Got Tomatoes? Let Them Shine with These Simple Dishes

There’s only one thing better than a sweet, juicy, succulent, perfectly ripe red tomato - a whole bunch of them! With peak tomato season just around the corner, beautiful ruby red tomatoes are soon going to take over the produce section of your local market. Our recommendation? Buy as many as will fit in your reusable bag! There are so many easy and incredible dishes you can make to let a beautiful bunch of tomatoes shine in their most pure, raw form. And no, tomato sauce is not on this list.

Take it from us in Spain, where the tomato is king. And queen. And all other royal family members. Our country is known for its beautiful tomatoes, and they make their way into nearly all of our meals in some shape or form. So we want to bring some of our favorite tomato dishes to you.

Olive Oil Marinated Tomatoes

There’s truly nothing more simple yet delicious. Called in Spain tomate aliñado, or “dressed tomatoes”, the secret to this dish is two key ingredients: amazing tomatoes and amazing olive oil. That’s it. Just slice your juicy tomatoes in rounds, drizzle with premium olive oil like our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gourmet, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste, and voila. You will be stunned at how the tomatoes become even more juicy and sweet with the salt and olive oil marinade. This will become your go-to summer side dish. 

Crusty Tomato Bread 

Another simple dish that lets the tomatoes do the talking, pan con tomate, or “pan with tomato” is our favorite way to start the day in Spain.  Simply halve and toast up your favorite crusty bread, then rub the toasted bread generously with peeled garlic and a juicy ripe tomato (or two, or three!). The tomato will smear on the bread as you rub. Alternatively, you can also grate your tomato on a box grater and spread it on the bread. Drizzle generously with quality olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and enjoy! Once you try it, you’ll understand why it’s one of Spain’s most popular dishes.

Gazpacho

The secret to an incredible gazpacho? Yep, you guessed it: the tomatoes. The riper and juicier, the better. Making brag-worthy gazpacho is as easy as blending together a bunch (about 1 lb) of ripe in-season tomatoes with a peeled cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olive oil and a splash of vinegar. Salt to taste, chill, and devour cold.

Salmorejo

It’s like Gazpacho, but creamier and more decadent. And once again - so simple! Blend a pound of seasonal tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, and a splash of vinegar (we like sherry or red wine vinegar). Now, here comes the crazy part: rip up some crusty bread (about 4 inches of a baguette), and put it in the blended mixture. Let it soak up all the juices of the tomato mixture for about 20 minutes - and blend again! The creamy, tomatoey, zesty cold soup will seriously knock your socks (or sandals) off. Trust us on this one. 

And a couple pro tips from the tomato experts.

● In case you haven’t caught on by now, sea salt and olive oil accentuate the tomato’s brilliant natural flavors and juices.
● When you’ve got delicious, ripe, in season tomatoes, the best way to devour them is raw! This let’s the tomatoes shine, in their most sweet and pure form. 
● Choose tomatoes that are soft to touch, but bounce back.

When we say tomato, you say - let’s eat! What’s your favorite way to devour tomatoes?