24 Heirloom Tomato Recipes to Make While These Big, Juicy Fruits Are in Season
We wait all year for tomato season and are especially excited about the arrival of heirlooms in the market. These are the dishes we make with them.
Tomatoes are the essence of summer, and heirlooms 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? This heirloom tomato recipe collection highlights 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, cool soups, and more.
Related: How to Store Tomatoes the Right Way
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.
Heirloom tomatoes also come in a veritable rainbow of shades, from bright red and pink to orange, yellow, striped, and ombré. 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 when ripe 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.
Related: Martha's Guide to Preserving Tomatoes
Inverted Tomato Sandwich
An inspired take on our favorite summer sandwich switches up the proportions; it involves more heirloom tomato and less bread. The bread is toasted in a pan and coated (on both sides) with Parmesan cheese for added flavor.
Watermelon and Tomato Salad With Basil Oil
Juicy, sweet heirloom tomatoes are a natural partner for juicy, sweet watermelon. This ultra-refreshing salad also features crisp cucumbers and creamy goat cheese. The basil-infused oil takes it over the top—no vinegar or other dressing necessary.
Stuffed BLT Salad
Christopher Testani
If you're tempted by big, beautiful heirloom tomatoes like Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, or Big Yellow Zebra, as we often are, make them the star of the plate by using them to hold the salad. In this case, a salad with all the elements of a BLT; bacon, iceberg or frisée, and croutons made from white sandwich bread.
Heirloom Tomato Salad With Garlic Oil
Here's a simple heirloom tomato recipe that allows the tomatoes to shine and takes just a few minutes to prep. Use a mixture of colors, sizes, and varieties of heirlooms and arrange them on a large platter.
Golden Gazpacho
Just a reminder that not all heirloom tomatoes are red! This golden gazpacho is made with yellow varieties—and a yellow summer squash. It's the most refreshing lunch on a hot day.
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 Salad With Chile Yogurt
Christopher Testa
The sweetness of fresh tomatoes is complemented by the spiciness of chiles, which are chopped up and mixed into yogurt to form the base of this delicious salad. Top with basil and mint for a burst of freshness.
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.
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.
Tomatoes With Lightly Whipped Cream
Turn tomatoes into an afternoon snack by topping slices with unsweetened whipped cream and sprinkling with fresh basil.
Tomato, Peach, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Bresaola Tartine
Dana Gallagher
Low-maintenance tartines are our go-to when the temperature rises. This recipe has you shingle tomatoes, peaches, and mozzarella over bresaola-topped, toasted ciabatta. This tartine makes a great party starter.
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.
Tomato Ombrè on Grilled Rustic Bread
Form a dish that's as visually impressive as it is tasty by simply slicing a colorful assortment of tomatoes and arranging them on grilled rustic bread that's been rubbed with garlic and oil.
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.
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.
Heirloom Tomatoes With Cherries, Balsamic, and Hyssop
Any large, meaty, pink-red to deep-red heirloom, makes a substantial bed for this playful combination of cherry tomatoes and Bing cherries. Although we love the fragrance of the herb anise hyssop, mint, basil, or tarragon will also work nicely.
Tomato and Mango Salad With Chiles and Tomato Essence
This colorful mix is dressed with tomato water, which is made by draining puréed tomatoes for a day. It may look pale, but its flavor is astonishing: You'll want to spoon up every drop.
Ricotta Pizza With Fresh and Roasted Tomatoes
Pizza dough is spread with a creamy ricotta mixture that's made by mixing ricotta and Parmesan cheese with egg. Once baked, the pizza is topped with a heaping portion of roasted heirloom tomatoes.
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.
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 the ingredients to really shine through.
Ricotta and Tomato Toast
Spread fresh, creamy ricotta on a thick piece of whole-wheat toast and top with slices of heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and a small drizzle of olive oil for an easy, satisfying breakfast or afternoon snack.
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 colorful 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.
