recipes

57 Tomato Recipes to Celebrate Summer in Style

From pastas to salads to salsas, we’ve got all the fresh tomato recipes you need to make the most of the season.
Cornbread studded with sliced cherry tomatoes on a platter one slice removed to a plate.
Photograph by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by JoJo Li

Think of this compendium of fresh tomato recipes as your summer dinner ideas mood board. During the few months of the year when the farmers market is overflowing with beautiful big heirlooms and tiny sweet cherry tomatoes, you’re all but required to take full advantage. So grab a couple of heavy beefsteaks, a few pints of Sun Golds, and an armful of Green Zebras, and get ready to tomato-ify all your soups, pies, and sandwiches while you can.

Celebrate the sweetness of peak season specimens without heating your kitchen. We’re talking a no-cook tomato sauce to dress up weeknight pastas, a creamy and rich tomato Caesar (no lettuce required), and a Vietnamese tomato salad that’s brightened with plenty of lime and fish sauce. Want to make tomato season last a little longer? Learn how to freeze your tomatoes so your future self can have some summer lovin’ too.

  • Tomato Salad with Crème Fraîche and Olive Granola on a white plate with utensils to the side
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kendra Vaculin, prop styling by Gözde Eker
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    Tomato Salad With Crème Fraîche and Olive Granola

    This is not your average tomato salad. Served over a swoop of lemony crème fraîche and topped with crunchy, savory olive granola, it’s just the mix-up your rotation of tomato recipes needs.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata
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    Curried Tomato Sandwich

    The ingredient list for this just-eclectic-enough tomato sandwich is short and sweet: You’ll need thick-cut sourdough, mayo, curry powder, capers, and ripe heirloom tomatoes.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Graylen Gatewood
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    Fried Green Tomatoes

    It’s not a Southern summer without a batch of fried green tomatoes on the table. Pair them with the dipping sauce of your choice—you can never go wrong with homemade ranch.

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  • Alex Lau
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    Gazpacho

    Great summer gazpacho starts with epic tomatoes—and because this Spanish preparation is uncooked, there’s no hiding a substandard specimen.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
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    Tomato Caesar

    An extra-thick Caesar dressing gives this tomato salad extra oomph—and keeps it from sogging out at the picnic.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
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    Tomato-Watermelon Salad With Turmeric Oil

    Red, juicy, and sweet tomatoes and watermelon are soul mates; they both need salt, spice, and fat to reach their full potential.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca
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    Tangy Balsamic Pasta With Sungold Tomatoes

    As tiny Sun Gold tomatoes ripen, they develop a candy-like sweetness. If you’re lucky enough to score an in-season carton at the farmers market, use them to make a simple, sunshiny pasta sauce.

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  • Photograph by Joyce Lee, food styling by Brandon Gray, prop styling by Chloe Kirk
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    Charred Sun Gold Tomato and Fennel Pizza

    Got more Sun Golds? Toss them on a pizza. The charred, juicy tomatoes add depth to a jazzy white pie, fully furnished with fennel and mozzarella.

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  • Photograph by Jessica Pettway, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh
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    Shrimp and Tomato Toasts

    If bruschetta is your go-to appetizer, try these substantial tomato tartines as a main. This fully loaded toast makes a complete meal, filled with blistered cherry tomatoes, smoky shrimp, and sunny aioli.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Graylen Gatewood 
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    Ratatouille

    Add fresh or dried chiles (like Fresno, Thai, or crushed red pepper flakes) to this classic ratatouille recipe for a bit of spice.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li
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    Poached Cod in Tomato Curry

    We chose cherry tomatoes for this poached cod recipe because we like their sweetness and how quickly they collapse into a sauce.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua
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    Grated Tomato and Miso-Butter Pasta

    Don’t roast your tomatoes—grate them. The ripe tomatoes practically melt into the miso butter sauce glossing these summery noodles.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
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    Roast Chicken With Tomatoes

    The only thing better than a tomato salad? Tomato salad with a lemony, oniony roast chicken on top. Serve with grilled zucchini, and you’re well on your way to a dreamy summer meal.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton
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    Tomato Salad With Blue Cheese and Crispy Shallots

    This recipe is an adaptation of the Mayflower Inn’s house specialty, a tender Bibb salad with blue cheese, fresh tomatoes, and frizzled shallots. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, feel free to swap it for feta or goat cheese.

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  • Photograph by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by JoJo Li
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    Cheesy Cornbread With Tomatoes

    This tomato-jeweled cornbread recipe stays moist from plenty of sour cream and feta cheese mixed into the batter. If you’re after something more traditional, stick with our classic buttermilk cornbread recipe. Down to explore? This is a worthy side dish for any summer event.

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  • Photograph by Shawn Michael Jones, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Micah Morton
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    Green Tomato–Berry Salad With Sumac Dressing

    Underripe green tomatoes (not the same as some green-when-ripe heirloom varieties) deserve love too. Like ripe red ones, they’re great served raw, especially when tossed in a bright sumac dressing.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime
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    Tuk Trey Ping Poh With Pork Chops

    Tangy, spicy, and herbaceous, tuk trey ping poh is a versatile Khmer condiment that’s great served with any protein and as a dipping sauce and a base for soups and curries. So yes, you should make extra.

