Tomato salad is a refreshing and juicy recipe to savor the sweet, tangy, and earthy flavor of ripe tomatoes.
Our recipe is seasoned with fresh basil, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar; it’s excellent as a starter, side, or light main dish.
Table of Contents
Tomato and onion salad is refreshing, easy to put together, and perfect to cool you down during the scorching summer months.
Serve it with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful tomato juices; it’s perfect for a simple light lunch, appetizer, or side dish.
We encourage you to mix different tomato varieties to play with colors, shapes, and texture.
For more inspiration, check out the “variations” chapter below, where we show you more ideas for creative and delicious tomato salads.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Find the complete recipe with ingredients and instructions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Tomatoes
The tomatoes should be ripe but still firm and not overly ripe.
Pick tomatoes of different varieties, textures, and colors. Also, the tomatoes must be at room temperature to appreciate their taste.
Meaty and colorful tomatoes grown in the summer season will make all the difference.
So, if you have a farmer’s market nearby, you could try to get your fresh tomatoes there. Your fresh garden tomatoes would also be excellent.
You’ll find more varieties than in the supermarket, and the tomatoes will be much more beautiful and tasty.
If you don’t have access to a farmer’s market, choose more common tomato varieties such as cherry tomatoes, vine tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and Roma tomatoes.
Our local farmer Luca brought us many delicious tomato varieties, including Heirloom tomatoes, Japanese Black Trifele, Gold Dust, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple Tomatoes, Yellow Cherry, Roma Tomato, Yellow Pear Tomatoes, Beefsteak Tomatoes, and more.
Red onion
Thinly sliced red onion adds a sharp, almost spicy flavor to the salad, perfectly complementing the sweet and slightly acidic tomato flavor.
Our favorite red onion is Tropea onion due to its mild and sweet flavor.
If a raw red onion is too sharp, try soaking it in cold water for 10 minutes before adding it to the salad.
Alternatively, substitute shallot for onion.
Olive oil
We recommend using good quality extra virgin olive oil.
Vinegar
We like our tomato salad with balsamic vinegar because it’s sweeter and less acidic than most vinegar.
If you don’t have balsamico, try red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
We don’t recommend using lemon juice; we find it too acidic in this simple salad.
There’s no need to make a vinaigrette for this recipe by mixing oil and vinegar in a small bowl beforehand.
Basil
Fresh basil leaves and tomatoes are a match made in heaven. They are a staple combination in Italian cuisine, and for a good reason.
Basil has a round, sweet, mellow aroma that melds perfectly with the sweetness and freshness of the tomatoes.
If you don’t have basil, add other suitable fresh herbs: finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, dill, chives, fresh oregano, and mint.
Salt and Pepper
Tomatoes need salt. Good, tasty sea salt or kosher salt brings out their flavor, making them super palatable.
Also, freshly ground black pepper adds the perfect spice and aroma to this tomato summer salad.
Other ingredients
Chopped celery, grated carrots, diced cucumber, avocado, kalamata olives, corn, feta cheese, chopped lettuce, fresh mozzarella balls, burrata, and crushed garlic clove are simple ingredients that you can easily add to this salad to make it even tastier.
Check out our “variations“ chapter below to see how we do a delicious Italian marinated tomato salad with celery, carrot, and more.
How to make tomato salad
Find the complete recipe with ingredients and instructions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Finely chop the red onion, then separate the onion layers by pinching them with your fingers.
Soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes if you want a milder flavor. In the meantime, chop the tomatoes.
Chop the tomatoes into bite-size pieces.
Cut small round tomatoes in half, long and narrow tomatoes in discs or wedges, and larger round tomatoes into wedges.
We recommend cutting tomatoes with a serrated knife or a paring knife with a serrated edge. This way, slicing through them without squishing them will be easier.
Add the chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion (take out of the water), chopped basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to a large bowl.
Toss well with two spoons, and set aside 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve in the same bowl or on a serving platter, with some slices of crusty sourdough bread on the side.
