About this recipe
Brat summer is out; tomato girl summer is in. The latest social media summertime trend features a breezy, Italian-themed fashion aesthetic, and it’s sparking creativity in the kitchen – TikTok and Instagram boast a bevvy of videos touting tomato-themed parties and recipes.
“We are so ready for a tomato girl summer!” wrote @alessandrabrontesema in a recent TikTok showcasing her tomato girl summer dinner party. She, along with other creators such as @biteswithester, have recently popularized heirloom tomato flights. In this trend, TikTok users are taking slices of heirloom tomatoes and topping them with burrata, aioli, bacon and various other toppings.
Restaurants are also taking to social media to highlight their tomato-themed dishes. Roses On Adeline Bar & Kitchen in Berkeley, California, recently claimed that “tomato girl summer is in full effect!” while showing off its new heirloom tomato and corn dish. Wildseed in San Francisco, California, is marketing its new tomato cocktails, including its Caprese Girl cocktail, as tomato girl summer as well. And on the opposite coast in New Jersey, Marsilio’s Kitchen proclaimed it’s “tomato girl summer at Marsilio’s Kitchen” in a recent Facebook reel.
Even Bath & Body Works says its new Off The Vine lotion and fragrance line was inspired by the ”’tomato girl’ aesthetic.”
But events highlighting the versatile summertime fruit have gone on long before tomato girl summer. Since 2021, Duke’s Hot Tomato Summer has been encouraging restaurants to develop specials showcasing tomatoes. The event, now offered in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, has hundreds of participating restaurants with limited-edition tomato-forward dishes.Through July 27, find caviar BLTs in Charleston, southern tomato pie doughnuts in Charlotte and tomato sorbet in Raleigh.
If you’re looking to elevate your tomato girl summer, here are four recipes that highlight the trending ingredient, ranging from simple, no-frills recipes to more complex, elevated dishes.
Feeling ambitious? Cook all four for the ultimate tomato girl summer dinner party.
FOOD FACTS: Does rinsing your produce with water actually do anything?
Ingredients
Fresh Tomato, Beef and Penne Pasta
Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad
Tomato, Basil and Feta Dip
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Croutons and Basil
Directions
Fresh Tomato, Beef and Penne Pasta
-
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef and garlic. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into ¾-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.
TIP:
Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. -
Pour off drippings.
-
Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Add pasta and basil; toss. Sprinkle with cheese.
Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad
-
Combine cooked corn, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl.
-
Mix together the dressing ingredients in another bowl. Pour over the salad, and gently toss to mix.
-
Chill salad for an hour or two to let flavors blend.
-
Add queso fresco and avocados right before serving so they don’t brown.
Tomato, Basil and Feta Dip
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
-
In a baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, shallots, lemon zest, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
-
Roast for 15–20 minutes, or until the tomatoes burst and the mixture is bubbling with flavor.
-
Cube the feta and arrange half in a shallow bowl or serving platter.
-
Spoon the roasted tomato mixture over the feta, layering in the flavor.
-
Season with finishing salt, fresh ground pepper, basil and the remaining feta.
-
Serve warm with toasted bread or fresh veggies.
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Croutons and Basil
-
Blanch three-quarters of the tomatoes, peel, and blend with vinegar, garlic, shallots, basil, fennel, peppercorns, salt and sugar.
-
Marinate tomato water for 4 hours, strain through cheesecloth, and refrigerate overnight.
-
Whip goat cheese until fluffy, pipe onto parchment, chill, then roll into balls.
-
Blanch parsley and basil, shock in ice water, chop, blend with oil until emulsified, strain through coffee filter.
-
Slice remaining tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, arrange on plate with croutons, goat cheese, basil garnish, tomato water and basil oil.
