Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe
Heirloom tomatoes are my favorite and I wait for the season with anticipation of this heirloom tomato salad! In my tomato salad, I pair juicy tomatoes with salty feta, toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, and a homemade shallot vinaigrette, perfect for a summer cookout or a dinner starter. I also salt and drain the tomatoes first, so the salad stays fresh instead of watery.
Servings: 4
Calories: 275kcal
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
Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 761mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1596IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg