What Do You Do With Summer Tomatoes?
It’s mid-August — or as it’s called in my house, Tomato Christmas. At long last, we’ve entered that magical, fleeting window when good tomatoes turn glorious, and it’s time to whip out the tomato dishes we’ve waited all year to make. For me, it’s all about Nora Ephron sauce. For Jenny (and Joanna!), it’s tomato sandwiches. I’ve done several rounds of both already, but this year, I want to expand my repertoire. So, I reached out to some food pros for their own favorite ways to enjoy late-summer tomatoes. Now I know what I’m doing this weekend…
Adam Roberts: Tomato-Peach Salad with Mozzarella
Author of Food Person
First, I take two or three large heirloom tomatoes, cut out the cores, and slice them into thick rings which I place on to two plates (this is for two people). Then I do the same with two ripe peaches or nectarines, except I cut those into wedges and tuck them between the tomatoes. I finally cut some fresh mozzarella into chunks and tuck that between the peaches and tomatoes. Then I drizzle everything with good olive oil, syrupy balsamic vinegar, Maldon sea salt, and Aleppo pepper. That’s part one. Part two is I take a bunch of assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut some in half, leave a few whole and toss them in a bowl with chopped red onion, tons of torn green and purple basil, more olive oil, salt, and balsamic. Then I sprinkle that mixture over the peach/tomato/mozzarella mixture and add even more basil, for presentation.
Bettina Makalintal: Tomato & Eggs
Senior Reporter, Eater
Tomatoes and eggs get along very well; there’s a reason so many cultures pair the two for breakfast. Lately, inspired by a recipe in Kitty Coles’s Make More With Less, I’ve been starting most mornings by cooking halved cherry tomatoes with a little butter and salt until they begin to soften and squish beneath a wooden spoon. Once they’re juicy and buttery, I scoop the tomatoes into a ramekin, use the pan to quickly cook scrambled eggs, and then spoon the tomatoes on top of the eggs. I finish the plate with a drizzle of peppery olive oil and grated parm. (In Coles’s book, she crisps up woody herbs, like sage and thyme, to add on top, but that feels more fall than summer to me.)
Jenny Rosenstrach: Warm Shrimp Salad with Tomatoes and Butter Beans
Author of Dinner: A Love Story and many cookbooks
This time of year, I crave dinners with peak-summer ingredients and peak-summer spirit. For this shrimp salad, I boil shrimp in one pot, and red potatoes in another; and strain. Then I cook butter beans until tender, and simmer three ears of corn for a few minutes. I strain the veggies and run under a little cold water. When cool enough to handle, I cut kernels off the corn, and add the shrimp and cooked vegetables into a salad bowl, top with scallions, drizzle with vinaigrette, and serve. (Here’s the exact recipe, if you’d like it.)
Hannah Howard: Caprese Pasta Bake
Author of Feast and Plenty
This is one of the first dishes I learned to make for a crowd in college. Since then, I’ve made it for roommates, family dinners, potlucks — it always disappears quickly. Start by boiling a pound of short pasta (penne, rigatoni, fusilli), until just shy of al dente, then drain and toss with olive oil. Slice 3-4 large tomatoes (or a couple pints of cherry tomatoes), rip up half a cup of fresh basil, and tear a ball of fresh mozzarella into chunks. Add half the pasta to a lightly oiled baking dish, and top it with half the tomatoes and mozzarella, and a sprinkle of parmesan. Layer the remaining pasta, tomato and basil on top, and finish with the rest of the mozzarella and another sprinkle of parm. Season with some salt and pepper, and bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is gold and bubbly.
Klancy Miller: Tomatoes with Quick-Pickled Onion
Author of Cooking Solo and For The Culture
First, I make a batch of thinly sliced quick-pickled red onions, using just apple cider vinegar and salt. While it sits, I slice up some tomatoes and chop some fresh basil. I mix them all together with the pickled onions, and finish with olive oil and a little bit of the vinegar mix leftover from pickling. I like to make this as a simple side dish to bring to picnics.
