Easy Tomato Salad

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We have a surplus of tomatoes this summer, and it’s glorious. I dreamed up this simple tomato salad recipe to make use of the excess. I simply sliced ripe tomatoes into bite-sized pieces, then I added some crisp red onion, lots of fresh basil, and drizzled it all with olive oil and good balsamic vinegar.

The end result is so delicious! This salad really lets raw, peak-season tomatoes shine. The recipe is also quite versatile, so you’ll never tire of it. Try adding some cucumber, mozzarella, avocado, arugula or even peaches.

Serve this tomato salad as a fresh, healthy side salad to any summer meal. It’s best when it’s freshly made, so I recommend cutting the recipe in half if you’re not serving a crowd.

I grew heirloom tomatoes from seed for the first time this spring. It was a fun process that proved easier than expected. In fact, I underestimated how many of the seeds would sprout. I grew so many tomato plants that we filled our family’s three garden plots and passed along the extra to friends.

Strangely enough, our growing tomato plants have provided a sense of continuity and hope during a tumultuous year. I’ll do it all again next spring, but maybe leave some room for more peppers and cucumbers. Or maybe I need a bigger garden plot. I think I’m hooked!

Tomato Salad Ingredients

Tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes are absolutely key to making a great tomato salad. In other words, do not attempt to make tomato salad with subpar tomatoes. It’s just not worth it.

For this salad, I like to use a combination of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half, and small-to-medium tomatoes, sliced into bite-sized wedges. You can use any combination of tomatoes, though, as long as they’re good ones. You’ll need about 1 3/4 pounds total.

Red Onion

Raw onion can be intense, so we’re going to soak our onion in ice-cold water while we prepare the remaining ingredients. The colder your water, the more crisp your onions will become. Soaking the onion is a simple and quick way to improve the overall flavor and texture of your salad.

Fresh Basil

You can’t go wrong with the combination of fresh tomatoes and bail, ever. If you’re short on basil, this salad is also nice with parsley, dill and/or chives.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil & Thick Balsamic Vinegar

Now’s the perfect time to bust out your best olive oil and balsamic vinegar, because their flavors will really shine on this salad. If you’re curious, my go-to olive oils are California Olive Ranch Everyday and Trader Joe’s Kalamata.

By “thick” balsamic vinegar, I mean a high-quality aged balsamic that will drizzle nicely over the salad. I love Napa Valley Naturals’ Grand Reserve Vinegar (affiliate link)—make sure you get the bottle with “25 stars” on it. Or, use store-bought balsamic glaze/reduction by DeLallo or Alessi. You can even make your own balsamic glaze with runny balsamic—check the recipe notes for details.

Salt & Pepper

If possible, use Maldon flaky sea salt (affiliate link). Flaky salt is a “finishing salt” that offers a hint of crisp texture and enhances the flavor of anything underneath. It’s such an easy way to make a recipe seem gourmet! If you don’t have it, use kosher salt. If you don’t have kosher salt, use half as much table salt.

Lastly, use freshly ground black pepper, always. Pre-ground pepper is nearly flavorless and not worth the cost.

Tomato Cucumber Salad Variation

Easy! Layer some thinly sliced cucumber into this recipe for the best tomato cucumber salad you’ve ever had. I prefer English cucumber or Persian cucumber for their crisp texture and less bitter skin. If you’re using a regular garden cucumber, taste a slice first—if the skin is bitter, peel it off before slicing the rest.

Additional Variations

This tomato salad recipe is so versatile. For a more hearty salad, add some mozzarella or ripe avocado. If you have arugula, try adding a handful or two. You could even substitute ripe peaches for some of the tomatoes. The recipe (below) provides guidance on quantities and how to layer in these optional ingredients.

Craving more tomatoes before summer ends? Below are a few of my favorite recipes featuring juicy raw tomatoes, or you can browse all tomato recipes here.

• Caprese Salad with Burrata
• Classic Pico de Gallo
• Fresh Huevos Rancheros
• Layered Panzanella
• Tomato Basil Bruschetta with Balsamic Drizzle
• Vegetarian “BLT” Sandwich