20 Tomato Recipes to Use Up Your Haul Before the End of Summer
Make the most of your peak-season produce.
Summer is great for a lot of things: backyard BBQs, beach vacations, and stacked ice cream cones—just to name a few. But biting into a big, juicy tomato—whether it’s layered with mozzarella in a Caprese salad or sliced and stacked onto a burger—has to be one of the best. Since summer is its peak season, tomatoes taste sweeter and fresher than ever right now. Whether you grow tomatoes in your own backyard garden or find them overflowing at farmers markets, now’s the time to make the most of them.
Here, you'll find so many tasty ways to use up all different types of tomatoes before the summer ends—big beefsteak tomatoes, beautiful heirlooms, bite-sized cherry tomatoes, and more. You can add tomatoes to pasta recipes, summer salads, and simple sandwiches, or you can make them the main event by stuffing them, frying them, or roasting them. And you certainly won’t regret turning your abundance of homegrown tomatoes into a batch of tangy tomato sauce for spaghetti or eggplant parmesan. While all of these tomato recipes will help you put the summer fruit to good use, you can always freeze tomatoes to savor the juicy flavor throughout the fall season, too!
Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad
Crunchy cucumbers, salty feta, and fresh herbs complement juicy heirloom tomatoes. After 15 minutes of assembly, this summer side will brighten up any meal.
Get Ree’s Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad recipe.
Fried Green Tomato Caprese
If you have green tomatoes on hand, dredge them in flour, fry them until golden, and layer them with sliced mozzarella for a crispy take on a Caprese salad.
Get Ree’s Fried Green Tomato Caprese recipe.
Stuffed Tomatoes
Want to make tomatoes the star of your dinner plate? Stuff them with a savory sausage mixture, finished off with melted cheese. This will fill you up without letting your harvest go to waste.
Get the Stuffed Tomatoes recipe.
Watermelon, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad
Tomato and mozzarella are a match made in heaven, but throwing sweet watermelon into the mix will give this Caprese-inspired salad a summery spin.
Avocado Toast with Roasted Tomatoes and Bacon
Tomato recipes aren’t just for dinner! Spooning oven-roasted tomatoes over avocado toast, layered with bacon, is a summer breakfast of champions.
Get Ree’s Avocado Toast with Roasted Tomatoes and Bacon recipe.
Easy Tomato Pie
There's no better way to show off fresh summer tomatoes than in a glorious pie. It features slices of tomato layered with a luxuriously cheese mixture that's piled into a buttery crust and baked to bubbly perfection.
Get the Easy Tomato Pie recipe.
Tomato Sandwich
Sometimes simple is best, and this summer sandwich is proof. A healthy smear of basil-infused garlic aioli takes a tomato sandwich to the next level. You can even switch up the herbs by trying parsley or dill.
Get the Tomato Sandwich recipe.
Fried Green Tomatoes
"Fried green tomatoes are the best summer indulgence!" says Ree. Crispy and salty, this summer classic will make an epic appetizer but you can also pile them onto a sandwich like a BLT!
Get the Fried Green Tomatoes recipe.
Cherry Tomato Pasta
It's amazing how much flavor comes from this speedy sauce! While the pasta cooks, sauté garlic, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and cherry tomatoes that burst and release all of their delicious juices. Dollop with creamy ricotta to finish.
Get the Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe.
Upside-Down Tomato Cornbread
Give your skillet of cornbread a summertime makeover! Multi-colored heirloom tomatoes are baked into the bottom of the cornbread and once it's done in the oven, the loaf is flipped out onto a serving plate.
Get the Upside-Down Tomato Cornbread recipe.
Grilled Tomatoes
When you add garlic, a little spice, and a bit of olive oil to tomatoes, and char them on the grill, you get magical side dish for any summertime meal. Add a sprinkle of fresh herbs to make the flavors pop.
Get Ree's Grilled Tomatoes recipe.
Tomato Tart
"This was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten," Ree says of this tomato tart. A crispy crust, caramelized onions, and just the right amount of cheese complement the roasted tomatoes.
Get Ree's Tomato Tart recipe.
Fried Green Tomato BLT
Fried green tomatoes are one of summer’s best treats! Pair them with bacon and lettuce for the perfect sandwich.
Get Ree's Fried Green Tomato BLT recipe.
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Roasting the tomatoes with garlic and thyme results in the most delicious sweet, herby flavor. Eat them alone, toss them with pasta for an easy summer dinner, or pile them on toasted baguette slices for a spin on bruschetta.
Get the Slow-Roasted Tomatoes recipe.
Caprese Chicken
This cheesy, herby chicken dish captures all the flavors of the classic salad in an easy dinner. Jazz up chicken cutlets with tomatoes, cheese, jarred pesto, and store-bought balsamic reduction.
Get Ree's Caprese Chicken recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Panzanella
This is one of Ree's favorite summer salads. It combines grilled shrimp, tomatoes, red onion, olives, capers, and hunks of crusty bread that soak in all the juices—what's not to love?
Get Ree's Grilled Shrimp Panzanella recipe.
Pico de Gallo
You'll need plenty of fresh tomatoes for this flavorful dip. It gets paired with onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice for a burst of bright flavor. Don't forget the tortilla chips!
Get Ree's Pico de Gallo recipe.
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Put your abundance of summer tomatoes to good use in this easy tomato sauce recipe. Use it for spaghetti or chicken parmesan, and freeze any leftovers to enjoy the taste of fresh tomatoes for months to come!
Get the Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe.
Ratatouille
Slices of tomato, eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash look like a work of art in this vegetarian dish. They cook up in a tomato-based sauce for even more summer flavor.
Get the Ratatouille recipe.
Burrata Salad
Creamy burrata is the star of this salad, but a blend of grape tomatoes, peppery arugula, and balsamic glaze brighten it right up. This simple recipe is a wonderful side dish for summertime.
Get the Burrata Salad recipe.
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