granola.
Serve.
How to Make This Side Dish Perfectly [Expert Tips!]
Fresh grape tomatoes: When selecting your grape tomatoes, be sure to look for tomatoes with bright and vibrant skin that is also taut. Skin that is wrinkly or has brown spots indicates they are not as fresh. We want the skin to stay intact during the roasting process.
Slowly dilute quark: Quark is fairly thick, and I prefer to add a little milk to the mix for ease of spreading. If you prefer it to be less thick, add more milk but do so slowly. Once you add too much, it will be sloppy.
Let grape tomatoes cool down a little: Don’t place the roasted grape tomatoes on the quark the minute it comes out of the oven. The quark will melt a little and it won’t hold its texture. Just let it cool down a little before plating.
What To Serve with This Side Dish
What to serve with roasted grape tomatoes and quark cheese? Try these delicious main dish recipes:
These gorgeous roasted grape tomatoes would work well with almost any main dish such as this Dutch oven pot roast with red wine. The creamy quark would make such a nice combination with the pot roast.
For our white meat lovers, this stuffed roast pork loin or lemon pepper chicken are also great choices for that yummy Sunday night dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quark may be more challenging to procure than most dairy products. Head to your fine food grocer, a creamery, a farmers market or whole food markets.
If not referred to as quark, they are also known as dry curd cheese, farmer’s cheese and sometimes pot cheese.
There are so many ways to enjoy excess grape tomatoes. You can eat them fresh as a snack, perfect for those healthy school lunch boxes, chop them up to make bruschetta, or you make salads such as vegan couscous salad with balsamic blistered tomatoes and tomato burrata salad.
Yes, you certainly can. Let them cool down, and carefully place them in an airtight container so that they don’t burst. Keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C or 400°F (if yours has a preheat setting). Toss grape tomatoes with olive oil and ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Place on the cooking pan or in the basket in 1 layer. Air fry for 10 minutes; if you wish, you can toss at the halfway mark.
Such a fantastic way to enjoy roasted grape tomatoes that are super juicy and sweet. The German quark with whole milk is soft, creamy, and mild, providing a delicious accompaniment to the grape tomatoes.
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Roasted Grape Tomatoes on Quark
Ingredients
- 20 red grape tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
- salt, to taste
- 1 tub quark, (365g)
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 cup granola
Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, add grape tomatoes, ½ tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and toss together.
- Baste baking dish with ½ tbsp olive oil. Add tomatoes and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down for 5 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, add quark, milk, cumin powder and honey. Mix until well combined.
- On a plate, add the quark cheese to one side. Place roasted grape tomatoes on top and sprinkle with granola.
- Serve.
Notes
- You can use cherry tomatoes or even vine ripened tomatoes. Feel free to even mix colours, shapes, and sizes.
- If you can’t find a quark or simply prefer the taste of a substitute, try Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Mascarpone cheese, and sour cream.
- If you prefer the quark to be thinner in texture, add a little more milk to smoothen it out. Add it slowly and mix well until you find the balance you like.
- Maple syrup and organic rice malt syrup will also do the trick if you prefer not to use honey.
- If don’t have any granola, sprinkle a combination of sunflower seeds, chopped almonds and pistachios to give that added crunch.
Nutrition
*Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.
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