Tomato salads are a great way to cool off in summer and enjoy in-season tomatoes, which will be at their most fragrant, ripe and flavourful. However – especially when mixed in with lots of other ingredients like cucumbers and bell peppers – tomato salads can also be a great way to make the most of firmer, out-of-season tomatoes.

Every country has their own version of tomato salad. There are Italian salads like caprese or panzanella, Thai tomato and lap cheong salads and Burmese khayan chin thi thoke made with green tomatoes.

Some tomato salads are good for purists, like Ollie Templeton’s Isle of Wight tomato salad. It’s served with a chilled tomato broth and has hardly any ingredients other than a herb garnish, olive oil and vinegar. Our ultimate caprese salad keeps things similarly simple, serving fresh tomatoes alongside a basil dressing, burrata and avocado.

Other tomato salads use tomatoes as just one element – Esra Muslu’s heirloom tomato salad pairs fresh tomatoes with a herby green yoghurt, and José Pizarro’s pipirrana mixes ripe tomatoes in with hard boiled eggs, cucumber, peppers and chillies.

However you like your tomato salads – spicy and tart, with fish sauce and lime, creamy and herby with yoghurt or as simple as can be – we’re sure to have a recipe that will fit the bill.