Tomatoes can be juicy and fresh, soften into a sauce or develop deep, roasted flavors. This collection has ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and side dishes: from menemen and chilaquiles to romesco and tomatoes with miso. Choose firm tomatoes for salads and ripe, juicy ones when you want to cook them down. That way, the preparation suits what the tomatoes have to offer.
76 recipesBrowse the recipes
SoupRipe tomatoes and red bell peppers develop deep, sweet edges in the oven before becoming a smooth soup. Yogurt with lemon, green herb oil and crunchy pita croutons add freshness and bite.
Main courseTender chunks of sweet potato simmer in a fragrant tomato sauce with ginger, cumin and turmeric. Peas add fresh color and a little bite. This Bengali version is delicious with rice or roti.
Side dishCrisp batter, a soft filling with lemon and basil, and a fresh tomato dip: these stuffed zucchini blossoms make an elegant yet easy-to-manage warm appetizer.
Side dishFirm tomatoes develop browned cut sides in a hot oven while staying juicy inside. Coriander oil, charred spring onions and sherry vinegar balance fresh herbs, smoke and acidity.
Main courseRipe tomatoes, onion and olive oil come together in a rich sauce where the rice cooks gently. Golden-brown vermicelli adds a lightly nutty flavor, while yogurt and parsley bring freshness to the plate.
BreakfastA thin, spiced omelet with tender tomato, fresh cilantro and a little cumin. Serve it straight away with lime and toasted bread for a hearty breakfast or a simple brunch.
BreakfastCrispy corn tortillas, briefly coated in a spicy roasted tomato sauce, are the starting point for this Mexican-inspired breakfast. Black beans, creamy avocado and a fried egg turn it into a hearty brunch.
LunchThin slices of potato and onion turn tender in olive oil and come together with egg to make a substantial, golden-brown tortilla. Serve it in wedges at room temperature with a fresh tomato salad; handy for a brunch you can mostly prepare ahead.
LunchThis Levantine flatbread gets a fragrant layer of za’atar and olive oil before baking. Serve the warm, lightly crisp wedges with cool labneh, ripe tomato and crunchy cucumber.
Side dishThis romesco is packed with roasted pepper, tomato and almond, with sherry vinegar for a fresh counterpoint. Serve the chunky dip with grilled bread and crisp celery.
Side dishGolden-brown rice cakes are served with a fresh, savory dip made with tomato, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Serve them warm with sesame and spring onion: a little starter to share.
LunchSpiced, crumbly lamb on warm flatbread, with juicy tomato, parsley, red onion and tangy sumac yogurt. Set the toppings out separately so everyone can build their own flatbread.
LunchA hearty sandwich with creamy black bean purée, sweet grilled pepper and fresh tomato salsa. Radish and golden corn add a crunchy bite; serve the torta straight away, while the bread is still crisp.
LunchA thin omelet makes a soft wrap for black beans, spinach, avocado and tomato. Toasted corn adds a crunchy touch, while the fresh sauce with lime, coriander and chili keeps every bite lively.
LunchSmall cubes of tomato, avocado and red onion make this salad fresh and easy to eat; black beans and corn add enough bite to make it a satisfying lunch. Lime and cilantro bring everything together, while tortilla chips add a salty crunch.
Side dishCharring gives green bell pepper soft, smoky edges; ripe tomato, red wine vinegar and anchovy add freshness and briny depth. Serve this lukewarm vegetable dish with bread or alongside grilled fish.
Side dishFirm polenta squares turn golden brown in the pan, with a soft center and crisp edges. A fresh relish of ripe tomato, red onion, red wine vinegar and basil adds acidity and juiciness. A compact appetizer to share.
Side dishTender zucchini blossoms with a fresh ricotta filling, briefly baked in the oven and served with tomato salsa. A light starter where creamy cheese, lemon and ripe tomato balance one another.
Side dishQuickly stir-fry yardlong beans with onion, tomato, garlic and chili. A splash of broth helps the beans cook evenly; they stay juicy and retain a slight bite. Delicious with roti or rice.
Main courseBeef slowly cooks in a dark, spiced sauce with cassareep, tomato and Madame Jeanette pepper. Serve this Surinamese pepperpot with rice to soak up the thick, syrupy sauce.
Side dishRipe melon and juicy tomatoes are balanced by creamy feta, sherry vinegar and crunchy pumpkin seeds. A refreshing starter that tastes best chilled, but not straight from the fridge.
Main courseChuck roast cooks slowly in a fragrant sauce of dried chiles, tomato and spices until the meat falls apart. Serve the birria as a stew with broth, or spoon the meat into corn tortillas and serve the consommé alongside for dipping.
Side dishFluffy rice grains with a deep tomato flavor and a lightly toasted note: arroz rojo is a fitting side dish with beans, chicken or enchiladas.
SoupA smooth, rich tomato broth with the deep, fruity flavor of ancho chili forms the base of this Mexican soup. Crispy corn tortilla, avocado, queso fresco, crema and lime make every spoonful warm, creamy, fresh and crunchy all at once.
The preparation determines which side of the tomato comes through. In a salad, such as the Palestinian tomato salad with bread and sumac or the Turkish gavurdağı salad, a firm, ripe tomato works well: it holds its shape in cubes or wedges and releases juice into the dressing. Add roasted bread or walnuts just before serving if you want to preserve the crunchy contrast.
For romesco, roasted tomatoes with garlic crumbs and basil oil, and charred green tomatoes with feta, heat is the key to the flavor. Roasting or charring concentrates the moisture and adds dark, savory edges. Leave enough space between the vegetables on a baking sheet; when crowded together, they steam rather than brown. For sauces such as the one for chilaquiles rojos, roasting the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a dry pan is a handy way to add flavor before blending them.
Tomatoes and eggs make a good combination for a quick meal, but the technique varies from dish to dish. For Turkish menemen, first cook the tomatoes down into a juicy, chunky sauce, then stir in the eggs until they’re still glossy. Greek strapatsada also starts with cooked-down tomatoes, but gets oregano and feta. Serve both right away with hearty bread, so you have something to mop up the sauce.
Other dishes show just how differently tomatoes are used in various cuisines. In Mexican chilaquiles rojos, roasted tomatoes form the base of a sauce with guajillo chile; fried tortilla pieces are added at the very end so they stay partly crisp. Syrian yakhnet bandora, by contrast, is a long-stewed tomato dish with beef, allspice and cinnamon, served with rice. And in Northern Thai nam prik ong, tomatoes are cooked with ground meat and a roasted chile paste into a spoonable dip, served with vegetables and sticky rice. Each dish calls for a different degree of ripeness, way of cutting and amount of cooking down.
For raw salads, sandwiches and stuffed tomatoes, choose fruit that is ripe but still holds its shape. For a stew, sauce or roasted dish, nicely ripe tomatoes are a good choice: they release flavor and moisture more quickly. Out of season, firm tomatoes can be less fragrant; use them in a dish where they’ll be roasted or cooked down rather than as the only flavor in a raw salad.
One type of tomato can’t always be swapped for another one-to-one. Cherry tomatoes can replace smaller tomatoes in a baked dish, but shorten the cooking time as soon as they’re soft and split. In roasted tomatoes on sourdough, ricotta is a mild, creamy counterpart; in tomatoes with miso, the dressing adds savory flavor and acidity, with buckwheat for a bit of bite. Taste a dressing or sauce before serving: tomatoes vary in sweetness and juiciness, so sometimes an extra splash of vinegar or lemon is needed. Serve fresh tomato dishes soon after mixing; the bread and crunchy toppings will keep their texture best that way.