When I came across these 15 Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of Your Summer Tomatoes, it made me think about my favorite fresh tomato recipes. So here they are, in no particular order:
Fresh Tomato, Basil and Lemon Zucchini Pasta
This great little recipe ticks-off so many boxes: it’s gluten-free, low-carb, and super easy to put together. Plus, it looks really beautiful!
Gazpacho
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Some people don’t like cold soups, but I love them. It’s the most refreshing way to showcase fresh summer produce. This green gazpacho is so creamy and elegant, and the spiked gazpacho is fun and zesty. Oh, and I know that it’s not tomato-based, but I would be remiss for not mentioning my favorite mango gazpacho recipe!
Fresh Tomato & Basil Salad
I mentioned this recipe in my Favorite Summer Salads post, but I just had to mention it again here. It’s the easiest way to use-up a lot of fresh tomatoes, and I think it’s the best way to truly appreciate their flavor. Also, here’s a great tip on how to cut many cherry or grape tomatoes at once.
Roasted Fresh Tomato Soup
What do I do when I have TOO MANY tomatoes? I make a double-batch of roasted tomato soup and freeze it for later. It does require some roasting time, so you’ll want to make this on a cooler day or early in the morning. However, the payoff is incredible, and it’s so nice to be able to savor such a “fresh” tasting soup, right out of the freezer!
Tomato Sandwich
When I was growing up, my mom often made tomato sandwiches for lunch when it was simply too hot to cook anything. My recipe includes a bit of fried tofu and avocado, but feel free to leave that out and stick to the essentials: bread (toasted or not), lettuce, vegan mayo, crisp lettuce, and of course: fresh tomato slices, seasoned with salt & pepper.
Fresh Tomato Cream Sauce
It’s tough to impress me with straight-up tomato sauce. But make it a creamy-tomato sauce, and I’m all ears. My favorite recipe is Laura’s Tofutti-based one or cashew based one (or a combo of the two). Either recipe is great for those times when you have one very ripe tomato on hand and don’t know what to do with it.
Remember
- Don’t ever store fresh tomatoes in the fridge. Read about The Best Place to Store Tomatoes… and Why.
- Organic heirloom tomatoes taste better – so it’s worth spending a bit more on those if you can!
All this tomato-talk is making me wish that I had a garden full of them. I’m going to try to get some tomato plants going next year. Has anyone had a lot of success growing them in pots on their downtown balconies? I’m guessing that cherry or grape tomatoes would be best, just in terms of space…
Very nice! Unfortuatly with all the dry weather we’ve been having here, my tomatos aren’t really growing as much as I’d like.
Oh no, really? That’s too bad Ian :(
Mmm, I just ate a zucchini pasta last night with a fresh tomato sauce! So good! And tomato sandwiches are always the best, especially when paired with avocado and hummus. Holy trinity of food right there. :)
I’ve grown tomatoes before, way back in the day – the growing season in Saskatchewan is so short that it can be kinda tricky. I think grape tomatoes would be ideal for a pot, because a single tomato plant really doesn’t yield that much…at least from what I remember. Maybe I didn’t take very good care of it, ha ha. :)
Oh I’ve never used hummus in there. I will try that next time!
Good point about the tomatoes. Grape and cherry varieties definitely yield more in a smaller area. I hope to get some going next year…
Yum! I have loads of tomatoes, too and I make a similar tomato salad. I add cubes of bread though, a rosemary sourdough works great. I mix up some olive oil with balsamic vinegar, a bit of salt and pepper, red onion, basil and tomatoes… so delish! The lemon zucchini pasta looks and sounds outstanding! I’ll definitely try that one. Thanks!
Oh that sounds incredible. Must try that next time. Thanks for dropping by :)
I’m just happy to stare at this all day long. So vibrant! and ove all the fresh colours coming through. Thanks for posting.
Thanks! :)
I’ve made your first one before :)
Very very good, and easy.
“Fresh Tomato, Basil and Lemon Zucchini Pasta”
Thanks little bro :)