Tomato
Vodka Gochujang Pasta
This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.
Sofrito Bolognese
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Pasta Alla Mezcal
This marinara sauce is great tossed with any pasta for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that will leave you thinking, “Why didn’t anyone try this sooner?”
Stir-Fried Phở Noodles With Beef
This dish is not only a quick meal option but also a practical way to use leftover phở noodles when you’re out of broth.
Charred Vegetable Ragù
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Turkish-Style Eggs and Tomatoes
This riff on çılbır marries garlicky yogurt, fried eggs, and spiced butter with summer tomatoes.
Crushed Lentils With Tahini & Soft-Boiled Eggs
Garlic and chile are what really make this das medames sing, while hearty cumin, fresh cilantro, tomato, and tahini pile on layers of flavors.
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Cajun-Creole shrimp is combined with a light cream sauce, and two together are off-the-charts delicious. It’s full of flavor without being too spicy.
Smoky Tofu Shakshuka
This vegan version of the classic North African scramble uses soft silken tofu instead of eggs without any sacrifice of flavor.
Gourmet’s Classic Ratatouille
Summer’s best produce cooked into one vibrant, silky, flavor-packed dish.
Calamari Salad
With flash-seared squid, tomatoes, olives, parsley, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette.
Pasta Primavera
With a heap of fresh produce and creamy sauce, this one-pot pasta endures for a reason.
Lobia Karahi (Red Kidney Beans With Tomatoes)
This simple dish of beans simmered in a spicy sauce is found in every corner food stall in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
A go-to recipe for more than just pasta. Put it toward chicken, meatballs, and more.
Chiles Rellenos
With layers of flavor and centuries of history, chiles rellenos makes an excellent vegetarian main.
Caprese With Crispy Polenta Croutons
Summer suppers don't get breezier or better than this.
Huevos Rancheros
Warm tortillas, refried beans, sunny eggs, and a salsa you'll write home about.
Tomato and Cherry Quinoa With Pistachios
This simple recipe—a seriously good celebration of high summer—deserves the very best tomatoes you can find.
Tomatoes With Brown Butter
Nutty brown butter takes ripe sliced tomatoes to a whole new level.