27 Tomato Recipes I'm Making All Summer Long

Which will you try first?

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published June 12, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Four BLT Grilled Cheese sandwiches with toasty bread and crispy bacon
Aaron Hutcherson

Seasonal cooking is something we should all be doing more of because when fresh produce is in season, it just tastes so much better. Tomatoes are one perfect example. There's just about nothing more delicious than a heavy, juicy heirloom tomato on a summer day; you can almost taste the warm wind and sweet sunshine on its skin.

I do my best to eat as many peak season tomatoes as I can each summer, savoring sweet, snack-able cherry tomatoes just as much as a big slice of a beefsteak or sun-ripened plum tomato. With that in mind, I've done us all a favor and gathered up 27 of our very best fresh tomato recipes to celebrate their season. From classics like BLTs and simple tomato salads to no-cook tomato-sauced pastas and easy summer bakes, there's at least one tomato recipe here for every type of tomato lover out there.

  • 5-Ingredient Sesame Tomato Salad

    tomato quarter in a large bowl next to a smaller bowl with minced herbs for 5-ingredient tomato salad recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "You can serve the salad right away or let it sit out for a few hours at room temperature, where the tomatoes will benefit from more time to soak up the dressing."—Alison Spiegel, Recipe Developer

  • No-Cook Tomato Basil Pasta

    Bowl of No Cook Tomato Sauce Pasta with a Fork

    Simply Recipes / Sarah Tane

    "For this recipe, You can opt to use large heirloom tomatoes or you can mix in some halved cherry tomatoes if that’s what you have. Just make sure that they’re super ripe—they shouldn’t be tough, firm, or pale on the inside."—Sara Tane, Recipe Developer

  • Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry

    a plate of Chinese tomato egg

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "Tomato egg is all about timing. By starting the process with a cold pan, the eggs will cook over slow and gradual heat, creating the softest scrambled eggs. It will also prevent them from browning. Overcooked eggs can taste coarse and rough, which makes it harder for them to absorb all the delicious tomato juices."—Frank Tiu, Recipe Developer

  • 5-Minute Tomato Cracker Salad

    tomato cracker salad in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

    "Use the best tomatoes you can find. To keep things interesting, try two or three different kinds of tomatoes."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 27 below

  • Caprese Salad

    Caprese Salad With Tomatoes, Basil, and Mozzarella

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "For a completely different flavor, you can substitute the mozzarella with thin slices of Parmesan."—Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

  • 1-Minute Tomato Sandwich

    Tomato Sandwich

    Simply Recipes / Grace Elkus

    "My loaf of choice is a whole grain or multigrain sandwich bread with lots of seeds. Not only does this add texture and nuttiness, but it’s also the kind I’m most likely to have on hand. I like it toasted just enough so it doesn’t dent when you slice the sandwich, but not so much that it crunches like a crouton."—Grace Elkus, Recipe Developer

  • Tomato Confit

    Tomato Confit in a Baking Dish

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    "As I mentioned, cherry tomato confit is my tomato of choice for this technique. However, you can just as easily use other types of tomatoes. Roma tomatoes (cut in half lengthwise) are a great alternative."—Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer

  • Gazpacho

    A bowl of gazpacho ready to eat

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Roma tomatoes are most commonly used for making tomato-based gazpacho, but any ripe, juicy tomato will work just fine."—Elise

    Continue to 9 of 27 below

  • Martha Stewart's Broiled Tomatoes

    martha stewart's broiled tomatoes

    Simply Recipes / Getty Images

    "Select tomatoes with an even, squat shape that isn't too huge. Three- to four-inch tomatoes are best, but if you have a perfectly ripe, massive beefsteak tomato, you can call it two tomatoes and cut it in half to serve."—Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

  • 5-Ingredient Fresh Tomato Pasta

    fresh tomato pasta in a bowl (close-up)

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Top it with a ball of burrata for a decadent summer dish."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Chili Crisp Tomato Salad

    5-ingredient chili crisp tomato salad on a plate next to a jar of chili crisp and a spoon resting on the jar lid

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva, RD

    "Salting tomatoes helps to draw out moisture, enhancing the flavor of the fruit and bringing out its umami flavor. I like to let my tomatoes salt for about five minutes, but any amount of time helps."—Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • Stone Fruit, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

