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My Veggie-Patch Recipe Went Viral!”
Tim Clowers certainly wasn’t the first (nor probably the last) person to wonder what he could do with the bumper crop of cherry tomatoes his garden was kicking out. Yes, they’re delicious. Healthy, too. But how many of the tiny tomatoes can you add to a salad before your family is begging for mercy?
That’s when the Knoxville resident put his cooking — and social media — prowess to work. Tim had spent years in commercial kitchens, and, during the Covid lockdown, began sharing his cooking knowledge on social media. After just a year, he had already racked up a million followers on TikTok and expanded to other platforms.
But when he found a solution about what to do with all those cherry tomatoes, things got serious. He posted the recipe in late September 2025, and a tsunami of social-media love flowed his way. “To date, I am in the neighborhood of 45 million total views across Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube,” Tim says, “with 2.5 million likes, 50,000 Comments, and 35,000 shares.”
Even lazy cooks love it
The recipe isn’t your usual stockpot-on-the-stovetop situation. Rather, it takes that overload of tomatoes and cooks them in the oven. “I thought it would do well because it was a very easy recipe; you pour all the ingredients in a pan, mix, and then bake,” he says, adding that he’s probably made it 30 times over the last couple of years since it’s so simple and so good. “Plus, it’s accessible to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians and encourages people to think about their gardens and what they have growing out back.”
People found the recipe as addictive as it was easy. “Oh yum,” and “My family loved this” were typical comments. One TikToker raved, “This has leveled up my life. I no longer use canned or jarred sauce. Chef’s kiss!” and others commiserated that they too had a ton of cherry tomatoes and “really needed this [recipe]. I have just been freezing them because idk what to do with them!”
Here’s the not-so-secret sauce
So without further ado: If you’re wondering what to do with all those cherry tomatoes, whether grown in your vegetable patch, on a countertop, or brought home from the market, try Tim’s recipe and see what millions of people are raving about.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
7 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced shallots
5 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2½ teaspoons basil
2½ teaspoons oregano
2½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss all ingredients into a 9”X9” baking dish and mix.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Mash tomatoes or puree tomatoes in a blender if you like a smoother sauce.
Makes 32oz of sauce, enough for 2 lbs pasta (8 servings). Can be refrigerated or frozen.
