Heirloom Tomato Salad

Heirloom Tomato Salad is an incredibly fresh and flavorful side dish perfect for Spring and Summer meals. Juicy heirloom tomatoes are drizzled with a fresh herb, garlic and red wine vinaigrette. This salad is as appealing to the taste buds as it is to the eyes.

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What are Heirloom Tomatoes?

In the simplest terms, heirloom tomatoes are old fashioned tomatoes. However, according to Bon Appétit heirloom tomatoes are an unregulated designation. In other words, growers can mascaraed any type of tomato as heirlooms as long as they look the part.

What Real Heirloom Taste Like

There are so many different varieties of heirloom tomatoes that range from sweet with low acidity to ones that have complex rich and earthy flavors. However, no matter the variety, real heirloom tomatoes are not lacking in flavor.

Best Tips For Finding Real Heirlooms

Your best best in finding real heirloom tomatoes is to either purchase from a store or farmers market you trust and that are willing to let you taste test, or grow them yourself.

Choosing the Right Combination of Heirloom Tomatoes

When making this salad the best bet is to use a variety of sweet and earthy tomatoes. Below are my favorite varieties for this salad.

• Chocolate Stripes
• Cherokee Purple
• Brandywine
• Black Krim
• Black Cherry
• Green Zebra

Ingredients

• Heirloom Tomatoes– Using a combination of different varieties of heirloom tomatoes will give a beautiful array of colors and flavors. Also, including small cherry tomatoes will give the salad wonderful texture.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil– Good quality extra virgin olive oil will be sold in darker bottles and have an estate or mill name on it. Also, because EVOO does have a short shelf life, there should also be a harvest date printed on the bottle.
• Red Wine Vinegar– With its sharp and tangy flavor, red wine vinegar is a delicious companion to sweeter heirloom tomatoes. See Vinegar Variations section below for when to use other types of vinegars.
• Garlic and Red Onion– The addittion of fresh garlic and onion adds a flavor that compliments heirloom tomatoes very well. It is important to note that the amount used comes down to a personal preference. We love garlic in our house, so we use more of it. For those who are more sensitive to garlic and onions robust flavor, lower the amount used by half.
• Herbs– Dried herbs may be used for this salad. However, if possible use fresh herbs as they add a distinctive brightness to this salad. See Herb Variations section below for other herb combinations.
• Italian Castelvetrano Olives and Capers– The addition of these two ingredients rounds out the salad with a delicious buttery and briny flavor. In other words, they make this salad irresistible.

Variations

Switching up both the vinegar and herbs can not only satisfy personal taste preferences, it also can enhance different variations of heirloom tomatoes.

Vinegar Variations

• Balsamic vinegar tends to be rich in flavor and is on the sweeter side. Use this vinegar in place of red wine vinegar for anyone who is a fan of balsamic or when using more acidic tomatoes.
• White balsamic vinegar tends to be more delicate with a sweet flavor. This type of vinegar works best with heirloom tomatoes that are much more acidic.
• Red wine vinegar is tangier than the other options. However, it is a solid choice when working with both sweet and acidic tomatoes.
• A bit of a lighter option to red wine vinegar would be white wine vinegar. Use this option when you desire more of the tomato flavor to shine through.

Herb Variations

• Using delicate herbs such as dill, chives, parsley and basil is helpful when you want the tomatoes to be the dominant flavor.
• Stronger herbs such as oregano, rosemary and thyme are perfect for when the heirloom tomatoes are either sweeter or are not as intense with flavor.

Note: This recipe uses a combination of the more delicate basil along with the stronger herbs of oregano and rosemary. This blend works very well when you have a range of sweet to more acidic heirloom tomatoes.

How To Make

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil and vinegar.
2. Whisk in the crushed garlic and salt.
3. To the bowl add the thinly sliced onion and chopped fresh herbs. Stir well.
4. Core tomatoes and slice into wedges.
5. Arrange tomatoes on a platter.
6. Drizzle tomatoes with dressing.
7. Sprinkle capers, olives and black pepper over the top of the tomatoes.
8. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
9. Serve immediately.

How To Serve Heirloom Tomato Salad

This salad is best when the tomatoes are arranged on a platter and then the dressing is drizzled over the top. Drizzling the dressing rather then tossing them in the dressing will help the tomatoes to not become overly soft.

What To Serve Heirloom Tomato Salad With

This salad is amazing next to all kinds of meat main dishes such as Pesto Chicken Rollatini, Marinated Rib Eye Steaks, Broiled Pork Chops or Dry Rubbed Ribs. Additionally, including this salad into pasta dinners such as Alfredo Pasta, Sausage Pesto Pasta and Vodka Sauce Pasta makes for an incredible Italian feast.

Top Tips

• Avoid overly soft tomatoes as the texture can be very unappetizing.
• Use a variety of colors.
• Serve at room temperature. This will allow the taste and texture of the tomatoes to remain intact.
• Make the salad just 10 minutes before serving. The salad will taste its best when freshly made.

More Delicious Summer Sides

Summer Pasta Salad

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

Berry Fruit Salad

Macaroni Salad

Tabouli Salad

Italian Potato Salad

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad