Tomatoes have travelled a long way from their origins in the Andes to become one of the most beloved ingredients in kitchens worldwide. In Australia, their peak coincides with summer, when the fruit is sun-ripened, bursting with sweetness and acidity.
While canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste are pantry heroes in their own right, this collection celebrates fresh tomatoes in all their forms. From rustic tarts to elegant salads and quick pastas, these recipes show just how versatile and satisfying cooking with fresh tomatoes can be.
When time is short, this rustic tomato and bean dish delivers comfort without fuss. Cherry tomatoes soften and melt into a jammy sauce that coats the beans, creating a wholesome and flavourful topping for crusty bread.
One-pan tomatoes & white beans. Credit: Jiwon Kim
Born from a no-waste mindset, panzanella salad is an Italian classic. Ripe tomatoes release their juices to revive day-old bread, while basil adds brightness. This version offers a spin on tradition, with bright pops of pomegranate seeds and buttery toasted walnuts.
Panzanella with ciabatta, tomato and basil. Credit: Jiwon Kim
This tart brings the 'cacio e pepe' (cheese and pepper) with parmesan and freshly ground black pepper added to the pastry crust. Topped with creamy ricotta, a mixture of fresh tomatoes, fresh herbs and olive oil, it's a clever nod to Rome’s iconic pasta dish, in pastry form for an impressive centrepiece.
Tomato tart with cacio e pepe pastry. Credit: Kitti Gould
This speedy pasta skips the blender – toasted pine nuts, basil, garlic and ripe tomatoes are roughly chopped together into a chunky sauce that clings to hot pasta.
If you're lucky enough to be growing your own tomatoes and have some leaves to spare, try this tomato leaf pesto, which is basil-scented, but with a note of warm and earthy tomato leaf.
Chopping board tomato and basil pesto pasta. Credit: Donal's Meals in Minutes
In minutes, tomatoes are cooked with aromatics like soy sauce and brown sugar to transform into a savoury-sweet sauce that cradles fluffy scrambled eggs. A staple across Chinese home kitchens, tomato and egg stir-fry is fast, comforting and deeply satisfying.
This tomato and egg dish is one of Asia's most well-known comfort foods. Credit: Alana Dimou
Smoky chipotle adds depth to roasted tomato soup, while frying the tomatoes until the skin starts to blacken concentrates the fruit’s sweetness and umami depth. Paired with melty cheddar and gruyere cheese toasties, this is comfort food with a bold kick.
Chipotle roasted tomato soup with grilled cheese fingers. Credit: Benito Martin
Peak-season tomatoes meet sun-ripened peaches in a salad that plays to the sweet and tangy nature of both fruit. A honey vinaigrette ties it together, while freshly made burrata curds – or store-bought burrata, if you're short on time – adds luxurious rich milkiness for balance.
Annette’s tomatoes and peaches with honey vinegar and burrata curds. Credit: Adam Gibson
Handed down through generations, this sauce is a nod to the tradition of slow-simmered tomatoes, vinegar and spices, balancing acidity and sweetness with a backbone of spice. Offering a bottle full of nostalgia and bold flavour, it's calling out for a meat pie or sausage roll.
Homemade tomato sauce. Credit: Alan Benson
This velvety risotto builds its depth from slow-cooked cherry tomatoes, coaxed into a sauce that infuses every grain of rice for a silky finish. Sprinkles of paprika, add a decorative touch of colour as well as a savoury hint.
Tomato risotto. Credit: Jiwon Kim
This local Aussie take on a traditional Italian caprese salad brings ground Tasmanian pepperberry into the mix. The vibrant, herbaceous lift of this aromatic pepper, with notes of eucalyptus, pine and citrus, is a natural pairing for the combination of tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil.
Heirloom tomato, mozzarella and basil salad with sourdough. Credit: Kitti Gould
Truss tomatoes slowly roast until wrinkled and sweet, with finishing elements that coax maximum flavour from tomatoes. To make the caraway salt – with its intriguing earthy, bittersweet and anise notes – combine the toasted caraway seeds and salt in a mortar and pestle and pound until fine. This is an excellent side for roast meats and seafood, or spooned over toast.
Try these tomatoes as a side dish, or as the star of the show, spooned over toast.
Heirloom tomatoes are first roasted until juicy and caramel-edged before being folded through warm and chewy twists of casarecce pasta, so their pan juices coat every curve. Tear over the creamy burrata and scatter with basil – minimal ingredients, maximum payoff.
Caserecce with roasted tomatoes and burrata. Credit: Cook like an Italian
Fleshy varieties like egg or Roma-style tomatoes work best for this recipe, where the tomatoes are semi-dried until jammy rather than fully dried. They're perfect after two days submerged in olive oil, and will keep up to two weeks – and be sure to keep the preserving oil to use in pasta and salads.
Preserved roast tomatoes.
