Heirloom Tomato Salad is the perfect easy summer side dish. While the juicy, ripe tomatoes are the star, red onion, briny olives and fresh basil add lots of flavor too.
Summery Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe
It’s hard to resist colorful heirloom tomatoes when I see them at the farmers’ market, but sometimes I buy so many, I don’t know what to do with them all. This heirloom tomato salad solves that problem in a delicious way. A simple summer tomato salad made with Kalamata olives, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, and garden fresh basil, it’s my husband’s recipe and it’s become my favorite ways to eat tomatoes. We serve this as a side dish or for lunch with a nice crusty bread like my homemade Sourdough Bread.
Why This Salad Is My Family’s Favorite Way to Use Tomatoes
It’s not an exaggeration to say we make this multiple times every summer, especially when we get lots of tomatoes from the garden. Here’s why I love it.
- Simple: When you start with beautiful sun-ripened tomatoes, you don’t need to add a lot of other ingredients to make a delicious salad. And that means this recipe is incredibly easy, too.
- Versatile: Scale up the recipe for a party, toss it with orzo for an easy pasta salad, spoon it onto toasted slices of bread for bruschetta, or come up with your own way of serving it.
- Light and summery: When it’s hot outside, I rarely feel like big, heavy meals. I like that this salad is fresh and light!
If you’re looking for more ways to put tomatoes to use, try my Burst Tomato Cottage Cheese Caprese Bowl or Grape Tomato Sauce.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 8 kalamata olives
- fresh basil, sliced
- kosher salt and fresh pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl combine onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let it marinate about 5-10 minutes.
- Slice the tomatoes and arrange on a plate.
- Pour olive oil and onions on top and season with additional salt and pepper. Top with fresh basil and olives.
- Divide equally in 4 plates.
Last Step:
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is everything you’ll need to make this easy heirloom tomato salad. See the recipe card above for the exact measurements.
- Ripe Tomatoes, of course, are essential for this salad! While I most often use heirloom tomatoes, you can really use any variety, even cherry tomatoes.
- Red Onion has a sharp flavor that contrasts nicely with the sweet, acidic tomatoes.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil is all we need to dress this salad.
- Kalamata Olives add salty, briny flavor.
- Fresh Basil is one of my favorite pairings with tomatoes. The two just belong together!
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Pepper for seasoning.
How to Make Heirloom Tomato Salad
Here’s a quick overview of the steps involved in making this heirloom tomato salad. See the recipe card above for printable directions.
- Marinate: Toss together the onions, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Arrange: Slice the tomatoes and arrange them on a serving platter or plate.
- Assemble: Pour the olive oil and onion mixture over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then scatter the basil and olives over the top.
Tomato Salad Variations
Here are a few more ways to make this heirloom tomato salad.
- Try different herbs: Almost any herb pairs well with tomatoes. Try fresh oregano, parsley, or dill, or a combination of herbs from your garden.
- Add cheese: Shaved Parmesan or sliced fresh mozzarella layered with the tomatoes would be delicious.
- Swap the olives for capers: They have a flavor that’s bright and briny at the same time.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some ideas for pairings with this tomato salad recipe.
Pasta Recipes
Heirloom tomato salad is an easy way to round out a pasta dinner.
Main Dish Proteins
So many simple protein recipes would go well with this salad too.
Proper Storage
Refrigerate heirloom tomato salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like to let it come to room temperature before serving.
Perfect on a summer night!
Made this tonight to go with your Chicken Rollatini. It was perfect.
Found small heirloom tomatoes at Costco so instead of slicing them I just quarted them and it turned out excellent!! Thank you for this simple quick and delisious salad!!
Tomatoes are just so refreshing.Absolutely delicious recipe Gina.
Really liked the colorful salad.
I have tried alot of your recipes and loved them my family as well and they can't believe they are ww. thanks i am spreading the word and plan on cooking my way through your recipes & all my ww cook books thanks again 🙂
sandie
Just had this for dinner. We LOVED IT!
Not familiar with heirloom tomatoes. Where do you find them
Farmers’ markets. They’re delicious. If you find them, buy them!
We just finished eating this for dinner. It was delicious!
I really like to eat it right after I make it.
This looks delicious. How well does this hold up if you make it in advance? I'm heading to a picnic after work, and I would love to bring this.
I love this and I'm not a big tomato person.
I made this tonight, it was wonderful!!!! I was expecting to have too much, but it was gone in no time!
I'm not, but thanks, great compliment!
You must be a professional photographer, my dishes never turn out this good. Congrats on great pictures.
Dianne
Looks Amazing… These tomatoes are jumping thru my screen…Yummy
Delissh!
Gina, I have just stumbled upon your site and am SO EXCITED!! I am on WW and have lost 30 lbs. since Juanuary. I post on Wed. about my progress and share a recipe. This week I am gonna suggest people come visit you for a recipe. Thanks for all you put into this blog. I'm thrilled to have found it and will be a regular visitor!
The salad looks great. Tomatoes are my favorite. So simple yet so sophisticated.
think this is my favourite way to eat tomatoes as well! Especially heirloom, they are so sweet, they need nothing else!
The perfect tomatoes for this. Heirlooms are always so gorgeous and sweet.
You always have such great recipes! And I know they aren't going to blow my points 🙂
I wanted to let you know I've given you an award on my blog. Thanks for all of your awesomed posts!
Looks heavenly…heading to Farmers Market.
Now that's one beautiful Tom. salad!
I really like your blog and have made several recipes for my mom that does WW also!
Enjoy and thank you,
Pam
www.alovefornewrecipes.blogspot.com
Hi Gina, I found your blog through the foodieblogroll and I love your collection of recipes here!I'll be stumbling some of your recipes here and I'd also love to guide our readers to your site if you won't mind.Just add your choice of foodista widget to this post and it's all set to go, Thanks!
Gorgeous!