40 Things You Can Do With Your Extra Cherry Tomatoes

Do you love cherry tomatoes? Me too! If you are like me and countless other gardeners, you probably grow your own. Nothing is better than a perfectly ripe cherry tomato that’s still warm from the sun.

But sometimes it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. It rarely fails that, no matter how careful I am with my planning, I always wind up with way, way too many cherry tomatoes! If that happens to you, you’ll be facing a lot of waste.

That is, unless you have a meal plan for them. You needn’t be forced into countless jars of pasta sauce or day after day of salads if you check out the following 40 recipes.

Each of them makes cherry tomatoes the star, and you’re bound to find a new favorite for your family on this list. Let’s get right to them!

On an Antipasto Plate

Whether it’s unexpected company or you’re just running late on your way to a gathering and need something to bring, nothing beats the elegant simplicity and satisfaction of a nice antipasto platter.

Meats, olives, cheeses, mushrooms, and of course, tomatoes make this mix stand apart from the pack. It’s quick and effortless to put together, saving you time and stress. Get the recipe.

Cherry Tomato Sauce

I might joke about making jar after jar of tomato sauce with your harvest of cherry tomatoes, but the truth is that nothing on Earth is better. Cherry tomatoes are bright, sweet, and perfect for making nearly any kind of tomato-based sauce.

This sauce is super fast and easy to make, stores for months on end, and doesn’t require any special procedures for preparation. And that means no canning!

Pulse everything together in the blender and you’re ready to jar and store. Get the recipe.

Cherry Tomato Salsa

What do you think the most popular condiment is in America? If you said ketchup, you are thinking what most people think, but you’re also wrong!

Believe it or not, it is salsa! Salsa just might be the perfect condiment, and it’s awesome by itself with tortilla chips, on eggs, sandwiches, and a whole lot more.

There are countless salsa recipes out there, but I particularly love this roasted cherry tomato version. If your household eats a lot of it, you can make a batch of jars and then enjoy it throughout the year. Get the recipe.

Sautéed Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes

I love how cherry tomatoes can make basically everything taste better, including other vegetables.

If you need an example, look no further than this wonderfully simple, satisfying, and healthy sautéed green bean dish. It’s a great way to use up a harvest of green beans in the same way, or make them a little tastier and more appealing to picky eaters

Chances are you’ve got the other ingredients you need for this recipe in your pantry right now, so try it tonight. Get the recipe.

Fresh Tomato Tart

American eaters might be more familiar with tomato tarts as a tomato pie, and this savory pastry will surprise and delight you with how delicious it is.

With a flaky, buttery crust and a base of decadent, melted cheese, all three major ingredients work together to produce a seriously satisfying appetizer, snack, or side dish. It’s also stunningly attractive if you need a dish to impress friends or relatives. Get the recipe.

Classic Wedge Salad

It’s hard to think of a vegetable that belongs in salad more than tomatoes. Well, some kind of lettuce, I guess!

Anyway, when it comes to easy, classy, tasty, and satisfying salads, nothing beats a classic wedge: it’s so easy to prepare, a little bit showy, and has the perfect flavor profile consisting of blue cheese dressing, brightly acidic tomatoes, and super savory bacon.

Skip the rough chop and serve this up alongside your main course and get ready for some oohs and ahhs! Get the recipe here.

Cherry Tomato Jam

If I was only going to pick a handful of recipes off this list to enjoy for the rest of my life, this tomato jam rendition would be on there. It’s hard to describe the flavor to people who haven’t had it. It’s sweet but not overpowering. Savory, but not too rich.

It’s ultra-satisfying and the perfect tomato-based condiment for just about anything, from eggs to burgers and a whole lot more. If you’ve never tried it before, it’s past time to remedy that. Get the recipe.

Spicy Moroccan Tomato Sauce

There’s a reason why tomato-based sauces are enjoyed around the world. It’s because they are absolutely awesome! Another one of my true favorites is this spicy Moroccan-style cherry tomato sauce.

It’s rough and rustic, easy to make, and a stupendous garnish that can take fish or beef to the next level. You’ll need harissa paste and a few special seasonings, but they are well worth tracking down for something this good. Get the recipe.

Roasted Tomato Pasta with Pine Nuts

Tomatoes and pasta go together like almost nothing else. But if you’re tired of the same old same old when it comes to marinara, try something a little lighter and a little brighter with this recipe.

Roasted, juicy cherry tomatoes, savory pine nuts, and creamy mozzarella are all familiar flavors in Italian cooking, but this deconstructed recipe lets them all shine in a new way. Get the recipe.

Triple Tomato Flatbread

I love all kinds of bread, and flatbread is certainly counted among them. It’s filling enough to serve as a good snack on its own, the base for another dish, or as an appetizer. This triple tomato-topped variety is satisfying and versatile in equal measure. Get the recipe.

No-Knead Tomato Focaccia

Another scrumptious bread recipe, focaccia is known for its crispy crust, airy, chewy center, and propensity for mix-ins like veggies, cheese, and more. It’s one of the trickier bread types to make yourself, but you can be assured of great taste and easy prep by trying this no-knead version from Urban Farm and Kitchen.

It only takes five ingredients and a few minutes to whip up, and you don’t need a bread machine or any fancy utensils. Get the recipe.

Drunken Mussels

Seafood fans will flip for this drunken mussels recipe: combining filling white beans, savory chorizo, garlic, and a little bit of white wine to bring everything together, it’s so satisfying and good you won’t want anything else for the rest of the week!

This seems like a sophisticated dish that you’d get from a high-end restaurant – and you just might – but it’s a surprisingly easy one to prepare yourself at home. Get the recipe.

Garlic-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Sometimes you don’t need anything else but a perfect tomato to make a great appetizer. Roasting fresh cherry tomatoes with garlic and lots of pepper produces unbelievably good results for basically no effort.

Try this for your next appetizer spread, and be sure to include your favorite bread to complete the ensemble. Get the recipe.

Tomato Gnocchi with Burrata

Gnocchi doesn’t get enough respect as far as I’m concerned: among pastas, it seems to be an also-ran compared to spaghetti, fettuccine, ravioli, and the like. But plump, homemade or fresh gnocchi with the right sauce and cheese borders on a spiritual experience when it comes to comfort foods.

Don’t believe me? Put me to the test with this tomato and burrata gnocchi recipe. As fancy as it looks, you can make it in just half an hour on a weeknight. Get the recipe.

Caprese Bagel Sandwich

Even non-tomato lovers have heard of caprese salads before: the classic combo of tomato, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil just can’t be beat. If you’d like it in a more convenient format, and you’d like it a little more filling besides, give this caprese bagel sandwich a try.

A smear of pesto sauce on the crusty bagel takes it to the next level and helps glue all of your ingredients in place when you dig in! Get the recipe.

Cheesy Zucchini-Tomato Casserole

There’s just something about a good casserole. I think it’s the perfect ratio of comfort, quantity, and ease of preparation. An elegant and veggie-packed variety is this cheesy zucchini tomato version. If you’ve got both coming out of your garden, you’ve got almost everything you need!

Tossing in some feta cheese, onions, shredded basil, and some Parmesan to top it off makes for a scrumptiously rich and filling meal. Get the recipe.

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka

If you love vodka sauce and fresh herbs, this pasta recipe will probably steal the show out of all the ones on this list. It’s intensely flavorful, and the combination of basil, oregano, thyme, and a little dash of red pepper flakes makes for a super savory, warm, and satisfying meal.

The light, pink color of the sauce is also impressive when you’re serving family or friends, but they don’t need to know how easy it is to make! Get the recipe.

Cherry Tomato Pesto

Herbs are the star of pesto sauce, but there’s no reason they can’t share the stage with cherry tomatoes. This intensely flavorful sauce needs little other embellishment with perfectly cooked pasta, as this recipe illustrates.

You’ll love how flexible it is, too: it’s delicious on its own, but you can save the leftovers and toss them with shredded chicken in a day or two for a delicious remix. Get the recipe.

