The 8 Fresh Tomato Recipes You Need to Make Before Summer is Over

The summer tomato — in season from May to September — is a special ingredient. Juicy, bright, and pleasantly tart, fresh tomatoes are delicious sliced, drizzled with olive, and sprinkled with a few flakes of sea salt. But tomatoes are incredibly versatile, and with the right recipes, you can transform them into everything from chutneys and salsas to salads and savory tarts.

And remember that each tomato, whether it’s Beefsteak, Brandywine, cherry or plum, has its own unique characteristics and flavors. Check out your local supermarket or farmers market and see the special varieties the purveyors have on hand. When shopping for tomatoes, make sure that they have a nice herbaceous aroma, smooth, tight skin, and have a deep red color.

This Monday, try creating some delicious plant-based dishes using fresh tomatoes.

Bruschetta in a Jar

This recipe for bruschetta in a jar by Marisa Moore is a clever way to preserve those sweet and juicy summer-time tomatoes. By canning the fresh bruschetta, you’ll always have a simple and light appetizer on hand; just slice a baguette, spoon on some bruschetta, and drizzle with olive oil.

Easy Tomato Gazpacho

No dish better highlights the big flavors of fresh heirloom tomatoes than a classic gazpacho. This recipe for easy tomato gazpacho from The Mediterranean Dish calls for a bright and simple preparation that uses big, fresh tomatoes, celery, green pepper, scallions, garlic, cucumber, and slices of crusty bread.

Fresh Peach and Tomato Salsa

Peaches and tomatoes make for a good couple; one is sweet and sour, the other juicy and herbaceous. Pairing the two in this fresh peach and tomato salsa by Savoring Today creates an excellent appetizer that can be eaten with tortilla chips or layered on to grilled plant-based burgers or veggies.

Heirloom Tomato Galette

Want to impress company? Try serving them this tomato galette from Wife Mama Foodie with heirloom tomatoes, almond-flour crust, and an herbed cashew cream. It’s a great way to showcase the beauty and intensity of fresh summer tomatoes. Top with a balsamic vinegar honey (or maple syrup/agave) glaze and you’re ready to eat.

Lemon Garlic Butter Pasta with Tomatoes and Asparagus

Summer tomatoes are excellent raw, but they also provide a pop of acidity to rich pasta dishes. This vegan lemon garlic butter pasta by Make it Dairy Free uses cherry tomatoes and asparagus for freshness, color, and texture. The recipe calls for vegan butter and cheese, but you can substitute whatever dairy (or non-dairy) products you have on hand.

Marinated Watermelon and Tomato Salad

Light, sweet, citrusy and a tad savory, this marinated watermelon and tomato salad from Southern Living is an excellent way to start a warm-weather meal. Marinating the diced watermelon and tomatoes in lime juice, honey (or maple syrup/agave), fresh mint, and ginger infuses them with a complex but refreshing.

Panzanella Salad

Panzanella is a Tuscan bread salad, once considered peasant food, centered around stale-ish bread, onions, cucumbers, olive oil, vinegar, and fresh tomatoes. As a no-cook recipe, this panzanella salad from Meatless Monday is a clever way to add more fresh vegetables to the plate during the hot summer months.

Smoked Tomato Sauce

This smoked tomato sauce by Mash and Spread is as good as it sounds. Roasting the cherry tomatoes in a hot oven and adding a dash of liquid smoke gives the sauce a nice charred flavor. From start to finish the sauce takes under 30 minutes to cook, making it a good accompaniment to either pasta or eggplant parmesan.

Click here for more Meatless Monday recipes. When posting pictures of recipes to your social media network, tag @MeatlessMonday use #MeatlessMonday to show the plant-based community your creation.