When roasted, they develop a deep sweetness and a gorgeous flavor. This roasted grapes recipe is also super easy to make. It takes simple ingredients and only a few quick steps.
Jump to Recipe | What is it? | Key Ingredients | Tips | Variations | Questions
What are roasted grapes?
Roasted grapes are a sweet and jammy condiment you make by roasting grapes at a high temperature in the oven. The oven's heat softens the grapes and concentrates their flavor, resulting in a syrupy-sweet jam-like condiment.
Why this recipe works
- We halve the grapes. This simple step shortens the baking time and results in a deliciously jammy texture.
- It's a great way to use up extra grapes, especially the little loose grapes that end up in the bottom of the bag.
- Roasted grapes are versatile. They're sweet enough to serve over homemade yogurt or ice cream and savory enough to add interest to a cheese board or to serve on crostini as an appetizer.
Key Ingredients
- Grapes are the heart of the recipe. I prefer Concord grapes for their intense flavor, but the Thomcord variety also works well. If you're not buying a specialty variety, either green or red grapes work fine.
- Extra virgin olive oil gives the grapes depth as they roast. Olive oil's healthy fats help your body absorb antioxidants, like resveratrol from grapes, more effectively.
- Sea salt lends balance to the sweetness of this recipe.
- Fresh herbs can add a deliciously savory element to the recipe. Fresh thyme and rosemary are great companions for fresh grapes.
- Spices also add depth and complexity to the recipe. Black pepper is a natural match for roasted grapes, but allspice and mace are nice, too.
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Where to find real extra virgin olive oil.
Graza offers single-origin, hand-harvested olive oil from Spain that's perfect for this recipe. They offer buttery, lightly flavored olive oil for sautéing and a more robust green oil for drizzling as a finishing oil.
Recipe Tips
- Slice the individual grapes in half. While many recipes call for roasting grapes whole, slicing them in half cuts down the cooking time and gives them a deliciously jammy consistency.
- While grape seeds are edible and nutritious, it's best to remove them before roasting. A paring knife works well. Alternatively, you can use seedless grapes, although they have less flavor than seeded grapes such as Concord.
- Timing varies depending on the grapes' size. Since grapes vary in size by variety, larger grapes will take longer, and small grapes require less time.
- Parchment paper slipped onto the sheet pan makes clean-up so much easier.
- A little salt may seem like an odd addition to a grape recipe, but it provides balance and complexity. Additionally, salt helps to break down the cell walls of the grapes as they bake, resulting in a gorgeous texture.
- Arrange the grapes in a single layer on your pan. Otherwise, they will steam instead of roast.
- Serve the grapes at room temperature, as it will allow their flavors to bloom. Cold mutes their flavors, and they'll take on a sticky rather than syrupy texture.
Serving Suggestions
Roasted grapes are the perfect addition to a cheese plate, where their sweet, acidic flavor and jam-like texture are an excellent match for blue cheese and chèvre. For an easy appetizer, you can spoon them over whipped goat cheese with an additional drizzle of balsamic vinegar and toasted sourdough bread.
They're also the perfect accompaniment to cream cheese. You can make easy grape crostini by spooning roasted grapes over slices of toasted baguette spread with cream cheese. Some chopped fresh herbs or lemon zest will make the crostini look pretty.
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Variations + Substitutions
Other savory herbs work just as well as rosemary. Consider trying fresh thyme or bay leaves.
Maple syrup is a delicious addition for a sweeter version of this recipe. Consider swapping cinnamon sticks or green cardamom pods for the rosemary and stirring in a tablespoon or two of maple syrup.
Melted ghee or brown butter can replace the olive oil for an extra indulgent element.
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Recipe Questions
How long do roasted grapes keep?
Store roasted grapes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Can you freeze them?
Yes, they freeze well. Allow the grapes to defrost in the fridge overnight, and then allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
What kind of grapes should I use?
Vividly colored grapes work best, especially Concord, Thomcord, and black grapes. Their rich color produces a gorgeous, deep purple pot of jammy goodness. Red grapes also work fine, though their color is less vivid. You can roast green grapes, but the flavor is weaker, and the color turns more of a muddy green than a vibrant purple.
Additionally, grapes tend to carry a lot of pesticide residue and are on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list. If this concerns you, consider buying organic grapes.
Is it good for you?
Grapes, especially dark-colored grapes, are rich in polyphenols such as resveratrol. Resveratrol is a fat-soluble antioxidant. Adding a little olive oil to the grapes, as in this recipe, helps your body to absorb and make use of resveratrol a little more effectively.
