What to Do With Too Many Cherry Tomatoes: Recipes & Ideas from the Farm

If you’ve ever grown cherry tomatoes, you already know how it goes. You plant one or two tomato plants in the spring, dreaming of sweet, juicy little tomatoes to snack on in the summer months. But then—suddenly—you’re swimming in them. Buckets, baskets, and bowls of plump cherry tomatoes cover your counter, and you’re left asking: What’s the best way to use all of these tomatoes before they go bad?

As vegetable farmers, we understand this problem on a bigger scale. We grow hundreds of tomato plants here on the farm, and every season, we harvest thousands pounds of cherry tomatoes. We love them for their small size, thin skin, and burst of flavor, but we’ve also learned that you can only eat so many straight off the vine before you need creative recipes to use them up.

The good news? Cherry tomatoes are incredibly versatile. You can roast them, freeze them, toss them into salads, turn them into pasta sauce, or serve them as an easy appetizer. Below, I’ll share our family’s go-to recipe—Cherry Tomato Pizza Sauce—along with other simple, flavorful ways to use up your harvest.

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Cherry Tomato Pizza Sauce (Freezer-Friendly)

This is one of our favorite recipes because it helps preserve cherry tomatoes for later in the year.  Nearly every time we have a slow farmers’ market, you can bet our cherry tomatoes we bring home are being turned into this so we can make pizza night extra special. 

Unlike larger tomatoes, cherry tomatoes have less water and a sweeter flavor, which means you don’t have to cook them down for hours to make a thick, flavorful sauce. With just minutes of prep time, you can have a sauce that tastes like it came straight from an Italian grandmother’s kitchen.

Ingredients (makes about 4 cups sauce)

• 6 cups ripe cherry tomatoes*
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon chopped garlic (about 2 garlic cloves)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon granulated onion
• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but adds a nice kick)

*Farmer tip: If you want to remove the seeds, poke a small hole in the bottom of each tomato and squeeze gently. But honestly? When we’re dealing with crates of ripe tomatoes, we skip it. The seeds blend in just fine.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Roast for about 90 minutes, until skins are wrinkled and the tomatoes are jammy.
4. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender.
5. Add lemon juice and seasonings. Blend until smooth (about 30 seconds).
6. Chill before freezing. Store in one-cup airtight containers for perfect pizza portions.

This cherry tomato sauce is one of the best ways to save your summer harvest and reduce food waste. We pull out a cup at a time to make homemade pizza, add it to pasta water for a quick sauce, or stir it into soups for extra flavor.

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More Creative Cherry Tomato Recipes

Of course, sauce is just the beginning. When you’re faced with a lot of tomatoes, you’ll want a variety of recipes to keep meals exciting. Here are some of our favorite ways to use cherry tomatoes from the farm:

• Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta
  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add cherry tomatoes, and cook until they burst. Toss with cooked pasta, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil leaves. It’s a flavorful pasta recipe that comes together in minutes of cooking.
• BLT Pasta Salad
  Our kids love this one. Combine pasta, crispy bacon, lettuce, and cherry tomatoes with a creamy dressing. It’s a family favorite and a perfect side dish for summer gatherings.
• Greek Salad with Feta Cheese
  Mix grape tomatoes with cucumbers, red onion, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. Toss with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a fresh, crunchy salad.
• Cherry Tomato Bruschetta
  Dice ripe cherry tomatoes, season with salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic, then spoon onto slices of crusty bread. Add goat cheese or creamy burrata for a delicious appetizer.
• Cherry Tomato Confit
  One of the best things you can make when you have too many tomatoes. Roast cherry tomatoes low and slow in olive oil with garlic cloves and fresh herbs until they are jammy tomatoes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve over pasta, eggs, or crusty bread.
• Caprese Salad
  A classic Italian dish that shines with fresh tomatoes. Slice sweet cherry tomatoes and pair them with mozzarella or burrata, fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Simple, beautiful, and always a crowd-pleaser.
• White Bean & Egg Skillet
  For a hearty vegetarian option, sauté cherry tomatoes with white beans, garlic, and artichoke hearts, then crack a few eggs on top and cook until set. A great way to use up garden tomatoes while making a filling meal.

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Why Cherry Tomatoes Deserve a Spot in Every Garden

After years of farming, I can confidently say that cherry tomatoes are one of the most rewarding crops you can grow. Here’s why:

• They’re prolific. Even a single plant will keep you supplied with juicy cherry tomatoes all season long.
• They’re versatile. Whether you need a quick salad, a flavorful sauce, or an easy appetizer, cherry tomatoes fit the bill.
• They’re forgiving. Unlike larger tomatoes, cherry varieties have less water and thicker skin, which means they’re less likely to split or rot before you can use them.
• They preserve well. From freezing sauce to making confit, there are so many ways to extend the shelf life of cherry tomatoes beyond the summer months.

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Final Thoughts: The Perfect Way to Use Too Many Cherry Tomatoes

When tomato season arrives, it can feel overwhelming to see bowl after bowl of ripe cherry tomatoes on your counter. But instead of letting them go to waste, think of it as an opportunity for a little culinary adventure. From freezer-friendly cherry tomato pizza sauce to fresh salads, bruschetta, and pasta dishes, there are endless simple recipes that let you enjoy that burst of summer flavor.

As farmers, we’ve learned that abundance is a gift—especially when it comes to juicy cherry tomatoes. With a little planning and some good recipes, you can turn “too many” into “just enough.”

So the next time you’re wondering what to do with all those garden-fresh cherry tomatoes, try roasting, blending, or tossing them into a salad. You might just find that this little tomato becomes the most delicious addition to your table.