Whether homegrown or store-bought, fresh tomatoes are the star of summer meals.

In Season: Tomatoes are at their most flavorful in summer.

What to Look For: Often, the best-tasting tomatoes are grown locally. Look for ones that yield slightly to pressure and are fragrant and heavy for their size. The skin should be smooth, brightly colored, and free of blemishes.

How to Store: Keep tomatoes at room temperature until ripe, and then use within a day or two. Don't refrigerate them, as it will affect their flavor.

Make an elegant and memorable salad by pairing buttery avocado with juicy, multicolored tomatoes. A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper is all the seasoning this easy salad needs. Serve with grilled steak or chicken for a delicious summer meal.

Using purchased puff pastry makes for quick preparation of this beautiful savory tart. Spread the pastry with a mixture of sour cream and grainy mustard, top with sauteed leeks and cherry tomatoes, and bake until golden brown. Finally, scatter crumbled goat cheese and fresh thyme or basil over the top.

Make this light, fresh interpretation of lasagna without ever turning on the oven. Layer halved, boiled lasagna noodles with garlicky sauteed tomatoes, zucchini, basil, and a mixture of ricotta and Parmesan cheeses.

Mash fresh marjoram or oregano into fresh goat cheese, and stuff the mixture into lightly broiled cherry tomatoes. To make stuffing easier, create an impromptu piping bag for the goat cheese by placing it in a plastic sandwich bag and snipping off one corner.

Toast cubes of crusty day-old bread before tossing them with fresh tomatoes, red onion, red-wine vinegar, olive oil, and lots of fresh basil. With a spoonful of creamy ricotta cheese on top of each serving, this panzanella salad is substantial enough to enjoy as a vegetarian main course.

Minced ginger, lemon zest, and fresh jalapeno or serrano chile add an exciting bite to the standard tomato salad. Pair this easy side dish with grilled tuna, mahimahi, or steak.

Simmer diced green tomatoes with cider vinegar, brown sugar, chopped onion, golden raisins, and mustard seed to make a sweet-tart relish that's excellent with grilled pork or as part of a cheese platter. This relish will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks.

This easy Spanish-inspired salad combines store-bought roasted red peppers with fresh tomatoes and torn pieces of crusty bread in an almond and sherry vinegar dressing. Serve this bold salad with skewers of grilled shrimp and chorizo.

Arrange slices of roasted beets and red and yellow beefsteak tomatoes on a platter to create this brilliantly colorful salad. Drizzle with an easy shallot vinaigrette and sprinkle with fresh oregano leaves, and serve at room temperature.

This rustic Italian-inspired soup is a delicious way to use up very ripe tomatoes and stale bread. Drizzle each serving with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil leaves, and enjoy as a light vegetarian meal.

Bake scrambled eggs with chives, corn, and pecorino cheese inside hollowed-out beefsteak tomatoes. Serve for brunch with toasted country bread, or alongside orzo or rice for a light dinner.

Here's a genius way to use those unripened green tomatoes: Cut them into thick slabs and char them on the grill until they're softened and slightly sweet. Drizzle the grilled tomatoes with a creamy sauce easily made in the food processor with fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and prepared mayonnaise.

With garden-ripened tomatoes and fragrant fresh basil, this pasta dish needs very little enhancement to taste divine. Just add some sliced garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, and burrata or mozzarella cheese, and dinner is ready.

How could a BLT get any more delicious? By adding avocado! Swap out the usual lettuce for a layer of sprouts for a tasty twist.

To create this super-easy appetizer, wrap slices of prosciutto around pitted picholine olives and secure with a toothpick. If you like, add a dollop of goat cheese between the tomatoes and olives.

Press olive oil-coated breadcrumbs into a springform pan to create the unique crust of this savory tart. Combine ricotta, parmesan, beaten eggs, and basil to make the rich, custardy filling that's topped with a pretty spiral of sliced tomatoes.

Make a deliciously savory dressing for fresh tomatoes by sauteing garlic and chopped anchovies in olive oil. Sprinkle the salad with chopped parsley and serve with grilled steaks or lamb.

