8 Ways to Enjoy Sun-Ripened Tomatoes

Photo by: Bigstockphoto
Photo by: Bigstockphoto

There is no such thing as having too many tomatoes! Red, juicy tomatoes make a great addition to pasta dishes, savory meals, and sauces. Wondering what to do with your sun-ripened tomatoes?  Encourage the whole family to eat healthy by whipping up these delectable gastronomic creations:

1. Grill Them

Although tomatoes are traditionally eaten fresh or stewed, you can pop tomato slices on the grill. We recommend marinating the tomatoes for a few minutes in olive oil and fresh basil before charring it slightly over the grill. You can serve grilled tomatoes with melted cheese as a summer appetizer or on the side for grilled meats and poultry!

2. Salsa from Scratch

What’s a classic salsa without juicy, ripe tomatoes? Make your very own chunky salsa from scratch using leftover tomatoes. Just dice the tomatoes up together with onion, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro. Add a dash of lime juice and season with salt and pepper. You can serve the salsa as a side dish, as a dip or as stuffing to meats and seafood!

3. Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Do away with store-bought spaghetti sauce. Store-bought sauces are loaded with sodium and preservatives. Instead of feeding your family with junk, why not make good use of those leftover tomatoes for a homemade spaghetti sauce? It’s surprisingly easy to make.

Just blanch fresh tomatoes in boiling water then give them an ice bath to remove the skin. Then, roast the skinned tomatoes. Finally simmer the roasted tomatoes in a pot of water and add fresh basil, minced garlic, oregano, and wine. Season with salt and pepper and you are done.

4.Make Appetizers

Here’s a quick appetizer you can try using fresh tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes thickly and soak it in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add crumbled feta cheese, blue cheese, Mozzarella or any cheese that strikes your fancy. Serve this and enjoy the explosion of flavors in your mouth!

5. Whip Up a Tomato Fruit Cocktail

Tomato is a fruit, but you rarely see it being added in fruit salads. Why not give your regular fruit salad recipe an upgrade by adding sweet summer tomatoes? Just pop halved cherry tomatoes to your fruit salad mix. The tartness of the tomatoes will cut through the sweetness of the summer fruits.

6. Stuffed Tomatoes

If you have large, beautiful tomatoes, you can stuff it with chopped olives, artichokes, feta cheese and seasoned rice for a delightful meal! You can also try filling it with sausage, peppers, and bread crumbs. Just hollow out the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Now fill it with your choice of filling then broil the stuffed tomatoes. Serve it piping hot and enjoy!

7. Tomato Chips

If you’re watching what you eat then you can convert tomatoes into a healthy snack. Slice several tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and basil. Pop the tomatoes in a dehydrator and dry the vegetable for 8 to 12 hours. You can use the chips as a snack, as ingredients for stews or add in salads.

8.Freeze Them

Preserve your leftover tomatoes by blanching them and then giving the tomatoes an ice bath to remove the skin. Remove the seeds and keep the sliced tomatoes in a Ziploc bag. Stick the baggies in the fridge. Now you have a stock of fresh summer tomatoes you can use to make soups and stews during the fall and winter season!