Food & Cooking Recipes 23 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 heirloom tomatoes in the market. These are the dishes we make with them. By Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years. Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 8, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player 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? 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. 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, not just bright red to pinkish tones but all the way through orange and yellow 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. Martha's Guide to Preserving Tomatoes 01 of 23 Inverted Tomato Sandwich Bryan Gardner An inspired take on our favorite summer sandwich switches up the proportions; more heirloom tomato and less bread. That the bread is toasted in a pan and coated (on both sides) with Parmesan cheese doesn't hurt. View Recipe 02 of 23 Watermelon and Tomato Salad With Basil Oil Christopher Baker Juicy, sweet heirloom tomatoes are 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. View Recipe 03 of 23 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. View Recipe 04 of 23 Heirloom Tomato Salad With Garlic Oil 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. View Recipe 05 of 23 Golden Gazpacho A reminder that not all tomatoes are red! This golden gazpacho is made with yellow heirloom tomatoes—and a yellow summer squash. It's a most refreshing lunch on a hot day. View Recipe 06 of 23 Grilled Chicken and Eggplant With Mozzarella and Tomatoes Linda Xiao 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. View Recipe 07 of 23 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. View Recipe 08 of 23 Tomato and Brie Tart Linda Xiao 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. View Recipe 09 of 23 Heirloom Tomato Tartines With Garlic-Parsley Aioli David Malosh 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. View Recipe 10 of 23 Spanish Gazpacho Dana Gallagher 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. View Recipe 11 of 23 Tomatoes With Lightly Whipped Cream CHELSEA CAVANAUGH Turn tomatoes into an afternoon snack by topping slices with unsweetened whipped cream and sprinkling with fresh basil. View Recipe 12 of 23 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. View Recipe 13 of 23 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. View Recipe 14 of 23 Tomato Ombrè on Grilled Rustic Bread Maria Robledo 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. View Recipe 15 of 23 Rice Salad With Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Feta Paola + Murray 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. View Recipe 16 of 23 Penne With Tomatoes and Parsley Breadcrumbs Johnny Miller Marinated heirloom tomatoes make a light sauce for this summery pasta while fresh breadcrumbs provide the perfect textural contrast. View Recipe 17 of 23 Tomato and Mango Salad With Chiles and Tomato Essence Maria Robledo 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. View Recipe 18 of 23 Ricotta Pizza With Fresh and Roasted Tomatoes Andrew Purcell 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. View Recipe 19 of 23 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. View Recipe 20 of 23 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. View Recipe 21 of 23 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. View Recipe 22 of 23 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. View Recipe 23 of 23 Heirloom Tomato Confit Marcus Nilsson 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. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit