Show off your peak-season tomatoes in these fresh tomato recipes! We've got salads, soups, pasta, and more—you're bound to find something you love.
Fresh tomato recipes go on repeat in our house every summer.
In the dead of winter, there’s nothing I crave more than a summer tomato—sweet, juicy, and ripe. The out-of-season supermarket 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. When I made my grocery list this morning, I added cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and tomatoes on the vine. We have lots of tomato recipes on tap this week. 🙂
I hope you’re also cooking with tomatoes like crazy right now, while they’re at their best. In case you’re looking for some new tomato recipes, I’m sharing 50 of my favorites below. They include appetizers, side dishes, hearty mains, and even breakfasts! With all this variety, you’re bound to find something you love.
My Top 5 Tomato Recipes
I can’t let summer slip away without making these five fresh tomato recipes. You shouldn’t either!
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, is my favorite. The bread soaks up the tomato juices and tangy dressing, making for a fresh, satisfying, and seriously flavorful dish.
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. Be prepared to go back for seconds.
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. When you use really great tomatoes, this recipe is totally irresistible.
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. Served with a slice of crusty bread, it’s such a refreshing meal.
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
Fresh tomatoes are packed with flavorful juices, which make them perfect for turning into salsas and sauces like these.
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.
Tomato Recipes to Start
These appetizer tomato recipes are the perfect way to kick off a summer meal!
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
Puttanesca bruschetta, anyone?! Capers and olives add an unexpected briny kick to the classic combination of juicy tomatoes and grilled bread.
Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes
This bountiful burrata platter is a mouthwatering appetizer, but it could just as easily pass as dessert.
Ultimate Crudité Platter
When summer tomatoes are in top form, it doesn’t take much to turn them into a delicious appetizer. Serve them on a crudité platter with green goddess dressing, baba ganoush, or creamy white bean dip, and they’ll disappear in a snap.
Fresh Tomato Salads
Salads are hands down my favorite fresh tomato recipes because they’re so simple, vibrant, and flavorful. And they don’t just showcase tomatoes—other peak-season fruits, herbs, and veggies also shine in the recipes below.
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.
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.
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 so darn good.
Watermelon Tomato Salad
Tomatoes, avocado, watermelon, and tamari are an unconventional combo, but once you try this heirloom tomato salad, you’ll be hooked. The salty tamari plays perfectly off the sweet tomatoes and watermelon, and the avocado offers a rich, creamy contrast to the refreshing fruit.
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
Looking for tomato recipes that you can pack for a picnic or a weekday lunch? These hearty salads are for you!
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
To me, tomatoes and pasta salad both scream summertime. Combine the two, and you have a perfect BBQ or cookout side dish.
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.
Vegan Pasta Salad
I make this creamy vegan pasta salad with a mix of yellow squash noodles and regular pasta. It feels like you’re filling up on pasta, but really, it’s mostly veggies!
Cherry Tomato 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
We all love tomato sauce on pizza, but fresh tomatoes are great toppings too! Pile them onto any homemade pizza, or try one of the recipes below.
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
If marinara sauce teaches us anything, it’s that pasta and tomatoes go together like two peas in a pod. But the uses for tomatoes in pasta recipes extend way beyond sauce. Try roasting them, sautéing them, or baking them into your next lasagna.
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.
Best Vegetarian Lasagna
Of course, I layer this lasagna with lots of tomato sauce, but I also add bursty cherry tomatoes to the roasted veggie filling.
Fresh Tomato Soups and Stews
No list of tomato recipes would be complete without tomato soup! Here, you’ll find chilled summer soups as well as warming, comforting recipes for when the temperatures start to drop.
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.
Many-Veggie 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
Tomato slices are at home on almost any sandwich, but the recipes here put them front and center.
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
When tomatoes are in season, I eat them at every meal I can…breakfast included.
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.
Austin-Style 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!
Best Breakfast Burrito
This mega breakfast burrito has it all: spicy roasted potatoes, avocado, scrambled eggs, roasted red peppers, spinach, black beans, and pico de gallo. Still want more? Serve creamy chipotle sauce or cilantro lime dressing on the side for dipping.
Tomato Recipes: Roasted Tomato Linguine
Ingredients
- 4 very thin lemon slices
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 6 ounces linguine pasta
- 1 1/2 cups arugula
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 cup Roasted Tomatoes
- 3 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup fresh basil, or dollops of pesto
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the lemon slices on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for for 15 to 20 minutes or until they’re golden brown around the edges. Finely mince the lemons and set aside.
- In the bottom of a medium-sized (cold) pot, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt.
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, cooking until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water. Scoop the hot pasta into the pot, along with the reserved pasta water, the arugula, and toss. If necessary, gently heat until the arugula wilts and the pasta is warmed through. Add the thyme, tomatoes, lemons, and toss again. Top with the mozzarella, pine nuts, and basil. Gently toss, season to taste and serve.
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://www.loveandlemons.com/pasta-salad/
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