Merry tomato season, one and all! Now, what epic tomato dishes have you been sitting on?
P.S. The prettiest summer fruit salad and sausages with corn and tomato.
(Tomato-peach salad photo by Adam Roberts. Shrimp salad photo by Jenny Rosenstrach.)
Tags: tomatoes
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111 commentsIt pita bread with halloumi. In a bean salad with cucumbers and onions and parsley, lemon and olive oil. With burrata and a drizzle of pesto. With crumbled feta. For pasta sauce. In a pan along with meat, potatoes and carrots for roasting. For some tomato- basil soup. Or just to accompany a patty, just like that, cut in slices. <3
My go-to with cherry tomatoes is just cherry tomatoes halved tossed with half a jar of chopped kimchi…so good. so simple.
The perfect marriage between tomato sandwiches and caprese salad: – a slice of good sourdough, toasted – while toast is still hot rub it with a clove of garlic – the garlic literally melts onto the bread and it’s magic – thick slice of mozzarella – thick slice of tomato – sprinkle of salt and pepper Go ahead and toast 2 slices of bread because one will not satisfy!
Did I read this at 11:50pm and immediately make a plate of salted tomatoes and burrata? Why yes, yes I did.
An oversimplified version of the first recipe, it sounds weird but its a MUST TRY: From Bon Appetite, but I simplify it a bit now after years of making: 1 peach- chunked 1 med. tomato- chunked 1 big chunk of burrata/mozzarella- also chunked :) Liberal use of good honey drizzled over Liberal (or to your liking) use of FRANKS Red Hot Stir. add S&P. Tweak. Devour.
Since reading this yesterday, I’ve had two classic tomato sandwiches on toasted Dave’s Killer Bread: one for dinner, and one for breakfast. I’m seriously considering having one for lunch too! IT’S THE PERFECT FOOD
The usual suspects: BLTs, tomato and mayo sandwiches, grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches, roasted spicy salsa, baked feta with cherry tomatoes. One pan farro with tomatoes (from Smitten Kitchen).
Everyone’s tomato tips made me so hungry I couldn’t take the time to make tart crust, etc, so I spread dairy free Boursin I had from Trader Joe’s on a thick slice of sourdough toast and laid heirloom tomato slices on it with a big pinch of sprouts and a sprinkle of maldon salt and … repeated 3 x, lol… very summery and good. To be honest I would have loved to replace the Boursin (not my favorite but it’s all my body will accept), with the gooey Brie du meaux a commenter mentioned but – had to make do. It was still very satisfying.
My all-time favorite is kind of girl-dinnerish: cheddar tomato toasts. It’s based on an NYT recipe and it’s a variation on tomato sandwiches. Per toast: One large slice sourdough or other good quality bread One peak tomato 1oz sharp cheddar, grated 1tbsp mayo (Duke’s!) Toast the bread. While it’s toasting, mix together the cheese and mayo. Slather it onto the toasted bread, then top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. SO GOOD and so easy.
I make Sofia Wood’s truly amazing tomato tarte. It is such a crowd favourite (even my tomato-sceptic kids love it): I use a ready-made pie crust. Put it in a pie dish, layer in a full small jar of tomato pesto or tomato tapenade. Then cover that in thinly sliced brie du meaux (it has to be brie du meaux – do not try any older regular brie, it won’t work). Then slice up lots of small tomatoes lengthwise (I prefer something in a plum shape), and starting at the edges and working your way in in concentric circles, arrange the tomato halves in circles so the whole tarte is covered in tomato halves, cut side up. Drizzle over olive oil, some flaky salt, and freshly ground peppar. Then bake in the oven at 175 degrees celsius for 45-55 minutes, opening the oven once in a while to let the steam escape. If it’s browning fast, turn the temperature down a bit. The thing you want is for the tomatoes to dehydrate and get sort of squishy and jammy while the brie melts. Let it cool a bit before serving so it sets a little. Is also great room temperature.
Dorie Greenspan’s ratatouille (https://food52.com/recipes/77581-summer-vegetable-tian) Summer in a pan, best served on a patio with a lot of good bread and rose!
Classic tomato sandwich… sliced tomato on white bread with mayo and salt. Add sliced cukes or don’t!
A much harder question… what do you make quick and easy WITHOUT tomatoes that kids will like? With food allergies in our house (hello tomatoes!) we really struggle to get healthy one-pot meals on the table that do NOT have tomatoes. Any suggestions?
I saute chopped-up chicken sausage in a dutch oven with hardy veggies (onion/peppers/etc) until everything is golden/softened. Season to taste (usually salt/pepp/italian seasoning for me). Add 1 cup small pasta (orzo, stars) and 2-ish cups chicken bone broth, along with your less hardy veggies (zucchini/peas/corn/etc) and cover until pasta is cooked (8 min?). You can finish with Parm and a splash of heavy cream, or if your family is dairy-free like mine, it’s great as is!
We like this! I usually add in apple slices. https://cupofjo.com/2023/09/06/five-ingredient-dinner-chicken-apple-sausages-onions-cabbage/
There’s a great new NYT pasta- zucchini, basil, shell pasta. I adjusted it to used whole cartons/boxes of things lol. 1 32oz carton veggie broth 1 16oz package shell pasta 4ounces cream cheese, marscapone or crème fraiche 1 or two zucchini A lot of basil sliced Boil the broth in a big pot, then add pasta, cubed 1in zucchini, cream cheese, and half the basil. (And garlic, spices, whatever you like). Stir for about 15 mins or until the pasta is cooked! Voila!!
Are eggs doable? I’m a big fan of an egg/omelet + something on the side (broccoli, grated carrots, a cup of chopped up fruit). Quesadillas are another super-quick meal that’s easy to add to. I keep tortillas around just for that purpose (I also love that they last forever in the fridge!).
Avocado toast, pesto pasta, and broccoli soup are easy tomato-free winners at my house.
Thank you all, these look delicious – I’ll be picking up new items at the store this weekend. It’s probably not as difficult as I feel like – but the tomato recipes always look SO amazing!
Chicken and cherry tomatoes : Roast chicken thighs in a casserole dish with drizzled EVOO, generous salt, pepper and a bit of paprika, handfuls and handfuls of cherry tomatoes, and oregano (fresh if you have it). Serve over a basic white white and onion risotto, with all the summer herbs you like stirred through once it’s cooked. I bake my risotto in the oven alongside the chicken. Perfect.
This sounds SO good.
Red Soup! (aka Tomato Soup; yes – when your kids at age 3 name something, you stick with it even as they transition to teenagers…..just like in our house, The Simpsons are now and forever “The Simsoups”). I make it from an Anthony Bourdain recipe, except I skip the chicken/veggie broth and keep it a concentrate so I can freeze it (smaller size). It’s my kids favorite, and makes for a quick and easy weeknight meal, with a sourdough grilled cheese of course.
I’ve been roasting tomatoes and making our weekly spaghetti sauce from scratch. It feels like a simple thing that I can get totally right these days. Not fancy, but right.
Tomato cobbler! Very simple – throw cherry tomatoes into a cast iron skillet, season with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh basil. Top with biscuit dough (sour dough biscuit dough is excellent, but any will work) and bake until biscuits are golden brown and tomatoes have broken down some.
French tomato tart. Puff pastry (pre-bake it a little bit), a thin layer of grainy moutarde de Dijon, a layer of sliced tomatoes, topped with thyme. Bake in the oven. :)
I always roast fresh summer tomatos with garlic and onion and then freeze for tomato soup later in the winter!
Aaah, I never remember to preserve until it’s too late! Thank you!
Make batched tomato sauce to freeze and use later. Don’t listen to people who tell you you need to skin and de-seed them. That’s a scam. Just throw tomatoes and a quartered onion on a cookie sheet, toss with lots of olive oil and roast at 400°F for ~45 minutes. Blend and freeze. Done!
Or if you just don’t have the time right now (hello back to school season), freeze the tomatoes whole so you can use them later when things calm down. Wash, core, and then freeze on a cookie sheet. Once they’ve frozen, toss them in a ziplock bag. When you’re ready to use them, don’t thaw them out, just run under warm water and the skin with slip right off. Then go forth and make sauce, toss them in soup, whatever!
Marinated tomatoes It’s really just tomatoes, olive oil, salt, basil and a kiss of garlic. Pair it with fresh mozzarella, pasta, focaccia, or just a spoon!
Scrolled to be sure no one had mentioned it yet, this is the BEST sandwich of all time. And it absolutely requires fresh summer tomatoes. Get it while you can! https://gardenandgun.com/recipe/how-mason-hereford-makes-the-ultimate-tomato-sandwich/
We’re in the tail-end of winter here in New Zealand, so i’m making notes of all these delicious things to make when it’s Tomato Christmas here (our tomato crop really gets going a little after Christmas, around mid-January). But I do still have some roasted ratatouille and basil pesto in the freezer so might break those out for dinner tonight for a taste of summer.
I always love thinking about the seasons and foods and just what is today like for our friends on the bottom of the world. Summertime Christmas and new year’s always blows my mind. Do you roast a turkey? And bake pies? Or BBQ and eat ice cream?
Sasha, some families who maintain British traditions do a hot Christmas meal, but the more Kiwi tradition is a BBQ – ideally at the beach – and pavlova. The country pretty much shuts down Dec 15 to Jan 15, so Christmas and New Years are very chill and celebratory and rarely spent at home because it’s also vacation season!
fatoosh and falafel wraos! i’m not even close to middle eastern but that’s how i’ve enjoyed heirloom tomatoes most lately!
I am a FIEND for peak season tomatoes (and such a snob that I pretty much don’t eat them the rest of the year). These all look like great recipes – can’t wait to try them! My dealer – Hector, the tomato man at my local farmer’s market – laughs when he sees me coming, cause I’m about to clean the stall out. So on that note, yesterday I made the greatest lunch ever: toasted sliced sourdough, smeared with a thick layer of goat cheese, topped with a pile of sliced salted tomatoes, and that’s it. AMAZING!
I make a lot of fresh tomato sauce for pasta and other things. With large tomatoes, core and dice them. Cherry or grape tomatoes, half or quarter. Add to a bowl or container with olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic. If it’s not peak tomato season, a little red wine vinegar. Stir, let sit for an hour. You can onions, peppers, basil, red pepper flakes, if you want. Cook the pasta of your choice (or farro, or couscous, or polenta…). Add tomato mixture. Toss and sprinkle a little parm on top. Bonus ideas: add a soft cheese to the pasta (brie, marscapone, ricotta), stir until well melted, then add tomato mixture. Fry up some bacon, crumble, and add to pasta with tomatoes. Add baby spinach or arugula for a “BLT” pasta. Add tinned fish of your choice (tuna, salmon, mackerel) with the tomatoes
Throw them into Alex Snodgrass’s (Defined Dish) hamburger salad – which also makes great use of other fresh summer produce! Also the dressing/sauce is out of this world…I don’t like cilantro, so leave it out and it’s still a jalapeno garlic situation you can almost eat with a spoon. https://wholefoodreallife.com/my-blog/f/hamburger-salad-with-creamy-jalape%C3%B1o-dressing
My pal, Maggie Hoffman shared this NA tomato cocktail last summer, and I loved it so much, I thought of it wistfully all year until it was finally time again. It is tomato-y but not saucy. It is fresh and crisp, with the right notes of sweet, salt, lemon and yes, tomato. Right now is peak tomato water season (and a perfect use for the liquid that often gets drained or cooked off). The full recipe is here: https://whattodrink.substack.com/p/peaksummer-cocktail-zero-booze While this is a delicious summer drink for dinner parties and is NA… I have done all the necessary testing and it is extremely delicious *with* gin as well.
From Justine Doiron’s wonderful farmers market ideas: https://justinesnacks.com/tomato-peach-pasta/ Refreshing and peaches and tomato DO pair well.
Number 1 on my “must make 10000 times with tomatoes” is always Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce made with just tomatoes, sprinkle of salt, butter, and half an onion cut in half. So simple but heavenly. Also freezes well if you happen to make extra. Other recipes for maximum tomato love: heirloom tomato quiche, canning tomato soup, and roasted tomato scones with rosemary. Yum!
I would love to have the recipe for the tomato scones with rosemary. Sounds heavenly.
Ooh! That one’s high on my list too, but I’ve never made it with fresh tomatoes!
I cannot eat raw tomatoes – my body just thinks they are the worst worst worst….. I am so jealous though because I know that people love them. I cannot even eat them to be polite, I literally throw them up as I try to swallow them. But a cooked sauce of tomato is one of my favourite things, it is weird! (And hard to explain). I hope everyone has an amazing end of Sumer salad feast!
Not weird Kirby. My daughter and my son’s girlfriend both dislike raw tomatoes and happily eat my pasta sauce.
Kirby, this is me. I couldn’t have been more surprised the first time I joined my future in-laws for Sunday breakfast, and found a platter of sliced tomatoes among the spread. What on earth? Just to…eat? (Southern people love their tomatoes) I’ve slowly become more raw-tomato-friendly over the years, and will happily eat our little Sungolds off the vine. But it’s a process. Honor your body and don’t eat things you don’t like!
It’s funny Kelsey should call it Tomato Christmas because once it’s tomato season, I start hearing the bells ringing and in my head start singing, “It’s the most wonderful time of yearrr!” I make a similar tomato and stone fruit salad, and add toasted crusty bread chunks rubbed with garlic and jammy eggs for a complete meal. 😋
PSA: my Costco now had very decent burrata for a steal. Tomatoes basil burrata with or without stone fruit is all I want to eat right now. Hubby says I can’t make it for company tomorrow (but Sunday might be ok). Thank goodness there is local corn on the cob as a “consolation prize.”
Am I the only person on the planet who does not like tomatoes? Can’t stand ’em
I definitely do not have the appreciation of them that other folks seem to. I will eat them with other things but I could happily never eat them and would never miss them if they all disappeared.
I’m allergic to raw tomatoes, so I guess I can join your club? :D
Does that mean only raw? My husband only likes cooked tomatoes, ie on pizza, pasta, etc. He grew up with family who churned the raw plum tomatoes into sauce and paste every summer. Turned him off to raw. I love every kind/prep.
Loving all the ideas here! Two favorites are from Alexandra Cooks: https://alexandracooks.com/2024/07/13/simple-roasted-yellow-tomato-sauce/ https://alexandracooks.com/2017/09/01/roasted-ratatouille-pasta/ I’ve already frozen batches of each and will be so happy to have these tucked away come December!
Yes, this Sungold tomato sauce is SO GOOD! I just scrolled the comments to see if anyone had posted it and am so glad to see it here. :)
Caprese Salad rules! Ingredients…..tomatoes, basil, olive oil and mozzarella buffalo. You can slice large tomatoes, and layer with sliced mozz and whole leaf basil, or toss cherry tomatoes with cigelline pearl or mozzarella buffalo balls, basil and olive oil and salt and pepper. Delish!
Hi! Reminding readers that there is the global strike for Gaza tomorrow. You can find more info on insta with #globalstrikeforgaza — it’s going to be a very Thursday ongoing and basically, no economic activity including charging electric cars, but they aren’t calling for people to skip work. I got out $40 cash today to make sure I’m covered for anything that could come up tomorrow. Spread the word — I texted five different people or groups about it with a copy pasted text
Thank you for posting this!
thank you, LLL!
Thank you for this. Our family will honor this, and every Thursday.
YES.
Got groceries today so we don’t need to buy anything tomorrow!
YES!! So glad to see this posted here – outside of instagram I haven’t seen it mentioned much.
Would love one of these lists for zucchini!
