The summer sun is shining, and your tomato plants are bursting with juicy, ripe tomatoes. You excitedly bring in basket after basket, envisioning all the delicious recipes you can’t wait to make. Before you know it, your kitchen counter disappears under a sea of red. Now what?
It’s a common problem for home gardeners – an overabundance of tomatoes, and uncertainty on how best to use them. With so many varieties and flavors, there are endless possibilities for enjoying fresh tomatoes.
The good news is that tomatoes store well, and can be used in many dishes that freeze nicely. With a little planning and creativity in the kitchen, you can make the most of your tomato bounty.
Here are 15 fabulous recipes using piles of fresh, juicy tomatoes to inspire your inner chef:
1. Make a Classic Napolitana Sauce
A hearty Napolitana sauce is the perfect way to use up piles of ripe tomatoes. This Italian sauce gets its rich flavor from tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, onions, and basil. To make an authentic sauce, you’ll want to peel, seed, and chop several pounds of tomatoes. This extra step helps the sauce reduce down into a thick, chunky texture that coats pasta beautifully.
While you can skip peeling if you’re short on time, go the extra mile when you’ve got a tomato glut! Try blending the sauce for velvety smoothness, or keep it chunky for texture. Simmer the sauce for 1-2 hours until thick and rich. Use your homemade Napolitana to dress pasta, seafood, chicken, and more. It also makes a wonderful base for homemade pizza!
For an authentic recipe, check out Mary Ann Esposito’s Napolitana sauce.
2. Can Up a Spicy Tomato Chili Jam
Putting up homemade jams and jellies is a great way to preserve the flavor of in-season produce. For a savory jam that highlights summer tomatoes, whip up a big batch of tomato chili jam!
This easy refrigerator jam combines seeded, chopped tomatoes with onions, garlic, lemon juice, brown sugar, and spices like chili flakes or cayenne pepper. Cook down 3-4 pounds of tomatoes to make about 3 half-pint jars. The jam is kept for 2-3 weeks refrigerated.
Slather your spicy tomato jam on everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to meatballs, bruschetta, and tacos. For a simple but delicious recipe, try Thomasina Miers’ tomato and chili jam.
3. Make Your Own Tomato Ketchup
Making homemade ketchup lets you control the sugar and salt content – something important when typical ketchup brands add lots of both! Plus, nothing beats ketchup made with peak-season tomatoes.
To make tomato ketchup, cook down a couple of pounds of chopped tomatoes with vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and spices. For smooth dipping ketchup, blend the mixture before bottling. For a chunkier “fancy” ketchup, skip the blending. This ketchup will be kept for 1-2 weeks refrigerated.
Brighten up burgers, fries, meatloaf, and more with your homemade condiment creation. Get the full recipe for [Toni’s fresh tomato ketchup here](https://www. recipetineats.com/homemade-tomato-ketchup/).
4. Roast Tomatoes for Rich Tomato Sauce
Oven roasting is a great way to condense tomato flavor for sauces and spreads. Simply toss halved or quartered tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, basil and seasoning and roast at 400°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until caramelized and juicy.
Roasted tomatoes make an easy, velvety pasta sauce. For extra flavor, roast tomato pieces with the vines still attached! You can also puree roasted tomatoes into a dip for bread or bruschetta.
Get the recipe for Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce from Pasta Evangelists.
5. Simmer Down Tomato Paste from Scratch
Making your own tomato paste allows you to skip the added sugars and preservatives in store-bought pastes. While it takes time, nothing compares to the rich umami flavor of homemade!
To make tomato paste, core ripe tomatoes and simmer down into a thick paste, for about 6-10 hours. Season the puree with garlic, basil, oregano, and olive oil. One pound of tomatoes yields about 3-4 ounces of paste. Freeze any extra to have on hand for cooking all year long!
Try David Leite’s recipe for smooth, flavorful homemade tomato paste.
6. Whip Up a Quick Tomato Chutney
In Indian cuisine, chutneys are flavor-packed condiments that often contain spices and herbs. Tomato chutney is a quick and easy way to use up a pile of ripe tomatoes!
For a 30-minute tomato chutney, simply cook 2 pounds of chopped tomatoes with garlic, ginger, sugar, vinegar, and Indian spices like garam masala, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. The chutney keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Enjoy your fresh tomato chutney as a condiment for Indian curries and flatbreads. Get the full chutney recipe from Tamarind and Thyme.
7. Make Fresh Tomato Salsa
When tomato season arrives, homemade salsa is a must! The simplest salsas involve just 2-3 main ingredients – tomatoes, onion and cilantro.
Chop up 2-3 pounds of fresh tomatoes and combine with diced white or red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. For an extra kick, add diced jalapeno or serrano chilies. Let the salsa sit for 30 minutes for the best flavor.
