15 Fresh Tomato Recipes I Wish I Tried Sooner

A jar of sun dried tomatoes sitting in oil at the back of the fridge is one of the most underused flavour bombs in the kitchen, and this list of sun dried tomato recipes puts it to work in fifteen genuinely different ways. You'll find a creamy weeknight chicken skillet, a five-minute hummus, a rustic focaccia and a loaded pasta bake, so there's something here whatever night of the week it is. Every recipe below uses the same jar of oil-packed tomatoes as its backbone, which means you can buy one jar and cook through most of this list before it runs out. Amounts are given in grams, millilitres and Celsius first, with the imperial conversion right beside them, so nothing gets lost in translation.

This is the recipe below, and it's the one worth mastering first: pan-seared chicken breasts finished in a garlicky cream sauce loaded with sliced sun dried tomatoes, parmesan and wilted spinach. The trick that separates a silky sauce from a greasy one is using the reserved oil from the tomato jar to sear the chicken, so the oil itself becomes part of the dish instead of pooling on top. Swap double cream for full-fat crème fraîche if you want a slightly tangier, thicker result. Keep the heat at medium once the cream goes in, since a hard boil will split it.

Blitz a 400 g tin of drained chickpeas with 60 g (1/3 cup) drained sun dried tomatoes, one garlic clove, 30 ml (2 tbsp) tahini and the juice of half a lemon until smooth, thinning with a splash of the tomato oil or cold water until it's the texture you like. This version skips the usual olive oil drizzle at the end because the tomato oil already carries plenty of flavour and colour. It works as a dip, a sandwich spread, or thinned with a little more oil and stirred through warm pasta as an instant sauce. Taste before adding salt, since both the chickpeas and tomatoes are already fairly salty.

Cook 300 g of short pasta such as fusilli or farfalle to al dente, drain and cool under cold running water so it stays firm rather than gluey. Toss it with 80 g (1/2 cup) chopped sun dried tomatoes, a big handful of torn fresh basil, 100 g of cubed mozzarella and a simple dressing of the tomato oil, red wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar. This one is built for make-ahead lunches, since it actually improves after a few hours in the fridge as the pasta soaks up the dressing. Add rocket or baby spinach just before serving so it doesn't wilt into a soggy pile.

Toast 300 g of arborio rice in butter for a minute before adding a splash of white wine, then ladle in 1 litre (4 cups) of warm chicken or vegetable stock a little at a time over about 20 minutes, stirring often until each addition is absorbed. Stir 80 g (1/2 cup) chopped sun dried tomatoes and 50 g grated parmesan through right at the end, off the heat, so the cheese melts into the rice without turning gritty. The starch released by constant stirring is what gives risotto its signature creaminess, so resist the urge to walk away and let it simmer unattended. Finish with a knob of cold butter for extra shine.

Swap the chicken in the main recipe for a 500 g pack of fresh cheese tortellini, which cooks directly in the simmering cream sauce in about 3-4 minutes instead of needing a separate pot. Use slightly less cream here, around 200 ml (3/4 cup), since the pasta itself releases starch that thickens the sauce further as it cooks. This is the fastest dinner on the whole list, ready in well under 20 minutes from a cold pan. A crack of black pepper and extra parmesan at the table finishes it properly.

This one skips cream entirely: warm 60 ml (1/4 cup) of the tomato oil over medium-low heat with three sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of chilli flakes until the garlic turns pale gold, not brown, which takes about 2 minutes. Toss in 80 g chopped sun dried tomatoes and a splash of the pasta cooking water, then combine with 300 g of just-drained spaghetti so the starchy water helps the sauce cling to every strand. Finish with chopped flat-leaf parsley and a good grind of pepper rather than cheese, which would dull the peppery bite. It's the simplest recipe here and the one to reach for when the cupboard is nearly empty.

Take the classic creamy chicken and brighten it up by adding the zest of one lemon and a squeeze of its juice to the sauce right at the end of cooking, off the heat, so the acidity stays fresh instead of cooking flat. A tablespoon of drained capers stirred in alongside the lemon adds a briny punch that cuts through the richness of the cream. This variation suits anyone who finds the original a little heavy, and it pairs particularly well with steamed green beans or asparagus on the side. Add the lemon juice gradually and taste as you go, since too much will make the cream sauce look slightly curdled even if the flavour is fine.

Sweat a diced onion and two carrots in olive oil for 5 minutes, then add two drained 400 g tins of cannellini beans, 80 g chopped sun dried tomatoes and 1 litre (4 cups) of vegetable stock, simmering for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Blend roughly a third of the soup with a stick blender and stir it back in, which thickens the whole pot without needing any cream. A handful of shredded kale or cavolo nero stirred in for the last 3 minutes adds both colour and fibre. This is the most budget-friendly, fill-you-up option on the list, and it freezes well in portions.

Cook 300 g of orzo directly in the pan with 500 ml (2 cups) of stock and 60 g chopped sun dried tomatoes, stirring occasionally over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender, much like a risotto but far less fussy. Stir in 200 ml (3/4 cup) of evaporated milk instead of cream for a rich finish at a fraction of the cost, plus a handful of grated parmesan. This method uses only one pan and no draining, which keeps washing-up to a minimum on a busy night. Add extra stock a splash at a time if the orzo looks dry before it's fully tender.

