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These oven-roasted tomatoes with tarragon cream sauce are a terrific side dish that works well with grilled chicken, steak or seafood. The sauce is very easy to make and also very versatile; it’s great not only on tomatoes but also on asparagus, new potatoes and winter squash.
This post was originally published on Oct. 18, 2015.
Jump to:
- What does tarragon cream sauce taste like?
- How to make roasted tomatoes:
- How to make tarragon cream sauce:
- FAQs:
- More roasted vegetable recipes you’ll love:
What does tarragon cream sauce taste like?
This velvety, creamy sauce has a good amount of tang from white wine, a salty umami flavor from chicken bouillon and a touch of tarragon’s signature licorice-like flavor.
How to make roasted tomatoes:
Step 1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2. Set 8 tomatoes on the vine on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake until the tomatoes burst open (about 30 minutes).
While the tomatoes are in the oven, make the sauce.
How to make tarragon cream sauce:
Gather your ingredients:
- 1 cup dry white wine
- a chicken bouillon cube for 1 cup of liquid
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 1.5 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves*
*RECIPE NOTE: If fresh tarragon is not available you can substitute 1 teaspoon dried tarragon.
Step 1. Add the white wine and the chicken bouillon to a pot or a saucepan.
Step 2. Bring to a boil and keep boiling the liquid (uncovered) until is it reduced to about one third of a cup. Turn the heat off and let cool for a few minutes.
Step 3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together yolk and cream. Whisk the cream/yolk mix into the wine. Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, turn the heat back on to warm the sauce for a few minutes.
Step 4. Take the sauce off the heat and stir in the tarragon.
RECIPE NOTE: Be careful not to boil the sauce or you run the risk of curdling the egg. Heat it just enough so that you can see steam.
FAQs:
Is this tarragon sauce spicy?
No. This sauce is full of delicious flavors but it is not at all spicy.
What does tarragon go well with?
Tarragon in general, and specifically this sauce, goes really well with chicken, steak and seafood.
Do you use the tarragon stems?
No, the stems tend to be tough and woody, use only the leaves.
Can you use dried tarragon?
Yes, you can substitute dried tarragon if the fresh herb is not available. Use 1 teaspoon instead of a 1 and 1/2 teaspoons if you’re using dried tarragon.
How should you store leftovers?
Transfer any leftover roasted tomatoes and sauce into separate, airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Very gently reheat the sauce on the stovetop, stirring continuously, until you can see steam. (Don’t let the sauce boil or it will curdle).
More roasted vegetable recipes you’ll love:
- Roasted Fall Vegetables with Mustard Seeds and Bacon
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- Roasted Mushrooms with Chive Garlic Butter
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Roasted Tomatoes with Tarragon Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
For the tomatoes:
- 8 tomatoes on the vine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- freshly cracked black pepper
For the tarragon cream sauce:
- 1 cup dry white wine
- chicken bouillon cube for 1 cup of liquid
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 1.5 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves*
Instructions:
For the tomatoes:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Set the tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with the oil and bake until the tomatoes burst open (about 30 minutes).
For the tarragon cream sauce:
- Add wine and chicken bouillon cube to a pot or a saucepan and bring to a boil. Keep boiling (uncovered) until the wine is reduced to about 1/3 cup.
- Turn the heat off and let the wine cool for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile whisk the egg yolk into the cream.
- Whisk the cream/yolk mix into the wine.
- Stirring continuously, turn the heat back on to heat the sauce for about 3 minutes.** Turn the heat off and add the tarragon.
- Season the tomatoes with black pepper and serve with the sauce.
Notes:
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Oh my gosh, Nicole, I’m just browsing through your blog today and each time I visit I’m taken aback by the beauty of your photos -truly stunning!
I think this is my favorite of all and I’m learning a lot just by studying it. Thanks for the great visual journey and teaching experience :)
Thank you so much, Robyn! What a wonderful comment to read, you made my day! :)
Some how I missed this when it first appeared in October – but I saw it just now in “more posts” section. Wow – this looks fabulous. I was just Jonesing for some fresh garden tomatoes – I said out loud to my daughter – what I really want for dinner in some tomatoes from my garden and a fresh garden greens salad with a homemade dressing. Yum! If only it were July instead of January. I’m 6 months too late (or early). Anyway, this looks terrific and if I were to come upon some pretty good winter tomatoes I might give this a try soon! If not – it is on my list for summer, for sure! :) Thanks!
Aren’t fresh, raw garden tomatoes the best? I miss them too! But I actually find that one of the nice things about roasting tomatoes is that it really intensifies their flavor so even winter tomatoes do quite well in this recipe. Have a happy new year, Wendi! :)
I can’t wait to give this a try. You totally had me at Tarragon… One of my favorite herbs… Yet it doesn’t seem to get the love it deserves. This sauce will be such a wonderful addition to the roasted vegetables I make this winter. As always, you photos are just beautiful.
Thank you so much, Ann! Tarragon is my favorite herb too. I could put it in everything! :)
Beautiful shot, Nicole! Tarragon is one of my favorite herbs, this would be a lovely accompaniment to roast chicken. x
Those look so good! I’ve been watching one of Ina Garten’s shows on Netflix and I remember one episode where her mentor had paired tomatoes with tarragon. She commented and said that so often we pair basil with tomatoes but she hadn’t thought of tarragon. I’ve been wanting to try it ever since. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you so much, Sandra! I do really like the combination of tomatoes and tarragon (although I like tarragon with almost anything (haven’t tried it with chocolate yet but that might even work too! :))).
Yay! Love the new index and this recipe! I need to set one up for myself!
Thank you, Kelly! A visual index was the one thing I had procrastinated on forever and then John Shaw came out with this plugin and I was like “bingo!” :)
I am also short on side dishes- something I really need to fix for THE foodie holiday coming up ;) Your Tarragon Cream Sauce looks fantastic! I could drizzle that on all sorts of stuff! And tarragon is one of my mom’s favorite herbs, she’s going to love this!
Thank you, Kathleen! :) The sauce is very versatile indeed, I sometimes just eat it with a bit of rice. :)
Hello, Nicole … I always love to come here and drool over your photos. This is a lovely recipe, too. A very adaptable sauce. I’m actually planning a side dish for tomorrow’s post, as well. I’ve just set up EasyIndex on my blog too (love it!) and realised I’m short on sides!
Hi Helen, that is so nice of you to say! Yeah, I’m beginning to realize that side dish recipes are actually really difficult, not just to develop but also to photograph… :)