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  • Photos of Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico courtesy of Quentin Bacon
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    Salsa de Molcajete

    Tangy, smoky, and just a touch spicy, this simple salsa made with charred tomatoes shows how just a few ingredients can transform into something truly spectacular.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Alison Attenborough, prop styling by Heather Greene
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    Peaches and Tomatoes With Burrata and Hot Sauce

    Draw out the sweetness of ripe tomatoes by pairing them with juicy peaches. Torn burrata on top adds just the right amount of creaminess.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton
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    Cheesy Tomato Hand Pies

    This portable pocket of cheesy goodness tastes like your favorite pizza toppings found a puff-pastry home.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
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    Chicken Tomato Pulao

    A classic yakhni pulao is meticulously prepared by simmering basmati rice in an aromatic chicken, lamb, or goat broth. In this version, chicken thighs are simmered in a spiced tomato base with rice and whole spices like cinnamon and bay leaf.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
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    Vietnamese Tomato Salad

    Tomatoes are the perfect match for the acidic, sweet, slightly funky dressing that tops this fresh herb-loaded salad. Dill, cilantro, and fresh basil are all welcome here, but use whatever tender, flavorful green things you have on hand.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie
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    Spicy Tomato Feta Pasta

    Inspired by that TikTok pasta (you know the one), this spicy feta pasta is punched up with Calabrian chile paste. Bake it in a casserole dish and finish it off with fresh basil leaves.

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  • Photo by Rey Lopez
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    Tomato Choka

    In this Trinidadian dish, chopped onions, peppers, and chiles get sizzled in hot oil before they’re poured over broiled peak-season tomatoes.

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  • Photo by Christian Reynoso
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    Tomatoes Simmered in Olive Oil With Cotija

    Salt tomato slices and set them on a rack to drain and concentrate their sweetness before setting them afloat in a garlicky, somewhat spicy olive oil bath with Cotija, a dry-aged Mexican cheese.

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  • Photo and Food Styling by Sohla El-Waylly 
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    Paneer With Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce

    This dish channels the flavors traditionally found in matar paneer—coriander, cumin, chile, and ginger—into a quick-cooking cherry tomato sauce packed with bright sugar snap peas. If you can’t find paneer, make your own or give this a try with another sturdy, non-melty cheese, like Halloumi or queso fresco.

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  • Photographs by Mamadi Doumbouya, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Shannon Maldonado
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    Picnic Tomatoes

    Let the dressed tomatoes sit an hour or so before serving so they can soak up maximum flavor.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
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    Tomato Galette

    It’s not a tomato pie or a tomato tart—it’s a tomato galette, filled with peak-season tomatoes, cheese, and garlic.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
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    Eggs in Purgatory

    Any type of tomatoes will work here, but cherry tomatoes hold their shape well in this brunch classic. If you’ve got a couple of ripe beefsteaks or Romas, cut them into 1" pieces and carry on.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
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    Spaghetti With No-Cook Puttanesca

    Make this bright, summertime pasta sauce packed with in-season tomatoes and briny olives.

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  • Peden + Munk
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    Chile-Lime Clams With Tomatoes and Grilled Bread

    Sure, you can cook clams right on the grate, but getting a skillet involved lets you capture all their delicious briny juices for mopping up with the bread you’re grilling alongside (right?).

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Judy Mancini
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    Buttered Tomatoes With Ginger

    This versatile peak-summer condiment can be served on top of white rice, pasta, toast, steamed fish, steak, or roast chicken. So, pretty much anything.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, styling by Judy Mancini
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    Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie

    Plenty of cheese, peak-summer tomatoes, tons of garlic, and a cracker crust make for a perfect (a word we don’t use lightly) savory pie.

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  • PHOTO BY ALEX LAU, FOOD STYLING BY ANDY BARAGHANI
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    Tomato Salad With Pine Nuts and Pomegranate Molasses

    The secret ingredient in this salad is the golden raisins: They’re soaked in apple cider vinegar, transforming them into plump balloons that stand up to the rich, buttery pine nuts.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, styling by Judy Mancini.
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    Bruised Tomato and Bread Soup

    If you’ve got a bumper crop of bruised tomatoes, blend them into this fresh tomato soup, bolstered with basil stock (yes, basil stock!) and Parmesan. Don’t forget the crispy crouton topping.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Amy Wilson
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    Grilled Swordfish With Tomatoes and Oregano

    There’s only a kiss of honey in the vinaigrette, but it’s an essential player. The slight sweetness balances the briny flavors of the fish and capers.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
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    Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta

    This simple sauce of juicy, burst-y cherry tomatoes (a.k.a. nature’s Gushers) comes together in around 15 minutes, making it one of the easiest tomato recipes in our summer repertoire.

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