Tomato Focused Tea Party Recipes

Do you feel like you're absolutely drowning in tomatoes from your garden toward the end of the summer? These recipes are perfect for you!

To accompany our blog post about the history of tomatoes we have whipped up a few different tomato focused recipes for you to enjoy. There are two tea breads, spiced jam, twiddle, and of course a fresh tomato basil soup recipe. 

Test them out and let us know what you think! We've personally tested them all and think they're definitely tea party worthy.

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup is best made with fresh tomatoes and delivers unmatched flavor. Top with fresh mozzarella and pine nuts for an extra punch of flavor and texture. We highly recommend the pine nuts. The texture it adds is so pleasing.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 10 | Course: Soup

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Medium Sweet Onions, Chopped
• 5 Medium Garlic Cloves, Smashed and Sliced
• 4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 Medium Carrots, Finely Chopped
• 8 Cups Fresh Tomatoes, Chopped
• 2 Medium Bay Leaves
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar
• Salt, To Taste
• Pepper, To Taste
• 1/2 Cup Packed Basil Divided in Two Halves
• 4 Ounces Fresh Mozzarella, Roughly Chopped (Optional)
• 2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts, Toasted (Optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oil and butter in a large pot. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add chopped garlic and continue cooking for about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
2. Add chicken broth, carrots, tomatoes, bay leaves, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of the fresh basil leaves. Cook uncovered on medium-high until the soup begins to boil. Turn down to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove bay leaves and cool slightly, then transfer half of the contents to a food processor, add remaining basil to taste. Process until smooth and creamy. Transfer processed soup to a medium size bowl, then repeat processing with the second half of soup. Return soup to pot and re-warm gently before serving. Serve hot in soup bowls.

If desired, top each bowl of soup with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and/or a few pine nuts.

Tomato Twiddle

Tomato Twiddle is a simple five-ingredient sandwich spread, ideal for tea sandwiches and full of flavor. Make these for your next tea party and they’re sure to be a hit!

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 5 | Course: Main Course

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 2 Tomatoes (Fresh off the Vine, if possible)
• 1/2 Lb. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
• 1/4 Cup White Onion, Diced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
• Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the tomatoes by cutting an "X" on the bottom (not deep, just enough to pierce the skin of the tomato). Place it in a pot of boiling water. Once the skin starts to curl up off the tomato, remove from the water. Allow it to cool for about a minute. Drop in ice water then peel the skin off the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half then remove and discard all the seeds.
2. Add tomato, cheese, onion, garlic salt, and pepper into a food processor (start light on the onion and add as desired for flavor) Pulse until fully combined. Mixture will be spreadable. If it is too runny add more cheese to thicken.
3. Spread onto bread and serve.

Store in refrigerator if not serving immediately. It tastes better if made a day ahead of time.

Spiced Tomato Tea Bread

This Spiced Tomato Tea Bread will brighten up your tea parties with fresh tomato flavors.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50-60 minutes | Total Time: ~60 minutes | Servings: 2 Loaves

Equipment

• 2, 5x9-inch loaf pans

Ingredients

• 4 Cups Flour
• 2 1/2 Cups Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Allspice
• 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Butter (One Stick), Melted
• 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 5 Cups Tomato, Diced*
• 1 Cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans (Optional)
• 1 Tomato, Sliced Into 1/4” Slices (Optional)
  

*   We recommend that you use a firm tomato and if there is a lot of juice when dicing the tomatos, don't include it as this can make the mixture too wet and the tea bread heavy and soggy!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 5x9” loaf pans and line the bottoms with waxed or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir them together until well combined.
3. Put the eggs, melted butter, vanilla and tomato chunks in the bowl of a food processor and pulse two or three times until the tomato has broken down. You will still see some pieces of tomato.
4. Add the tomato mixture to the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until the flour has almost disappeared. Add the cranberries and nuts (if using) and continue to fold until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix it.
5. Split the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Use the spatula to spread the batter and then top with tomato slices.
6. Bake in the center of a 350-degree oven for 50-60 minutes until the bread is done. Cool for 10-15 minutes in the pans and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Fresh Tomato Lemon Tea Bread

Our Tomato Lemon Tea Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50-60 minutes | Total Time: ~60 minutes | Servings: 1 Loaf

Equipment

• 9-inch loaf pan

Ingredients

• 2 Medium Tomatoes, Quartered
• 1 Large Lemon, Zested and Juiced
• 2 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Butter, Softened
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (Optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9” loaf pan and line the bottoms with waxed or parchment paper.
2. Puree tomatoes, until only very small pieces remain- not into a liquid. Measure 1 cup of puree. Zest and juice lemon into measured tomato puree. Set aside.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisk to evenly distribute each ingredient and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, and whisk until combined. Add dry ingredients and tomato puree mixture alternating each until everything is combined. Stir in nuts.
4. Pour batter into prepared 9-inch loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Test with toothpick in center. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the bread is done. Place on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes then remove bread and place back on wire rack to cool completely.
5. Brush top with butter if desired.

Spiced Tomato Jam

This Spiced tomato jam is a great way to use up excess tomatoes from your garden and practice your canning skills! Tasty on toast, pancakes, ice cream, or whatever you fancy.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 5-15 minutes | Total Time: 20-30 minutes | Servings: ~5 Half-pint Jars

Equipment

• Warm, Sterilized Canning Jars
• Boiling Water Canner

Ingredients

• 3 cups prepared tomatoes (prepare about 2 1/4 pounds tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 box powdered pectin

To Prepare Tomatoes

1. Wash firm, ripe tomatoes. Cut an "X" on the bottom of the tomatoes (not deep, just enough to pierce the skin of the tomato). Place it in a pot of boiling water. Once the skin starts to curl up off the tomato, remove from the water. Allow it to cool for about a minute. Drop in ice water then peel the skin off the tomatoes. Chop peeled tomatoes.
2. Place chopped tomatoes in saucepan and heat slowly to simmer, stirring constantly to prevent sticking and burning.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Put it to the side until ready to use. Store in fridge for up to one week prior to making jam.

To Make Jam

1. Measure 3 cups of the cooked tomatoes into a large saucepan. Add lemon juice, lemon rind, allspice, cinnamon and cloves.
2. Measure sugar and set aside. Stir powdered pectin into prepared tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. At once, stir in sugar. Stir and bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Then boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat. Skim off foam. Pour hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner (Process for 5 minutes if up to 1,000 ft elevation, 10 minutes if between 1,001 and 6,000 ft elevation, or 15 minutes if above 6,001 ft elevation).

This jam tends to be a soft set jam.

This recipe was adapted from a recipe we found on the National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia website.