15 Recipes to Make the Most of Juicy Heirloom Tomatoes

The flavor of heirloom tomatoes shines in these bruschetta, salad, pizza, and pasta recipes.

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Tomatoes are the essence of summer, and heirloom tomatoes the best of the bunch. Here's how to make the most of your farmers' market haul, and savor the season's colorful crop well past August.

Heirlooms are tomatoes (or other plants) grown from seeds handed down over generations. They are open-pollinated, meaning they produce seeds that resemble the parent plant, which not always the case with commercial hybrids. Hybrid tomatoes are often bred for durability, so they can be shipped. Heirloom tomatoes are more diverse. Traditionally they were bred for flavor, and their apperances vary widely; some are small and some extremely large. Heirloom tomatoes also come in a veritable rainbow of shades, not just bright red to pinkish tones but all the way through orange and yellow to striped and ombré colorings. Their names are attractive, too: Brandywine, Purple Cherokee, Green Zebra, Kellogg's Breakfast, and Nebraska Wedding are just a few of the heirloom tomatoes available as seed to grow your own or to buy at the farmers' market.

When shopping for heirloom tomatoes look for plump fruit without bruises or decay as you would with any tomatoes. Heirlooms are more susceptible to cracking, but as long as the cracks are healed (meaning you can't see the flesh), the blemish won't affect taste or safety. Once home, store tomatoes on the counter—not in the refrigerator—for a day or two. So, what are the best ways to enjoy this tasty summer staple? Let heirloom tomatoes shine in simple, sunny salads like our Tomato and Beet Salad. You can also use heirloom tomatoes for appetizers made for sharing, such as tartines or bruschetta. And if you're hosting brunch, you can't go wrong with our Bloody-Mary Tomato Salad.

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Tomato, Peach, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Bresaola Tartine

Dana Gallagher

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15 Recipes to Make the Most of Juicy Heirloom Tomatoes

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Tomato, Peach, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Bresaola Tartine

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Bloody-Mary Tomato Salad

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Tomato Ombrè on Grilled Rustic Bread

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Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Feta

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Tomato Salad with Chile Yogurt

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Heirloom Tomatoes with Cherries, Balsamic, and Hyssop

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Tomato and Mango Salad with Chiles and Tomato Essence

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Ricotta Pizza with Fresh and Roasted Tomatoes

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Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

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Penne with Tomatoes and Parsley Breadcrumbs

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Heirloom Tomato, White Peach, and Ricotta Salata Salad

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Tomato-Beet Salad

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Ricotta and Tomato Toast

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Croxetti with Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes

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Heirloom Tomato Confit

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