Best Tomato Recipes for Tomato Season

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

How to Cook with Tomatoes

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

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.

How to Cook with Tomatoes

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
5 from 1 vote

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.
View Recipe

Pasta with Fresh Heirloom Tomato Sauce / Photo by Kerri Brewer / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 9 votes

Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce

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

Pancetta Pasta with Tomatoes
5 from 4 votes

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.
View Recipe

Tomato Mozzarella and Basil Salad
5 from 3 votes

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

Simple, gorgeous, summer in a bowl.
View Recipe

Woman scooping tomato mixture onto a small slice of bread.
5 from 4 votes

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.
View Recipe

Lined baking sheet of Roasted Tomatoes.
5 from 3 votes

How to Make Perfect Roasted Tomatoes

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

Tomatoes with Mint Basil Pesto / Photo by Mia / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 3 votes

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!
View Recipe

Bowl of Herbed Roasted and Raw Tomato Salsa with Olives on a table with bread.
5 from 1 vote

Roasted Tomato Salsa with Olives

A multi-layered tomato experience.
View Recipe

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Herbed Mayonnaise
5 from 1 vote

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Herbed Mayonnaise

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

Steakhouse Tomato Salad
5 from 1 vote

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.
View Recipe

Chopped Salad with Chicken, Tomatoes and Lemon Thyme Dressing / Photo by Cheyenne Cohen / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 1 vote

Chopped Salad with Chicken, Tomatoes and Lemon Thyme Dressing

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

Tomato Panzanella in a white baking dish.
5 from 5 votes

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.
View Recipe

Black plate with a fork and a Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad.
5 from 2 votes

How to Make Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad

One of the defining no-cook dishes of summer.
View Recipe

Tomato Scallion Rice / Carrie Crow / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 1 vote

Tomato Scallion Rice

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

Cavatappi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto / Katie Workman / themom100.com / Photo by Cheyenne Cohen
5 from 4 votes

Cavatappi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto

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

Perfect Tomato Soup
5 from 4 votes

Homemade Tomato Soup

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

Cheesy bread with pizza bruschetta topping.
5 from 1 vote

Pizza Bruschetta

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

White, oblong bowl of Tomato Bruschetta Couscous.
5 from 3 votes

Tomato Bruschetta Couscous

15 minutes to to the easiest, summeriest side dish.
View Recipe

Spanish Tomato Bread
5 from 1 vote

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.
View Recipe

Salsa Ranchera in a glass bowl.
5 from 3 votes

Salsa Ranchera

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

Gazpacho
5 from 2 votes

Perfect Summer Gazpacho

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

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Bread / Carrie Crow / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 2 votes

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Bread

Garlic bread moves up a notch.
View Recipe

Pan Seared Fish with Tomato Basil Relish / Laura Agra / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 2 votes

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.
View Recipe

Cherry Tomato Antipasti Salad
5 from 2 votes

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.
View Recipe

Shrimp Orzo Salad
5 from 2 votes

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.
View Recipe

Summer Corn, Tomato and Bacon Salad / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 4 votes

Summer Corn, Tomato and Bacon Salad

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

Late Summer Cobb Salad topped with bacon, red onion, crumbled cheese, and other toppings.
5 from 3 votes

Late Summer Cobb Salad

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

Table setting with a bowl of Pasta Salad with Chicken and a cloth napkin.
5 from 1 vote

Pasta Salad with Chicken, Avocado and Tomato

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

Vegetarian Pasta Salad
5 from 2 votes

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.
View Recipe

Fork, knife, and Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette on a colorful plate.
4.80 from 5 votes

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.
View Recipe

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 1 vote

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad

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

Caprese Garlic Bread
5 from 3 votes

Caprese Garlic Bread

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

Loin Lamb Chops on a plate with mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts.
5 from 1 vote

Loin Lamb Chops with Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce

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

Bowl of Mayo-Free Vegan Pasta Salad on a white, wooden table.
5 from 2 votes

Mayo-Free Vegan Pasta Salad

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

Chili Rubbed Flank Steak with Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 3 votes

Chili Rubbed Flank Steak with Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Steak corn and tomatoes get kicked upstairs.
View Recipe

Chicken with Tomato and Leek Pan Sauce with Jasmine Rice
5 from 1 vote

Chicken with Tomato and Leek Pan Sauce over Jasmine Rice

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

Tomato, Zucchini and Bulgur Salad / Mia / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 2 votes

Tomato, Zucchini and Bulgur Salad

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

Greek Tabbouleh Salad in wooden bowl on table with water glasses
5 from 2 votes

Greek Tabbouleh Salad

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

Mushroom, Mozzarella, and Cherry Tomato Pizza / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 1 vote

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.
View Recipe

Greek Orzo Salad
5 from 4 votes

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.
View Recipe

Tomato, Avocado and Cucumber Salad
5 from 3 votes

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.
View Recipe

Food Deadline Mediterranean Tomato Wheat Berry Salad with Fresh Herbs 1/Katie Workman
5 from 3 votes

Mediterranean Tomato Wheat Berry Salad with Fresh Herbs

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

California BLT’s / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com
5 from 1 vote

California BLT

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

Cherry Tomato Salad
5 from 16 votes

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.
View Recipe

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Citrus Dressing
5 from 3 votes

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Citrus Dressing

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

Summer Whole Grain and Vegetable Salad
5 from 2 votes

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.
View Recipe

Bowl of colorful Tomato, Red Onion, Watercress, Feta and Olive Salad.
5 from 4 votes

Tomato, Red Onion, Watercress, Feta and Olive Salad

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

Roasted Tomato Sauce
5 from 1 vote

Roasted Tomato Sauce

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

Serving bowl with Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad next to red napkin and silverware.
5 from 2 votes

Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad

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

Creamy Tuscan Chicken
4.82 from 43 votes

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!
View Recipe

Summer Shrimp and Avocado Salad
5 from 5 votes

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!)
View Recipe

About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

You May Also Like:

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *