Tomatoes
1737 recipes found
Tortellini Soup
Store-bought cheese tortellini make this easy vegetarian soup a breeze to put together at home. The stuffed pasta cooks in minutes and floats in a creamy, tomato-y broth that’s loaded with vegetables. A splash of vinegar enhances the tomato flavor and provides a bit more acidity, and chopped herbs, added at the end, offer some freshness. This soup works well with substitutions like swapping kale or other hearty greens for the spinach, for instance, so feel free to use whatever produce you have on hand. Whatever you do, don’t skimp on the grated Parmesan at the table.
Sesame Chicken
The history of sesame chicken, a delightful dish of battered and fried boneless chicken pieces in sweet and sour sauce, is a bit unclear. While it’s similar to General Tso’s, and la zi ji (or firecracker chicken), a spicy Sichuan dish of chicken, sesame, chiles and Sichuan peppercorns, sesame chicken skews sweeter, thanks to a heap of brown sugar and no chiles. As the name implies, the dish’s defining characteristic is the prominence of sesame flavor, owing to the toasted sesame oil in the marinade and the seeds sprinkled on top. Serve it piled on top of white rice and steamed broccoli.
Jammy Tomato Breakfast Eggs
Over the nearly two decades that Yewande Komolafe was unable to visit Nigeria, where she grew up, she was fortunate enough to have her parents visit at least once a year, she writes in her cookbook,“My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora” (Ten Speed Press, 2023). She and her brother Seeni would host them and attempt to rekindle some sense of Lagosian tranquility through cooking together. Their mother would typically make breakfast: a skillet full of tomatoey Naija eggs served with thick slices of yam or whatever sweet American white bread they could find that most closely resembled agége bread. The scent of her dried herb seasoning blend, mixed and packed right before her trip, would hang in the air as she cooked. In those moments, she knew that even if she couldn’t visit home, a weekend tradition of home had come to her.
Ricotta Pasta Bake
Thanks to a whole lot of ricotta, this baked pasta is so creamy and milky that it’s nearly as fluffy as pudding. The dish has a sweet tang from roasted lemon and tomatoes, plus a crisp bread crumb topping to contrast all that plushness. Because the sauce is mostly cheese, it’s worth seeking out ricotta that doesn’t have gum or stabilizers; you’ll get the best results from ricotta that is made of just milk, salt and perhaps a vinegar or natural culture.
Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of meat, vegetables and rice have been eaten in Europe for centuries. While variations abound, the version most popular in the United States bears some resemblance to Polish gołąbki, in which the leaves are filled with a mixture of cooked ground beef, pork and rice, then rolled and baked in tomato sauce. The rolls are incredibly tender, lightly spiced, and topped with fresh dill. Serve with classic mashed potatoes for a comforting cold weather meal.
Tomato Pie
The Italian American tomato pie is an elemental dish that lets its simple components — a flatbread covered in tomato sauce — really sing. It comes in different forms in different cities. In Philadelphia, tomato pie is an institution unto itself, typically sold from old-school Italian bakeries. Joe Beddia of Pizzeria Beddia is among a younger generation of chefs in the city who are making their own version of tomato pie. His 24-hour fermented dough produces a focaccialike flatbread with a springy interior and a crunchy, golden-brown crust. He covers it with a thin spread of rich tomato sauce, and finishes it with a generous drizzle of fruity olive oil and restrained sprinkle of Sicilian oregano. Eat it at room temperature as they do in Philadelphia — it makes for an ideal, make-ahead buffet addition, especially on Eagles game days.
Chili Mac
“Nothing induces a feeling of security and comfort better than the come-hither aroma of an honest pot of chili mac keeping warm on the stove.” Many would agree with what Jane and Michael Stern wrote in “The Lexicon of Real American Food” (Lyons Press, 2011), whether they’ve had the thrifty, hearty combination of macaroni and chili at a family dinner table, around a campfire, bellied up to a bar somewhere near Lake Michigan or even in an M.R.E. in a military dining room. This supersavory version is a cinch, requiring just one pot and minimal chopping. (For another common chili pasta, see this Cincinnati chili con carne.)
Marry Me Chicken
This cozy dish, which went viral on TikTok with claims that if you prepare it for someone, you will end up getting married, features boneless chicken breasts nestled in a creamy, tomato-y sauce. With wedding bells in mind or not, this dish comes together fairly quickly and is just as great for entertaining as it is for a family meal. In this version, the addition of tomato paste adds a bright acidity to the rich cream sauce and complements the sun-dried tomatoes. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the juices as well as tangy green salad to balance out the sauce’s richness. Or, try it over pasta, rice or polenta.
