It's tomato season!

Need some inspiration to start using those tomatoes? We've got 5 simple tomato recipes to get you started!

5 SIMPLE TOMATO RECIPES

1. Fresh Salsa

Salsa is so easy to make, and the difference between store-bought and freshly made is huge!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup onion, diced
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeño pepper (including seeds)
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients together gently.
2. Enjoy (yes, that's literally it!)

2. Simple Tomato Sauce

Often, when we think about homemade tomato sauce, we think labour and time-intensive… but that doesn't have to be the case!

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs ripe tomatoes, stems and core removed
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 3-5 fresh basil, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. Put your tomatoes into a pot with oil and salt.
2. Cook over medium heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring often.
3. Once the tomatoes soften, smash them up to get a sauce-like consistency.
4. Continue cooking until the sauce is thick. When it’s almost done, add the basil.
5. Optional: Blend in the blender for a smoother sauce – or don't if rustic is your style!

3. Caprese Salad

Based on taste, one would think this is a fact (read: hard to make) salad. But really, it's so, so simple.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, thickly sliced
• Large bunch of fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Reduce your balsamic vinegar to a thick sauce by bringing to a gentle boil over low heat – about 15 minutes. Let cool.
2. Arrange your tomato slices and mozzarella in alternating slices on a platter.
3. Tuck the whole basil leaves in between the tomato and cheese slices.
4. Drizzle the balsamic reduction on top, then drizzle the olive oil on top of that.
5. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

4. Baked Tomatoes with Cheese

Gooey cheese and warm, soft tomatoes. Mouthwatering, no?

Ingredients:

• 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1 tbsp oil oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your sliced tomatoes on the parchment paper.
3. Top each tomato slice with a layer of parmesan and then a layer of mozzarella.
4. Sprinkle basil on top and drizzle with olive oil.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is all melty, then broil for 2-3 minutes to give it a bit of a crunch.

5. Simple Tomato Soup

Forget the canned stuff – go fresh. And of course, don't forget to pair it with a grilled cheese sammie!

Ingredients:

• 10-12 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 to 3 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 ½ cups water, low sodium vegetable stock, or chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, water/stock, tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more salt as needed.
3. Blend the soup, and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Yum…

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO STORE TOMATOES

In the fridge or on the counter? It's a question many of us grapple with.

You really should try to use fully wiped tomatoes as soon as possible, but if you can't, refrigerating them is best to keep them fresh. Just be sure to bring them to room temperature before using them (once you take them out of the fridge).

A few other tips for storing tomatoes:

• If you get tomatoes from the grocery store, they'll have been previously refrigerated. Leave them on the counter until they are fully ripe, then store them in the fridge for later use.

• Home garden tomatoes and tomatoes you buy at a farmers market stand you trust will not have been previously refrigerated. If they are not ripe yet, remove the stems and store the tomatoes upside down on a large tray until they ripen.