Here ya go: https://smittenkitchen.com/recipes/vegetable/zucchini/
The list starts and stops with the NYTimes Zucchini Parm. (I used Rao’s sauce and it is perfect!) https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017523-zucchini-parmesan
https://iheartvegetables.com/white-bean-and-pesto-bake/ Made this recently and doubled everything but the rice and broth. It helped use up a bunch of my garden goodies! Tomatoes and zucchini :)
Alison Roman’s tomato tart recipe is chefs kiss. I’ve made it a few times this summer and looking forward to harvesting more tomato’s this summer so I can make it again!
David Lebovitz’s tomato fresh corn avocado salad. Mustardy shalloty YUM. https://www.davidlebovitz.com/fresh-corn-tomato-avocado-and-basil-salad-recipe/
You had me at “mustardy shalloty.” Saved!
I have already made some of these/adding others to my plans! However, I CANNOT justify cooking any of the delicious, beautiful, juicy, expensive tomatoes I buy from the farmers market. It feels illegal! They are so fleeting and so delicious, I just can’t! Would love to have to problem of too many tomatoes but alas, I must just spend all my money to buy them at the market :)
In the summer of 1986 I tore out a promising recipe from Gourmet Magazine called “Tomato, Basil, Ricotta Tart.” I’ve been making it every year since, but only in mid to late August when tomatoes are at their very best. It epitomizes summer to me.
Sounded so amazing I did a google search. Looks like this is it for those who also want to try it! https://saramoulton.com/2013/08/tomato-basil-and-cheese-tart-with-pancetta-crust/
Good detective work, Chloe. Yup, that’s the recipe, although the original did NOT have pancetta (because that was not as well known way back then). Hope you enjoy it as much as my family (and my neighbors) have.
My all-time fave. It’s great with red onions subbed in. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023371-sheet-pan-feta-with-chickpeas-and-tomatoes
Shutterbean’s quick tomato basil pasta is on repeat lately- I don’t know how it’s THAT GOOD.
I do a similar tomato & pickled onions salad (I usually do shallots) but I add corn too we often have a cob or too leftover from dinner and then just cut off the cob and toss in with a little salt – you can also add motz or avocado if you want to make it a lunch
We had a very good year growing tomatoes and found this recipe on the Eckert website. Very easy and delicious I usually make this to put on crusty bread when friends stop by. Very Sherry Cherry Tomatoes 2 Tbs. olive oil 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 cups (1 pint) cherry or grape tomatoes 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar 1 Tbs. granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp. salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil, garlic and onions. Sautée 2 to 3 minutes, then add tomatoes. Turn tomatoes to coat. Add vinegar, sugar, red pepper and salt to taste. Toss to coat tomatoes. Roast in oven 18 to 20 minutes or until soft and browned.
Ohhh now this is my jam — we average 2 to 3 pints of backyard cherry tomatoes starting in early August so we are excellent tomato eaters in this house. Quick bruschetta on toast, tomato avocado cucumber salad with oodles of salt/pepper/cumin and EVOO and juice of a lime, blistered tomatoes with chickpeas and curry powder, blistered tomatoes in cous cous with feta, and, when you want to impress and also use up a comedic amount of tomatoes, Yann Nury’s gorgeous tomato tart from the NYT Magazine.
We grow a variety of cherry tomatoes in our small Boston garden, and my kids typically eat them raw before I can do anything fun with them, but I always buy plenty from the market and my go-to summer tomato meal is Caroline Chambers’ Tiny Tomato Pasta – its **chef’s kiss**
Summer minestrone with all the fresh local vegetables and herbs, salsa, blts (I will die on this hill, but have it on a bagel…the density soaks up all the juices beautifully), open-faced tomato sandwiches with mayo or smashed avocado, bruschetta with real balsamic and garlic rubbed crostini, fresh tomato soup with tomato grilled cheese…the list goes on! Now I need to try the peach tomato salad!
My mid-morning snack today involved cottage cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt, pine nuts, and a handful of cherry tomatoes from the garden. Yum!
Yes! My new favorite snack is almost the same. Cottage cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, basil oil, flaky salt and pepper. Yum!
So, I’ve noticed in my city, a lot of the farmer’s market tomatoes are grown in a green house. Yes, it’s local, but they’re not as good coming from a field. So, every August, I head home for my dad’s garden tomatoes. My mom makes me her BLTs and I eat like three in a sitting. Then I bring as much as I can home. I’ll do sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper. That’s really all you need. I’ll also make Smitten Kitchen’s raw tomato sauce w/ angel hair pasta (although I don’t like angel hair, so use spaghetti). I’m a vegetable snob though. I have a long list of fruits and vegetables I’ll only buy in season and only locally grown. Asparagus, peaches, strawberries, english peas (although I will buy these frozen to throw in a pasta dish), most lettuces, corn on the cob, eggplant, zucchini, shishito peppers to name a few.
Same problem. This is what happens when you grow up on an organic farm! Grocery store produce is virtually inedible…
Alexandra’s Kitchen Fresh Corn Polenta with Blistered Tomatoes has become my peak summer dinner alongside something grilled! https://alexandracooks.com/2010/10/18/fresh-corn-polenta-where-have-you-been-all-my-life/ I know the post is about tomatoes, but I promise the polenta is worth it!
Based off an old Sunset magazine recipe, we love cheesy ricotta pasta with fresh basil tomatoes. Boil a pound of pasta (rotini if you’ve got it) in salted water. Meanwhile, chiffonade a lot of basil (1/2 c?). Put half the basil in a big bowl, and the other half in a smaller bowl. To the big bowl, add a full container of ricotta cheese, shredded or chopped other cheeses (about a cup total; I usually like a mix of melty mild cheeses and chunkier more pungent ones, but it’s great for cleaning out the cheese drawer), and salt and pepper. To the smaller bowl, add a lot of fresh chopped tomatoes (about 3 cups total), 2-3 cloves of smashed garlic, and salt and pepper. Stir and set aside. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the ricotta cheese bowl and toss, so that the additional cheeses melt and become gooey. Place servings into individual bowls, topping each with about 1/3-1/2 cup tomato mixture on top. Devour!
My very favorite is a toasted slice of Italian bread, rubbed with raw garlic, spread with mayo, slices of heirloom tomato, a little more mayo on top of them, and then lots of fresh cracked pepper and then flakes of Maldon salt. Second is just a variation – same bread and garlic, but drizzled with olive oil, covered with grated tomatoes mixed with some red wine vinegar and olive oil, and spread on the bread with salt and pepper, and toppings (or not!) varying from burratta, prosciutto, or parmesan!
I love this corn fritter + tomato and peach caprese! So fresh and delish! https://www.purewow.com/recipes/corn-fritter-caprese-peaches-tomatoes
Every year since it was published, I do Alison Roman’s save the tomatoes with one large yellow onion and some thyme and oregano. Immersion blend it and it makes the best tomato sauce you’ve ever had. There is nothing better in the depths of February, when all that is good tasting has been stamped out of this world. https://www.alisoneroman.com/recipes/save-the-tomatoes
similar to Adam Roberts’ salad, its peaches, tomatoes, corn, red onion, feta, homemade crouton (fry cubed bread). I’ve made it just once so far, but making it again is the only thing on my weekend to-do list.
Bloody Mary’s made from fresh tomatoes are a summer treat. Pints of tomato sauce Tomato jam Tomato-basil pesto Homemade sun dried tomatoes Tomato salt
From Smitten Kitchen: tomatoes, grilled corn cut off the cob, diced jalapeño, fresh basil and mint, olive oil, a touch of vinegar.
BLTs, baby! With avocado or fresh mozz if I’m feeling fancy, but mostly I’m not. White bread, plenty of mayo, iceberg lettuce. Chips. Pickle. A glass of pink lemonade. Best eaten on the porch. Even better if you cue up some Blossom Dearie.
