153 Best Ways to Use the Tomatoes You Grow in Your Garden

by Erin Marissa Russell

Harvesting tons of tomatoes from your garden and looking for some new recipes and ways to cook them? You’re not alone. Once you’ve experienced the delicious flavor of a fresh, homegrown tomato, you may just be spoiled forever on anything less. Once you’re spoiled to the luxury of tomatoes fresh from the garden, it makes sense to plant as many as your setup will allow—and that means you’re bound to have a huge harvest when those tomatoes start to ripen.

Of course, enjoying fresh tomatoes doesn’t require a background in the culinary arts. Many of your homegrown tomatoes will likely be enjoyed still warm from the sun, sprinkled with sea salt and flecked with cracked black pepper. And there are plenty of beloved ways to cook with tomatoes that are probably in your regular rotation.

Sometimes, though, you’re just bored of the same old routine and have a hankering for something new. For times like these, we’ve rounded up this list of the best recipes to use the tomatoes you grow in your garden. Whatever you’re hungry for, we know you’ll find a dish that hits the spot.

Highlight the Flavor of Homegrown Tomatoes with Uncomplicated Preparation Techniques

Homegrown tomatoes are so delicious, they don’t need a lot of added ingredients or time and attention from the chef to be a hit on the dinner plate. The recipes listed here showcase the fresh flavor of tomatoes from your garden with streamlined, unfussy cooking methods. These minimalist ways to serve tomatoes really let the full-bodied flavor of tomatoes from your garden shine through, making the most of your harvest with each bite.

AllRecipes.com’s Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic

AllRecipes.com’s Tomato and Mozzarella Bites

Amanda Hesser’s Brown Butter Tomatoes on Food52

Bell’alimento’s Oven Roasted Preserved Tomatoes

Bon Appetit’s Grilled Bread with Ricotta and Tomatoes

Byrdhouse Blistered Cherry Tomatoes on AllRecipes

Cook’s Illustrated’s Grilled Tomatoes

Ina Garten’s Roasted Tomatoes on Food Network

Michael Anthony’s Oil-Poached Tomatoes on Epicurious

Russian Grandma’s Pickled Tomatoes on Happy Kitchen

Saveur’s Spanish-Style Toast with Tomato

Taste of Home’s Basil-Tomato Grilled Cheese

Taste of Home’s Cherry Tomato Mozzarella Saute

Tasting Table’s Classic BLT

The Neelys’ Baked Tomatoes on Food Network

The Spruce Eats’ Basic Stewed Tomatoes with Fresh Tomatoes

The Spruce Eats’ Fresh Tomato Bloody Mary

Turn Homegrown Tomatoes into Five-Star Italian Cuisine

Italians have been cooking with tomatoes for centuries, despite the surprising fact that tomatoes are not native to Italy. Be that as it may, the tomato is a ubiquitous part of Italian cooking and is the first ingredient most people think of when they crave Italian food. Whether you’re searching for a main dish starring tomatoes or a side that will let them shine, you’ll find plenty to love in this list of ideas.

BBC Good Food’s Creamy Tomato Risotto

Betty Crocker’s Spinach-Tomato Frittata

Bon Appetit’s Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Anchovy Butter on Epicurious

Bon Appetit’s Spicy Lobster Pasta on Epicurious

Cooking Light’s Tomato Gratin Lasagna

FoodieCrush’s Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce

Food Nouveau’s Authentic Bolognese Sauce

Giada de Laurentiis’ Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil on Food Network

Giulia Melucci’s Cod Mare Chiaro on Food52

Good Housekeeping’s Mediterranean Baked Cod

KerriWarmus’ Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce on AllRecipes

Kitchen Stories’ Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Lauren Miyashiro’s Caprese Garlic Bread on Delish

Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce on Epicurious

Michael Chiarello’s Tomato Pesto on Food Network

MidwestLiving’s Tomato-Zucchini Strata

New York Times’ Linguine with Clams, Roasted Tomatoes, and Caramelized Garlic

Taste of Home’s Fresh Tomato Bruschetta

The Best Meal’s Easy Eggplant Involtini

The Food Lab’s Classic Panzanella Salad (Tuscan-Style Tomato and Bread Salad) on Serious Eats

The Forked Spoon’s Bruschetta Chicken

The Splendid Table’s Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Celebrate Fresh Tomatoes with Down-Home Southern Dishes

There’s just one other culinary tradition that can compete with Italian food when it comes to honoring the tomato: Southern cuisine, from Cajun cooking to soul food. Southerners know how to treat a tomato, pairing them with creamy grits and rich cheese or folding them into rustic casseroles. Get inspired to serve up your garden’s bumper crop of tomatoes with the Southern recipes below.

A Beautiful Mess’ Baked Polenta and Tomato Salad

A Fork’s Tale’s Southern Spicy Tomato Grits Casserole

Better Homes & Gardens’ Dirty Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

Food.com’s Southern Scalloped Tomatoes

Food & Wine’s Heirloom Tomatoes Stuffed with Summer Succotash

Garden & Gun’s Southern Classic Tomato Pudding

House of Nash Eats’ Southern Tomato Pie

Joy the Baker’s Cajun Stuffed Tomatoes over Creamy Grits

Julia’s Simply Southern’s Southern Tomatoes and Rice

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture’s Tomato Pie with Pimiento Cheese

Martha Stewart’s Tomato Cobbler with Gruyere Drop Biscuits

Paula Deen’s Georgia Cracker Salad on Food Network

Real Simple’s Southern Tomato Sandwich

Simply Recipes’ Stewed Okra and Tomatoes Creole Style

Southern Lady’s Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Tomatoes

Southern Living Heirloom Recipe Cookbook’s Crusty Broiled Tomatoes on Southern Bite

Taste of Home’s Stuffed Tomatoes with Chorizo and Cornbread

The Washington Post’s Savory Tomato Cornbread Cobbler

Enjoy Your Garden’s Tomatoes in Comforting Soups

For a simple lunch on a busy day or a warming bowl of nourishment when you’re ill, it’s hard to beat classic tomato soup. And there are so many variations on the theme, from chopping in basil to stirring in lentils or adding lots of other veggies. When you need a quick and easy lunch to pack for work or a standby weeknight dinner, you can rely on the recipes here to turn your homegrown tomatoes into a flavorful, delicious meal.

Chef John’s Gazpacho on AllRecipes.com

Cookie and Kate’s Best Lentil Soup

Country Living’s Fresh Tomato and Avocado Soup

Edward Lee’s Gochujang Gazpacho on Epicurious

Fine Cooking’s Classic Tomato Soup

Fork Vs. Spoon’s Tomato Corn Chowder

Good Housekeeping’s Chilled Caprese Soup

Half Baked Harvest’s Creamy Moroccan Tomato Soup

Ina Garten’s Roasted Tomato Basil Soup on Food Network

Lena Abraham’s Creamy Parm Tomato Soup on Delish

Mantitlement’s Beefy Tomato Soup

Martha Stewart’s Tomato Bread Soup

My Ginger Garlic Kitchen’s Creamy Carrot Beet Tomato Soup

Rachael Ray’s Tomato and Spinach Soup on Food Network

Southern Living’s Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheddar Cheese

Taste of Home’s Artichoke Tomato Bisque

The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s Tomato and Sweet Pepper Soup

The Pioneer Woman’s Sherried Tomato Soup

Two Peas & Their Pod’s Smoky Tomato Soup

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Iranian Vegetable Stew with Dried Lime

Chop, Dice, and Blend Fresh Tomatoes into Versatile Spreads, Sauces, and Salsas

The recipes here won’t get dinner on the table, but they will turn your fresh tomatoes into delicious dressings, sauces, and spreads to round out other recipes. You may find that cooking a stockpile of salsa results in the decision to have nachos for dinner—and tomato vinaigrette makes a flavorful marinade for chicken, fish, pork, or beef. Explore the recipes in this section to get to kmow the variety of ways you can put your homegrown tomatoes to work in a supporting role.

AllRecipes.com’s Garden Tomato Salsa

Bon Appetit’s Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette on Epicurious

Bon Appetit’s Grated Tomato Sauce

Bowl Me Over’s Tomato Relish

Cake ‘n’ Knife’s Quick Cherry Tomato Confit

Chef John’s Tomato Concasse

Cookie and Kate’s Classic Pico de Gallo

Cook With Manali’s Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney

Cooking Light’s Tomato, Hazelnut, and Bell Pepper Romesco

Epicurious’ Garlic-Tomato-Basil Butter

Epicurious’ Homemade Ketchup

How Sweet Eats’ Slow Roasted Tomato Hummus

Lauren Miyashiro’s Greek Feta Dip on Delish

Lena Abraham’s Cowboy Caviar on Delish

Marian Cooper Cairns’ Creamy Tabasco Dressing on Country Living

MidwestLiving’s Tropical Tomato Salsa

MidwestLiving’s Tomato-Basil Jam

New York Times’ Tomato Jam

Preschool Chef’s Peach and Tomato Salsa on Food.com

Real Housemoms’ Caprese Salsa

Scott Peacock’s Tomato Gravy on Southern Kitchen

Taste of Home’s Strawberry Tomato Salsa

TheKitchn’s Tomato Butter

TheKitchn’s Tomato Vinaigrette

The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s Slow-Cooker Tomato Sauce

Spotlight Fresh-From-the-Garden Tomatoes in Summertime Salads

Of course you’re familiar with using tomatoes in salads; you’ve probably already enjoyed lots of your garden haul just this way. But the recipes in this category each offer something special, whether it’s a unique ingredient, like figs or grilled watermelon, or the influence of Creole or Greek culinary traditions. If you love the vibrant taste of raw homegrown tomatoes and are looking for ways to serve your harvest in salads, look no further than the ideas here.