Put a little twist on the typical sliced-tomato salad by seasoning it with lime juice rather than vinegar, then sprinkle with fresh oregano. This easy, elegant salad can be assembled in five minutes.

Toss hot pasta shells with diced beefsteak tomatoes, mozzarella, red onion, and flat-leaf parsley. Serve this warm pasta salad with grilled chicken or sausage, or on its own for an easy vegetarian main dish.

Sprinkle halved tomatoes with dried oregano, thyme, lemon juice, and olive oil, and then char on the grill and serve with yogurt on the side to make this Greek-inspired side dish. This is a marvelous accompaniment to grilled lamb or souvlaki.

Crisp fennel offers an excellent counterpoint to juicy beefsteak tomatoes and watermelon in this refreshing summer salad.

Red onion slices become sweet and tender when baked in a 450-degree oven with juicy tomatoes. This easy casserole is good warm or at room temperature, and makes a great companion to any grilled meat.

Sprinkle wedges of garden-fresh tomatoes with salt and pepper, and serve them alongside shots of chilled vodka. Serve this refreshing, fun combination to welcome guests to a summer party.

Marinate seeded, chopped tomatoes in warm, shallot-infused olive oil before tossing with hot pasta. The aniselike bite of the chopped tarragon topping is a nice complement to the fresh tomatoes.

Marinate sliced heirloom tomatoes in olive oil for an hour before scattering over homemade pizza dough with pecorino cheese, guanciale (or pancetta), and a sprinkling of dried oregano. This recipe is courtesy of chef Chris Bianco, owner of the acclaimed Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.

Hollow out large beefsteak tomatoes and stuff them with a mixture of grilled corn, scallions, goat cheese, and crumbled bacon. Serve these beautiful, self-contained salads with grilled steaks or chicken.

When you use perfectly ripe summer tomatoes that burst with flavor, your salad needs only minimal seasoning -- extra-virgin olive oil and red-wine vinegar. Use a variety of tomatoes, such as red or yellow beefsteak, cherry, grape, or pear.

This variation of that favorite summer appetizer, bruschetta, uses mild, sweet roasted garlic rather than raw. Mash the roasted garlic and mix it with chopped parsley, thyme, and rosemary or oregano, then brush half of the mixture onto bruschetta and stir the other half into chopped beefsteak tomatoes.

Layer very thin slices of green tomato in a baking dish, sprinkle with fresh breadcrumbs, and pour herb-infused cream on top to make this rich, late-summer gratin. This recipe is courtesy of chef Steven Satterfield of Atlanta's Miller Union restaurant.

Ripe beefsteak or plum tomatoes combined with canned tomato juice gives this cool soup a double dose of summery flavor. Season the soup with grated fresh ginger, ground coriander, and lime juice, and top each serving with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Sprinkle tomato slices with sugar and chopped fresh herbs -- basil, oregano, or rosemary -- and bake them at 250 degrees for several hours, evaporating the water they contain and concentrating their flavor. Preserve the dried tomatoes in olive oil with rosemary and thyme, keeping them on hand to enjoy in pasta, soups, and dips.

Toast thin slices of garlic in olive oil, at once flavoring the oil and rendering the garlic chewy and slightly sweet. Combine the garlic oil with diced beefsteak tomatoes, halved multicolored cherry tomatoes, chopped olives, oregano, and balsamic vinegar.

With the intense flavors of garlic, sauteed cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and Parmesan cheese, you won't even notice that this dish is meatless. Amp up the flavor even further by adding capers and chopped anchovies.

Ripe summer tomatoes make an excellent sauce with very little enhancement: just olive oil, onion, garlic, and a bit of tomato paste to deepen the flavor. This recipe makes about nine cups of sauce -- enough to freeze and enjoy after summer's over.

A colorful chopped salad unites several summer garden favorites: peaches, corn, cucumbers, and basil, lightly dressed with lime juice and olive oil. Scoop out ripe beefsteak tomatoes, season the insides with salt and pepper, and scoop the salad into them for serving.

The sweet crunch of raw corn combined with juicy tomatoes and buttery avocado makes for a colorful riot of flavors and textures in this summer salad. Dress the salad with lime juice and, if you like, toss in some fresh basil or cilantro too.