I really love this salad from Tess Ward. The paprika + maple syrup combo is delicious and the almonds add a nice amount of crunch: https://tastecooking.com/recipes/tomatoes-with-capers-almonds-and-herbs/
Alison Roman’s Tomato Tart! so so delicious. https://www.alisoneroman.com/recipes/tomato-tart-with-garlic-and-capers
We went to a neighbor’s home (where they farm as well) and they made the most easy and delicious side dish. Israeli or pearl couscous tossed in freshly-made basil pesto, lots and lots of halved yellow sunburst and black cherry tomatoes and pretty much an entire small bottle of capers. We were cleaning the serving bowl with baguette after it was gone. So delicious.
Love tomato sandwiches. But we also make bread salads and my favorite – tomato jam!
Raw tomato sauce on angel hair pasta! Or this bean salad! It looks too simple, but the dressing/marinade is perfect. Add more tomatoes than called for, any canned white beans are fine too, and for sure let it marinate overnight – then eat it all week. https://sweetpotatosoul.com/marinated-white-bean-salad/
The first thing that comes to mind is Hetty McKinnon’s sublime dumpling & tomato salad with chile crisp vinaigrette, for which any type of ripe tomatoes will do (I favor a combo of hothouse and cherry tomatoes). It’s soooo good! Here’s a gift link (NYT): https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024075-dumpling-tomato-salad-with-chile-crisp-vinaigrette?unlocked_article_code=1.fk8.T0jc.om20YeigeWNz&smid=share-url
oh yes!!! we featured it too, it’s so delicious: https://cupofjo.com/2023/08/16/dumpling-salad-hetty-mckinnon/ thanks for the reminder!
Yes! We make this dumpling salad too when we have too many tomatoes in the summer. If you like Chili Crisp, it is so good.
Can we also do cucumbers?? We’ve got a bumper crop of both this year. Last night we had cucumber and tomato sandwiches. We’ve made German sour cream and cucumber salad. Spicy cucumbers with sambal. Tofu and peanut sauce with cukes (smitten kitchen). And my husband roasted cherry tomatoes a few days ago for a simple pasta sauce. Also, boursin cheese on pasta with tomato and green onions on top, cooked in butter until softened. It’s nearly 100 in SW Montana right now, and smoky too, so kinda miserable for us. I’ve been using the instant pot to make pasta and rice and beans.
Smitten Kitchen has a great cucumber salad! https://smittenkitchen.com/2025/06/cucumber-crunch-salad-with-tofu/
I make an Asian-inspired cucumber salad. Dressing/marinade: ginger and garlic (fresh grated is great, using prepared or powder is fine too), sesame oil, soy sauce (dark or flavored is fun), and rice wine vinegar. Sriracha, ground Szechuan peppercorns, chili crisp, red pepper flakes, etc if you like spice. Chop chicken thighs into 1-2 inch pieces. Marinade for at least an hour. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Grill or broil until cooked, 5-7 minutes Slice cucumber. Your choice weather or not to peel. I like either chunks or matchsticks with a mandolin. Chop chives or green onions. Toss with dressing. Top with chicken. Eat.
when we’re truly swimming in tomatoes we make a fair amount of tomato jam (chop em up and bake em low slow w EVOO and salt), then just glop it on whatever we want (including savory oats!) I’m also a HUGE fan of a watermelon tomato salad (just add feta, good EVOO, basil), w good sourdough to soak up the juices
Have you made Food in Jars Amy’s Tomato Jam? So delicious! https://foodinjars.com/recipe/tomato-jam/
Yes! to Food in Jars tomato jam. But, I use coriander seeds instead of red chili flakes.
Yes! to Food in Jars tomato Jam! The best, and a yearly endeavor for us.
I will try the caprese pasta bake, experimenting by maybe throwing a little crushed tomatoes instead of fresh in there.
tomato season has been bonkers! my kids love cooking them up with canned sardines (mixed in some breadcrumbs) over pasta. so simple but they devour it. also simple but a hit is pan tomate.
The “Spicy and Saucy Cherry Tomato Pasta” from NYT Cooking is a *chefs kiss* recipe. Don’t sleep on the capers and ricotta!!! https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020690-spicy-and-saucy-cherry-tomato-pasta?q=spicy%20saucy