Heirloom Tomato Salad
Why This Heirloom Tomato Salad Works
- Heirloom tomatoes taste richer, sweeter, and more complex than standard commercial tomatoes. That’s what makes them so good in recipes like tomato salad, fresh Pomodoro sauce, and many other recipes.
- Salting and draining the tomatoes first pulls out excess liquid for best flavor overall of the tomato and the dressing.
- The shallot vinaigrette brings Dijon, honey, garlic, and herbs, giving the salad a lot more depth than a plain oil-and-vinegar drizzle.
- Toasted pine nuts add crunch and a nutty flavor that plays well against the juicy tomatoes and salty feta.
- Ready in 20 minutes with no cooking beyond toasting the nuts.
- A great way to use peak-season heirloom tomatoes when they’re at their best.
Table of Contents
Why Salt and Drain the Tomatoes First?
Tomatoes are mostly water, and that water gets released the moment you slice into them. Salting the tomatoes and letting them sit in a strainer draws some excess liquid out through osmosis before it reaches your platter.
The result is a salad with concentrated tomato flavor, less liquid released into the dressing diluting it, and pulling on the bottom of the plate, and it’s the reason this salad holds up so much better.
Key Ingredients and Notes
Heirloom tomatoes: Look for a mix of colors and sizes for the best presentation. If heirlooms aren’t in season, tomatoes on the vine are the closest substitute since they have a similarly strong flavor and aroma.
Feta cheese: Use a block of feta and crumble it yourself rather than pre-crumbled. It has better flavor and texture. Barrel-aged feta is especially good in this salad.
Pine nuts: Toasting them briefly in a dry pan brings out a lot more flavor than using them raw, so don’t skip this step.
Shallot vinaigrette: This recipe uses my shallot vinaigrette, made with Dijon, honey, garlic, and fresh herbs. You’ll only need 1/4 cup for this salad, so save the rest for another use.
Full recipe and amounts are in the recipe card below.
Tips and Steps To Make Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Salt and drain the tomatoes first. Wash, dry, and slice the tomatoes, then add them to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with coarse salt. Gently mix to spread the salt evenly, then transfer the tomatoes into a large mesh strainer set over the bowl and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Make the shallot vinaigrette while the tomatoes drain. Dice the shallot as small as you can, warm the vinegar for a few seconds, and let it sit in hot water with the shallot for about 10 minutes before whisking in the remaining vinaigrette ingredients. Full instructions are in the shallot vinaigrette recipe.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat. Don’t walk away since they toast quickly. Shake the pan every few seconds until they’re nicely browned, then set them aside.
- Assemble the salad. Spread the drained tomatoes on a platter, crumble the feta over the top, and scatter the minced basil evenly.
- Finish with pine nuts and dressing. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over everything, then drizzle with the vinaigrette, making sure to get some of the shallots on top for extra flavor.
Ways to Serve Heirloom Tomato Salad
- As a side dish – pair it with grilled salmon or pan-seared scallops for a light, summery dinner.
- With bread – serve alongside savory caprese quick bread to soak up the extra vinaigrette.
- Alongside other summer salads – round out a spread with creamy cucumber tomato salad or tomato basil corn salad.
- With pasta – shrimp pesto pasta makes a great main course alongside this salad as a starter.
Storing Heirloom Tomato Salad
- This salad is best enjoyed the day it’s made, since the tomatoes will continue to release liquid once they’re dressed.
- If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Use any remaining vinaigrette on salads, wraps, or drizzled over grain bowls, chicken or salmon.
Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe FAQs
If heirloom tomatoes aren’t in season, tomatoes on the vine are the best substitute since they have a similarly strong flavor and aroma. Cherry or grape tomatoes will also work in a pinch, though the flavor won’t be quite as robust.
Technically, you don’t have to, but it’s worth the extra 10-15 minutes. Salting draws excess water out of the tomatoes before they hit the platter, which keeps the salad from turning watery and concentrates the tomato flavor.
You can toast the pine nuts and make the vinaigrette ahead of time, but hold off on assembling the salad until you’re ready to serve. You also don’t want to salt the tomatoes too long ahead of assembling or they will loose their structural integrity.
Goat cheese or fresh mozzarella both work well if you’d rather skip the feta. Either will still provide a creamy contrast to the tomatoes. And if you want something bolder, you can try gorgonzola cheese or even cubed sharp cheddar.
More Salad Recipes to Try
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Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Shallot Vinaigrette:
- 1 shallot
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp hot water
- 1/2 cup avocado or olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- salt
- black pepper
Tomato Salad:
- 1.5 lbs heirloom tomatoes
- 1 tsp coarse salt to salt tomatoes
- 2 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup pine nuts toasted
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup shallot vinaigrette from above
Instructions
- To salt tomatoes: Wash, dry, and slice tomatoes. Add the to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with some coarse salt. Gently mix to spread the salt evenly and transfer the tomatoes into a large mesh strainer. Set the strainer over the bowl and let the tomatoes sit for 10-15 minutes.
Shallot Vinaigrette:
- Dice shallots as small as you can and add them into a small mixing bowl. Warm up the vinegar for just a few second in the microwave but get the water hot but not boiling.
- Pour the hot water and warmed vinegar to the onions, stir, and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients into the mixing bowl and vigorously whisk everything together until emulsified.
Tomato Salad:
- To toast pine nuts: spread them in a dry cooking and turn the heat to medium. Don't walk away far because they because they toast pretty quickly. Let the pine nuts toast, shaking the pan every few second until nicely browned. Set aside.
- Spread the tomatoes around on a platter.
- Crumble feta cheese all over the tomatoes and spread minced basil all over as well.
- Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts all over.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette all over the salad and make sure to get some of the shallots for more flavor.
Notes
- Feta cheese – for best flavor, use block of feta and crumble it. I also love the flavor of barrel aged feta cheese in this tomato salad.
- Do take a minute to toast the pine nuts. It will add a lovely flavor.
- If you need to substitute heirloom tomatoes, I recommend tomatoes on a vine. They have a stronger flavor and aroma.
- Use remaining dressing on salads, wraps, or to top off chicken or salmon.
Nutrition
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Categories:
Appetizer Recipes, Backyard BBQ Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Salad Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetables,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
