:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bd103465_0708_tomatoes_horiz-0823-5e9f0f7300374047931fc269a0c2fb31.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,0&ssl=1 "20 Heirloom Tomato Recipes")
Tomatoes are the essence of summer, and heirloom tomatoes are the best of the bunch. Need some ideas on how to make the most of your farmers’ market haul, and savor the season’s colorful crop well past August? These heirloom tomato recipes highlight the best ways to enjoy this tasty summer staple. We share how the fruit can shine in an array of dishes, from refreshing salads to delicious tarts, chilled soups, and more.
What Are Heirloom Tomatoes?
Heirlooms are tomatoes (or other plants) grown from seeds handed down over generations. They are open-pollinated, meaning they produce seeds that resemble the parent plant, which is not always the case with commercial hybrids. Hybrid tomatoes are often bred for durability, so they can be shipped. Heirloom tomatoes are more diverse. Traditionally they were bred for flavor, and their appearances vary widely; some are small and some extremely large and wonky in shape. Heirloom tomatoes also come in a veritable rainbow of shades, not just bright red to pinkish tones but all the way through orange and green to striped and ombré colorings. Their names are attractive, too: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Kellogg’s Breakfast, and Nebraska Wedding are just a few of the heirloom tomatoes available as seed to grow your own or to buy at the farmers’ market.
Choosing Heirloom Tomatoes
When shopping for heirloom tomatoes look for plump fruit without bruises or decay as you would with any tomatoes. Heirlooms are more susceptible to cracking, but as long as the cracks are healed (meaning you can’t see the flesh), the blemish won’t affect taste or safety.
Grilled Chicken and Eggplant With Mozzarella and Tomatoes
Liven up a plate of grilled chicken, grilled eggplant, Kalamata olives, and fresh parsley by topping it with a mix of sliced heirloom and cherry tomatoes, which bring a bright acidity to the dish.
Tomato and Brie Tart
Looking for an easy summer dinner idea? We love this tart, which calls for store-bought puff pastry to make prep easy. Tomatoes are the star of the dish, imparting a sweet, slightly acidic punch when layered into the pastry with brie cheese, capers, and thyme.
Tomatoes With Lightly Whipped Cream
Turn tomatoes into an afternoon snack by topping slices with unsweetened whipped cream, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of fresh basil.
Bloody-Mary Tomato Salad
Dana Gallagher
You can’t go wrong with this salad for brunch. All the flavors you love in a classic Bloody Mary have been incorporated into this absolutely genius dish that everyone will be buzzing about.
Rice Salad With Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Feta
Our take on tabbouleh uses brown rice in place of bulgar and tosses it with heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, mint, and feta, for a filling vegetarian entrée or side salad.
Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
Gabriela Herman
A rainbow of heirloom tomatoes mixed with red onion and basil spooned over grilled, garlic-rubbed bread is all it takes to make our version of bruschetta. It’s a great starter for everything from outdoor barbecues to intimate dinner parties.
Pasta with No-Cook Puttanesca Sauce
There’s no fresher way to use heirloom tomatoes than in this quick and simple pasta dish. The chopped tomatoes mingle with olive oil, capers, garlic, and crushed olives until they release their flavorful juices. Just toss them with some cooked pasta and a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese and dinner is served.
Tomato-Bread Soup
When you have overly ripe tomatoes that have seen better days, you can turn them into a light yet hearty tomato soup. This one makes good use of stale bread as well—as the bread breaks down in the liquid, it helps thicken the soup slightly.
Martha’s Grits With Broiled Tomatoes
There’s one way to take a pot of rich, creamy grits to the next level—add bacon, thick slices of tomatoes, and even more cheese. Pop them under the broiler for a few seconds to soften the tomatoes and melt the cheddar.
Blistered Eggplant With Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta
Heirloom tomatoes and eggplant are the stars of this meatless main course. The eggplant takes a turn under the broiler and becomes nice and smoky, while the tomatoes are served fresh.
Baked Mac and Cheese With Broiled Tomatoes
If your kids aren’t too keen on eating their fruits and vegetables, adding tomatoes to a dish of macaroni and cheese is a surefire way to change course. This baked pasta dish has the added benefit of having crunchy panko breadcrumbs on top.
Heirloom-Tomato Pizza
When you let sliced tomatoes marinate with a bit of oil for a while, they soften into their own tomato sauce that’s perfect for pizza. Layer them over rounds of pizza dough with cheese, dried oregano, and thinly sliced guanciale, and let pizza night commence.
Heirloom Tomato Tartines With Garlic-Parsley Aioli
This delicious open-faced sandwich comes together in 15 minutes. A tomato is thickly sliced, revealing its beautifully bright colors, and placed onto a piece of lightly toasted brioche spread with our quick aioli—a mix of mashed garlic, minced parsley, and mayonnaise.
Spanish Gazpacho
Tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, vinegar, and cumin form the perfect base for this gazpacho, which is given its thickness from bread and its brightness from a glug of orange juice. We love to serve it with tapas-style toppings, like sliced hard-boiled egg, sardines, or cured ham.
Penne With Tomatoes and Parsley Breadcrumbs
Marinated heirloom tomatoes make a light sauce for this summery pasta while fresh breadcrumbs provide the perfect textural contrast. Use a wide variety of colors to make this pasta even more dynamic.
Tomato-Beet Salad
For this side salad, heirloom tomatoes are marvelously paired with another addition from summer’s bounty: beets. Tossed in a simple dressing of olive oil, salt, and pepper, this recipe allows the flavor of each ingredient to really shine through.
Croxetti With Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes
Ripe, juicy tomatoes get a boost when marinated in garlic-infused olive oil, toasted garlic chips, capers, and basil. The beauty of this unique pasta dish, which does double-duty as a centerpiece, is that you can serve it at room temperature.
Heirloom Tomato Confit
Slow cook heirloom tomatoes in olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil to bring out their natural sweetness. They also freeze beautifully, which means you can enjoy these aromatic tomatoes all year long.
Tomato Cobbler
Cobbler isn’t just for peaches and berries. Tomatoes are another fruit that does exceedingly well in this format. Bake the ripe tomatoes with cakey buttermilk biscuits on top to make a comforting summer side dish. Alternatively, serve it for dinner with a simple side salad.
Baked Eggs in Whole Roasted Tomatoes
Forget stuffed peppers—when tomatoes are ripe, they are the perfect vessels for all kinds of fillings. In this case, the tomatoes are cored, seeded, and roasted with garlic and fresh thyme. Crack an egg into each cavity and you have a delicious breakfast ahead of you.
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