Shallow-fry 500 g of shop-bought gnocchi in a little of the tomato oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the pillows turn golden and slightly crisp on the outside, rather than boiling them, which gives the dish much more texture. Push the gnocchi to one side, then build a quick sauce in the same pan with garlic, 150 ml (2/3 cup) cream and 60 g chopped sun dried tomatoes before tossing everything together. The whole dish is done in the time it takes to boil a kettle and set the table. Fresh spinach stirred in at the very end wilts in the residual heat within a minute.

Press 80 g chopped sun dried tomatoes and 60 g pitted black olives into a rested focaccia dough before it goes into a 220°C (425°F) oven for 20-25 minutes, so the toppings roast slightly and the tomatoes crisp at the edges while the crumb stays soft and open underneath. Drizzling a spoonful of the reserved tomato oil over the dough before baking, instead of plain olive oil, adds a deeper, sweeter flavour throughout the loaf. Dimple the dough firmly with your fingertips right before baking so the oil pools in the wells rather than running off. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing, or the crumb will look gummy even when it's perfectly baked.

Brown 400 g of Italian sausage, casings removed, breaking it into chunks, then stir it through the creamy sauce from the main recipe along with 80 g chopped sun dried tomatoes and 350 g of just-cooked penne. Tip everything into a baking dish, top with 150 g grated mozzarella and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling at the edges. Browning alone doesn't guarantee the sausage is cooked through, so check a few pieces with a meat thermometer and make sure they reach 74°C (165°F) before or as the bake comes out of the oven. This is the version to make for a hungry family or when you want deliberate leftovers for the next day's lunch. Let it sit for 5 minutes out of the oven so the sauce firms up enough to serve cleanly.

Toss chicken thighs, halved baby potatoes and cherry tomatoes with 60 ml (1/4 cup) tomato oil, chopped sun dried tomatoes and a scattering of rosemary, then roast on one large tray at 200°C (400°F) for 35-40 minutes until the chicken skin is crisp and the potatoes are tender. Crisp skin and tender potatoes are a good visual cue but not proof of doneness, so check the thickest thigh with a meat thermometer and confirm it reaches 74°C (165°F) before serving. This hands-off version needs no separate sauce or side dish, since everything cooks together and the sun dried tomatoes baste the chicken as it roasts. Spread everything in a single layer with a little space between pieces, or the potatoes will steam instead of crisping. It's the easiest recipe on this list to scale up for a full family.

Blitz 100 g sun dried tomatoes with 30 g toasted pine nuts, 30 g grated parmesan, one garlic clove and 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil until you get a thick, slightly chunky paste rather than a smooth puree. This pesto keeps for up to a week in the fridge under a thin layer of oil and works stirred through pasta, spread on a sandwich, or spooned over grilled chicken or fish. Walnuts make a good, cheaper stand-in for pine nuts if you toast them first to bring out their flavour. A small squeeze of lemon juice at the end balances the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Mash 200 g feta with 100 g cream cheese, 60 g chopped sun dried tomatoes and a tablespoon of the tomato oil until you get a chunky, spreadable dip, no blender required. It comes together in under 5 minutes and needs nothing more than a fork and a bowl. Serve it with warm pitta, breadsticks or raw vegetables, or spread it inside a wrap with grilled chicken for lunch. A scattering of chopped chives on top adds colour and a mild oniony bite without overpowering the tomatoes.

Always drain oil-packed sun dried tomatoes before chopping them, but never throw the oil away, since it's already infused with tomato and often garlic flavour and makes a brilliant base for searing meat or dressing salads. If a recipe calls for dry-packed tomatoes instead, rehydrate them in just-boiled water for 10-15 minutes before using, then pat them dry so they don't dilute your sauce. Chop sun dried tomatoes with kitchen scissors rather than a knife; they're far less likely to stick to the blade and slide around the board. Add parmesan off the heat and stir it in gradually, since dumping it into a boiling sauce is the most common reason cream sauces turn grainy.

The creamy chicken, tortellini and gnocchi dishes all want something to mop up the sauce, so put crusty bread, garlic bread or a simple green salad on the table alongside them. Lighter options like the hummus, pesto and feta dip are best served with a mix of textures, think toasted pitta, crisp raw vegetables and plain crackers, so guests can build their own bite. For the traybake and pasta bake, a squeeze of fresh lemon or a spoonful of good olive oil at the table brightens every plate without extra cooking. A glass of crisp white wine, like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, complements the tangy sweetness of the tomatoes across nearly every recipe here.

Store any of the cream-based dishes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat gently on the hob over low heat with a splash of milk or stock stirred in to loosen the sauce back up. The dips, pesto and hummus keep well for up to a week in the fridge under a thin film of oil, which also helps preserve their colour. Avoid microwaving cream sauces on high power, since it tends to make them split; low power in short bursts, stirring in between, keeps them smooth. Most of these dishes don't freeze brilliantly once cream is involved, but the soup, pesto and sausage pasta bake all freeze well for up to 3 months in sealed containers.