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Roasted grapes in olive oil—how to cook 'em 🍇

Roasted grapes in olive oil—how to cook 'em 🍇

Wait, you can cook grapes?! 🤯 Yet another thing we didn't know was a thing but now so obviously is.

Roasted grapes are such an easy way to really jazz up a salad or cheese board. So sweet, so jammy, so simple.

And ya gotta do it now since we're full-on grape season, baby!

The main focus may be on the vineyards getting the wines ready, but a beautiful range of snacking grapes are also now live in your local market—so here's a way to make them taste extra seasonal.

After all, it may still be warm and sunny in the Mediterranean, but here in the UK—we're feeling decidedly autumnal.

So as you start pumpkin-spicing everything up and switching salads for soups, here's a way to enjoy this very seasonal fruit in a more seasoned way.

Grapes with extra virgin olive oil

Here's the method:

Drop them on a tray and coat in an extra virgin olive oil that's got a bitter or green flavour happening over one that's later and sweeter—so from an earlier harvest date.
Add a pinch of salt.
Throw in an herb or two (I did thyme this time 😉). Rosemary would also be super lovely.
Then, pop them in the oven for around 25 minutes at 220C / 425F. Voila!

How to serve them:

It was lunchtime so I put them on a salad this time, but other ideas include:

Topped on plain yoghurt with walnuts and honey.
Baked with ricotta on the tray for a delicious bread dip.
Roasted alongside meat in the oven.

Happy eating, y'all.

—Sarah, founder of Citizens of Soil

Are you making this? Share with your fellow citizens. Tag us in your photos on Instagram at @CitizensofSoil.

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FAQs about olive oil brands and quality

They certainly can be! But it’s always important to consider why they’re expensive. If the higher price reflects early harvest olives, small-batch production, regenerative farming, and fair wages for farmers, then yes – you're likely getting a high-quality product that’s better for your health, the environment, and the industry. But sometimes, the price tag just reflects good branding and fancy packaging. Always look for real indicators of quality like harvest date, origin transparency, proper packaging, and clear production practices to know if it’s truly worth the splurge.
The best way to tell if you have a bottle of real extra virgin olive oil—and not just labeled that way—is to look for transparency and pay close attention to the details. Quality EVOO will list a harvest date (not just an expiration date), come in a dark glass or tin container, and specify the origin. Avoid vague blends and flashy marketing claims without substance. And most importantly, taste it: legitimate extra virgin olive oil should be fruity, bitter and peppery—not flat or greasy. Your palate is often the best judge
One of the biggest culprits is the term ‘first cold pressed’, which might sound impressive but doesn't define the modern extra virgin olive oil making process or the product's quality. Also look for the harvest date. If you only see an expiration or “best before”, it's more likely the olive oil quality isn't as good. Also pay attention to vague origins like ‘EU blend’. While this might sound romantic, it's a strong indicator that olive oil quality is not top notch. Long story short: true quality comes from transparency, not trendy marketing, so always look beyond branding.