Tomato Time
Few things taste as satisfying as fresh, in-season tomatoes. To select the perfect tomato, start by looking at the color. It should be a vibrant red or deep orange, depending on the variety. Green or yellow spots indicate a tomato that needs a little more time to ripen. When squeezed, a ripe tomato should feel soft but not mushy. When in doubt, have a little sniff near the stem. A slightly sweet aroma is another sign of ripeness.
Once you bring your tomatoes home, consider whipping up one of these top tomato-forward recipes. Over the last 10 years, we’ve sliced, diced, pureed and roasted a variety of tomatoes, and these are our favorite recipes that let this seasonal star shine.
Pasta with No-Cook Tomato-Basil Sauce
No need to turn up the heat for this mouthwatering meal. Perfectly ripe tomatoes marinated with garlic, herbs and olive oil create a bright, flavorful sauce — no simmering required!
Garlicky Marinated Tomato Crostini
This eye-catching app is actually quite simple — and worth a little wait. The key to getting bright red and yellow tomatoes bursting with garlicky goodness? Steeping them in a quick garlic-infused olive oil for an hour or two.
Quinoa Kale Salad
Packed with summer veggies and tossed in a red wine vinaigrette, this hearty salad is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Or, pack it up and bring it to a potluck where it’s sure to be an instant hit.
Tomato Ricotta Tart
This gorgeous summer tart lets peak-season tomatoes take center stage.
Tomato Guide: from Snacking Faves to Cooking Stars
Vine-ripened
Still attached to their stems when sold, these cluster tomatoes deliver true garden-fresh taste while working well in almost any recipe.
Beefsteak
These big, juicy slicers are the classic sandwich tomato, perfect for BLTs and burgers with their rich, balanced flavor.
Heirloom
Coming in stunning shades from purple to yellow to striped, these colorful varieties offer complex, old-fashioned tomato flavor that ranges from sweet to tangy.
Roma and Plum
Dense with fewer seeds, these oblong tomatoes are your sauce-making MVPs — from marinara to salsa.
Cherry and Grape
These sweet little pop-in-your-mouth tomatoes are snacking superstars, with cherry being rounder and juicier and grape being more oval and meatier.