100 Ways to Use Fresh Tomatoes This Summer
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Greek Tomato Salad
This light, summery salad is a guaranteed crowd pleaser for any gathering this season. Macerate the tomatoes with a little salt before building this salad and you’ll be amazed at the difference. The salt concentrates the tomato flavor and helps loosen the tomato juices, which are great in addition to the tangy dressing.
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Tomato Gratin Lasagna
This is a fresh, summery take on lasagna. We call for seeding one-third of the tomatoes to get just the right amount of juciness.
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Lobster Roll Bruschetta
Though we love the sweet flavor of lobster in this appetizer, you can easily substitute 1/2 pound of shrimp with delicious results.
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Cherry Tomato Confit
Because the oil picks up the flavors of the garlic and thyme, a milder, less expensive oil works best.
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BLT Pasta
Slab bacon lets you get a thicker dice than presliced bacon that will hold its own in the pasta; if it's hard for you to find, just use thick-cut sliced bacon. Peppery watercress wilts well yet maintains a little crunch. It also adds a nice savory note, balancing the sweetness of the tomatoes and the saltiness of the bacon. Arugula would also work.
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Red Snapper With Chunky Tomato-Watermelon Salsa
The salsa combines sweetness from watermelon; acid from tomatoes and lime; a bit of heat from the chile; and a pop of herbal freshness from cilantro and mint. It pairs particularly well with red snapper and would be lovely with most any mild white fish. To get the fish skin good and crisp, be sure to forgo a nonstick skillet in favor of a stainless-steel or cast-iron one; reach for a 12-inch skillet- (or larger) so the fish doesn't get overcrowded—or cook in 2 batches if using a smaller pan.
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Caprese Tomato Salad
Make this crisp, fresh tomato salad for your next summer cookout. If you can't find smaller basil leaves, you can gently tear the larger leaves in half.
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BLT Salad
Serve this fresh tomato salad with any summer main, or make the salad more substantial by adding toasted bread cubes. Of course, no BLT would be complete without mayo. Here it becomes a creamy drizzle spiked with lemon and fresh dill.
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Southern Tomato Salad
Make the most of your farmers' market haul with this sweet and tangy tomato salad, which also boasts summer peaches, fresh mint, and goat cheese. This stunning, southern-inspired salad would make a welcome addition to any summer cookout or picnic.
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Tomato-Ricotta Pizza
Red tomatoes are richer in antioxidants when cooked, giving you better access to lycopene (a disease-fighting antioxidant). The higher-quality ricotta you use, the creamier, and more delicious the pizza; we prefer Calabro brand.
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Grass-Fed Flat Iron Steak With Grilled Ratatouille
Pounding the flat iron steak breaks down the muscle fibers and tenderizes the meat. Grain-fed flat iron steaks are a relatively tender cut. But with grass-fed steak's lower fat content, we find pounding the meat before cooking ensures tenderness. It also helps the steaks cook quickly—they only need about 3 minutes on a searing hot grill to hit medium-rare.
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Falafel, Feta, and Tomato Salad
Think of chopped falafel as a tasty, protein-packed crouton—it adds texture to the salad and instantly turns a simple side into a substantial main dish. We chose a Mediterranean theme here, but you could use any nuts, cheeses, or vegetables you like.
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Pesto Chicken with Blistered Tomatoes
Here, pesto acts as a binder, helping the crispy panko topping stick to the chicken. Serve with green beans tossed with lemon rind. Garnish with any extra basil you have on hand.
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Feta-Herb Edamame Succotash
Fresh, flavorful, and ready in 20 minutes, this vegetarian main is a family favorite. This speedy, veggie-packed entrée is light yet satisfying, and it holds up great when prepared a day in advance. We love for the glories of summer produce, but if they're not in season, frozen vegetables and year-round grape tomatoes do the job wonderfully. Edamame adds hearty texture and a hit of plant-based protein.
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Mini Mozzarella-and-Kale Pita Pizzas
Try this clever idea—split the pitas in half before toasting so the crusts can get extra crisp. They’ll also be slightly shallow rather than flat, a perfect vessel for the sauce and toppings.
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Falafel Pita Sliders
We make falafel patties instead of balls because the wide, flat surface area gets extra crisp when seared and baked, a lighter approach to shallow frying. Use any stuffers you like for the sandwiches, or load up as the Israelis do with a chopped cucumber and tomato salad, pickled cabbage, and tahini sauce.
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Seared Salmon with Balsamic-Blistered Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinegar mirror and amplify eah other; both are a bit tangy and sweet, and both benefit from a little high heat in the pan.
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Tahini-Marinated Chicken Thighs With Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad
Adding tahini to the marinade makes the chicken buttery tender without an overwhelming amount of sesame flavor in the finished dish. It also helps the chicken to char nicely on the grill.
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Chard-Stuffed Trout With Charred Tomato Vinaigrette
For convenience, you can make the tomato vinaigrette a day ahead. If your fishmonger doesn’t have small butterflied trout, you can use larger single trout fillets and simply top them with the chard mixture to bake. The vinaigrette lends bracing tang to the dish, balanced by the peppery, verdant chard and sweet bell pepper. The chard stuffing helps keep the delicate trout moist as it roasts.
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Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Tomatoes are a summer superstar. Enjoy them in a refreshing salad or simply sliced. Sweet peach dressing amps up the summery deliciousness in this simple salad.
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Tomato-Leek Pie with Quinoa Crust
The two-slice portion on this summer pie is nice and hearty. For a lighter lunch or brunch for eight people, serve one slice with a simple spinach salad. For extra flavor, try tossing 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme into the crust.
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Tomato Stack Salad With Corn and Avocado
This tomato side salad is the ultimate summer recipe with a stack of colorful tomato slices and avocado topped wtih fresh herbs, corn, crumbled bacon, and a creamy dressing. This is the star of the meal; keep the entrée simple.
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Tomato, Squash, and Red Pepper Gratin
Sometimes the best "steak" comes in the form of ripe, juicy beefsteak tomato slices, as in this easy gratin. Serve with a salad of fresh summer greens.
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Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic
Height-of-summer tomatoes burst with flavor and need little embellishment to create a spectacular dish. Churning the oil into boiling liquid emulsifies the mixture, yielding a creamy sauce that coats.
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Tomato Tart
A good tomato tart is a summery spectacular. But it's also a creamy, cheesy calorie and sat-fat bomb. Ours is meat-free and cream-free, letting more of the bright tomato flavor shine through. Olives are added to give a satisfying richness.
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Baked Tomatoes with Quinoa, Corn, and Green Chiles
These tomatoes are stuffed full with healthy quinoa, fresh corn, poblano chiles, and lots of shredded cheese. Fresh lime juice adds a burst of citrus freshness.
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Seared Scallops with Summer Vegetables and Beurre Blanc
A screaming-hot skillet and baking sheet yield fantastic seared scallops and quick-roasted tomatoes and veggies. The luxurious sauce is little more than butter emulsified into reduced white wine—keep the butter cold and whisk it in gradually for the creamiest sauce.
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Open-Faced Sandwiches With Mushrooms and Fried Eggs
This open-faced sandwich is savory and delicious. It's perfect for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner.
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Pork and Tomato Skillet Sauté
Use heirloom tomatoes to make this dish extra colorful. A sprinkling of basil before serving gives one last punch of freshness.
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Fresh Tomato-Feta Pizza
If olives are a deal breaker, leave them off; the pizza is still yummy with garden-fresh tomatoes and tangy feta.
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Shrimp and Corn Cakes With Heirloom Tomato Salsa
Delicious patties made of fresh corn, shrimp, and bell pepper are pan-fried to perfection in this recipe. Serrano chile in the heirloom tomato salsa adds a bit of heat, and cilantro some earthy freshness.
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Eggplant Involtini
Ciao down on the flavors of Italy with this vegetarian entree of Eggplant Involtini. Fresh tomatoes and tender slices of eggplant are the stars here.
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Pan-Seared Chicken With Tomato-Olive Relish
Select your favorite varieties of olives from the supermarket olive bar to make the relish without leftovers. Quartered cherry tomatoes give a sweet crunch.
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Spanish-Style Cod in Tomato Broth
When stirring the shallot and broth mixtures, be careful not to break up the fish. Look for wild Atlantic cod from Iceland, Maine, or the Arctic to ensure a sustainable choice.
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Baked Feta With Romesco and Olive Tapenade
Make the romesco sauce and tapenade up to three days ahead, and keep them chilled separately.
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Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho
Make this soup up to two days ahead, cover, and chill until you’re ready to serve. If you prepare it ahead, you may need to stir in a bit of water before serving, as it may thicken slightly as it sits. For more heat, leave the seeds in the jalapeño, or remove them to tame the flames.