With all due respect to stone fruit and watermelon, there’s no food that screams Peak Summer more than the tomato. It’s right now — during the hottest days of August — that tomatoes are at their ripened perfection on the vine, smelling slightly like grass baked with sunshine and nearly ready to burst with juiciness; truly, there is no more perfect summer food. That said, if you’re stumped with what to do with a backyard bounty or an overzealous approach to buying all the heirlooms at the farmers market, Eater editors are here, as always, with their favorite tomato recipes, from sauces to sandwiches to all manner of raw, salad-y preparations.
Chris Morocco, Bon Appétit
Great tomatoes don’t need much, but there’s no denying the magical pairing of something creamy and salty to offset the sweet acid of summer’s ultimate fruit. Bon Appétit’s riff on a Caesar salad combines a thick, not-quite-Caesar dressing that’s whipped up in a blender with fat tomato slices, parmesan shavings, and some fresh herbs. It is stupid easy, but somehow showstopping — the kind of coy, “oh, this ol’ thing?” summer dish that makes you appear very together. Eating it can get messy — tomato juices and the dressing slide around on the plate in a Sloppy Steaks kind of way — but with the help of a napkin (or better yet, a bathing suit), it’s a nonissue. — Lesley Suter, special projects director
Meghan Splawn, The Kitchn
A little over a decade ago, I decided I was going to be the kind of person who made tomato jam each summer, no matter the significant cost, time, and labor this endeavor required. I stayed faithful for about two years, until Hurricane Sandy came along and knocked out power for a week, annihilating an entire freezer full of jam in the process. So that was it for me and tomato jam, until earlier this summer when this recipe from the Kitchn pulled me back in. Unlike the original recipe I’d used, this one doesn’t call for peeling tomatoes or chopping large quantities of garlic, ginger, and herbs. There is ginger, but only a tablespoon of it, and the remaining ingredient list is short and sweet. You just chop up a bunch of tomatoes, throw them into a big pot with brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, the ginger, and a few spices, then walk away for a couple of hours. The result, for me, is that I am once again the kind of person who makes tomato jam each summer. — Rebecca Flint Marx, senior editor
Karen Rankin, Food & Wine
Over Fourth of July weekend, my boyfriend and I rented a cozy A-frame in Big Bear Lake and did what we naturally do to nest: make a mess in the kitchen. We had one massive and beautifully misshapen green tomato from our Friday farmers market, which the seller insisted was only good for frying. Fine, we said. Using this Food & Wine recipe as loose guidance (I happen to be gluten-intolerant, and the recipe happens to be gluten-free), we dredged our tomatoes in gluten-free flour, then a seasoned egg-milk bath, then sandy cornmeal crumbs, before frying them in a shallow skillet. After sprinkling with finishing salt, we dug into golden-fried, crispy tomatoes that had enough softened flesh under the crust to feel like a meaty main dish. (These are good for snacking on cold, too, though.) Highly recommend for long weekends in someone else’s house. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager
This recipe changed my brain chemistry when it was first published in 2023. What better way is there to make a summer tomato even more summery than by including it in a refreshing, chilled noodle dish? The stars, of course, are the juicy, salted tomatoes floating in a simple broth of filtered water seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and zippy rice vinegar. Dijon mustard and raw garlic provide bite that the addition of sugar mellows out. By the end of summer, I will have slurped this dish probably a dozen times — it’s that good. — Kat Thompson, associate editor, Eater at Home
Alison Roman, Sweet Enough
My only regret about making this tart last year was that I waited until the end of tomato season to do it, robbing myself of the opportunity to make and devour one a week from June through the end of the summer (although Roman says it’s a good recipe for out-of-season tomatoes too). The savory press-in crust comes together quickly and easily, and “tastes like a Cheez-It” according to Roman and confirmed by myself. Most importantly, the crust holds up against summer’s juiciest, most colorful tomatoes after baking together for almost an hour. Roman’s suggestion to top the tart with sherry vinegar, chopped capers, and thinly sliced garlic brings a briny brightness to the whole thing, highlighting the sweetness of the tomatoes and adding a variety of textures that will have you reaching for slice after slice. — Terri Ciccone, deputy director of audience development
Sarah Leung, The Woks of Life
Even when my pantry is at its most bare, I usually have the ingredients to make this Cantonese tomato egg stir-fry. The combination of gently stir-fried tomatoes and soft scrambled eggs is simple, but it just works. The tomatoes turn a little sweet in the pan, which balances out the saltiness of the eggs and a splash of soy sauce. It’s easy to customize to one’s preference, adding more or less sesame, soy, or even a chile oil topping for a kick. While some cook the eggs and tomatoes all together, I like to scramble the eggs over low heat and then put them to the side while the tomatoes are cooking to ensure they don’t overcook. Even if this is something you didn’t grow up eating, it has a nostalgic flavor that seems to be universal. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor, Eater LA