    Stone fruit and vegetable salad in a serving bowl with a linen underneath.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "This salad will keep in the fridge up to two days in a tightly sealed container. If the fruit over-ripens during storage, purée it into a fantastic stone fruit gazpacho or transform it into salsa with the addition of chopped onions and more peppers."—Virginia Willis, Recipe Developer

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  • Grilled Cheese BLT

    Four BLT Grilled Cheese sandwiches with toasty bread and crispy bacon

    Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson

    "I like to use a medium sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe so that it stands up to all of the other ingredients without overpowering them. But if you're particularly beholden to American cheese for the gooeyness that only it can give, I certainly won't judge."—Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

  • Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

    tomato salsa in a bowl showing chopped tomatoes and onion

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "We recommend firm, fleshy hothouse or Roma tomatoes for pico de gallo, but cherry tomatoes or others from your garden will work as well. If your tomatoes are especially juicy, cut them in half and squeeze out the juices before chopping."—Elise

  • Best Tomato Pie

    Tomato Pie with a Slice Lifted on a Pie Knife

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "This recipe calls for slicing fresh basil using a technique called chiffonade. To do this, stack the basil leaves on top of each other, roll them up like a cigar, and starting at one end, slice the "cigar" crosswise into thin slices."—Elise

  • Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

    Close-up, overhead photo of bruschetta with tomato and basil

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Use any flavorful, ripe tomato for this recipe. If you use cherry tomatoes, just quarter them, don't bother blanching or peeling them."—Elise

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  • BLT Wraps

    BLT Wraps on a Plate with Chips

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Adding a few slices of turkey makes this an even larger wrap and takes it closer to a club sandwich."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Grilled Tomatoes

    Grilled Tomatoes

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "An easy way to thinly slice basil leaves is to roll them up like a cigar and then slice it crosswise into thin ribbons."—Elise

  • Pesto Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes

    5-Ingredient Pesto Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes in a Bowl Next to Cherry Tomatoes on a Vine

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "I like to toast up some very simple garlic bread while the shrimp are cooking in order to make this a full meal."—Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Mozzarella and Basil Stuffed Tomatoes

    Overhead view of a cast iron skillet with vegetarian stuffed tomatoes with basil leaves scattered over top.

    Simply Recipes / Kalisa Marie Martin

    "You want to use an evenly round, medium-sized tomato with firm walls for this recipe. I use a variety called "tomatoes on the vine" for their size, uniform roundness, and classic tomato flavor. They are commonly sold with 4 to 6 tomatoes still attached to the vine as the name implies. If you don’t have that type of tomato in your area, any medium-sized variety of tomato about the size of a tennis ball (2 1/2 inches) will work too."—Kalisa Marie Levette, Recipe Developer

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  • Seared Okra and Tomatoes

    Seared Okra and Tomatoes

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Use fresh okra for this recipe if you want to avoid okra's characteristic slimy texture."—Elise

  • 3-Minute Tomato Sandwich

    3-ingredient tomato sandwich (open-faced) on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

    "The avocado is here to give the sandwich enough heft to get me through the rest of my day, plus I like the flavor and texture. But you could skip it, or swap it for another filling ingredient like sliced hard-boiled eggs."—Emma Christensen, Former General Manager

  • Angel Hair Pasta with Clams, Cherry Tomatoes, and Basil

    Angel Hair Pasta with Clams and Cherry Tomatoes

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Save time by prepping the shallots, garlic, tomatoes, and basil while the water for the pasta is heating up."—Elise

  • One-Pan Paprika Chicken with Potatoes and Tomatoes

    Paprika Chicken and Potatoes with Tomatoes horizontal in a baking dish

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "For a different flavor profile, swap the paprika marinade for your favorite chicken marinade or chicken dry rub."—Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

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  • Roasted Tomatoes

    Roasted Tomatoes on Baguette Slices and More in a Jar

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "Since cherry tomatoes can vary in size, the cooking time may be a bit shorter or longer than the recipe instructs. Regardless of the size, cook the tomatoes until they’re slightly shriveled and begin to caramelize."—Katie Morford, Recipe Developer

  • Simple Cooked Tomato Salsa

    A bowl of cooked tomato salsa, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This is a smooth red and hot salsa that's great for dipping tortilla chips or spooning over quesadillas."—Elise

  • Tomatoes on Toast

    Two pieces of toast with sliced tomatoes on them

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "For this recipe, you want a toast that will hold up to the tomato and not just collapse the minute it touches something moist."—Elise

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