This quick and easy version of the classic Italian panzanella salad calls for a hoagie roll in place of the more traditional country bread. Combine the bread cubes with tomato wedges, fresh mint leaves, Kalamata olives, and a lemony dressing, and let stand for at least five minutes to let the juices soak into the bread.

Make a quick and colorful vinaigrette by pureeing fresh basil with olive oil and white-wine vinegar in a blender. Arrange sliced ripe tomatoes and fresh goat cheese on serving plates or a single platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Season chickpeas and chunks of eggplant with curry powder and roast them along with plum tomatoes, carrots, and garlic cloves to give them a rich, sweet flavor. This vegetarian soup can be frozen for up to three months so you can enjoy vivid summer flavors even in cold weather.

Ripe heirloom tomatoes and sliced red onion only need a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to make the perfect late-summer salad. Enjoy this colorful salad with grilled steaks or chicken.

Sliced tomatoes, onion, oregano, feta cheese, and oil-cured black olives are tucked into a rich, buttery dough to make these savory little pies. Keep the pies in the muffin tin you bake them in for easy transport to a picnic or potluck.

Roast halved, sugar-sprinkled plum tomatoes at 350 degrees for an hour to intensify their flavor for this chunky pasta sauce. Combine the roasted tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil, capers, lemon juice, and fresh basil, and enjoy the sauce over hot spaghetti.

A savory Parmesan pastry crust encloses sauteed shallot and zucchini, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, basil, and miniature balls of fresh mozzarella (known as bocconcini). Serve this savory summer tart with a green salad for an elegant lunch or light dinner.

Use a combination of colors and varieties of miniature tomatoes, such as cherry and teardrop, to make this fast, fresh bruschetta. Toss the halved tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and crushed red-pepper flakes, pile onto garlic toasts, and garnish with dill sprigs.

Heat extra-virgin olive oil with thinly sliced garlic cloves to infuse it with zesty flavor. Arrange an assortment of sliced heirloom tomatoes on a platter, drizzle them with the cooled garlic oil, and sprinkle with fresh chives and basil before serving.

Arrange thick slices of tomato in a baking dish, sprinkle with a mixture of fresh breadcrumbs, lemon zest, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh thyme, and roast until golden. This rustic preparation from the south of France is excellent with grilled steak, seafood, or chicken.

Shred yellow and orange tomatoes and English cucumber on a box grater to achieve the perfect texture for this sunny gazpacho. Season the cool soup with minced garlic and sherry vinegar, and stir in quartered yellow grape tomatoes. Garnish each serving with chopped hard-cooked eggs and Serrano ham.

Combine cornmeal with bittersweet pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika) to make the coating for slices of tart green tomato. This recipe is the perfect way to use the season's last tomatoes that are still clinging to the vine.

The goat cheese in this terrine is blended with milk and gelatin to give it a smooth-but-firm texture. Mix together peeled, seeded yellow and red tomatoes, roasted garlic, arugula, and basil, and layer in a plastic-lined loaf pan with the goat cheese mixture.

Use a hot grill to char halved plum tomatoes and thick slices of country bread to create this bruschetta. Combine the tomatoes with minced garlic, red-wine vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and fresh basil before mounding on grilled bread.

This penne pasta toss gets its nuanced flavor from ripe cherry tomatoes and savory sun-dried tomatoes. Kids and adults alike will love the melting pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese in this quick, meatless pasta dinner.

In this fresh interpretation of gazpacho, roasted tomatoes are pureed with sauteed onion, coriander, cumin, caraway seeds, and dried chiles. Garnish each portion of the chilled soup with a spoonful of plain yogurt and some sliced cherry tomatoes if you like.

Puree beefsteak tomatoes and cantaloupe, and allow the mixture to drain in cheesecloth to produce the delicate, sweet "tomato water" that surrounds these elegant salads. Create the salads by combining sliced heirloom and cherry tomatoes with cantaloupe balls, fresh basil, and olive oil.

