Simple but oh so delicious Heirloom Tomato Salad with an addictive crunchy topping and Olive oil-Balsamic drizzle! Super easy and healthy summer side dish that goes with everything!
There are so many tomato salads recipes out there, but hear me out.
When you combine "meaty" Heirloom tomatoes with crunchy garlicky topping and dress in a simple Olive oil-Balsamic dressing, the salad is destined to be devoured fast.
My Heirloom Tomato Salad is a twist on a regular tomato salad. It's made with just 7 ingredients and comes together in no time.
Heirloom Tomatoes are available in stores all year round. But since we started growing them in our garden, in summer we have an abundance of fresh, juicy and scrumptious tomatoes that are literally falling off the branch.
Despite that we used to grow tomatoes in Ukraine, I never appreciated them more than I do now. In grocery stores, Heirloom tomatoes are quite expensive. Plus, we eat salads every day, so stocking up on heirlooms would cost a lot.
Luckily, in summer heirloom tomatoes are not scarce so I've been making tons of delicious recipes with them. My new favorite - Heirloom Tomato Soup is a must for when you have lots of tomatoes and don't know what to do with them.
💭 Top tip
If you're buying tomatoes from the grocery store, smell them and pick those that are the most aromatic ones. This will result in the most delicious and flavorful tomato salad ever.
Let me tell you a bit more about this beautiful tomato salad.
Apart from the fact that it's heavy on tomatoes, one thing that sets it apart from other healthy summer salads is a crunchy topping.
The formula is simple:
- Panko breadcrumbs
- garlic
- olive oil
Nothing special, right? But it combination with soft tomatoes, this garlicky crunch really stands out.
It's just a tiny extra step of turning a simple tomato salad into "want to make it again" salad.
If you read the recipe, you'll notice that this salad doesn't require a dressing, but rather a simple drizzle of Olive oil and vinegar.
The reason is because in this salad, you want to mostly taste the tomatoes and a crunch. Oil and vinegar act like a simple accompaniment to the already delicious salad.
📖 Variations
This Basil Tomato Salad is delicious as it is, but if you're up for it, feel free to throw in sliced green olives or capers. These, in my opinion are two ingredients that any dish shine.
🥘 Similar Recipes
📖 Recipe
Crunchy Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ c Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ lb Heirloom tomatoes
- ¼ c red onion
- 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small skillet and over medium heat. Add garlic pushed through a garlic press and stir for 30 seconds. Add Panko breadcrumbs and toast stirring from time to time until they start turning brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer Panko to a bowl.
- Depending of the size of your tomatoes, cut them into 5 or 6 slices and arrange on a serving plate.
- Thinly slice the red onion and scatter it over tomatoes. Season the salad with salt and pepper.
- Top with the toasted breadcrumbs followed by a drizzle of 1 tbsp of olive oil and vinegar. Scatter basil over the salad and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Leave a Reply