Serving suggestions
As a side dish
You can serve tomato salad as a side dish with an easy dinner. We highly recommend it as a side with pasta, pizza, risotto, and soups.
As an appetizer or light meal
You can serve this tomato salad in smaller portions with toasted bread. Almost like a bruschetta with tomatoes. Pair it with:
- Homemade crostini with olive tapenade (bread, olive oil, salt, pepper.)
- Focaccia bread (instant dry yeast, flour, sugar, water, rosemary, etc.)
- Naan bread or pita bread (flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, water, etc.)
- Homemade croutons (bread, olive oil, salt, pepper, etc.)
- Flatbread pizza (flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, tomatoes, fresh herbs, etc.)
Variations
Marinated Italian Tomato Salad
You’ll need beefsteak tomatoes plus celery and carrots.
First, remove the stem of the beefsteak tomatoes, then slice them into 1/3-inch slices (about 0.8 cm). Arrange the slices on a single layer, without overlapping, onto a serving plate.
Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
Add finely chopped onion, celery, grated carrot, and basil. Add another tiny oil drizzle, a small salt pinch, and pepper.
Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving it with fresh crusty bread to soak up all the tomatoes’ juices.
Panzanella
Panzanella is an Italian tomato and bread salad in which the bread is soaked in water and mixed with fresh tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers.
It’s the best recipe for the summer as it’s refreshing, satisfying, and delicious.
Check out our Panzanella recipe.
Tomato and Lettuce Salad
Want a tomato salad that is even fresher and crunchier? Then try adding chopped romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce to the tomato mix.
You can also add chopped cucumber, a grated carrot, and a chopped celery stalk. The seasoning is the same with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper.
Avocado and Tomato Salad
Creamy avocado and fresh tomatoes meld perfectly in a delicious creamy summer salad.
Check out our avocado salad recipe.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Crunchy cucumber and sweet tomatoes are a perfect match.
Check out our cucumber tomato salad recipe.
Storage
Make ahead: this recipe is best when made 30 minutes to 3 hours ahead. The tomatoes seasoned in salt and vinegar will lose their water and crunch after a few hours, so keep that in mind.
Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Take it out of the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving it. Tomatoes taste best at room temperature.
Questions
A simple tomato salad is made of fresh tomatoes, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves.
Raw tomatoes are delicious with extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil leaves, grated carrot, chopped celery, and optionally fresh mozzarella cheese.
Tomato tastes good with extra virgin olive oil, salt, crusty bread, garlic, cucumber, and most kinds of lettuce.
1) Stuffed tomatoes
2) Cherry tomato pasta
3) Bruschetta with Tomatoes
4) Tomato risotto
5) Tomato galette
6) Italian Sautéed Eggplant
7) Quick Pasta with Tomatoes and Mushrooms
8) Italian Salad
9) Moroccan Eggplant Tomato Salad (Zaalouk)
10) Tomato Cucumber Salad
More Tomato Recipes
If you enjoy cooking with fresh tomatoes, take a peek at these wholesome and vibrant recipes using cherry tomatoes:
- Bruschetta (fresh tomatoes, bread, balsamic vinegar, basil, olive oil, etc.)
- Tomato confit (cherry tomatoes, sugar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, etc.)
- Easy tomato galette (pie crust, ricotta, cherry tomatoes, lemon, oregano, etc.)
- Stuffed tomatoes (rice, spinach, chickpeas, cumin, vegetable broth, garlic, etc.)
- Cherry tomato pasta (pasta, cherry tomatoes, parmesan, red pepper flakes, etc.)
More Salad Recipes
Pick your favorite salads and add plant-based protein such as fried tofu, air fryer tofu, or roasted chickpeas for a complete meal:
For many more side dish ideas, check out our sides category page.
Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ pound tomatoes pick 2 or 3 varieties (cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, vine tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes)
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Finely chop ½ red onion and separate its layers by pinching them.
- For a milder onion flavor, soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes.
- Chop 1½ pound tomatoes into bite-size pieces.
- To a large bowl, add tomatoes, onion, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 handful fresh basil leaves.
- Toss well and set aside 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
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