10 Things to do with Tomatoes
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With tomatoes coming in more and more every day around my house, I thought I would share some ideas on what to do with them with you today.
I hope you planted tomatoes this year! I strongly encourage you to grow however much of your own food as you possibly can and in many parts of the country it is not too late to get a late summer garden in. You will be glad you did this fall when you see how high our food prices will be going (yes, in addition to the heights they have already reached).
Are Tomatoes Fruits or Vegetable?
Well it depends on who you ask. If you ask a botanist who knows the criteria regarding what makes a fruit a fruit, then tomatoes are actually fruits, not vegetables.
Bottom line (I guess) is fruits contain seeds, while vegetables typically don’t have seeds and consist mainly of roots, stems and leaves.
For me it really doesn’t matter much… I just want to enjoy these little beauties with a lovely meal. Now go get you some tomatoes and enjoy them in these 10 different ways…
Here are a few of my favorite things to do with tomatoes:
Freezing Tomatoes
Freezing tomatoes is an incredibly simple way to put them up. It’s fast, easy, and requires no special equipment. You will be rewarded with garden fresh taste when you use them in soups and stews this fall. There is nothing like it! Try my family’s chicken stew, my chili, this phenomenal goulash, or even add them to store bought spaghetti sauce to liven up the flavor!
I have been making tomato chips almost daily for several weeks now because we eat them just as fast as I can get them made! This simple method yields a deliciously crisp chip that can be eaten as a snack or tossed in soups and stews to rehydrate and serve like you would traditional stewed tomatoes.
This is a very common lunch for me during tomato season. I slice fresh tomatoes, add a few simple ingredients, and eat until I’m floundered! They are just that good!
Make Tomato Pie!
Tomato pie is a wonderful side dish that can also double as a meal in itself!
Make Tomato and Cucumber Salad!
This is one of my favorite salads to bring to family reunions, summer potlucks, or to eat pretty much year round.
It’s always best with garden fresh tomatoes though.
Make Slow Cooker Tacos
This is an easily customizable meal using whatever veggies your garden is currently giving you. Yesterday I made it and doubled the tomatoes, used fresh squash from a neighbor and paired it with the other simple ingredients and seasonings for a fresh and filling home cooked meal in one!
Corn relish is good on pretty much anything but I especially enjoy it on top of a bowl of pinto beans or served alongside fresh cornbread. This also makes a great Christmas gift to anyone who would enjoy a little taste of summer during the winter months. 
Tomatoes and Okra
This four-ingredient tomatoes and okra recipe with crispy bacon and tender onion will knock your socks off. I mean you did see bacon in the title, right?!
Fried Green tomatoes are as Southern as Sweet tea, and for good reason! If you have any unripened tomatoes or harder than usual red ones, use this recipe to make one Jim Dandy of a side dish!
Greek Chicken Tacos
Fresh chopped tomatoes are always wonderful served atop tacos. This recipe combines them with fresh herbs to make a delicious topping on Greek Chicken Tacos.
Share Them With Neighbors!
A tradition as old as gardens are, sharing bounty with neighbors fosters friendships and lends a helping hand as well. If you have a bountiful garden this year and know someone who doesn’t:
I love tomatoes any way you can fix them. Last summer, one of our farm stands sold boxes of tomatoes for 10 dollars! Each box contained between 40 – 50 tomatoes. I froze the tomatoes and they were delicious in soups and chili last winter.
My garden is growing beautifully! BUT this has been the most challenging summer keeping the rabbits out, I feel like I’ve spent equal time weeding as trying to out smart them. We had 91″ of snow this winter and some people told me that is why we have an abundance since they created so many dens?
Anyway, I’m not giving up (ha,ha)
I have found if you plant marigolds all around your garden the rabbits don’t like the smell and will stay away. I’ve done this for years and it works
Thanks for the tip, I’m doing asap!
Can’t wait till mine are ready!
My Mom and I love tomato pie. I had never even heard of it until I started cooking southern. We have a fresh basil plant this year too! Thanks for the great post!
Happy Birthday, have enjoyed Southern Plate immensely, I think we are sisters from another Mother…LOL We are getting tomatoes from our two large tomato plants, but something is either eating holes in them as they ripen (chipmonks?), or pecking them…birds…so today had to bring out the birdnetting tent….we will see how this goes…We love our blt’s, also cucumber blt bites, hollow out a halved cucumber and stuff with chopped tomato, lettuce, a bit of Miracle whip and crumbled bacon!! We also love the broiled or baked tomato topped with a bit of plain yogurt, torn basil, parmesean cheese and at the end a bit of provolone melted on top!! And don’t forget fresh salsa!!
Love love love tomatoes of any kind except the low acid ones! Cannot get enough of them ever.
“A Day without Garden TOMATOES is a day without Sunshine”