If you’re the kind of person who looks forward to slicing a Brandywine at the height of tomato season and eating it straight (maybe with a little salt, nothing more), then you are in heaven right now. We’re right in that sweet spot, flush with fresh farmers market and home-grown tomatoes that are beyond juicy and sweet.
So, to make the most of this tomato season, we’re daring you to try as many unconventional and new-to-you tomato recipes as you can, during our month-long Tomato-thon. For inspiration, we curated some of our favorite, most inventive recipes and organized them by category—Savory, Salad-y, Sweet, and Saucy—because we love a themed week, and to nudge you beyond your comfort zone (think: a fried tomato sandwich with chile oil, a roasted tomato jam, or a tomato-beet gazpacho).
We’re also hoping that you will show us what you make and tell us what you loved or what you tweaked on Instagram or TikTok. Be sure to tag @food52 and #f52tomatothon when you do—we’ll be reposting your shares on Instagram Stories at the end of each week. Stay tuned on our social channels for tips on growing and making the most of your tomato haul, too, as we celebrate our favorite summer fruit-maybe-vegetable.
Set aside your white bread and mayo (we’re looking at you, Classic Tomato Sandwich) and get ready for some Big Tomato Flavor. To kick off Tomato-thon Week 1, we’re bringing in classics like a tomato galette and throwing a few curve balls, like tomato salt (what?).
Let’s be real: you’ve never wondered what to do with leftover tomato skins. But maybe that’s because you didn’t realize you can create a fragrant salt with them. Test Kitchen Director Allison Buford tried out this recipe and we can vouch that it’s an excellent way to make use of the scraps from canning or saucing.
Chef Rick Martínez reinvents the tomato sandwich in a few ways, first by zhuzhing up the mayo with basil and lemon, pan-frying panko-crusted red tomatoes, then drizzling spicy chile oil over the whole combo. We doubled the recipe in our office for our Tomato-thon launch party, and our Senior Prop Stylist, Sarah Vasil, fell in love: “I could eat this sandwich every day for the rest of the summer,” she said.
Don’t be fooled by these sweet-looking grilled tomatoes—Ali Slagle adds a little bird’s eye chile for heat. Try them with sticky rice to soak up the juices.
Erin Jeanne McDowell’s tomato-parmesan galette is a no-brainer to ring in tomato season. It’s also a good excuse to break out the Boursin cheese, used in the creamy, garlicky base beneath a layer of heirlooms.
Week 2, August 12-18: Salad-y
What’s summer without a fresh tomato salad?
Marcy Ragan combines three Italian classics (bruschetta, caprese, and panzanella) into one irresistible salad, made better with toasty, grilled bread.
Carolina Gelen gives us a a ruby red summer salad using watermelon and mint to elevate the star of the show.
Caprese, but slice the tomatoes like Hasselback potatoes and stuff them with mozz. Marissa Mullen is a genius.
Nea’s easy summer salad bridges panzanella and bruschetta territory and adds cannellini beans and halloumi for extra flavor and heft.
Week 3, August 19-25: Sweet
We’re settling the fruit-or-vegetable debate once and for all this week, with recipes that showcase a tomato’s natural sweetness.
Food52 founder Amanda Hesser developed this oven-friendly tomato jam recipe after being inspired by a Hotline conversation. Slow roasting tomatoes with sugar, lemon, and spices, gives this spread sweetness and depth.
Make your guests guess the ingredients in this refreshing lassi, packed with tomato, mango, and floral sumac.
Sarah Jampel fully embraces the notion of tomato as fruit, with this adapted recipe from Little Flower Baking that uses tomato in both the marmalade filling and the frosting.
This summer-y bruschetta from Cheazza is simple and light, and practically screams for a chilled glass of rosé to sip with it.
Week 4, August 26-Sept. 1: Saucy
These saucy recipes go beyond classic tomato sauce (though we did throw in an oldie but goodie). We also use the word figuratively—as in, Test Kitchen recipe developer and creator César Pérez’s tomato and beet gazpacho, which will make an appearance in time for Week 4, is saucy.
Bacon fat, crusty bread, and tomatoes—what’s not to love? Topped with plenty of parmesan cheese, Sarah Leah Chase’s impossibly easy scalloped tomatoes is a dish that Food52er Paula Marchese recommended as one of her go-tos each summer.
Marcella Hazan’s four-ingredient superstar is one of the most popular tomato sauce recipes on the internet for good reason. This version veers from the original by calling for fresh tomatoes, a luxury we have right now. (You can also go full circle and use the skins in the tomato salt from Week 1!)
No time to wait for your tomatoes to simmer? Try Emma Laperruque’s no-cook tomato sauce for your next last-minute pasta night—or spoon it atop rice, or even scrambled eggs for an added burst of flavor.
Did we leave off one of your favorite tomato recipes? Planning to take this tomato challenge? Tells us the wins (or misses) below!