22 Best Summer Tomato Recipes - Once Upon a Chef (2024)

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It’s peak tomato season! Farmer’s markets and gardens are overflowing with ripe summer tomatoes. Do you need ideas to use up your bounty? From salads and soups to pizzas and pastas, there are endless ways transform your summer gems into delicious and healthy meals. So tie on an apron, gather your tomatoes, and give one of these easy summer tomato recipes a try.

One of the best ways to use slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, this burrata salad is simple yet spectacular. To make it, arrange the cheese and tomatoes on a platter, then top the cheese with a drizzle of olive oil, a few flakes of sea salt, and several grinds of pepper. Finish the salad off with some fresh chopped basil and serve. (And don’t forget a good bread to soak up the flavorful sauce!) Get the recipe

2. Bruschetta with Heirloom Tomatoes, Olives, and Basil

Bruschetta uses toasted, garlic-rubbed bread as its canvas. This version features fresh summer tomatoes, basil, and briny black olives. Get the recipe

3. Golden Gazpacho

This refreshing summer gazpacho is made with yellow cherry tomatoes, hence the beautiful golden color. The sweet tomato flavor is elevated with Eastern Mediterranean spices, like turmeric and curry powder, which makes this a nice twist on the traditional Spanish version. Get the recipe

4. CAPRESE SALAD WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

This is Caprese salad…only better. The syrupy balsamic glaze highlights the sweetness of the tomatoes and adds a pop of bright flavor to every bite. Get the recipe

5. RESTAURANT-STYLE SALSA RECIPE

In this popular salsa recipe, the tomatoes are roasted, which intensifies their flavor and adds a nice touch of smokiness. Serve with tortilla chips and complete the spread with classic guacamole and salsa verde. Get the recipe

Whether you need a crowd-pleasing starter or a light summer meal, this broiled feta and burst cherry tomato recipe is the answer. Get the recipe

7. ISRAELI SALAD WITH FETA

There are many variations of this Israeli staple, but it always includes tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, and lemon juice. I love to add chunks of rich, tangy feta cheese and fresh herbs. It’s pairs nicely with hummus, falafel, and other Middle Eastern dishes. a perfect light side dish, and it looks so pretty and bright on the table. Get the recipe

8. Homemade Tomato Sauce

Adapted from Marcella Hazan’s famously simple recipe, this slightly chunky homemade tomato sauce is an excellent way to use up your tomato harvest. Bonus: it can be frozen for a taste of summer during the cooler months, and it can also be made in the winter with canned tomatoes. Get the recipe

9. Summer Gazpacho Salad

A fun riff on gazpacho, this dish is part soup, part salad, and 100% delicious! With juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and sweet bell peppers, it tastes like summer in a bowl. Get the recipe

Looking for a summery side to pair with grilled salmon, steak, or chicken? This combination of tomatoes, corn, and zucchini with creamy goat cheese is full of flavor and sure to please. Get the recipe

Make tonight a pizza night! Topped with basil pesto, creamy mozzarella, and vine-ripened tomatoes, this is the ultimate summer pizza. Get the recipe

12. Roasted Tomato-Peach Jam

This sweet and tangy homemade jam is lovely served with grilled fish, meats, and sausage – or dolloped on top of a burger. Additionally, it’s a nice accompaniment to creamy cheeses such as burrataor mozzarella. Get the recipe

13. PANZANELLA SALAD

With toasty Italian bread, succulent tomatoes, crisp bell peppers and cucumbers, this Panzanella salad is a summer essential. It’s great for a light dinner or as a side to grilled chicken or shrimp. Get the recipe

14. Summer Pasta Primavera

With roasted zucchini, tomatoes, and corn, this summery pasta primavera is full of fresh vegetables, easy to make, and pretty to boot. One happy reader wrote, “Fantastic! The roasted vegetables provided a richness so yummy my husband said “I don’t miss the meat at all.” Get the recipe

15. RATATOUILLE

Full of summer goodness, like eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers, ratatouille is the perfect way to use the veggies from your garden or local farmer’s market. The classic French stew can be used in a variety of ways; try it as a vegetarian main dish over polenta, with grilled fish or meat, tossed with pasta or spooned over crostini. Get the recipe

16. 7 Layer Dip

7 layer dip is perfect for a summer get-together. Garlicky black beans, sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh corn, and creamy guac are all topped off with bright red tomatoes. Set a bowl of tortilla chips on the table and watch it disappear! Get the recipe

17. SAUTÉED ZUCCHINI AND CHERRY TOMATOES

This garlicky sauté of cherry tomatoes, diced zucchini, and basil is so simple that you may be skeptical, but after you make it once, you’ll realize it’s a keeper – and it goes with just about everything. Get the recipe

18. Pan-Seared Halibut

Pan-seared halibut is wonderful on its own, but a sauce of summery cherry tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil take it the next level. This dish is quick to make yet tastes like something you’d order at a fancy restaurant. Get the recipe

19. Summer Avocado Salad

This summer salad with juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and crisp vegetables is not only fresh and flavorful, but it’s also packed with nutrition. It’s the perfect side for summer barbecues. Get the recipe

20. FUSILLI ALLA CAPRESE

Simple yet delicious, this pasta dish requires is good hot or cold, so you can serve for dinner or pack it up for a picnic. Get the recipe

21. TABBOULEH

Tabbouleh is a traditional Middle Eastern salad made from bulgur, fresh herbs, and vegetables. This version is heavy on the bulgur, making it heartier than the classic recipe. Serve it as a side dish or part of a mezze along with other small plates, like hummus and baba ganoush. Get the recipe

22. Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Slow-roasted cherry tomatoes are so sweet and tangy, they taste like tomato candy! There are endless ways to use them: add them to pasta dishes, salads, pizzas, bruschetta, and more. Get the recipe

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