There I was…at the farmer’s market, at the “tomato guy’s booth”. You know you are in trouble when you are there. He has the MOST BEAUTIFUL heirloom tomatoes you have ever seen or eaten. He’s also the nicest guy – and you always get a few bonus tomatoes when you buy from him. So… 4 lbs of tomatoes later – I thought…I would make my once famous tomato pie for friends, but then… I got cancelled on…twice. I surely can’t make tomato pie for just hubster and I. It’s a lot of work and a lotta calories – and we can’t be having that yumminess in the fridge just calling out to be eaten… so… there I was. Beautiful heirloom tomatoes and no where to go. How about something a little less time consuming and fewer calories? What about a quick and easy heirloom tomato salad?
This heiriloom tomato salad was super quick to prepare (!) and so very delicious. I meant to share some with hubster – but I sat it next to my computer and it was near lunch time and then whammo it was gone. ha. No idea where it all went. 🤫
Be sure to double or triple this recipe if you are making it for a crowd.
As I said, I happily ate the whole bowl for lunch, myself. It was probably more than I shoulda eaten but we try not to judge (too much) around here… ha. You may wish to use the 2X or 3X buttons on the recipe below if serving with dinner for a family or a crowd.
Dressing is traditional – Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
This heirloom tomato salad really needs the tomatoes to shine so I’m not adding anything fancy – just want a bit of dressing – in the most traditional sense. I did add a slight 1/4 tsp or so of good dijon mustard and a pinch of salt to make the dressing.
I also save and wash small jars – as I love to have something that won’t spill and cleans up super easily on hand – especially for making sauces and dressings. So easy to shake shake shake…just like Shakira. (Picture me in the kitchen shaking – just like Shakira… ha ha ha)
If there are leftover sauce or dressing – I can also put the jar in the fridge readily. This jar is from Hubster’s old fashioned bourbon cocktails. One of these days I’ll get his recipe and pictures and get it out on the blog. People loooovvveee his old fashioned…
Anyway, inside that jar is the dressing…
Chopping the Veg:
The “work” in this salad, if you can call it that, is a bit of chopping. I didn’t call it quick and easy heirloom tomato salad for nuthin.
Heirloom Tomato:
Clean and cut the tomato into half and then into chunks. I wanted bite sized pieces. I do not like it when my salad comes and I’m expected to chop my own salad, once it has been served. Please serve salad in bite sized pieces unless you are working hard on presentation for guests.
If you are serving this to guests you may consider making beautiful half moon slices or you could also consider slicing the beautiful heirloom tomatoes in more traditional whole large slices – that would make a beautiful tray as a first course! (think of slicing for a burger topper)
Red Onion:
As I’d mentioned in prior posts – when eating onions raw – try to use red onions or green onions. White onions are generally too strong for raw applications – with of course, lots of exceptions… But as a general principle – try to think Green onion or red onion when eating raw onion…
For a whole onion … I always cut through the root end – cutting the onion in half. I then proceed to peel the icky bits off the onion / skin etc. and then consider how I want the onion diced or sliced. In this application I want thin quarter moon slices. I don’t like a big ol’ hunk of onion as much as some people – so I scored the onion halfway – careful not to cut through the root which is holding the onion together. Then I slice thin bits off the end of the onion and wha-la I have quarter slices ready for the salad.
don’t cut through the root
Herbs:
Basil is a must with fresh heirloom tomatoes. I just love Basil. A Lot. I could eat basil and most anything – and lots of pesto please. Hubster, not so much. So consider who you are serving and ready up the basil as appropriate.
For basil and getting the chiffonade cut – detach, clean, dry and then stack the leaves in a pile. Then roll the entire pile into a cigarette shape. Then slice thin strips off the end – and whala – what the fancy cookers call basil chiffonade… It is best when your basil is dry… but I didn’t waste a paper towel on drying the basil as it was going into my tummy immediately. If you are serving for company – again – be sure to dry off your basil by using a kitchen towel / paper towel or putting your basil leaves into a lettuce spinner.
I happened to just be at the market and bought some parsley – so tossing a bit of that in there. With parsley – be sure to smell it and consider how strong it is. Fresh parsley can easily overpower a dish so use it sparingly – and taste the dish with slow additions of parsley – before putting a whole lot of parsley in your dish.
Garlic:
This is an instance of more is not better. I chopped a big ol’ clove or two or three of garlic because I love garlic – but raw fresh spicy garlic carries a big punch and you really want to use it sparingly on this salad. A bite or two with a small zing is good. Every bite with a big zing – not so good.
Mince it small and use sparingly.
Tangy Feta Cheese Topper:
Salty and tangy feta cheese goes so nicely on this heirloom tomato salad and helps to remind you that it’s summer. It pairs so nicely here – I just got out my costco sized feta (so economical!) and once again pretended I was Shakira in the kitchen – shake shake shake. 😆
Ok – that’s it. Don’t you love it when things come together so quick and easy ? Time to dig in !
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients
Salad Components
- 1 lb Heirloom tomato – Chopped to your Preference
- 1 Tbl Red Onion – Alternately Green Onion
- ⅛-¼ C Feta Cheese
- 1 Tbl Basil – Chiffonade
- ½ Tbl Parsley – Chopped
- ½ tsp Garlic – Minced fine
- ½ Cucumber – Optional – See Note below !
Salad Dressing
- 2½ Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar
- ¼ tsp Dijon Mustard
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Chop the tomato to your liking: half moons, bite sized pieces, beautiful big round slices… and arrange on a tray or in a bowl.
- Mince the garlic finely and slice the onion thin. Add / sprinkle into the bowl or tray. You may not need all that you mince or slice – be conservative until you taste and confirm.
- Chop the herbs and sprinkle / add to your bowl or tray.
- Add the feta to your tomatoes.
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar or container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well.
- If making in a bowl – add dressing to your salad. Stir up and check for seasoning levels. Consider if you need more S&P and/or more dressing or anything else. Add as appropriate. I did not add all of the dressing I made – maybe a little more than half was used. If doubling or tripling this recipe consider backing off on the dressing – don't think you would need it all. (but leftovers are always good!)
- If making a tray – hold a piece or two of tomato off the tray and season / add to your held piece as you add to the tray. Use your held piece as your reference for seasoning / dressing levels.