Some mornings I don’t want to cook a whole thing, but I also don’t want a sad bowl of cereal. This toast is the middle ground I keep coming back to. The toaster oven does the real work — 20 minutes at 400°F turns a handful of cherry tomatoes into something almost jammy, slightly sticky, edges just starting to char. Pile that onto ricotta you’ve taken 90 seconds to loosen up with lemon zest and olive oil, and it feels like a lot more effort than it is.
You need a baking sheet that fits your toaster oven properly, or a small oven-safe dish — a rimmed quarter sheet pan is what I use every single time. If your tomatoes are swimming around without one, grab a toaster oven baking sheet that actually fits the cavity. Makes a huge difference for stuff like this where you want the heat concentrated and the juices to stay put instead of dripping.
The honey in with the tomatoes is a small thing that matters. Just a teaspoon — it doesn’t make them sweet, it just nudges the caramelization along and balances the acid. The red pepper flakes are optional technically, but I’ve never skipped them. The gentle heat against the cool creamy ricotta is kind of the whole point.
If you’re working with a reliable toaster oven that holds temperature well, this is genuinely a 25-minute recipe start to finish. Serves two as a solid breakfast or light lunch, though I’ve made a double batch for four without any issues — just use a slightly larger pan and give the tomatoes a bit more space.
Toaster Oven Roasted Cherry Tomato and Whipped Ricotta Toast
Thick slices of toast piled with creamy whipped ricotta and jammy, oven-roasted cherry tomatoes. Ready in about 25 minutes and honestly better than anything at a café.
Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes
Whipped Ricotta
For Serving
Instructions
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Preheat your toaster oven to 400°F. If yours takes a few minutes to get there, let it fully preheat — it matters for the tomatoes.
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Toss the halved cherry tomatoes with the olive oil, honey, sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper right on a small toaster oven baking sheet or in a shallow oven-safe dish. Spread them out cut-side up so they actually roast instead of steam.
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Roast for 18 to 20 minutes. You want them collapsed, a little caramelized on the edges, and starting to get jammy. If a few are catching color, that's good.
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While the tomatoes roast, whip the ricotta. Just add it to a small bowl with the olive oil, lemon zest, and salt, then beat it with a fork for a minute or two. It won't get as fluffy as a stand mixer would make it, but it'll loosen up nicely and taste way better than straight-from-the-container ricotta.
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About 3 minutes before the tomatoes are done, slide the bread slices into the toaster oven (or just toast them in a regular toaster if that's easier). Toast until golden and firm enough to hold up under the toppings.
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Spread a generous layer of whipped ricotta on each toast — don't be shy here. Spoon the roasted tomatoes and all the garlicky juices from the pan right over the top.
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Scatter torn basil over both pieces, finish with flaky sea salt and a small drizzle of olive oil, and eat immediately.
Notes
The tomato juices that pool on the pan are genuinely the best part — scrape every bit onto the toast. Whole milk ricotta is worth it here; part-skim comes out grainy when whipped. This is also good with a poached or fried egg on top if you want it more substantial. Leftovers: you can store extra roasted tomatoes in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat them, but the toast itself doesn't keep well — make it fresh.
Nutrition
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Written by
Emma is a home cook who loves coaxing big flavor out of a toaster oven — from crispy roasted vegetables to easy weeknight dinners and sweet treats. She develops and tests Toastera's recipes for small-appliance kitchens.
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