Food

Our Favorite Tomato Recipes

August 17, 2012

We look forward to tomato season all year long, and it's finally here! Here are 30 delicious ideas for preparing juicy, ripe tomatoes: Roast them to heighten their sweetness, bake them into a savory herbed tart, churn them into salsa, or serve them with fresh, creamy mozzarella and high-quality olive oil for an elegant caprese salad.

entrecote of lamb with tomato sauce — Succulent lamb entrecôte, a well-marbled boneless cut from the sirloin, is blanketed in a marinade of garlic, fresh marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and sage, which caramelize to form a flavorful crust as the lamb grills.Felix Odell

A dish as simple as caprese salad demands the best ingredients: Use firm, in-season tomatoes, the freshest burrata, and dress with pristine olive oil and top-quality balsamic vinegar. See the recipe for Caprese Salad »Landon Nordeman

Spanish-Style Toast with Tomato (Pan con Tomate) — This satisfying Spanish snack requires only toast, a ripe tomato, some good-quality olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.André Baranowski

Roasted Sunchokes with Thyme, Grape Tomatoes, and Lemon — Sweet, nutty roasted sunchokes pair perfectly with the bright flavor of grape tomatoes.Helen Rosner

Fried Dough with Arugula and Grape Tomatoes (Angioletti Fritti con Rucola e Pomodori) — A bright and simple salad adds fresh contrast to fried strips of pizza dough.Todd Coleman

Pizza Margherita (Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Pizza) — This most iconic of pizzas is topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil leaves, the colors of the Italian flag.Todd Coleman

Janna Gur, author of The Book of New Israeli Food (Schocken, 2008), uses sumac and cinnamon to heighten the flavors of this Israeli staple. See the recipe for Israeli Chopped Salad »Todd Coleman

Caprese Salad with Fried Capers and Basil — Briny and slightly crispy fried capers punch up the flavor of this classic Italian tomato and mozzarella salad.Laura Sant

Salami, Oven-Roasted Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Omelette — Roasting cherry tomatoes in an oven brings out their natural sweetness; salty salami is a perfect counterpoint.Yossy Arefi

Garlic Scape and Cherry Tomato Pasta — Roasting garlic scapes with tomatoes and red onion sweetens them and enriches their flavor; toss them with pasta, lemon juice, and arugula for a simple summer meal.Farideh Sadeghin

The thin vermicelli-like noodles called fideos add starch and body to this elemental tomato soup from Patricia Quintana, chef-owner of Izote restaurant in Mexico City. See the recipe for Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) »James Oseland

Spiced Chicken and Tomato Kebabs (Jujeh Kabab) — A marinade of orange, cumin, and saffron flavors these juicy chicken and tomato kebabs.Todd Coleman

Bacon Caprese Salad — A vinaigrette made with roasted garlic and bacon adds salty, savory flavor to a classic caprese salad.Helen Rosner

Macaroni with Goat Cheese, Spinach, and Tomatoes — Fresh goat cheese makes a creamy, velvety sauce for pasta baked with spinach and topped with sliced tomatoes that is bright with festive colors, and deeply comforting. And as it takes only slightly longer than an hour to cook, this can be a main player in a delicious and casual last-minute Christmas dinner.Helen Rosner

On Croatia's Dalmatian coast, shellfish are often prepared na buzaru, simmered in a brandy-and-wine-enriched tomato sauce. Langoustines are used here, but the preparation works just as well with shrimp, clams, or mussels. See the recipe for Langoustines in Tomato, Garlic, and Wine Sauce »Penny De Los Santos

Green Tomato Chow — On Canada's Prince Edward Island, firm, underripe green tomatoes are transformed into a tangy-sweet condiment that is often served alongside salt cod cakes. See the recipe for Green Tomato Chow »Gemma and Andrew Ingalls

A snap to make for an easy weeknight meal, this recipe is also elegant enough to serve on special occasions, especially when made with fresh, high-quality tomatoes. See the recipe for Quick Fish Filets in Tomato Sauce »Todd Coleman

Ripe and juicy tomato slices topped with herbs, butter, and toasty breadcrumbs make a wonderful summer side. See the recipe for Scalloped Tomatoes »Laura Sant

Tomato-Cheddar Tart — Salting and draining fresh tomatoes before baking ensures a crisp, flaky crust for this savory tart from the Dominican sisters of Heartland Farm in Pawnee Rock, Kansas.James Roper

Charred tomatoes give this vibrant red salsa a hint of sweetness and smoke. See the recipe for Salsa Roja (Tomato and Chile Salsa) »Todd Coleman

Stir-Fried Tomato and Eggs (Xihongshi Chao Jidan) — Salty-sweet tomatoes and fluffy eggs balance each other perfectly when paired together for a simple stir-fry.Todd Coleman

Spanish Chilled Tomato Soup (Salmorejo) — Gazpacho's richer cousin, this cool, creamy tomato soup topped with egg and jamon iberico will have you mopping up every drop with bread.Todd Coleman

Tadashi's Grilled Tomatoes — Ripe tomatoes develop umami-rich flavor when grilled with a soy sauce marinade. Mitsuba, a Japanese relative of parsley, lends a mild cilantro-like freshness.Todd Coleman

This preparation for sweet summer tomatoes can be served with slices of crusty baguette, or as a side dish with grilled fish or chicken. See the recipe for Roasted Tomatoes »Todd Coleman

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter — Simply putting tomatoes, a peeled halved onion, butter, and salt in a pot and cooking them with barely an occasional stir until they are reduced produces a deliciously concentrated sauce.Todd Coleman

Floral vanilla bean brings out the musky qualities of cherry tomatoes in this jammy compote. Best made with ripe tomatoes at the height of summer, it's perfect paired with a triple cream goat cheese or with firm white-fleshed fish dishes. See the recipe for Cherry Tomato-Vanilla Bean Preserves »Ganda Suthivarakom

Herbed Tomato Tart — Made with ripe cherry tomatoes, fragrant herbs, and a buttery crust, this gorgeous, rustic tart is a showstopper.Todd Coleman

Sweet, stewed tomatoes are the perfect foil for fried ham steaks. See the recipe for Stewed Tomatoes with Ham Steaks »Todd Coleman

Maple syrup intensifies the sweetness of tomatoes in this Quebecois recipe for Tomate Confite au Sirop d'Érable. Serve them with toothpicks as an appetizer, or tossed onto salads, pizza, or pastas. See the recipe for Maple Syrup-Roasted Tomatoes »Landon Nordeman

Got a bumper crop of tomatoes? Tomato paste lends depth and flavor to many dishes, and it's easy to make your own at home. See the recipe for Homemade Tomato Paste »André Baranowski

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