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    Home » Recipes » Recipe Collections / Round-Ups » What to Make With Fresh Tomatoes

    Published: Aug 24, 2022 by Sylvie

    What to Make With Fresh Tomatoes

    Home » Recipes » Recipe Collections / Round-Ups » What to Make With Fresh Tomatoes

    Looking for tomato ideas?  This collection of healthy, fresh tomato recipes including salads, pastas, sides and more will give you some new inspiration for what to make with tomatoes this season.

    fresh tomato recipes

    We are happily at that time of year where tomatoes are worth buying again.  Tomatoes (like most fruits and vegetables) are truly best enjoyed when in season or you run the risk of slicing into a mealy, flavorless specimen. 

    Luckily at this very moment, tomatoes are at their peak and delicious varieties are easy to find at farmers markets and supermarkets alike.  If you happen to be wondering what to make with all those fresh tomatoes I’ve rounded up some of my favorite tomato recipes to put those beauties to good use before the season is over along with some tips on selecting and storing them.

    Tomato Season:

    Tomato season generally runs from June to the end of October, with its peak from July to September.

    Selecting Tomatoes:

    Appearance – Ripe tomatoes of any kind should have a shiny skin free from blemishes.  Avoid tomatoes with soft spots or black marks as that can indicate rotting underneath. 

    Feel – They should feel heavy for their size and yield gently to pressure when touched. 

    How to Store Tomatoes:

    Treat them gently so they don’t bruise.  Never store tomatoes in the fridge, refrigerating tomatoes will cause them to lose flavor and develop a mealy texture.  The best way to store them is in an even layer at room temperature out of any direct sunlight until you are ready to use them.  They should keep for at least 4 or 5 days depending on how ripe they were when purchased.

    What to Make With Fresh Tomatoes:

    Tomato Green Bean Salad

    Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad on Serving Platter

    Nothing beats a tomato salad when tomatoes are in season, and the addition of green beans, cucumbers and olives makes for a hearty and satisfying seasonal salad that’s a great addition to any menu. 

    Tian Provençal

    Provencal Vegetable Tian in Baking Dish

    Seasonal vegetables like tomatoes and zucchini are sliced and stacked onto a simple tomato sauce base to make this rustic and flavorful vegetable tian.

    Veggie Stuffed Tomatoes

    Zucchini and Mushroom Stuffed Tomatoes in Baking Dish

    These vegetable-filled stuffed tomatoes are as wonderful piping hot out of the oven as they are at room temperature. And I promise, stuffing tomatoes is not as difficult as it may sound.

    Provençal Tomatoes

    Baked Provençal Tomatoes in Baking Dish

    Filled with the signature tastes of Provence (like garlic, fresh herbs and olive oil), these flavorful baked tomatoes are easy to put together at the last minute.

    Pesto Pasta with Vegetables

    Gluten-Free Cherry Tomato and Zucchini Pesto Pasta in Skillet

    This pesto pasta with sautéed zucchini and cherry tomatoes is an easy one skillet kind of meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes; great for busy weeknights. 

    Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes

    Garlic and Herb Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes in Serving Bowls

    A little olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh thyme are all you need to transform cherry tomatoes into a flavorful topping for spaghetti squash.

    Heirloom Tomato Salad

    Heirloom Tomato Salad on Platter

    A touch of homemade basil oil elevates even the ripest bunch of heirloom tomatoes to a brand new level. 

    Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

    Tomato Chickpea Salad on plate with serving utensils

    This tomato chickpea salad is filled with lively Mediterranean flavors and made with only a handful of ingredients you may already have at home. 

    Chilled Tomato Soup

    Vegan Chilled Tomato Soup in Glasses

    Similar to gazpacho, but with a velvety texture, this chilled tomato soup hits all the right notes when the heat is doing its best to drive you from the kitchen. 

    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad in Wood Serving Bowl

    What’s a summer picnic or potluck without a pasta salad?  Not the goopy mayo-laden kind but a fresh flavorful one filled with warm weather favorites like tomatoes, basil and garlic. 

    Enjoy!

    Sylvie

    Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.

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    Reader Interactions


    Comments

    1. Deborah Davis says

      September 04, 2013 at 11:33 am

      These are wonderful tips for using all of those juicy, ripe tomatoes my organic gardening friends keep giving me. I love to make a raw, blended tomato soup! Many more tasty recipes to try from above. You'll find me in the kitchen!

      Reply
    2. EA-The Spicy RD says

      August 25, 2013 at 9:42 pm

      There is nothing I DON'T like to eat with tomatoes! I didn't think I was hungry, but want to make every single one of these tomato recipes ASAP!

      Reply
    3. foodwanderings says

      August 24, 2013 at 9:03 am

      I do find keeping tomatoes so tricky even after all these years/ best just to keep out and use as soon as possible. They ripen so fast if still hard in my kitchen island. Great roundup of recipe suggestions.

      Reply
    4. Ashlee @ The Crunchy Moose says

      August 21, 2013 at 8:38 am

      Great list! I'm from Texas, so my tomatoes end up in salsa very often!

      Reply
    5. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

      August 21, 2013 at 1:01 am

      Thanks for sharing so many great recipes and tips on tomatoes. I'm going to miss summer so so much 🙂

      Reply
    6. Kitchen Belleicious says

      August 20, 2013 at 8:09 pm

      simply a great post! I am saving this for those days when I have too many tomatoes to know what to do with and lately that is all the time as my tomato plant just keeps on keeping on!

      Reply
    7. [email protected] says

      August 19, 2013 at 6:49 am

      Some great links. Love tomatoes right now.

      Reply
    8. Sanjeeta kk says

      August 19, 2013 at 4:59 am

      I love all these posts of yours with loads of tips and recipes...lovely clicks Sylvie!

      Reply
    9. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says

      August 18, 2013 at 11:21 pm

      Being a huge tomato lover that I am, I want to make EVERYTHING!

      Reply
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