30 Easy Recipes & Tips for Using Your Tomato Harvest This Summer — All Posts Healing Harvest Homestead (2024)

The tomatoes are finally ripening in the garden this summer. And if you’ve ever grown tomatoes, you know how they all ripen at once! Even if you are not growing your own tomatoes this year, I bet you're finding the prices are amazing in the stores and the Farmer's Markets.

If you find yourself with a ton of tomatoes to use up, here are some recipes using tomatoes you'll love! I've categorized them so you can find the tomato recipe that's right for you!

30 Easy Tomato Recipes You'll Love to Try

Fermented Tomato Recipes

Fermentation is one of my favorite methods of preserving vegetables for later. The product lasts a very long time, and tastes more and more delicious as time goes on. What could be better? It's also a very easy process that is not as time consuming as canning. Here are a few recipes for fermenting tomatoes:

1) Russian Fermented Tomatoes from Heidi @ Healing Harvest Homestead

2) from Heidi

3) Fermented Cherry Tomato Bombs from Colleen @ Grow, Forage, Cook, Ferment

4) Fermented Garlic & Basil Tomatoes from Yum Universe

5) How to Make Fermented Ketchup That Will Last Forever in the Fridge!

30 Easy Recipes & Tips for Using Your Tomato Harvest This Summer — All Posts Healing Harvest Homestead (1)

Cooking with Tomatoes

These recipes involve using tomatoes in delicious recipes for your family. I think you'll really like these!

1) Gluten-Free Fried Green Tomatoes by Laura @ You Should Grow

2) Perfect Fried Green Tomatoes (SO Good) by Heidi @ Healing Harvest Homestead

3) Homemade Rotel Tomatoes recipe by Christina @ Little Sprouts Learning

4) Italian Pierogies by Bonnie @ A Not So Modern Housewife

5) Summer Charcuterie Board by Alecia at Chicken Scratch NY

6) What to Do With Green Tomatoes by Mary @ Boots and Hooves Homestead (There are a ton of great recipes and ideas in this article!)

7) How to Make the Perfect Frittata by Heidi @ Healing Harvest Homestead

8) Summer Fiesta Quinoa Salad by yours truly

9) Roasted Corn and Basil Stuffed Tomatoes by Lindsey @ A Pinch of Yum, one of my favorite food blogs!

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Condiments Using Tomatoes

Tomatoes are so good used in a variety of condiments, dips, and sauces! Here you go:

1) Paleo Ketchup by Anna @ Salt in My Coffee & Celebrating a Simple Life

2) Homemade Healthy Ketchup by Heidi (Yes, it's the same recipe as above. You don't have to ferment it if you don't want to!)

3) How to Make Roasted Tomato Sauce by Sarah @ The Free Range Life

4) Easy Ketchup Recipe--Perfect for GAPS, Paleo by Victoria @ A Modern Homestead

5) Black Bean and Corn Salsa (the foundation is tomatoes) by Danielle @ The Rustic Elk--and she includes canning directions, too!

6) Homemade Tomato Sauce by Marie @ Fierce Beyond 50

Tomato Jams

I have yet to try my hand at creating tomato jam or jelly. But! I am sure tempted after reading through these recipes!

1) Sweet Tomato Jamby Phillip @ Southern Fatty

2) Tuscan Tomato Jamfrom the Ball Canning website

3) Savory Tomato Jam from Lindy @ Lindy Sez (This one looks especially good, because it's got a spicy tang with jalapeno peppers and savory spices.)

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Dehydrated, Juiced, and Preserved Tomatoes

Dehydrating your excess produce is one of the best ways to use up your supply! Did you know you can make sun-dried tomatoes right in your own home? There are other ways to use and preserve those tomatoes too. Here are some ideas plus some tips for prepping tomatoes!

1) How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes in a Dehydrator by Anna at Salt in My Coffee

2) Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes by Lesa @ Better Hens and Gardens

3) How to Freeze Tomatoes for Easier Canning Later by Victoria @ A Modern Homestead

4) Easiest Fresh Tomato Juice with a Kitchen Aid by Lesa @ Better Hens & Gardens (Makes me want to go pick up that Kitchen Aid Mixer I'll buy someday!)

5) Best Tomatoes for Canning by Ashley @ Practical Self-Reliance

6) Six Ways to Peel Your Tomatoes by Delci @ A Life of Heritage (This is a life saver!)

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Final Thoughts on Tomato Harvest Recipes

I hope you'll give some of these recipes, ideas, and tips a try! And-- let me know what you think! Any time you end up with a lot of produce, it can be a challenge figuring out how to use it all up. With these 30 Tomato Recipes and Ideas---I hope it helps! It sure helped me, as I figure out and decide what I'm going to do with all those 'maters this summer!

You may also be interested in these related articles:

  • Fermentation: What is It? And Why You Should be Eating Fermented Foods Every Day

  • How to Dehydrate Your Fall Apples for a Delicious and Healthy Snack

  • How to Make Fire Cider: An Incredible Health Tonic

  • How to Make Fermented Baby Zucchini Pickles

And lots more on the blog! Enjoy!

