Fresh Tomato Salad Recipe

My Fresh Tomato Salad is a great side dish or snack. It features juicy tomatoes topped with decadent herbs and savory olive oil. We enjoy this salad alongside gluten-free pizza, especially when tomatoes are in season! This is one of our favorite Spring or Summer treats, but it’s fabulous all year long.

This recipe is versatile. You can use any tomato you wish. I’m partial to heirloom tomatoes, though, as they’re colorful and so sweet!

Benefits of Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a must-have in any kitchen. They’re versatile and can be used in Mexican, American, and Italian dishes. I grow tomatoes in my garden, and my return on investment is high every year!

Tomatoes are full of many fantastic health benefits. The list could go on and on, but here are a few of my favorite things tomatoes bring to the table.

Can Improve Cardiovascular Health

This one should be easy to remember; red tomatoes improve heart health! Lycopene, the compound responsible for a tomato’s hue, can promote better heart health.

Studies show that skimping on your lycopene consumption can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, so load up on those tomatoes! (1)

Lycopene can also help reduce oxidative stress, contributing to heart problems. (2) Free radicals can bring on oxidative stress, and antioxidants combat these issues.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death across the board, and we must use the gifts God gave us to fight back. (3)

Strengthens Your Vision

Our society is highly technological, and while this provides us with many benefits, it also causes a lot of strain on the eyes. If you’re one of the many people who spend time in front of blue-light screens, listen up!

Tomatoes are full of vitamin A, which your retinas need to function properly. (4) Lycopene, which we already know promotes heart health, can also reduce your risk of eye disease. (5)

Can Beautify Your Skin

Tomatoes can be great for your skin. One study showed that ingesting tomato paste with olive oil helped prevent skin damage and boosted collagen. (6) Another win for lycopene!

The antioxidants in lycopene attack free radicals that can prematurely age the skin and cause stress to cells. (7) No matter how clean your environment is, you can’t totally eliminate free radicals. Including bioactive foods, however, can help reduce their effects.

Healthy Salad Ingredients 101

This recipe requires less than ten ingredients, and you can find all of these components at your local grocery store. Win-win! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list.

Tomatoes: The best tomato salads are made of funny-looking tomatoes. It’s true! Heirloom tomatoes often come in odd shapes and colors, but they are the sweetest of any tomato out there.

Try a bite, and you’ll understand why tomatoes are classified as fruits! Farmer’s markets often have an incredible variety of heirloom tomatoes.

Sea Salt and Pepper: Traditional table salt undergoes a rigorous harvesting process that leaves it stripped of trace minerals. We recommend using Colima sea salt because it’s hand-harvested. This leaves the good stuff intact!

You can’t have salt without pepper! I love using white pepper in my recipes. It has a milder taste than black pepper, and it adds a gourmet flair to every recipe. I recommend purchasing peppercorns and freshly grinding your pepper. It improves the flavor and doesn’t require a lot of extra effort!

Organic Fresh Herbs: This ingredient is the secret sauce! Don’t skimp on the herbs. After experimenting with a few combinations, I landed on a winner. Organic basil, chives, parsley, and thyme are a wonderful blend that pairs well with tomatoes.

• Thyme is antibacterial and can boost the immune system. It’s also an excellent natural food preservative! (8)  A little sprinkle of thyme gives this salad a deep, earthy flavor.
• Chives are part of the onion family and a beautiful garnish. As it’s in the same family as onions, it contains many of the same cancer-fighting benefits. (9)
• Parsley is great for your bone health, as it contains loads of vitamin K. (10) This nutrient also keeps your brain sharp. (11) It’s an easy garnish that pairs well with anything.
• Basil is an amazing herb that I use in many of my tomato recipes, including my homemade spaghetti sauce! Consuming basil can help reduce inflammation in the body. (12) This is a wonderful addition to your diet, as inflammation can lead to aches, pains, and even chronic disease!

I recommend using fresh herbs, chopped finely, but you can always use dried.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil is full of polyphenols that battle age-related diseases like hypertension. (13) This is one ingredient where you get what you pay for!

Many cheap EVOOs on the shelf are highly adulterated, and some are even fake. When choosing olive oil, always go for extra-virgin varieties and purchase the best oil you can. It’s worth it.

Vinegar: This ingredient adds a sweet tang to our salad. Adding a dash of vinegar to your salads can help lower blood glucose levels after eating. (14)  There are many kinds of vinegar, but I recommend using basil herbal vinegar for this recipe.

This herb-infused vinegar adds extra flavor, and it’s slightly sweet, which pairs well with tomatoes.

Make My Fresh Tomato Salad

This recipe is easy to prepare and comes together in minutes. Plus, you get to let your creative side shine through arranging the platter! You should note that this salad needs 15-30 minutes of resting time. This allows the olive oil and vinegar to soak into the tomatoes.

Step One: Slice the Tomatoes

Hull the center of the tomato, then thinly slice and arrange them on a large platter.

Step Two: Add Spices and Herbs

Cover generously with freshly chopped chives, basil, and parsley. Sprinkle the tomato slices with sea salt, white pepper, and a little thyme.

Mama Z Pro Tip: Multiple variations of the same herb creates a robust flavor profile. Adjust the amount of herbs to fit your personal taste. To prepare the thyme, strip it off the leaves and place it over the salad. To prepare parsley, harvest just the top pieces. Too much of the stem gets thick, and you end up with a mouthful! Break the parsley a little and place it over the platter. When prepping basil, use just the leaves.

Step Three: Drizzle With Olive Oil and Vinegar

Drizzle the tomatoes and herbs with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar. Let the salad stand for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight. Enjoy!

If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge and eat them the next day. They taste just as good, if not better! The liquid at the bottom of the platter is wonderful to use as a salad dressing or on roasted veggies.

Finger-Friendly Tomato Salad Skewers

This variation is great for parties or cookouts! Use small skewers or toothpicks to make this salad easy to hold. Add halved cherry tomatoes (or heirloom cherry tomatoes), a square of vegan mozzarella cheese, and 1 small basil leaf. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing for an unforgettable appetizer!

References: