37 Fresh Tomato Recipes for Peak Tomato Season

Ripe red tomato slices topped with minced garlic and a sprig of fresh rosemary
Photo: lutzflcat

Looking for delicious fresh tomato recipes? You've come to the right place. When summer gardens finally give up their fresh, ripe, glorious tomatoes, it's a total tomatopalooza. We cannot get enough. For breakfast, we'll devour them drizzled with a little olive oil alongside scrambled eggs. Lunch means magnificent BLTs, of course. At snack time, you can't beat a perfectly ripe tomato simply sliced into wedges and sprinkled with a little sea salt. And when dinner rolls around, we consult this list of best fresh tomato recipes. Here are some of our must-have recipes when tomatoes are at their peak.

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Peach and Tomato Caprese Salad

Peach and Tomato Caprese Salad
Allrecipes

"Heirloom tomatoes, ripe peaches, and fresh mozzarella are layered and topped with a simple balsamic vinaigrette," says Julie Hubert.

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Watermelon and Tomato Feta Salad

Watermelon and Tomato Feta Salad
Dianne

This recipe calls for the best of summer produce — sweet watermelon and ripe tomatoes. The result? "A light and tangy combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavors," says kimbaleelou.

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Chef John's Gazpacho

Chef John's Gazpacho
Jennifer Baker

This refreshing Spanish soup is the taste of high summer. The key to this gazpacho is to use "killer, end-of-summer, super-sweet tomatoes," says Chef John. "There just isn't any substitute, so happy hunting." Serve cold in chilled bowls.

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Tomato Chicken

Tomato Chicken
AuntE

Fresh tomatoes combine with chicken thighs seasoned with turmeric, minced garlic, chili powder, and ginger. AuntE gives it 5 stars: "Enjoyed this easy recipe," she says. "Will be great for end of summer tomato blowout."

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Heirloom Tomato Salad with Rosemary

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Rosemary
Kim's Cooking Now

"I loved this recipe," says Plates4u. "The sweetness of the ripe heirloom tomatoes was so nicely mixed with the rosemary. It was so fast and so good." Aimeej adds, "This is great as a cold salad, or for a different twist, grill straight on the BBQ for a warm but fresh side dish."

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Tomato Concasse

Tomato Concasse
Photo by Chef John. Chef John

It may sound fancy, but concassé is really just peeled, seeded, and finely chopped fresh tomatoes. Use it as a base for fresh salsas. Add it to sauces, stews, soups, and chili. It's also the key to Chef John's Steak Pizzaiola.

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Caprese Salad with Grilled Flank Steak

Caprese Salad with Grilled Flank Steak
Molly

Diced fresh tomatoes mix it up with cubed mozzarella, fresh basil, butter lettuce, and marinated grilled steak. Finish it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. "This is a fresh, healthy, easy-to-make salad," says cookinmama.s

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Tomato Pie

Tomato Pie I
SpasticChef

"Tastes like a BLT sandwich, only better," raves Donnak. It combines sliced fresh tomatoes, bacon, fresh basil, and Cheddar cheese baked in a deep-dish pie crust. "You will not regret this one. Use any favorite cheese for this recipe."

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Marinated Cucumber, Onion, and Tomato Salad

a white ceramic dish of tomato wedges, peeled cucumber slices, and rings of sliced onion
lutzflcat

Sliced cucumbers, onions, and tomato wedges are marinated in a simple homemade salad dressing. "This was superb," says Angel. "The sugar really helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar. Favorite salad ever!"

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The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa

The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa
Diane Boggs Colbert

This fresh, delicious salsa combines chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, bell peppers, and cilantro with a little lime juice and ground cumin. "Perfection," raves TENNESSEE. "Simply put, I love salsa, and this is the best I've ever eaten. I made it with fresh tomatoes and peppers from our garden. A marvelous recipe for solving the puzzle of what to do with our excess tomatoes."

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Baked Tomato Slices

Ripe red tomato slices topped with minced garlic and a sprig of fresh rosemary
lutzflcat

Slices of tomato are seasoned with rosemary and garlic, brushed with olive oil, and baked. These delicious tomatoes make tasty pizza toppers or additions to pasta! "Awesome," says MsDeb. "Yellow and red heirlooms fresh out of the garden plus homegrown garlic put this dish over the top."

