This Simple Tomato Salad will become your favorite summer side. Fresh, ripe, beautiful tomatoes don’t need much to make a delicious dish. It goes together in seconds with a flavor that will make you ask for seconds.
A Tomato Salad Recipe You’re going to LOVE!
Nothing tastes more like summer than fresh tomatoes…
This past weekend, at the farmer’s market there were fresh, organic tomatoes everywhere. In Savannah, we are very blessed to have warm weather from very early spring to very late fall, which gives us a long growing season — which means I can get fresh, local tomatoes most of the year.
Every once in a while, even in January, those sneaky farmers grow tomatoes in their greenhouses. And I love them so much. The farmers… and the tomatoes… and the greenhouses.
I feel like I should extend an apology to everyone who attended the farmers’ market last weekend – because I bought them all – all the tomatoes.
Then I ran home to make the simplest salad I know. And perhaps my favorite. My husband and I ate the whole thing right out of the bowl. There is truly nothing tastier than sweet tomatoes and fresh herbs. It tastes exactly like summer.
How to Make a Great Tomato Salad
It actually surprises me how often dinner guests comment about my fresh tomato salad recipe. It is really a “no-recipe recipe.” Think more like general guidelines for awesome tomato eating. My favorite version uses a combination of heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. But the most important thing is that the tomatoes are fresh, ripe and sweet!
So pick beautiful tomatoes. If you get that right, the rest will fall into place.
I also love switching out between dijon mustard and white wine vinegar to dress the salad. The dressing has all the same ingredients except switching between those two options.
Shallots are a must for your kitchen. They are truly magical. They elevate this salad from good to magical! They do the same thing for this cucumber salad!
If you have leftovers, this tomato salad will store for a bit in the refrigerator. But tomatoes release their water as they sit, so it will never be as good as when it is fresh! I also like it much better at room temperature.
More Ways to Eat Tomatoes!
I am also more than a little in love with this Homemade Tomato Tart that bakes in your favorite prepared pie crust!
This fresh tomato soup is also one of the few recipes I have ever found that comes from fresh summer tomatoes instead of cans! It is so delicious, it will make it hard to go back!
Simple Tomato Salad
Equipment
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- 2 lbs small tomatoes, halved cherry, grape, or any other small variety
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp dijon mustard or 1/4 cup white wine vinegar as an alternative option
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- 2 shallots minced
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and slice heirloom tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. (I use whatever tomatoes are fresh and in season!) Mince shallots.
- Whisk shallots, olive oil, and dijon mustard (or white wine vinegar) together until emulsified.
- Arrange tomatoes onto a platter and dress salad with the shallot mixture.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Top with freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply