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For those who love tomatoes, the middle and end of summer is just the best time of the year.

How to Cook with Tomatoes

The battle cry: carpe tomato! The gorgeous tomatoes start to appear in July, and flood the markets (and our gardens, if we’re lucky) for a couple of months. So let’s be prepared.

Keep your eyes open for those gorgeous heirloom tomatoes. Some available varieties include Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Green Zebra, Black Krim, Mr. Stripey, Azoychka, Aunt Ruby’s German Green, Cherry Roma, Tomato Gold Medal, and Black Cherry. The names alone are cheerful, and if you just slice up a bunch, drizzle them with olive oil, and give them a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper you will be in heaven. Look for heirloom tomatoes at supermarkets, of course, but better still at farmers’ markets during the summer and early fall seasons.

How to Cook Cherry Tomatoes

Any tomato lover knows, fresh tomatoes are really best in season. Out-of-season tomatoes are often pale and flavorless. Hothouse tomatoes are your best bet outside of the summer months. Plum tomatoes, grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are also available year round.

This is my (not even close to complete) list of must-make tomato recipes this summer. Oh yes, please also see How to Cook Tomatoes and How to Cook Cherry Tomatoes.

Spanish Tomato Bread

51 Recipes with Tomatoes

What to do with all of those summer tomatoes!

Bruschetta with Herbed Whipped Ricotta and Heirloom Tomatoes

Bruschetta with Herbed Whipped Ricotta and Heirloom Tomatoes

A simple herby ricotta is slathered under slices of ripe tomatoes in a perfect summer appetizer or snack.

Pasta with Fresh Heirloom Tomato Sauce / Photo by Kerri Brewer / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce

Homemade pasta sauce turns a basketful of ripe tomatoes into an easy dinner.

Pancetta Pasta with Tomatoes

Pancetta Pasta with Tomatoes

This pasta has so much going on flavorwise, but it's really simple to pull together, and downright beautiful. Using a mix of tomatoes in different colors adds even more vibrancy to this dish.

Tomato Mozzarella and Basil Salad

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

Simple, gorgeous, summer in a bowl.

Woman scooping tomato mixture onto a small slice of bread.

Tomato Bruschetta

This is the first thing I think of when I bring home a bunch of gorgeously ripe late summer tomatoes. Use only perfectly ripe tomatoes.

Lined baking sheet of Roasted Tomatoes.

How to Make Perfect Roasted Tomatoes

Roasting tomatoes is super easy, and really brings out a deep, concentrated, sweet flavor.

Tomatoes with Mint Basil Pesto / Photo by Mia / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Tomatoes with Mint Basil Pesto

Ready in 10 minutes, this cummery pesto is a terrific topping for ripe tomatoes, and can be used in so many different ways!

Bowl of Herbed Roasted and Raw Tomato Salsa with Olives on a table with bread.

Roasted Tomato Salsa with Olives

A multi-layered tomato experience.

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Herbed Mayonnaise

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Herbed Mayonnaise

A quick summery meal that can be made ahead. Skip the bacon and it’s vegetarian!

Steakhouse Tomato Salad

Steakhouse Tomato Salad

One of the classic steakhouse sides is a tomato salad of some sort. And the best ones are super simple, and really focus on perfect, ripe tomatoes.

Chopped Salad with Chicken, Tomatoes and Lemon Thyme Dressing / Photo by Cheyenne Cohen / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Chopped Salad with Chicken, Tomatoes and Lemon Thyme Dressing

This was one of the best lunches ever, just that perfect chopped salad.

Tomato Panzanella in a white baking dish.

Tomato Panzanella

This resourceful Tuscan salad, originally created to use up stale bread, is composed of juicy tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and basil dressed with a zingy olive oil-based vinaigrette.

Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad 101 / Mia / Katie Workman / themom100.com

How to Make Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad

One of the defining no-cook dishes of summer.

Tomato Scallion Rice / Carrie Crow / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Tomato Scallion Rice

A colorful, delicious, year-round and versatile dish dish (and a great way to use not-so-perfect tomatoes!)

Cavatappi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto / Katie Workman / themom100.com / Photo by Cheyenne Cohen

Cavatappi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto

It's hard to make a summer produce pasta that not a stunner; this one is bursting with basil and roasted tomatoes.

Perfect Tomato Soup

Homemade Tomato Soup

Sometimes you just want the classic—bursting with tomato flavor, silky smooth, and not complicated by much else.

Cheesy bread with pizza bruschetta topping.

Pizza Bruschetta

In this version of tomato bruschetta I took a cue from the best loved combo of cheese, tomatoes, and bread ever: pizza.

White, oblong bowl of Tomato Bruschetta Couscous.

Tomato Bruschetta Couscous

15 minutes to to the easiest, summeriest side dish.

Spanish Tomato Bread

Pan con Tomate

Also known as Catalan Tomato Bread, Spanish Tomato Bread, or Pan con Tomate, this toasted bread with tomatoes and garlic is the most perfect simple appetizer, snack or side.

Salsa Ranchera in a glass bowl.

Salsa Ranchera

A wonderfully smoky salsa made from roasted tomatoes, hot peppers, onions and garlic, with a touch of lime and cumin.