Aaron Sanchez’s Vine-Ripe Tomato Salad with Queso Fresco, Cilantro, and Serrano

Amy Thielen’s Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese on Country Living

Bon Appetit’s Tomato Salad with Warm Basil Dressing

Bon Appetit’s Tomatoes with Fig and Prosciutto

Budget Bytes’ Simple Tomato Cucumber Salad

Budget Savvy Diva’s Mango Tomato Summer Salad with Pork

Cookie and Kate’s African Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Cooking Light’s Southern Tomato Salad

Country Living’s Tri-Tomato Salad

Culicurious’ Simple Creole Tomato Salad

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian’s Roasted Tomato and Aubergine Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts

Ellie Kreiger’s Cobb Salad on Food Network

Epicurious’ Heirloom Tomato Salad with Feta Dressing

Foxes Love Lemons’ Heirloom Tomato and Beet Salad

Good Housekeeping’s Falafel with Cucumber-Tomato Salad

Katherine Sacks’ 3-Ingredient Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Tomato Salad

Lindsay Funston’s Greek Salad on Delish

Little Bee’s Sicilian Tomato and Onion Salad on Food.com

MidwestLiving’s Tomato Salad with Edamame Succotash

Skye Gyngell’s Roasted Red Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes with Ricotta

Southern Kitchen’s Plum and Tomato Salad with Ricotta

Rachael Ray’s Caprese Salad on Food Network

RecipeLand’s Cucumber Tomato Salad with Soy-Sesame Dressing

Taste and Tell’s Tomato and Herb Salad

Taste of Home’s Grilled Steak Salad with Tomatoes and Avocado

TheKitchn’s Tomato Chickpea Salad

The Clever Carrot’s Heirloom Tomato and Chorizo Salad

The Mediterranean Dish’s Fattoush Salad

Two Peas and Their Pod’s Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad

With Food + Love’s Basil Whipped Ricotta with Tomato Salad

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Tomato, Onion, and Roasted Lemon Salad

Serve Fresh Tomatoes in Fritattas, Tarts, Breads, and More Baked Treats

Baking probably isn’t your first thought for using up homegrown tomatoes, but the recipes here may change that for you. The bright flavor and moist texture of tomatoes from your garden is a perfect component for breads, galettes, tarts, and yes—even cakes. They’re off the beaten path, but one of these recipes for baking may just become your new favorite way to eat tomatoes.

A Beautiful Plate’s Tomato Zucchini Tart

Art of Healthy Living’s Savory Feta and Tomato Flapjacks

Bobby Flay’s Tomato Bread with Prosciutto on Food Network

Climbing Grier Mountain’s Tomato and Bacon Upside-Down Cake

Cooking Light’s Mini Tomato-Parmesan Tarts on MyRecipes

Country Living’s Tomato and Camembert Tart

Dash of Savory’s Roasted Cherry Tomato Ciabatta Bread

Food & Wine’s Tomato Ciabatta with Olives and Onions

How Sweet Eats’ Vanilla Cornmeal Crumb Cake with Candied Cherry Tomatoes

Love Food Eat’s Sweet Tomato Cake with Olive Oil and Cinnamon

New York Times’ Focaccia with Tomatoes and Rosemary

Pillsbury’s Tomato-Bacon Quiche

Savory Sweet Life’s Roasted Tomato and Feta Scones

SparkRecipes’ Amish Tomato Bread

Sunset Magazine’s Garden Tomato Bread

Taste of Home’s Tomato Spice Muffins

The Flavor Bender’s Cheesy Thumbprint Cookies with Bourbon Tomato Jam

The Pioneer Woman’s Tomato Tart

What Megan’s Making’s Cheesy Tomato Bread

Williams Sonoma’s Tomato and Goat Cheese Muffins

Wood and Spoon’s Tomato Galette with Basil Pesto and Feta

With all the options presented here, you should have plenty of new recipes to explore that will help you make the most of your tomato harvest. But if your garden is producing faster than you can eat, you may consider canning or freezing some tomatoes or dehydrating some to use like sun-dried tomatoes in recipes.