This easy Tomato Salad Recipe is made with vine-ripened summer tomatoes and drizzled with my favorite homemade vinaigrette. Ready in less than 10 minutes, enjoy this healthy, delicious, and summer side dish with all your favorite main-course recipes!
Fresh Tomato Salad Recipe
A life without bright, juicy, naturally sweet tomatoes is a dull one if you ask me. Since learning to love tomatoes sometime in my late teens, tomatoes have dominated my kitchen. As the shining star of many of my most popular (and favorite) recipes, it’s fair to say that I enjoy this ruby red (orange, yellow, green, or even purple) fruit daily.
One of my all-time favorite ways to celebrate the beauty that is the tomato is by serving it in great big salads. Sometimes these salads are all about the tomatoes, like this one today, this balsamic tomato salad, or this Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. Other times, they may be part of a larger salad with many different ingredients, as with this chickpea tomato salad with creamy yogurt dressing. No matter how you slice, dice, or chop a big fat juicy tomato, toss it in a salad and it’s guaranteed to taste delicious.
And that’s exactly what we’re doing today. This easy tomato salad recipe is made with a homemade red wine vinaigrette (because it’s my favorite – feel free to use something different if you prefer) and just three other simple ingredients – ripe tomatoes, crunchy romaine lettuce, and red onion.
How to Make a Tomato Salad
The first step in making this bright summer salad is to make the yummy vinaigrette – unless you prefer to use something else, which is absolutely ok, too. To make my very favorite vinaigrette you’re going to need:
- Olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Red wine vinegar
- Maple syrup
- Garlic cloves
- Salt and Black pepper
Add the listed amounts (in the recipe card below) of each ingredient into a small jar or small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Season, to taste. Some of you may like additional red wine vinegar, while others may like more maple syrup. Everyone is a little different, so adjust it to your own taste.
Once the vinaigrette is prepared (yes, it can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week), let’s combine the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Here you’ll find just three ingredients,
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Red onion
But that doesn’t mean you can’t add in other things like feta cheese, parmesan cheese, and avocado. Actually, I highly recommend avocado if you’ve got one laying around.
Finally, just before serving, drizzle with half of your prepared vinaigrette. There’s no need to go crazy here. It’s always better to start with less and add more if needed.
Once the vinaigrette has been added, it’s best to enjoy right away. Sadly, soggy lettuce doesn’t make for great leftovers.
How to Serve Tomato Salad?
This salad is pretty darn delicious with just about everything.
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If you try making this Easy Tomato Salad Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
Easy Tomato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon - juiced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup - (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- salt + black pepper - to taste
For the Salad
- 4-5 large ripe tomatoes - washed, dried, and sliced
- 2 cups lettuce - I used romaine lettuce, feel free to use butter lettuce or any type of mixed green
- ½ small red onion - thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a small jar and shake well to combine. Season to taste (I like my vinaigrette to be somewhat strong in vinegar flavor. If you prefer a sweeter vinaigrette, you may wish to add additional maple syrup).
- Combine salad ingredients. In a large bowl gently combine the chopped romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, and sliced tomatoes.
- Toss and serve. Drizzle the salad with half of your prepared vinaigrette and gently toss to combine. Add additional vinaigrette, if desired. Best served immediately.
Jessica's Notes
- As long as they're ripe and fresh, this salad is delicious with any type of tomato: cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomato, garden tomatoes, etc.
- Feel free to swap the red wine vinegar for balsamic vinegar.
- Add some fresh herbs like fresh basil leaves, oregano, or thyme.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
A huge Italian supermarkets just opened here and the varieties of tomatoes they stock takes this lovely salad to a whole new level. I am especially fond of the Marinda variety from volcanic slope is Sicily. They are often called Sicilian winter tomatoes. The proximity to the sea of the vines give them a natural saltiness and the volcanic soil gives the added flavour. In a simple salad like yours they take it to another level. You can use them green or red with equally good results. The red ones cook to a delicious sauce the green ones sadly just give a very sour sauce.
Thanks James, I have never heard into Marinda or Sicilian Winter tomatoes, and now I have to try them 🙂
So simple and yummy!