Gazpacho

Perfect Summer Gazpacho

How to make the best, most refreshing and absolutely beautiful soup of summer. With step-by-step instructions and photos.

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Bread / Carrie Crow / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Bread

Garlic bread moves up a notch.

Pan Seared Fish with Tomato Basil Relish / Laura Agra / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Pan Seared Fish with Tomato Basil Relish

Fish plus three basic ingredients plus 20 minutes gets you this for dinner. Think of this during tomato season.

Cherry Tomato Antipasti Salad

Cherry Tomato Antipasti Salad

Inspired by Italian restaurant antipasti platters, this gorgeous salad relies on easily available cherry tomatoes and a bunch of pantry items.

Shrimp Orzo Salad

Shrimp Orzo Salad

This is a light and very colorful pasta salad, perfect for picnics and potlucks, and warm-weather lunches. Great to take to work as well.

Summer Corn, Tomato and Bacon Salad / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Summer Corn, Tomato and Bacon Salad

Starring the two best vegetables of late summer, with bacon as a supporting actor.

Late Summer Cobb Salad topped with bacon, red onion, crumbled cheese, and other toppings.

Late Summer Cobb Salad

The salad to keep up with the end-of-summer influx of produce.

Table setting with a bowl of Pasta Salad with Chicken and a cloth napkin.

Pasta Salad with Chicken, Avocado and Tomato

Summery, colorful, delicious. Perfect for entertaining, packing for an office lunch, picnics, you name it.

Vegetarian Pasta Salad

Vegetarian Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is portable and flexible. It’s also a nice way to play around with the vegetables of the season.

Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette

Frankly if you served a shoe over polenta I would be happy. But this salmon is so much better.

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Yes, another Greek Salad recipe. And I doubt it will be the last.

Caprese Garlic Bread

Caprese Garlic Bread

An open-faced marriage of garlic bread, ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, basil, with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Loin Lamb Chops with Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Loin Lamb Chops with Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce

A good looking plate of lamb, with a memorable sauce.

Mayo-Free Vegan Pasta Salad

Mayo-Free Vegan Pasta Salad

So easy, so colorful, so make ahead, so crowd-pleasing….and actually a vegan pasta salad, too).


Chicken with Tomato and Leek Pan Sauce with Jasmine Rice

Chicken with Tomato and Leek Pan Sauce with Jasmine Rice

A summery pan sauce turns a package of chicken breasts into a colorful quick dinner.

Tomato, Zucchini and Bulgur Salad / Mia / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Tomato, Zucchini and Bulgur Salad

A great grain and vegetable salad for all kinds of occasions.

Greek Tabbouleh Salad in wooden bowl on table with water glasses

Greek Tabbouleh Salad

A Mediterranean twist on a very classic Middle Eastern bulgur wheat salad

Mushroom, Mozzarella, and Cherry Tomato Pizza / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Mushroom, Mozzarella, and Cherry Tomato Pizza

In flavor and in looks, this pizza kind of keeps you on your toes, in a really good way.

Greek Orzo Salad

Greek Orzo Salad

This pasta salad takes its cues from the ingredients featured in a classic Greek Salad, and goes with almost anything you can imagine.

Tomato, Avocado and Cucumber Salad

Tomato, Avocado and Cucumber Salad

Colorful and fresh and filled with a variety of textures, this easy recipe is a great summer and early fall go-to salad for all kinds of meals.

Food Deadline Mediterranean Tomato Wheat Berry Salad with Fresh Herbs 1/Katie Workman

Mediterranean Tomato Wheat Berry Salad with Fresh Herbs

This salad has a whole lot going on in terms of color, texture, taste, and nutrition.

California BLT’s / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

California BLT

The West Coast version of a classic BLT (with a little hack for the perfect toasted bread).

Cherry Tomato Salad

Cherry Tomato Salad

Cherry or grape tomatoes are just plain cheery and delicious, and here they are the star of their own little show in a gorgeous salad perfect for any time of year.

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Citrus Dressing

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Citrus Dressing

A beautiful summer salad that’s robust and light at the same time.

Summer Whole Grain and Vegetable Salad

Summer Whole Grain and Vegetable Salad

Farro, or whatever grain you choose, is mixed with a whole bunch of vegetables — plenty of texture and chew, super satisfying, and gorgeous to boot.

Bowl of colorful Tomato, Red Onion, Watercress, Feta and Olive Salad.

Tomato, Red Onion, Watercress, Feta and Olive Salad

15 minutes gets you to an explosion of summery color and flavor in a bowl.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Roasted Tomato Sauce

With a jar of this in the fridge, you will make dinner interesting in two shakes.

Serving bowl with Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad next to red napkin and silverware.

Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad

This is the pasta salad version of Caprese salad; late summertime eating at its finest and freshest.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

This is one of the most delicious chicken dishes I have made in a while. It also might be one of the prettiest. A one skillet dish!

Summer Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Summer Shrimp and Avocado Salad

If you start with precooked shrimp, this beautiful and satisfying salad can be on the table in 15 minutes! (Add about 7 minutes if you're cooking the shrimp yourself!)

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