Burst Cherry Tomato and Ricotta Pasta

If you’ve noticed a trend with these recipes—that of cherry tomatoes and cheese—there’s a good reason for that: no matter how it’s prepared, it’s incredibly good!

This pasta dish is another light, quick, and easy option for lunch or dinner: the tomato sauce doesn’t have to simmer all day. Instead, you’ll broil the tomatoes until they pop. The caramelized edges combined with the lusty sauce work wonderfully with any kind of pasta. Get the recipe.

Chicken Salad Club

Arguably the most famous sandwich of them all, nothing beats a classic club. And a club wouldn’t be a club without tomatoes. Give this tried-and-true variety a new lease on life by preparing it with chicken salad and building it on a soft sub roll instead of sliced bread.

The extra ingredients in the salad will work even better with the brightness of the tomatoes and the savory fattiness of the thick-cut bacon. A few chips and a cold drink and you’re halfway to heaven! Get the recipe.

Tomato Bruschetta Chicken

Another beloved Italian recipe, bruschetta is the king of the hill when it comes to topped bread. Why not take that flavor profile and combine it with chicken from the get-go?

It’s healthy, light, and pairs wonderfully with all sorts of side dishes. The author even recommends trying the same recipe with fish for a delicious new twist! Get the recipe.

Chicken Thighs with Cherry Tomatoes and Pernod

I think too many of us here in America turn our noses up at chicken thighs in lieu of breasts. Thighs, aside from being cheaper, are far more flavorful and versatile if you ask me!

Case in point, check out this easy one-pan dinner consisting of roasted chicken thighs, cherry tomatoes, shallots, and a splash of heady, licorice liquor. Get the recipe.

Garlic Roasted Tomato Flatbread Pizza

Tomatoes might have been around forever, but the ultimate dish for them, the pizza, didn’t arrive for a long time.

You just can’t do better than a perfect pie! If you’re ready to try something a little different but still familiar, brace yourself for this drop-dead delicious garlic-roasted tomato flatbread version. It’s quick and easy to whip all the ingredients together, and the perfect meal for movie night or a stay-home date. Get the recipe.

Chicken Skewers

At my house, summer is synonymous with skewers. Marinated meat and veggies on a stick in bite-sized portions—it’s easy, tasty, and always a crowd-pleaser. This chicken skewer recipe is nothing new, but it remains enduringly popular for a reason. Garden-fresh cherry tomatoes make it even better. Get the recipe.

Meat and Potato Kebabs

Chicken skewers not your thing? No worries! Here’s a beef version with onions, potatoes, and of course, cherry tomatoes. Pineapple chunks and a cola marinade give it a vaguely tropical kick that will delight your family or guests. This one’s so good I make it just for myself! The potatoes are also microwaved ahead of time, greatly reducing your prep. Get the recipe.

Sicilian Potato Salad

Most of us have had every kind of potato-based salad there is, and frankly, many of them have been done to death. Keep the goodness but knock off the boredom with this Italian potato salad.

An olive oil dressing is both rich yet a little lighter than the usual mayo-based stuff, and the combination of tomatoes, basil, and garlic hits all the notes you expect. Get the recipe.

Ruby Salad

Ruby salad, also known as Color-It Ruby Salad, is an eclectic mixture of various tomatoes, fresh strawberries, and canned beets, tossed in a dressing made from Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. It sounds a little bizarre on the surface, but it tastes amazing, with a wonderful sweet-and-sour quality that will liven up your senses. It also looks terrific! Get the recipe.

Shrimp, Tomato, and Basil Pasta

This shrimp pasta is perfect for summertime seafood. The flavors are light, bright, and clear, but it’s surprisingly filling. This is a great way to start working with shrimp in the kitchen if you haven’t before, as there’s not much to do assuming the shrimp are peeled and deveined. From beginning to end, it will take you only 30 minutes to make. Get the recipe.

Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Traditional, no-frills bruschetta is delicious, full stop. But if you’re craving something a little extra, check out this recipe that’s made with rich, aromatic goat cheese.

