12 Fresh Tomato Recipes to Use Up Every Garden Tomato

Diced tomatoes, fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil and grilled bread: snacking is handled. This is the recipe that shows off a ripe garden tomato better than anything else. Five minutes of prep and the plate always comes back empty.

Cherry tomatoes go in the oven still on the vine until they burst and let go of their sweet juice. Served next to grilled meat or squashed onto a slice of bread, they steal the show. Almost no work for a guaranteed effect.

Threaded onto skewers and grilled with roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes turn soft and fragrant. A side that cooks itself while the rest of the meal is on the barbecue. Perfect when the garden hands you full baskets.

When the tomatoes are good, they don’t need much help. A generous handful of herbs from the garden, a bit of vinaigrette, and the salad stands on its own. Serve it with bread to mop up the juice at the bottom of the bowl.

Creamy avocado, soft mozzarina and fresh basil give a plain tomato salad some body. Add a slice of grilled bread and it becomes a full meal. A good plate for company without spending the afternoon in the kitchen.

Peaches come into season at the same time as tomatoes, and the pair works surprisingly well. Creamy burrata and honey dressing tie the sweet and the acidic together. A starter that impresses every single time.

Cold soup is the answer on days when it’s too hot to turn on a burner. Fennel and cucumber lighten the tomatoes and make the whole thing very refreshing. Make it the day before and it keeps for several days in the fridge.

Slices of ripe tomato on a crisp crust with goat cheese melting into them: the late summer classic. Hot or warm, it makes a light supper with a green salad. The kind of tart you go back to every year.

Cherry tomatoes burst as they bake and perfume the whole pizza. With parmesan and fresh oregano, it stays simple and tastes loud. Make it in the oven or right on the barbecue on the hottest nights.

A block of feta, cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of oil, and the oven does the rest. Crush it all together and you get a creamy sauce to toss with pasta. A full weeknight supper with a single dish to wash.

The Greeks figured out the best use for overripe tomatoes: turn them into crispy fritters. Served with tzatziki, they vanish in two minutes. A nice discovery for most guests.

When there are buckets of tomatoes left, out comes the big pot. This sauce simmers for a long time, fills the house with a good smell and freezes in portions for winter. It’s how you keep eating from the garden in February.