It's hard to overstate how wonderful a good tomato is – an ingredient that can be so extraordinary when it's simply drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt must be something special, after all. Whether they're big or small, cooked or raw, tomatoes form the basis of countless dishes from every corner of the world, having been relied on throughout history by poorer communities for humble, hearty dishes (you can see a list of tomato-based peasant dishes from around the globe here). Though they're now available year-round, British tomato season kicks off in spring, reaching its peak in July and August, when we grab the chance to enjoy them at their best with both hands.

You'll no doubt have plenty of classic tomato recipes in your roster, whether that's a tried and tested tomato salad, a go-to pasta dish or a comforting stew, and coming up with new ideas for such a ubiquitous ingredient can be a challenge. We've done our best here, turning to our brilliant chefs to bring together thirteen creative dishes which we hope will provide that fresh inspiration. If they aren't quite what you're after, hopefully our recipes for semi-dried and confit tomatoes will do the trick. 

Though this Ollie Dabbous tomato recipe looks simple, some elements need to be prepared in advance, including the tomato essence, which should be made 48 hours ahead of time. It's well worth the extra effort, though – not only is it a show-stopper of a starter that will wow your guests, but it's brimming with flavour; the tomato is stuffed with bread, olive and tomato, before being marinated in and served with the intense tomato and basil essence. 

This straightforward starter takes only thirty minutes to make, and most of the work can be done the day before, meaning you'll only need to plate up and garnish it when you're ready to go. Ollie Templeton's colourful tomato salad includes a beautifully fragrant broth spiked with fresh, summery flavours.

This salad from Peter Sanchez-Inglesias is incredibly simple, which means that every ingredient matters – if you're going to make it, make sure you track down the best quality tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar that you can. Peter mixes sliced tomatoes with grated tomatoes, giving the dish a wonderful silkiness. A stunning dish which sings with flavour. 

This Ben Tish recipe will transport you to Sicilian shores – Ben stuffs squid with a fragrant mixture of fennel fronds, crunchy breadcrumbs, raisins, capers and pine nuts, before it's cooked until tender and sweet. It's finished with a nutty butter sauce and served with a rich tomato alioli.

In his tomato recipe, Robert Thompson flavours his chawanmushi – a Japanese steamed egg custard – with a sweet and savoury tomato water made from cherry tomatoes, shallot and a touch of vinegar. He serves it with a fresh tomato salad and lots of fresh herbs for a light and unique starter or light lunch.

This sous vide goat leg recipe from Ollie Moore is underpinned by a creamy aubergine purée and a tomato fondue lightly spiced with cumin, bay, chilli, garlic and ras el hanout. It's a beautiful dinner party main for adventurous home cooks – the goat leg is cooked sous vide for twelve hours – and a meal you're unlikely to forget in a hurry.

Chet Sharma's incredible depth of knowledge around spicing is brought to life in this stunning tomato salad, which is bursting with flavour and gentle spice. A mixture of semi-dried tomatoes and fresh heritage tomatoes are dressed with a Maharashtrian (West Indian) shorba dressing and curry oil, and accompanied by a creamy ricotta, lightly spiced with nigella seeds. 

This tomato risotto from Luke Holder strikes a brilliant balance of being relatively simple to prepare, but delivering in decadent flavour. It's packed full of vibrant passata and rich Parmesan cheese, and finished with marinated anchovies (Luke says it's essential to track down high quality anchovies for the recipe to deepen the umami).

This elegant dish from Claude Bosi pairs scallops with a light tomato sauce made from a herb-infused tomato water. The scallops are very briefly baked and finished with a generous drizzle of floral extra virgin olive oil, resulting in an impressive starter which can be on the table in an hour.

There is some prep involved with this fantastic Harriet Mansell recipe – the elderflower vinegar takes two to three weeks to infuse and the tomato water can take a day – but once the elements are ready, it's just a case of bringing it all together. It's a gorgeous dish which combines the delicate flavours of tomato, elderflower, oregano and fresh sea bass to create an aromatic and refreshing chilled broth. 

Richard Bainbridge showcases the fantastic flavours of Piccolo tomatoes in a striking starter for both dinner parties and mid-week dinners. It's topped with an umami-packed soy-cured egg yolk, and would be great served with croutons or warm, chargrilled sourdough rubbed with garlic.

Anna Tobias' vegan celebration of summer beans is brimming with fresh, sweet flavours, with runner beans gently simmered in a tomato sauce and just-cooked coco blanc beans (if you can't find them, white beans like haricot are a good substitute) stirred through at the end. 

This artistic John Dory recipe is the perfect main for your next dinner party. Emily Roux And Diego Ferrari stripe fish fillets with purées of black garlic, parsley and datterino tomato and sitting them beside a gorgeous tomato tart (using a large ananas tomato, also known as a pinepple tomato) decorated with compressed cucumber, almonds and baby leaves.

In the mood for more? You can see all our tomatoes recipes here.