Obviously, goat cheese isn’t for everybody, but if you like it and know your guests do, or have some adventurous eaters at the table, drop this one on them. Drizzle on the balsamic and wait for the applause. Get the recipe.

Cheesy Polenta with Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes

Do you know what polenta is? I’m going to make a whole bunch of gourmands reading this mad and say it’s basically Italian grits. If you like grits and use it as a vehicle for other ingredients, you owe it to yourself to try this cheesy balsamic cherry spin on it. It is immensely filling, comforting, and crowd-pleasing. As a side or a main dish, it rocks. Get the recipe.

Avocado Toast with Cherry Tomatoes

Oh, the avocado toast craze. How restaurants can charge 15 bucks for $2 of bread and $1 worth of avocado is beyond me. Keep yourself out of the poorhouse and enjoy it all the same with this recipe variation.

The brightness of tomatoes and freshly shredded herbs add some much-needed depth to this simple but super satisfying dish. Get the recipe.

Roasted Tomatoes and Cheese with Thyme

Tomatoes and cheese once again—this time, a gorgeous and show-stopping pan full of roasted tomatoes swimming in their own juices with a few dollops of melty cheese and fresh thyme. This is a true appetizer, one that the guests at your table will remember for years to come.

As impressive as it is, it’s stunningly simple to make: 10 minutes and it’s in the oven, then you only have to wait for it to finish! Get the recipe.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup

Is there anything more comforting on a cold day than a big bowl of tomato soup? How about an exceptional bowl of tomato soup? And I mean really exceptional! A bumper crop of cherry tomatoes is the perfect excuse to make this roasted tomato soup variation. You’ll forget all about the canned stuff after this, and I dare say it will even challenge your grandma’s time-honored recipe. Get the recipe.

Burrata (Or Mozzarella) Caprese Salad

It’s so hard to go wrong with the classics, but sometimes a little tweak to an ingredient here or there can reach new heights. Case in point: this burrata caprese salad.

It’s drop-dead gorgeous on the table, and the richness of burrata combined with fresh basil, balsamic vinaigrette, and the delicious sweetness of cherry tomatoes is truly unbeatable. Get the recipe.

Jerusalem Salad

One of my favorite vegetable salads is sadly almost unknown here in the US…

Jerusalem salad, also known as Palestinian cucumber tomato salad, is exactly what it sounds like: a bright, juicy, and super fresh combo of summer veggies and herbs that makes a splendid garnish or a remarkably healthy side dish. It pairs especially well with heavy, rich main dishes. Get the recipe.

Vegetarian Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a fixture in my house, and I’ll reckon in many other houses. They’re pretty much perfect when it comes to effort versus satisfying results. But no matter what kind of variety you like, they all tend to be on the heavy side.

Whether you have vegetarian eaters to cater to or you just want something a bit lighter, cherry tomatoes make this vegetarian variety something truly special. Get the recipe.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Is it a fancy hors d’oeuvre? An easy snack? Could it be a side dish? I don’t know what you want to call them, and I don’t care how you classify it: these stuffed cherry tomatoes are downright delicious.

Fresh dill, cream cheese, butter, and garlic pack out the interior of plump and tangy cherry tomatoes in this addictive recipe. Get the recipe.

Grilled Skirt Steak Salad

Meat is a mainstay in nearly all of my meals. It’s the only thing that really satisfies. I love how salads taste, and I know they’re good for me, but they never, ever fill me up. I finally found one that would: this awesome grilled skirt steak salad courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Loaded with fresh veggies and yummy cuts of flank steak, this one will please even the most carnivorous eaters. Get the recipe.

Authentic Fattoush

Another tasty veggie salad with cherry tomatoes in a supporting role—radicchio, dill, citrus dressing, and chopped pita bread make this recognizable to Western sensibilities yet unique. As expected, it’s really easy to make. Get the recipe.

Baked Cod with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Another stellar recipe for seafood lovers or folks who are watching their calorie intake, this is a simple baked fish recipe that’s jazzed up with a saucy mound of reduced cherry tomatoes. Serve with rice, roasted cauliflower, or any other veggies of your choice for an awesome and wholesome meal. Get the recipe.