Enjoy fresh tomato salsa with tacos, grilled fish or chicken, eggs, salads, sandwiches, and more. For a unique fermented salsa recipe, check out Cheryl’s wild-fermented salsa.
8. Oven-Dry Tomatoes for Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes pack an intense, concentrated tomato flavor. While you can buy them, it’s extra rewarding to make them yourself, especially when you have tomato overflow!
To oven-dry tomatoes, slice Roma tomatoes in half and add sliced garlic cloves, herbs, and olive oil. Bake at 200°F for 6-8 hours until shriveled and chewy. Pack the tomatoes in oil in a mason jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Enjoy these homemade sun-dried tomatoes on antipasto platters, pizzas, pasta, sandwiches and more. Get the full oven-drying method at The Pretty Bee.
9. Puree Fresh Tomato Soup
What better way to use up juicy tomato goodness than in a pot of homemade tomato soup? The beauty of tomato soup is you can add veggies, cream, meat, or beans to make it your own.
To make simple tomato soup, simmer chopped tomatoes in broth with onions, garlic, basil, and oregano. Blend until smooth, adding cream or milk for a creamy consistency. Garnish with fresh basil.
For an indulgent twist, try Natasha’s Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons.
10. Simmer Up a Batch of Bolognese Sauce
Once you make homemade Bolognese sauce, you’ll never go back to the jarred stuff! This classic Italian meat sauce relies on fresh tomatoes for its signature tangy sweetness.
Sauté ground beef and veggies, then add chopped/crushed tomatoes, milk, wine, and herbs. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 hours to melt the flavors. Toss the Bolognese with hot pasta for a perfect meal.
Follow Thanh’s 5-hour Slow Cooker Bolognese for maximum richness and flavor.
11. Juice ‘Em for Fresh Tomato Juice
Your overabundance of tomatoes can easily be turned into homemade tomato juice! Tomatoes are about 95% water, making them perfect juice candidates.
For quick tomato juice, blend cored tomatoes in a blender and strain out the solids. For smooth, bottled juice, simmer cored tomatoes for 45 minutes before blending and straining.
Drink up your fresh tomato juice on its own or use it to make Virgin Mary cocktails! Get the full recipe for canning your own tomato juice here.
12. Bake a Showstopper Tomato Tarte Tatin
For an impressive dish that really highlights summer tomatoes, try your hand at a Tomato Tarte Tatin. This clever twist on a French classic uses sliced tomatoes in place of apples.
To make it, layer sliced tomatoes in a pan with sugar, thyme, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Top with pie dough and bake upside down – then flip to reveal the caramelized tomatoes and juices.
Serve wedges of your beautiful Tomato Tarte Tatin as a light lunch or sophisticated starter. Find the impressive recipe at the kitchn.
13. Blend Up Creamy Gazpacho
Chilled tomato soups like gazpacho are perfect for using up juicy tomato season produce. While classic gazpacho hails from Spain, you can customize your version.
To make gazpacho, puree diced tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions in a blender. Season with olive oil, vinegar, garlic and spices like cumin or paprika. Top bowls of gazpacho with fresh avocado, crab or shrimp.
Try Natasha’s Watermelon Gazpacho with Feta and Mint for a unique twist.
14. Turn Tomatoes into Bruschetta Topping
Bruschetta is the perfect appetizer for showing off fresh garden tomatoes. The classic Italian starter simply calls for tomatoes tossed with garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic atop crusty bread.
Chop up a couple of pounds of colorful heirloom tomatoes. Mix with minced garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and chopped basil. Spoon over grilled or toasted bread slices. Top with Parmesan or mozzarella for extra richness.
Make it a meal by topping bruschetta toasts with prosciutto or burrata cheese! Get Ina Garten’s gourmet Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Basil.
15. Bottle Your Own Tomato Sauce
Once you’ve made any of the simmered tomato sauces in this list, consider canning the extras to enjoy all year long! Properly canned tomato sauce can be stored for up to one year.
To can tomato sauce, prepare your sauce and ladle hot into sterilized jars, leaving 1⁄2 inch of headspace. Process the sealed jars in a water bath canner for 45 minutes.
Canning your own sauce lets you skip the sodium, preservatives, and sugar in most bottled pasta sauces. Try canning a big batch of Marisa’s Homemade Tomato Sauce this season!
Wrapping up!
With literally bushels of juicy tomatoes, it pays to think beyond basic salads and sandwiches. Tap into the rich flavors tomatoes offer by trying new salsa recipes, pasta sauces, jams, chutneys, and more.
Don’t let any tomatoes go to waste! Roast and freeze batches of tomato sauce, juice, and paste. Canning also allows enjoyment of summer’s harvest all year round.
The possibilities are endless when you start with fresh, ripe tomatoes. Let these recipes inspire you, then get creative with the bounty from your summer garden.
