This has long been a “viral” hit among the many popular recipes in the Ottolenghi cookbook world. The Hot Charred Tomatoes With Cold Yogurt dish even graces the cover of one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbooks, Ottolenghi Simple.
You can buy the cookbook through your local bookstore or on Amazon here.
It is late summer here as I write this post. Tomato season is at its peak. This is the perfect time to enjoy this dish. It makes a beautiful presentation on your table, too.
Here is the recipe as I prepared it in my kitchen.
Hot Charred Tomatoes With Cold Yogurt
July 29, 2026
Ingredients
- 12 oz. cherry tomatoes
- 3 T. olive oil
- 3/4 t. cumin seeds
- 1/2 t. light brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves (sliced thin)
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 6 oregano sprigs
- 1 lemon (shaved into 3 strips and then finely grated for 1 t. zest)
- Flaked sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 2/3 C. Greek yogurt (very cold)
- 1 t. crushed red pepper flakes (preferably urfa)
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Step 2 Combine tomatoes with olive oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, 3 oregano sprigs, lemon strips, 1/2 t. flaked salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Arrange tomato mixture on a baking sheet and roast (just about 2 inches under the broiler) for 20 minutes. You want to tomatoes to begin releasing their juices and to begin to blister.
- Step 3 After the 20 minutes of roasting, turn the heat in your oven to broil and broil for a few minutes. Watch the tomatoes carefully. You want them to begin to blacken but you don’t want to over broil them.
- Step 4 Combine yogurt and grated lemon zest and about 1/4-1/2 t. flaked salt. Mix and refrigerate. You want the yogurt to be very cold when you assemble your dish.
- Step 5 This dish should be assembled just before serving to maintain the cold yogurt/hot tomato vibe of the dish. To assemble,, spread the yogurt on a flat serving dish. Spoon the hot tomatoes, herbs, and juices over the yogurt. Sprinkle oregano leaves and chile flakes on top of the dish. Serve immediately.