Baasto iyo Suugo Tuuna (Pasta and Spiced Tuna Sauce)
Thanks to Somalia’s exposure to the ocean — it has the longest coastline in mainland Africa — seafood is an abundant resource. Topped with a rich, spiced tuna suugo (tomato sauce), this pasta dish is a staple in many Somali households, and comes together easily thanks to canned tuna and store-bought marinara sauce. Pasta is a culinary relic of Italian colonialism in Somalia that Somalis have long reimagined into their own new thing. This dish also has different spellings throughout Somalia, including “tuuna” after the English word or “toonno” following the Italian word “tonno.” This pasta sauce gets its unique taste from the addition of fresh cilantro and warm spices, including xawaash, a seven-spice mix that incorporates bold flavors like turmeric, cardamom and cumin. Serve with a salad or enjoy the baasto on its own.
Shrimp Saganaki
Built for a weeknight but worthy of company, this Greek dish coddles shrimp in a delicate tomato sauce that gains depth from olives, ouzo and feta. Its name is derived from sagani, a two-handled pan in which the dish is traditionally cooked and served. Garides saganaki can be an appetizer, mopped up with bread, or it can anchor a meal. Some versions might be flambéed, but this recipe, from “Salt of the Earth: Secrets and Stories from a Greek Kitchen” by Carolina Doriti (Quadrille Publishing, 2023), is sautéed, then baked, which is an easy way to ensure plump, pillowy pieces of shrimp. If you don’t have licorice-scented ouzo, Ms. Doriti suggests brandy or white wine as potential substitutes.
Sheet-Pan Zucchini, Tomatoes and Feta
The star of this speedy supper is the golden-topped, lightly scorched feta that remains irresistibly spreadable and melty when sliced. Thanks to the direct heat of the broiler, charred and burst tomatoes add juiciness to the sheet pan, along with tender zucchini spears. You could also scatter some arugula or baby spinach over the ingredients, gently tossing to wilt, and eat this dish right out of the pan with some bread for a warm, late-summer salad. During other times of year, you could swap the zucchini for asparagus or broccolini.
Skillet Chicken With Peppers and Tomatoes
This one-pan dinner is coated in a sauce anchored by onion and garlic and a summery mix of bell peppers. A splash of sherry vinegar and squeeze of honey balance the mild flavors of the peppers with a little acidity and sweetness, while cherry tomatoes simmered into the sauce at the end add bright, tangy pops to the meal. A shower of fresh herbs is optional, but go with basil if you’d like a more assertive aroma. Serve everything over steamed rice for soaking up the sauce or with crusty bread for dipping.
Pasta With Corn, Mint and Red Onions
Practically a no-cook recipe, this celebration of corn, tomatoes and plenty of herbs is about as easy as summer pasta gets. A dollop or two of ricotta adds milky softness, enriching the tangy, garlicky tomatoes and plump kernels of corn, but you can leave it out if you prefer. Although this dish is best with seasonal tomatoes and freshly shucked corn, it’s also excellent made with frozen corn and year-round grape tomatoes, cut into cubes. You can serve this versatile salad warm, at room temperature or even cold as a pasta salad. And leftovers make a terrific lunch the next day.
Pizza Salad
For pizza in salad form, this recipe tosses a crisp and briny mix of romaine lettuce, pepperoncini, black olives and red onion in a fresh, grated tomato vinaigrette. Spicy pepperoni strips are sizzled until crisp; their zesty fat gets sopped up by toasty bread crumbs that are spiked with the classic New York slice flavors (oregano, garlic and red-pepper flakes). (You can make a big batch of these crumbs, store them in the fridge and use them to top pasta, eggs, roasted veggies and anything else you want to take to pizza town.) This salad is showered with the salty pepperoni crumbs, offset by mozzarella morsels running throughout.
Chilled Soba in Dashi With Tomatoes and Corn
This chilled noodle dish is extremely refreshing on a hot summer’s day. Corn, shiitake mushrooms and tomatoes simmer with water to make a vegan take on dashi that is packed with umami. The buckwheat noodles have a lovely nutty flavor, adding depth to the dish, but feel free to try with different noodles, such as thin wheat noodles (somen) or rice noodles. The dashi is extremely light and clean, while the toppings add bursts of flavor. The balance between sweet, salty and sour is very delicate, so be sure to be somewhat pedantic when measuring for seasoning. You can get ahead by making the dashi a day in advance and chilling it overnight.
Sheet-Pan Chopped Salad With Chicken
A vibrant mix of vegetables roast alongside chicken in this recipe, transforming into a warm chopped salad. Quickly marinated chicken breast pieces stay juicy and moist during cooking, emerging with the texture of chicken that has been gently poached. Zucchini and bell peppers release flavorful juices as they cook; the resulting liquid gets transformed into a tangy vinaigrette that comes together in the pan. Leftovers are great the next day, tucked into a baguette. You could also chop the chicken and veggies, then simmer them in marinara sauce for a heartier pasta meal.
Green Salad With Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette
This ebullient green salad is dressed with ripe, sweet tomatoes marinated in sherry vinegar and fresh basil. The garlicky croutons add loads of crunchy texture, giving this a bit more staying power. Serve this as is for a substantial salad course or side dish, or bulk it up with the likes of cubed tofu or shredded chicken, avocado, jammy eggs, tuna, chickpeas, cheese or nuts and seeds.
Zaalouk (Eggplant and Tomato Salad)
Zaalouk is a Moroccan cooked salad, similar to baba ghanouj and moutabal, that highlights eggplant in all its glory. Just a few ingredients come together to create a lightly aromatic, herby and melt-in-your mouth dip. There are many ways to prepare zaalouk; what varies is the way in which the eggplant is cooked. It can be steamed, boiled, chargrilled, baked or, as in this recipe, simply cooked on the stovetop with the rest of the ingredients. Zaalouk is commonly served as a starter, however, feel free to enjoy it as a side or as a spread in a tasty sandwich with grilled meat or vegetables.
Grilled Steak With Tomatoes, Basil and Cheddar
This sunny dinner for two forms a happy union between charred steak and salty, umami-rich aged white Cheddar, rounded out with sweet, juicy tomatoes and fresh basil. Somewhat like a salad, the steak is dressed with a punchy shallot vinaigrette that ties everything together. If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the steak in a grill pan or a skillet: Cut the steak into two or three portions and cook in batches to avoid overcrowding, which will help you get a deeper sear on the steak. To round this meal out, try it with grilled garlic bread or even salt and vinegar roasted potatoes.
Fish in Tomato-Basil Broth
Steamed in a savory tomato broth, the fish in this easy recipe remains exceptionally moist. For the best results, use a white-fleshed fish, like cod, striped bass or halibut. Any extra broth is great to have on hand: Make this dinner, and you'll also get about a quart of chilled soup for lunch.
Goulash
Hungarian goulash, a stew of paprika-spiced braised meat and vegetables, likely arrived in the United States with a wave of immigrants in the late 1800s. The dish began a game of telephone, slowly evolving into something new entirely. While American-style goulash may not bear much resemblance to its Hungarian namesake, the hearty one-pot dish has endured as an easy and comforting family weeknight dinner. Made with ground beef, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and macaroni, it falls somewhere between a beef chili and a meaty pasta. A sprinkle of Cheddar, stirred in just before serving, thickens the sauce and adds richness. Serve the goulash on its own or with a green vegetable and cornbread on the side.
Sheet-Pan Garlicky Chicken With Blistered Tomatoes
Drawing on some of the sunny flavors of the Mediterranean, this recipe coats boneless chicken thighs in yogurt, lemon juice, oregano and garlic, then cooks them with some lemon slices to infuse them with bright flavor. Paired with juicy, charred tomatoes, silky red onion and an array of toppings, this sheet-pan feast is perfect for piling into a pita pocket. Adding some of the feta to the reserved yogurt dip is encouraged, as is serving this with thinly sliced cucumbers for a cooling, refreshing bite.
Spicy Tomato and Nectarine Salad
When it comes to savory tomato salads, the iconic Caprese salad feels unsurpassable because its formula is simple but sublime: sliced fruit, bright herbs (basil) and rich cheese. This salad started out basic as well, initially combining tomato with stone fruit and a spicy honey-jalapeño vinaigrette, but surrendered to Caprese’s gravitational pull to eventually include fistfuls of fresh herbs (basil, mint or cilantro) and cheese for richness. (Salty ricotta salata shavings stand up to the zippy vinaigrette without overpowering it.) Seasoning your individual elements to taste might seem excessive, but it builds better flavor. Some salads are built to tower, but this salad feels fancy, fresh and less fussy when layered directly on the platter, served flat.
Kosua ne Meko (Eggs With Pepper Relish)
A hard-boiled egg split slightly down the middle and stuffed with a chunky tomato relish, kosua ne meko is a quick Ghanaian snack sold by street vendors. Classic versions include hard-boiled eggs that have been cured by dredging them shell-on through dampened salt a day before. The relish, referred to as “raw pepper,” can taste different depending on the vendor, but it always has crushed tomatoes, red onions and chiles. For home cooks, this can be a simple dish made quickly (or ahead) to share broadly — at the beach, a picnic, an afternoon cocktail party or a potluck brunch. An asanka, a small mortar and pestle with a rough interior, is used to prepare the raw pepper, but a food processor can also step in. Simply salting the egg before adding the relish, or after, can at least hint at the salt-dredging technique.