Description
Tomato Salad is a fresh, vibrant, and easy-to-make dish featuring ripe, juicy tomatoes combined with fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and a simple dressing of olive oil and acid. Perfect as a light lunch, side dish, or appetizer, it highlights natural tomato flavors with balanced textures and can be customized with optional extras like feta, olives, or avocado.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups ripe heirloom or cherry tomatoes, sliced or halved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, parsley, or cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional Extras
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup cucumber slices
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- Thin slices of jalapeño or red chili flakes, to taste
- Torn pieces of fresh mozzarella
- Toasted nuts or seeds (for vegan version)
Instructions
- Select and Prepare Your Tomatoes: Choose the freshest ripe tomatoes available. Wash thoroughly and slice or chop them according to type—halve cherry tomatoes or cut heirlooms into thick, rustic slices.
- Chop the Vegetables and Herbs: Thinly slice the red onion and chop fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, or cilantro to add crunch and aroma.
- Combine Ingredients in a Bowl: Place the prepared tomatoes, onions, and herbs into a large mixing bowl. Add any optional extras like cucumbers, olives, or cheese at this stage.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice or balsamic vinegar over the salad. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat the ingredients evenly without bruising the tomatoes.
- Let It Rest and Serve: Allow the salad to rest for 10-15 minutes so the flavors meld. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled, garnished as desired.
Notes
- Choose tomatoes at peak ripeness for maximum flavor.
- Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil to enhance taste.
- Avoid over-dressing to keep tomatoes from becoming soggy.
- Chill the salad for 20 minutes before serving if a refreshing cold dish is preferred.
- Add crunchy nuts or seeds just before serving to maintain texture in vegan versions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: tomato salad, fresh salad, easy summer salad, no-cook salad, healthy salad, Mediterranean salad
