Peak Season Tomato Recipes

The season of perfectly red, ripe and juicy tomatoes is drawing to a close and we are determined to make the most of this perfect fruit while it’s at its peak. Here are our five favorite ways to prepare fresh tomatoes for maximum tastiness.

BLT – Some think the star of a well-made BLT is the bacon, but we beg to differ. And if you’ve ever had an orange, mealy tomato ruin a perfectly good sandwich, we think you’ll agree. Here we like thick slices of juicy beefsteak tomatoes sprinkled with a little salt and pepper on toasted white bread that’s been spread with a little mayo. (Tip: we drizzle a little We Olive Basil Olive Oil into the mayo to make a flavorful spread). We finish our sandwich with crispy bacon and substitute fresh basil leaves for run-of-the-mill lettuce.

Pico de Gallo – Fresh salsa is far better than anything we’ve found in a jar and it’s best when made with the ripest tomatoes. Here we like Roma (or plum) tomatoes for their flesh to seed ratio and overall tastiness. Try our recipe featuring We Olive Jalapeno Olive Oil found in the Recipes section of WeOlive.com.

Caprese Salad – We can’t talk tomatoes and not talk about a Caprese salad. There may not be a more perfect combination of flavors than ripe, juicy tomatoes (here, we like colorful Heirloom varieties) layered with fresh, creamy mozzarella and tender green basil leaves, drizzled with a robust extra virgin olive oil and a splash of sweet and tangy aged balsamic vinegar…

Gazpacho – There’s nothing more refreshing than cool bowl of gazpacho on hot day to beat the heat. We love this simple recipe that was submitted by Dominique Smith as an entry in our 2013 Discover Cooking with California Olive Oil Recipe Contest. Dominique uses tomatoes from her garden along with We Olive Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a little tart vinegar to give this stunner a zesty kick.

Au Naturel – We will admit that we have been known to eat a tomato like an apple, sprinkling a bit of sea salt on between bites, so we can’t forgo the concept that a peak season tomato is best served with little adulteration.  Here, any variety will do as long as it is perfectly ripe. We like our tomatoes sliced thick so you need a knife and fork to eat them. We drizzle with our favorite EVOO of the moment and sprinkle the slices with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper…it’s tomato bliss.