The humble tomato: one of the most versatile and beloved ingredients our Earth has to offer. Now that we are deep into summer your fridge might be overflowing with these bad boys, and culture wants to give you some ideas on how to use ’em up!

Start your tomato feast right with this stunner of a party dip: the sweet umami of the roasted tomato gets a kick from hot smoked paprika, which in turn smooths out with some dollops of creamy fresh goat cheese.

This great little salad from Yvette van Boven’s Home Made Summer, celebrates fresh tomatoes with homemade ricotta. If you’ve never made your own ricotta, you’ll be amazed by how easy it is to make! Also, look how pretty this is. I mean, come on.

If you’re looking for some substantial veggies to counterbalance the beautiful summer ripeness of a freshly picked tomato, this mixed salad has your name on it. The medley of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, soft-boiled egg, and cheese—all tied together by a scrumptious anchovy vinaigrette—makes for a perfect lunch or light dinner.

Moving up the food chain, this frittata, melds fresh and smoked mozzarella with the bright acidity of tomatoes and asparagus, adding both depth and complexity to the dish. Serve this for your next brunch and you’ll guests will be begging you for the recipe.

If you wanna bring out the big guns, this savory flat pie is a cross between a pizza and a tart. The crust is super easy to make, and perfectly complements the rustic flavor of a roasted tomato. 

Julian Plovnick

Julian is a die-hard dairy lover from the Boston area, working for culture this summer as an editorial intern. When not studying English at Vassar College, Julian can be found binge-watching Top Chef (quiz him on any season and he’ll know the elimination order, no joke), refilling his coffee IV, or researching new ways to incorporate ricotta into his life.