Our best tomato recipes! They include salads, pastas, gazpacho, and more delicious ways to use sweet, juicy summer tomatoes while they're in season.
These fresh tomato recipes are the best way to celebrate sweet, juicy tomatoes while they’re at their peak! You’ll find classic tomato recipes like gazpacho and bruschetta, flavorful sauces and pastas, and salads so simple that they rely on little more than a fresh garden tomato and a sprinkle of salt.
In the dead of winter, there’s nothing I crave more than a summer tomato—sweet, juicy, and ripe. The out-of-season grocery store ones can’t compare, so when summer rolls around, I only have a few months to make every tomato salad, sandwich, pasta, and pizza I’ve imagined throughout the year. Right now, I have tomato recipes on repeat.
If you also want to make the most of your summer tomatoes, check out the recipes below. They’re ones I come back to year after year because they let perfect, peak-season tomatoes shine. I hope you love them as much as I do.
My Top 5 Tomato Recipes
Panzanella
My favorite thing to do with a ripe tomato? Make a tomato salad! You can find lots more later on in this post, but panzanella, a Tuscan bread salad with cucumbers and basil, is my favorite.
Tomato Galette
If you want to turn fresh tomatoes into a stunning main dish, make this galette. It doesn’t just look gorgeous—it also tastes amazing. A flaky, buttery crust encloses creamy herbed goat cheese and the juicy tomato slices.
Pico de Gallo
You only need 7 ingredients to make this fresh and zesty salsa! Top it onto tacos, add it to a burrito…or just scoop it up with tortilla chips.
Easy Gazpacho
You don’t have to do any cooking to make this soup—just toss a medley of summer veggies in the blender, whizz, and chill. It’s a perfect refreshing meal for a hot summer night.
Roasted Tomatoes
After a long, slow roast, cherry or grape tomatoes take on a delicious chewy texture and rich umami flavor. Pile them onto homemade pizza, add them to a salad, or eat them all straight off the sheet pan.
Fresh Tomato Salsas and Sauces
Homemade Salsa
Don’t buy jarred salsa in tomato season—make your own instead! This homemade salsa is amazingly fresh, zesty, and bright. Whip it up in the food processor in under 10 minutes.
Cowboy Caviar
This festive dip will be a hit at your next party! Prep it a few hours or even a day ahead. The flavor only gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.
Salsa Roja
A dried ancho chile adds smoky complexity to this delicious tomato salsa. Set it out at your next gathering, and guests won’t believe it’s homemade!
Fresh Tomato Sauce
I make marinara sauce with canned tomatoes in the winter, but when summer is here, I can’t get enough of this sweet, tangy sauce made with fresh tomatoes.
Ranchero Sauce
Charred roma tomatoes make up the base of this bright, smoky, spicy sauce. Serve it on huevos rancheros or homemade enchiladas!
Tomato Recipes to Start
Caprese Skewers
Like a classic Caprese salad, but in adorable bite-sized form! Use a colorful mix of tomatoes to give these skewers an extra-fun look.
Eggplant Caponata
This Sicilian eggplant stew is rich, silky, tangy, and lightly sweet. You could serve it with crostini as a party appetizer…but once you taste it, you might want the whole batch to yourself.
Grilled Tomatoes
Dress them up with drizzles of Italian dressing and a shower of fresh basil.
Tomato Bruschetta
This classic Italian appetizer is easy to make at home! Just chop up fresh tomatoes, toss them with basil and balsamic, and pile them onto crisp toasted bread.
Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes
This bountiful burrata platter is a mouthwatering appetizer, but with the rich cheese and sweet, juicy summer fruits, it could just as easily pass as dessert.
Fresh Tomato Salads
Tomato Salad
Make this recipe when you come home from the farmers market with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes. It’s SO simple, dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and zesty gremolata, so it’ll really let those beauties shine.
Fattoush
As tasty as tomatoes are in summer, the best part of this Middle Eastern chopped salad isn’t a vegetable… It’s bread! Toasted pita croutons add delicious crunch.
Cucumber Tomato Salad
I make a version of this cucumber tomato salad just about every week in summer. Simple and fresh, it’s easy to toss together for a quick side dish. Sometimes I follow the recipe as written, and sometimes I jazz it up with add-ins like feta cheese, peaches, or torn mozzarella.
Classic Caprese Salad
If there’s one thing that will make you fall for Caprese salad, it’s good tomatoes. Make this recipe with the best ones you can find.
Avocado Salad
Guacamole lovers, this zesty avocado salad is for you! A bright lime dressing coats creamy avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and cilantro.
Strawberry Salad with Balsamic
This sweeter riff on Caprese salad features fresh strawberries, avocado, and toasted pecans in addition to the traditional tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella. A tangy balsamic reduction takes it over the top.
Greek Salad
When my mom adds a recipe to her regular rotation, I know it’s a good one. This Greek salad made the cut! It’s easy to make, you can prep it in advance, and it tastes bright and fresh.
Burrata Salad
This vibrant burrata salad is like a leveled-up Caprese. I replace the mozzarella with creamy burrata and add dollops of pesto for extra basil flavor. The peak-season tomatoes do the heavy lifting here—this salad comes together in minutes, but it feels like a restaurant-worthy side dish.
Italian Chopped Salad
The best thing about chopped salad is that you can get a little of everything in each bite—crisp lettuce, creamy cheese, onion, pepperoncini, chickpeas, and tomatoes. Yum!
Grain and Legume Salads with Tomatoes
Chickpea Salad
Don’t skip the pickled onions! They add the perfect tangy pop to this herby chickpea salad.
Niçoise Salad
When Jack and I visited Nice, France, I ordered a Niçoise salad everywhere we went. I love how the savory, briny elements like olives and capers contrast with the fresh vegetables and bright lemon vinaigrette.