Hugs, Health, and Self-Reliance,

Heidi

P.S. I hope you'll sign up for the newsletter! You'll never miss a thing, and you’ll get immediate access to my library of FREE Resources just for you!

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30 Easy Recipes & Tips for Using Your Tomato Harvest This Summer — All Posts Healing Harvest Homestead (6)

Recipes

Heidi Villegas, MA, CA, Herbalist

tomato recipes, canning, fermenting, tomatoes

Comment

30 Easy Recipes & Tips for Using Your Tomato Harvest This Summer  — All Posts Healing Harvest Homestead (2024)

FAQs

What can I make with my tomato harvest? ›

6 Ways To Use Your Tomato Harvest
  1. Roast Those 'Maters. ...
  2. How to Roast Tomatoes: ...
  3. Can, Can, Can. ...
  4. Freeze Tomatoes Until a Later Date. ...
  5. Dry Tomatoes for a Savory Snack. ...
  6. How to Dry Tomatoes: ...
  7. Enjoy Fried (or Pickled) Green Tomatoes. ...
  8. Prepare Fresh Tomatoes in a Different Way.

What to do with tomatoes after picking? ›

Frozen tomatoes, whole – This is the simplest way I know to preserve tomatoes and many vegetables in the summer harvest. Simply wash them off, allow extra water to drip off, put into a bag and freeze.

What to do with 5 pounds of fresh tomatoes? ›

Here are 8 ways to store away those tomatoes.
  1. Can them whole.
  2. Slow-roast them.
  3. Dehydrate them.
  4. Freeze them.
  5. Make Marinara Sauce.
  6. Make Salsa.
  7. Tomato Purée.
  8. Make Tomato Juice.

What do you give tomatoes when fruiting? ›

Fertilize tomatoes at planting time with a water-soluble fertilizer high in phosphorus. Fertilize again with a 5-10-5 fertilizer after you see the first fruit. Finally, fertilize one last time after harvesting the first fruit.

What does Epsom salt do for tomatoes? ›

Fact! Adding Epsom salts to your plant either through foliar spray or direct watering is a great way of boosting micronutrient absorption. This helps your tomato plant produce large, juicy, and very sweet fruits. Remember that a little bit goes a long way and too much can cause more problem than it fixes.

What boosts tomato growth? ›

Potassium. Tomatoes have a relatively high potassium requirement with over 300kg/ha of potassium typically being utilized. High potassium levels provide high tomato yields. Balance to other nutrients such as calcium and magnesium is also important.

Is watering tomatoes daily too much? ›

Water correctly: Do not overwater. The first week tomato plants are in the ground, they need water every day, but back off watering after the first week, slowly weaning the plants down to 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.

What to do with tomato plants after summer? ›

Even a minor frost will probably kill the tomato plants so go ahead and pull them as soon as it happens. It's important to pick up any dead and diseased leaves as you are clearing out to minimize future problems in the garden. Good luck with your late season tomatoes!

Should I refrigerate tomatoes after picking? ›

If the tomatoes are not yet ripe, they are best stored on the counter for a few days until they ripen. (You'll know they're ripe when they're fragrant and give a little bit to the touch.) Once they're ripe, either consume them or go ahead and put them in the refrigerator to preserve their freshness.

Should you pick tomatoes as soon as they turn red? ›

As it turns out, most commercially-produced tomatoes are picked before they take on the entirely red coloration we associate with being ripe. And science says there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, picking tomatoes before they are completely ripe can be beneficial.

How many tomatoes can you put in a 5 gallon bucket? ›

The standard size of these buckets allows for at least two tomato plants per bucket. This makes them an efficient use of space in small gardens or balcony spaces.

Can I freeze leftover tomatoes? ›

Tomatoes may be frozen raw or cooked, whole, sliced, chopped, or puréed. Tomatoes do not need to be blanched before freezing. Frozen tomatoes are best used in cooked foods such as soups, sauces and stews as they become mushy when they're thawed.

How many pounds of tomatoes will one plant yield? ›

It is a perennial but is usually grown outdoors in temperate climates as an annual. Tomatoes are the most common and beloved vegetable crop for home gardeners. They require relatively little space and can yield 10 to 15 pounds or more of fruit per plant.

What can I do with tomatoes picked too early? ›

In a breathable bag or box
  1. In order to speed up the ripening process, all you need to do is trap the ethene gas in with the tomatoes by putting them in a paper bag, cardboard box or empty kitchen drawer.
  2. Add a ripening banana or apple, which will also give off ethene to help things along.

What to do with a tomato after you cut it? ›

Store large tomato halves cut-side down on a paper towel inside a storage container and use within two days. The tomato will taste best if you can remove it from the fridge even 30 minutes before eating to bring it back to room temperature. Diced tomatoes should also be stored in a storage container in the fridge.

What to do with bountiful tomato harvest? ›

Make Spaghetti Sauce

This is somewhat of a no-brainer when figuring out what to do with an abundant tomato harvest. It uses up a fairly substantial volume of tomatoes and can be frozen or canned, allowing you to enjoy the fruits of your tomato labour all winter long.

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