16 Easy Summer Recipes Starring Tomatoes and Bread

One of our favorite things about summer is the bumper crop of tomatoes. The easiest way to turn this bright, beautiful harvest into a meal is to pair it with some good bread. Use the two ingredients as building blocks for simple summer dishes, including bruschetta, panzanella, and gazpacho. Click through our recipes and start making the most of tomato season!

Tomato-Crostini Platter

The perfect summer dish! Just set out grilled bread, assorted heirloom tomatoes, and tangy goat cheese on a big platter, season, and top with fresh herbs.

Puree tomatoes and white sandwich bread along with garlic, almonds, sherry vinegar, and olive oil for this spectacular cold soup. A great make-ahead recipe, it can be made up two days in advance.

Step 1: Rub grilled ciabatta with garlic and top with ripe heirloom tomatoes in a range of hues. Step 2: Collect compliments.

Cherry tomatoes and cubed bread lend themselves well to skewers. Throw them on the grill along with some chicken kabobs and brush everything with a zesty lemon-oregano sauce.

This topsy-turvy recipe calls for sandwiching toasted bread and golden brown cheese between juicy tomatoes. Add a handful of mixed greens to the plate, and dinner is served!

Team toasted olive bread with tomatoes, zucchini, baby lettuce, and kalamata olives and toss the whole shebang in a bright herb vinaigrette.

Fire up your grill for the simplest summer meal -- flame-kissed bread topped with luscious charred beefsteak tomatoes and finished with fresh oregano.

Give day-old bread a new life by tossing it with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil in a red-wine vinaigrette. Creamy ricotta rounds out the flavors beautifully.

Rub toasted baguettes with garlic and crown with a variety of heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and basil leaves for a crowd-pleasing summer appetizer.

Get our other bruschetta and crostini recipes

Top ripe tomatoes with torn bread, sauteed corn and greens, and fresh mozzarella and broil until gooey and irresistible.

See our other recipes that star tomatoes and corn -- together with scallions

This savory tart boasts a crust made of fresh breadcrumbs, a custard-like filling of ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, and basil, and beefsteak tomato topping. Feel free to prepare it in advance, as it’s equally delicious at room temperature as it is warm.

Cold soups for the win! Forget turning on the stove; just blend together tomatoes, stale bread, olive oil, cucumber, serrano chile, garlic, and sherry vinegar. A final flourish of shredded chicken makes the dish filling enough for dinner.

Inspired? Get our other cold soup recipes!

Marinated tomatoes make a light sauce for this summery pasta while fresh breadcrumbs provide the perfect textural contrast.

Ready for more summer pasta recipes?

Kids and adults will all adore this classic tomato soup and grilled cheese combo. A splash of heavy cream in the soup and bacon in the sandwiches take it to the next level.

Avocado not so much?! Why this is the morning toast of our dreams! We amp it up with rich ricotta cheese, ripe tomatoes, and a couple of fresh basil leaves.

We love when traditionally sweet foods go savory! Substitute tomatoes for the usual fruit and top with a golden crust made of white sandwich bread and Parmesan cheese.