Season a pint of grape tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and a few sprigs of oregano or thyme, and roast at 450 degrees. Serve the soft, sweet tomatoes with crackers, or add them to a pasta dish.

Toss tomato wedges with salt, pepper, and cornstarch, then drop spoonfuls of cornmeal-buttermilk biscuit dough over them to make this savory cobbler. This easy, creative recipe is courtesy of Mark Bittman.

Instead of simmering this sauce on the stove, roast the tomatoes, onion, carrots, garlic, and thyme in a 425-degree oven to create a sauce with a rich, slightly smoky flavor. Use as a pizza or lasagna sauce, or stir in olives and capers and spoon over baked chicken.

Soak sliced red onion in red-wine vinegar to give it a pleasingly tangy punch. Add the onion to a colorful summer salad of tomatoes, cucumber, and fresh basil leaves.

This basic tomato sauce contains only ripe plum tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Run the simmered sauce through a food mill if you like a smooth texture, and embellish it in any way you like, adding herbs, sausage, capers, olives, or anything that suits your fancy.

Mix chopped plum tomatoes with red onion, jalapeno or serrano chile, garlic, lime juice, and fresh cilantro for a fresh salsa that's positively addictive. Serve with tortilla chips or enjoy it in burritos, fajitas, or on grilled meats.

Next time you heat up the grill, make a batch of these smoky, thyme-seasoned tomatoes and keep them on hand to use in pasta, soups, sandwiches, and dips. Wrapped tightly, these tomatoes will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

Begin this fresh, easy soup by sauteeing seven pounds of ripe tomatoes with onion, garlic, and marjoram. Puree the soup in a food mill and serve it with flatbread or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Top sliced tomatoes with mixed olives, lemon zest, and extra-virgin olive oil to make this easy but sophisticated salad. Dazzle your guests by using a rainbow assortment of heirloom tomatoes in red, orange, yellow, and green.

Spread fresh, creamy ricotta on a thick slice of whole wheat toast and top with heirloom tomato, fresh basil leaves, and a small drizzle of olive oil. This open-faced sandwich makes a wonderful summer breakfast, afternoon snack, or appetizer.

Make quick work of the Gruyere crust of this savory vegetarian pie by blending it in the food processor. Choose cherry tomatoes in assorted colors and mix them with lots of fresh basil and sauteed onion and garlic to make the filling.

Seedless watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, Thai basil, red onion, feta cheese, and avocado make a colorful and refreshing combination. Grate fresh ginger root and squeeze in a piece of cheesecloth to extract the juice to make the zingy vinaigrette for this summery salad from chef Laurent Tourondel.

This traditional Spanish cold tomato soup is thickened with day-old bread soaked in water. Puree the bread with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red-wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil, and garnish each serving of gazpacho with homemade croutons.

It's easy to make the classic steakhouse tomato salad at home. Cut ripe beefsteak tomatoes into wedges and drizzle them with a mixture of olive oil, red-wine vinegar, minced shallots, and capers.

Top halved beefsteak tomatoes with butter and sliced garlic, and roast in a 400-degree oven until tender and soft. Serve this easy side dish with macaroni and cheese or grilled steak or chicken.

Make a "semi-confit" of cherry tomatoes by heating them in light olive oil with garlic, thyme, and a bay leaf, and storing them in the seasoned oil until ready to use. To create this savory tart, spread a mixture of cooked rice, Dijon mustard, and heavy cream on the bottom of a baked pastry shell, and top with the tomatoes and fresh basil. This recipe is courtesy of chef Michel Roux.

Simmer white wine, fresh basil, and chopped tomatoes with sauteed leeks, red onion, and garlic to make this vibrant summer soup. This rustic Italian recipe makes good use of day-old bread to thicken the soup.

Slices of ripe tomatoes, scallions, marjoram, garlic, and lots of fresh parsley are baked on a buttery pastry crust. Serve this savory pie with scrambled eggs for an elegant brunch, or with a green salad for a light vegetarian dinner.

Marinate diced fresh tomatoes in minced garlic and olive oil while the angel-hair pasta cooks, then toss everything together with toasted pine nuts. This dinner for four takes just 15 minutes to prepare.