Roasted tomatoes will come out perfectly jammy when 1 ingredient is added

If you've ever tried only to end up with dry, shrivelled halves lacking that luscious, velvety texture, there's one simple trick that chefs say will change the game: a pinch of sugar. While sugar is often thought of as a way to balance acidity or add sweetness, in this case, its real power lies in helping tomatoes transform into something much more indulgent, rich, soft, and .

Featured in the New York Times Cooking recipe Amazingly Sweet Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, the method is straightforward, requiring just a few ingredients and a bit of patience. You start with a pound of small plum tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise.

Toss them gently in olive oil, then lay them cut side up on a lightly oiled rack placed over a foil-lined baking tray. From there, the magic happens slowly, roast the tomatoes in a 150C oven for two hours.

Before putting them in, sprinkle with coarse salt and a tiny amount of sugar.

While it might seem counterintuitive to turn the oven on for that long, especially in the middle of summer, the low and slow approach is what allows the tomatoes to soften gently without losing their internal moisture.

The sugar works with the tomatoes' natural pectin and juices, helping them break down into a thick, tender consistency while still holding their shape.

The result is a tomato that looks unassuming on the outside but bites back with a burst of warm, rich pulp and deeply concentrated flavour.

"Lean over the plate when you bite into the tomatoes," the NYT recipe notes, "as the juice may squirt." Their skins may appear wrinkled, but the interiors are pure gold, soft, saucy, and nearly spreadable. It's that jammy quality that chefs and home cooks alike are after.

These tomatoes aren't just a side dish, they're a multitasking staple. Serve them as a topping for toast, toss into pastas or salads, layer into sandwiches, or run them through a food mill for a sauce that's naturally thick and robust.

Stored at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for up to three, they even freeze beautifully if pureed.