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Stacked Tomato and Burrata Salad

Stacked Tomato and Burrata Salad
Photo by Kim's Cooking Now!.

This stacked salad features buttery burrata cheese spread between layers of heirloom tomato slices and beautiful fresh basil leaves with a healthy drizzle of good quality olive oil. That's all there is to it! "Burrata is our newest addiction," says AdvenChef. "It's decadent and delicious. This is a beautiful presentation."

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Tomato Bacon Squares

Tomato Bacon Squares
lutzflcat

This quick-fix treat is like a BLT on storebought pizza crust. "Swiss cheese perfectly compliments the bacon, tomatoes, and bell peppers," says April Phillips.

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Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

This simple soup is the one to make when tomatoes are super-ripe in summer gardens and farmers markets. "A quick and easy recipe for real homemade tomato soup like no other you've had before," says Charlotte.

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Vera Cruz Tomatoes

Vera Cruz Tomatoes
Photo by abapplez.

Ripe fresh tomatoes are stuffed with a creamy bacon, spinach, and cheese filling. "This is a recipe that can be used as an appetizer or main meal," says ChefsyndiG. "And you can use any size tomatoes you want. Just make sure they are firm. If you use roma tomatoes you can get more servings with the stuffings."

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Jersey Fresh Tomato Soup

Jersey Fresh Tomato Soup
Photo by Molly.

They know fresh tomatoes in the Garden State. Garden-fresh tomatoes simmer with carrots and onions in chicken broth. "This soup is wonderful," says Deb C. "The garden freshness of the tomatoes shines through perfectly, the seasoning well balanced."

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Tomato and Bacon Jam

Tomato and Bacon Jam
Photo by Christina.

This sweet and savory tomato and bacon spread is delicious on so many things. Try it on a grilled cheese sandwich or burgers, with scrambled eggs or pork chops. "Oh WOW this is fantastic!" raves Christina. "I halved the recipe using some beautiful ripe tomatoes from my dad's garden. I'm now wishing that I made the whole recipe b/c I can't stop eating it."

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Amish Tomato Pie

top-down view of A deep dish savory pie garnished with sliced tomatoes and fresh basil
Buckwheat Queen

It's summer's perfect savory pie! Sliced fresh tomatoes combine with a rich filling of Fontina and Cheddar cheeses, bacon, leeks, mayonnaise, and a little Dijon. "A summertime savory pie. There is a lot of preparation for this pie, but it is well worth every minute," says Buckwheat Queen. "I love this pie on on summer mountain evenings. Enjoy with cool ice tea."

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Byrdhouse Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Byrdhouse Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
Photo by larkspur.

Cook fresh cherry tomatoes in sizzling butter with basil and a little sugar until they just start to blister. "Great Recipe!" says abapplez. "A burst of flavor and color on the table. We loved these."

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Homemade Tomato Sauce

Homemade Tomato Sauce I
OkinawanPrincess

Fresh tomatoes slowly cook with onion, green pepper, garlic, and red wine in this rich, flavorful sauce. "This recipe is fantastic and worth the extra work," says gz1gz2. "After the initial cooking of the sauce we added a bit of cooked chicken and Italian sausage and served with bowtie pasta. Just wow is all we can say!"

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Tomato, Basil, and Corn Salad with Apple Cider Dressing

"Five ingredients and five minutes is all you need to make this easy and nutritious summer salad!" says Pina. "If you have extra time, you can use 4 ears of fresh corn, cooked and shucked, instead of the frozen corn. You can vary the amount of basil, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar to your taste."

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Tomato Basil Salmon

Tomato Basil Salmon
CookinBug

Sprinkle salmon fillets with dried basil, top with tomato slices, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese. "Simple and delicious...can't get any better than that!" says cookiemonster. "I chopped up some fresh basil from the garden for it. Served with a salad, this salmon made a light refreshing meal." CHEDDAR97005 recommends serving it "with a side of sautéed spinach and a glass of pinot noir."

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Tarte aux Moutarde (French Tomato and Mustard Pie)

Tarte aux Moutarde (French Tomato and Mustard Pie)
Stacy McVay

You need just six ingredients to make this dish from Lyon, France: a pastry crust, grainy brown mustard, ripe tomatoes, Swiss cheese, olive oil, and herbes de Provence.

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Marinated Garden Tomatoes

dish of Marinated Garden Tomatoes recipe
lutzflcat

Here's a basic, old-fashioned recipe that has stood the test of time. "It's great on a hot day for a crisp side dish," according to recipe creator Mrs_Mike.

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Mama's Best Broiled Tomato Sandwich

Mama's Best Broiled Tomato Sandwich
Christina

Try this gorgeous open-faced sandwich with summer soup or on its own for a light, flavorful meal.

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Tomato and Ricotta Salata Bruschetta

tomato bruschetta
Buckwheat Queen

This Italian restaurant-worthy recipe is the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer for summertime get-togethers.

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Fresh Corn and Tomato Casserole

a plate of Fresh Corn and Tomato Casserole
abapplez

With just five ingredients (fresh tomatoes, fresh corn, bacon, butter, and salt), it couldn't be easy to make this colorful summer side dish.

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Baked Polenta with Fresh Tomatoes and Parmesan

Baked Polenta with Fresh Tomatoes and Parmesan by Molly
Photo by Molly.

"This recipe is a perfect way to highlight and use fresh summer tomatoes," says recipe creator rjohl. "It makes a great side dish for grilled chicken or pork chops."

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Roasted Tomato, Avocado, and Fresh Mozzarella Crostini

Roasted Tomato, Avocado, and Fresh Mozzarella Crostinis on a wooden board
Allrecipes

"Roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and avocado are layered on toasted bread in this quick and easy crostini recipe everyone loves," recipe creator Julie Hubert says of this light appetizer.

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Grilled Shrimp with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Angel Hair Pasta

Grilled Shrimp with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Angel Hair Pasta
Grilled Shrimp with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Angel Hair Pasta | Photo by Bibi.

Everything except the pasta comes together quickly on the grill. Recipe creator Bibi suggests serving with a Caesar salad and hot garlic bread.

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Watermelon Tomato Salsa

Watermelon Tomato Salsa
bd.weld

Watermelon adds refreshing flavor to this summertime tomato salad, while jalapeños bring welcome spice.

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Spaghetti Sauce With Fresh Tomatoes

a single plate of spaghetti with sauce made from fresh tomatoes.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"This was bursting with flavor," raves Charlene Slaybaugh. "I used it on meatball subs. The chunky sauce was perfect. The only change I made was using jarred minced garlic instead of garlic powder. Saved to favorites. Will definitely use again."

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Pork Chops with Fresh Tomato, Onion, Garlic, and Feta

Pork Chops with Fresh Tomato, Onion, Garlic, and Feta
Allrecipes Magazine

"You will not be disappointed with this wonderful pork chop," says recipe creator Lovecooking, who recommends serving with garlic mashed potatoes. "It is tender, moist, and full of fresh flavors."

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Sliced Tomatoes with Fresh Herb Dressing

You don't need to fire up the oven for this no-cook summer side. Fresh tomatoes are flavored with thyme, oregano, parsley, chives, garlic, and topped with Parmesan.

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Tomato Bacon Squares

Tomato Bacon Squares
lutzflcat

5-star reviewer GINAH1 says "this is a great appetizer" and "tastes just like a BLT."

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Disney's Ratatouille

Disneys Ratatouille
footballgrl16

This classic French recipe is a fantastic use of fresh summer vegetables. Recipe creator Juli Warfel Bitler recommends serving over a bed of brown rice, couscous, pasta or other starch, or with crusty bread.

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Italian BLT

closeup of sandwich with tomato, spinach, mozzarella, and prosciutto on white plate

Update the classic fresh tomato BLT with Italian ingredients like ricotta and pesto.

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More Inspiration

Chef John’s Panzanella
Photo by Chef John.

Try one of our Best Tomato Salads Make the Most of Fresh Tomato Season. Plus, explore our entire collection of Tomato Recipes.

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