Golden, flaky pastry pockets of molten feta and cheddar cheese meet a sauce made from blistered cherry tomatoes. The smoky sweetness of the tomatoes balances the richness, making every bite a satisfying contrast of textures and flavours that are perfect for entertaining.
Cheese triangles with cherry tomato sauce. Credit: Kitti Gould
Sharp, fiery and herbal, sahawiq is a Yemeni condiment where green tomatoes add brightness. Pounded with chillies, garlic and coriander, it’s a punchy dip to liven up bread, meats and stews.
Sahawiq (chilli and green tomato dip). Credit: Adam Liaw
A Santorini favourite, these fritters fold finely chopped tomatoes, herbs and a little flour into golden patties. Light, aromatic and crisp-edged, they celebrates simple ingredients handled with care – perfect on a mezze platter as-is or dipped into tzatziki.
A specialty of Santorini, domatokeftedes are traditionally made with the island's native tomato. Credit: John Laurie
Cherry tomatoes, juicy watermelon and briny olives combine in a salad that balances sweet, salty and savoury. Finished with fresh herbs, it’s vibrant, cooling and unexpected – a plate that feels made for summer heat.
Cherry tomato, watermelon and black olive salad.
Roasting tomatoes and peppers intensifies their flavour and sweetness, while chilli brings heat to this chutney. Glossy and rich, this is a versatile condiment for curries, grilled meats or sandwiches that keeps summer’s vibrancy alive well beyond the season.
Roasted red pepper, tomato and chilli chutney. Credit: Anjum’s Australian Spice Stories
This Malaysian-style curry leans on tomatoes for body and tamarind for a mouth-watering tang. Fragrant curry leaves and a punchy spice paste build layers of flavour for juicy prawns, creating a rich and complex-tasting dish that's weeknight-friendly.
Malaysian prawn, tomato and tamarind curry.
Make a year’s worth of flavour in an afternoon. Very ripe tomatoes simmer gently with garlic, salt and aromatics (thyme, rosemary, bay) before being milled and bottled hot in sterilised jars. Italian kitchens rely on passata, a pure, sieved tomato sauce that forms the backbone of countless dishes.
Tomato passata. Credit: Petrina Tinslay
A rich tomato topping takes centre stage with this homemade pizza, layered over the dough base and baked until bubbling.
Tomato pizza. Credit: Jiwon Kim
Underripe green tomatoes simmer with white wine vinegar, sugar, onion and ground coriander until thick and spoonable. It’s sharp and tangy, lightly spiced and endlessly useful – try it with cheese, curries or cold meats.
Green tomato chutney. Credit: Headline / Jean Cazals
Instead of boiling, these gnocchi caramelise in the oven alongside sweet tomatoes and olive oil. The result is chewy, golden gnocchi in a sauce made from the tomatoes themselves – rustic, satisfying and simple to master.
Tray gnocchi with roasted tomatoes. Credit: Savannah van der Niet
A tomato butter made from seeded, diced tomatoes is paired with herb-laced chicken roasted with cherry tomatoes on the vine for an easy but impressive dinner. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the buttery tomato juices.
Tomato-butter chicken with roasted tomatoes. Credit: Mary Makes It Easy
This Andalusian classic turns humble bread and tomatoes into a silky summer soup. Thick, nourishing and cooling, salmorejo is typically served topped with hard-boiled egg, jamón serrano and a drizzle of oil.
Salmorejo (chilled bread and tomato soup). Credit: Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield
Large heirloom tomatoes are hollowed, filled and baked until tender, with their flavour intensified. It’s a dish that turns peak-season produce into a rich, self-contained main or side.
Baked heirloom tomatoes. Credit: Danielle Abou Karam
French tartines are all about good bread and bold toppings. Here, ripe tomatoes sit on sourdough, lifted with a sharp vinaigrette of anchovies and capers – a snack that’s simple yet feels indulgent.
Tomato tartine with anchovy and caper vinaigrette. Credit: Jiwon Kim
Tomatoes and eggplant stew together with black mustard seeds, nigella seeds, curry leaves and chickpeas for a plant-based dish that’s aromatic and hearty.
Tomato and eggplant curry with black mustard. Credit: Freshly Picked with Simon Toohey
A twist on the Japanese comfort food classic, this oyakodon adds fresh tomatoes into the traditional combination of simmered chicken and egg. The result is a touch of brightness and sweet-tangy refreshment.
Tomato oyakodon. Credit: Adam Liaw
This salad celebrates contrasts: sweet and juicy heirloom tomatoes, crisp anise-tinged fennel and salty ricotta. It’s fresh, textured and a perfect example of how tomatoes thrive in good company.
Heirloom tomato, pickled fennel and salted ricotta salad. Credit: Kitti Gould
In minutes, cherry tomatoes sizzle in olive oil until their skins split and juices form a sauce. Tossed with garlic, spaghetti and herbs, it’s a quick pasta that captures pure tomato flavour.
Burst tomato spaghetti. Credit: Kitti Gould