Lentil Salad
Meet my go-to meal prep lunch! Filled with protein-packed lentils, briny olives, tangy feta, and lots of veggies, this salad is fresh and satisfying, and it holds up for days in the fridge.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
I’ve made a lot of good quinoa salads in my day, but this one might be my favorite. Roasted tomatoes fill it with rich umami flavor. Yum!
Tabbouleh
It’s delicious on its own, in a pita with falafel, or on a mezze platter with fresh veggies, olives, and your favorite dips.
Pasta Salads
Easy Pasta Salad
This easy pasta salad is my go-to summer picnic dish. It’s chock-full of fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, and basil, and it still tastes great if you make it a day in advance.
Tortellini Salad
I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count because our kiddo LOVES it! He gobbles up every last bite—tortellini, cherry tomatoes, tangy pepperoncini, and all.
BLT Pasta Salad
If you’re a fan of the classic sandwich, you’ll be a fan of this salad too! Full disclosure: the “b” here isn’t real bacon, but rather bacon-like tempeh. Trust me, it totally works!
Orzo Salad
Greek salad meets pasta salad in this simple recipe. It’s nothing if not flavorful, filled with tangy feta cheese, briny olives, lots of fresh herbs, and a zesty Greek dressing.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and vibrant basil pesto team up in this ultra-summery pasta salad. I love to pack it up for picnics and potlucks, and it makes a great summer meal prep lunch too!
Couscous Salad
Here, you’ll find chewy, savory roasted tomatoes in addition to sweet, juicy raw ones. The contrast between the two makes this recipe one of my favorite summer salads. Of course, lots of fresh basil and thyme don’t hurt either!
Tomato Recipes for Pizza Night
Pesto Pizza
The ultimate summer pie! It’s decked out with savory roasted tomatoes, melty mozzarella, and big dollops of garlicky basil pesto. Get ready for an unforgettable pizza night.
Margherita Pizza
Essentially Caprese salad on pizza. What’s not to love?
Best Vegan Pizza
Even the biggest cheese lovers (re: Jack) will fall for this vegan pizza! It’s loaded with a myriad of veggies and tangy cashew cream, so every bite packs a big punch of flavor.
Pasta Tomato Recipes
Cherry Tomato Pasta
This recipe is a cherry tomato celebration! Some cook down into a jammy sauce for the pasta, while others stay bursty and plump. Serve it with a generous handful of basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Pasta Primavera
I love to make this recipe to use up a late spring/early summer farmers market haul. Almost more vegetable than pasta, it’s quick, easy, and flavorful. Great for a weeknight.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
The really cool thing about this recipe is that you don’t have to boil the gnocchi. Instead, everything bakes up together in the oven in under 30 minutes.
Linguine with Lemon and Tomatoes
You won’t just find roasted tomatoes in this summer pasta…there’s roasted lemon too! Together, they add chewy texture and savory flavor to this simple, elegant dish.
Fresh Tomato Soups and Stews
Tomato Basil Soup
Tomato soup made with canned tomatoes has its place, but in the early fall, I like to make this fresh version instead. It’s lightly creamy without any cream, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar give it a rich, tangy flavor. I love to serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich.
Ratatouille
This Provençal stew is a quintessential late summer dish. It’s bursting with the best the season has to offer: silky eggplant, sweet peppers, juicy garden tomatoes, and tender zucchini. Don’t forget the basil on top.
Watermelon Gazpacho
Don’t be fooled—the watermelon in this gazpacho doesn’t make it sweet. Instead, it offsets the sharp vinegar, onion, and jalapeño, creating a refreshing, balanced soup.
Vegetable Soup
This recipe works with nearly any combo of veggies, so it’s a great way to clear out whatever odds and ends you have in the fridge. Green beans? Toss them in. Zucchini? Go for it! Fresh tomatoes? Absolutely.
Tomato Sandwich Recipes
Heirloom Tomato Sandwich
A creamy, tangy white bean spread and a sprinkle of smoked paprika fill this vegan “Bean-LT” with savory, smoky flavor.
Caprese Sandwich
Roasted cherry tomatoes and pickled red onions add an extra pop to these classic tomato sandwiches. Take them to the next level by serving them on homemade focaccia bread.
Fresh Tomato Recipes for Breakfast
Breakfast Sandwich
Kickstart your morning with this EPIC breakfast sandwich! It’s loaded up with herbed goat cheese, a spinach omelet, and lots of fresh fixings (hi, tomato!). And guess what? It’s freezer-friendly, so you can meal prep it for quick breakfasts throughout the week.
Tex-Mex Migas
Not familiar with migas? Allow me to introduce you. They’re eggs scrambled with crispy tortillas and cheese, and they are SO delicious. I also add tomato, onion, and jalapeño for a fresh kick. Enjoy with tortillas and salsa!
Your incredible recipes truly brightened my day!
I’m so thankful to have a garden full of heirloom tomatoes — your recipes and photos are amazing! Now, the hard part… which one should I try first?
I am so grateful that I have a garden full of heirloom tomatoes – thank you so much for all your recipes and photos……what to try first?
Should this recipe be served warm or can you serve it cold
I like to serve it warm otherwise spaghetti gets too dry and tangly. Here’s a pasta salad with similar ingredients that I like to serve cold: https://fit-discovery.info/pasta-salad/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv class=reply>
I will try couple of recipes this weekend.
This was a great recipe. I was a bit skeptical of the sliced lemons but they just really brought out all the different tastes and the roasted tomatoes are great. I used mozzarella pearls in lieu of the torn mozzarella.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Your amazing recipes made my day!
Very Informative Thanks Buddy